moses2792796
12-09-2007, 06:36 AM
Pragmatic Nihilism
Nihilism as a guide to daily life and spiritual awakening
Contents
1. Active Nihilism
2. Integralism
3. Two Natures
4. Tradition
5. Religion
6. Contemplation
7. Action
8. The Modern World
9. Pragmatic Nihilism
This is still in draft format, I'm interested in constructive criticism for anyone who bothers to read a post of this length.
Introduction
This collection of essays is more than simple philosophy, as that would imply a process of searching for truth. These essays are the truths that I have learned in the time since I became interested in such a noble pursuit. I daresay they are incomplete, at my age I have not had the time even to aspire to true wisdom, but I hope that they can offer you some guidance in the quest for spiritual awareness and heroic action.
1
Active Nihilism
To obtain a correct answer to any question it is necessary to have a non-biased starting point. For instance, a person who believes that the earth is flat could not correctly answer a question relating to geography, just as a mathematician who believed that 0=1 would be unable to solve virtually any problem correctly. To overcome this we must assume nothing to begin with, and build up knowledge based on what we can determine to be real. At first this begins with our senses, as children we learn by a process of trial and error, when one throws a ball into the sky it falls back to the earth and this behaviour remains constant. While we can never be 100% certain that it will continue to behave in this manner it is reasonable to assume that it will always do so.
When in pursuit of something immaterial like truth, scientific, empirical knowledge is not our primary concern. We can safely assume that scientists know what they’re doing, if not then it would take a lifetime just to rewrite every science and maths textbook in the world, and even then there is no guarantee of their infallibility. Truth is different; by its very definition it is infallible, and this makes it much harder to determine than any type of empirical knowledge.
Active nihilism is what gives us our non-biased starting point. Rather than erasing our empirical knowledge, we use it to erase knowledge of immaterial principles, so we can pursue truth without the concern of a false assumption. Probably the best example of active nihilism is the way in which Nietzsche used it to erase moral suppositions. The division of the world into good and evil, Nietzsche realised, was a subjective element that humans had created in their view of reality. By doing this they had distorted their view of reality and this made it more difficult for them to function within it.
When we erase every subjective element such as morals, and value attributed to certain material items, we are left purely with the objective, unadulterated reality; Unforgiving, unfeeling and without any inherent value. Nietzsche realised that if this was taken as an endpoint it led only to a meaningless and miserable existence. What active nihilism allowed was a re-evaluation of values, so that they could conform to objective reality, and therefore allow humans to function positively within it free from subjective concerns.
*For more information on this section visit www.anus.com or read Nietzsche’s “Beyond Good and Evil”. Thanks to both of them for their guidance.
2
Integralism
At this point, after the removal of inherent value the individual has to find a method by which to re-evaluate and in doing so, create a positively oriented system of morals with an objective origin. When viewing the world free from the subjective, emotional element, the individual must realise that they are simply a tiny portion of a far greater whole, and that even humanity itself is incomparably small relative to the system that created it. It is this system that forms the basis of objective morals. Nature, in other words physical reality, is the system by which we were manifested and constitutes everything that we can observe via the five senses. Objective morals have their basis in nature, for it is objective reality, therefore these new values must conform to natural methods. Scientists describe sections of nature as ecosystems; in these ecosystems every single physical feature has some form of positive contribution towards the whole. There is no good and evil, simply a cycle which benefits everything within it. A lion kills a gazelle, its body decomposes and it enriches the soil which allows plants to grow that are then eaten by that gazelle’s child. The lion killing was not evil because it had a natural place and purpose.
What we have here is a microcosm, because prior to the advent of the human race, every ecosystem on earth coexisted to form a larger ecosystem that functioned by the same method, that is, everything contributes towards the perpetuation of the life process. It can then be determined by virtue of analogous transposition that the earth itself is a microcosm and that the entire cosmos is in fact an enormous ecosystem, an organism more complex that any biologist has ever dreamt of. This principle is called integralism, and it is the only objective method of valuation. The reason for this is that integralism is the method by which nature functions and humans exist as a part of nature. So according to an objective moral code, if an action contributes positively towards the whole, it is a ‘good’ action, and vice versa.
Modern humans have a belief that they have progressed beyond this, that self-interest is more important than the perpetuation of an ecosystem. It is for this reason alone that humans are the one and only species that has a directly negative impact on their ecosystem. From an integralist point of view this makes humans ‘evil’. The paradox is that humans depend on nature for their existence, so by damaging it they are essentially damaging themselves. Unfortunately, until the human race can realise its function as an integral part of nature it will continue to destroy itself.
For more information visit www.anus.com
3
Two Natures
Some people may notice a religious ring to the idea of integralism. It deals with a principle that the entire cosmos is subject to, much like God. It is a non-material but undeniably real principle, again like God (see my religion section to understand the undeniably real statement). Most importantly it necessarily precedes physical reality. While it takes a conscious being like a human to be aware of it, it must be conceded that nature is dependant on integralism, not vice versa. This is the only logical possibility because a non-physical principle like integralism must have been present (in an unmanifested state) before the birth of the universe, otherwise the universe would not have followed the rules of integralism at all. In other words, integralism is transcendent, it is beyond physical reality, but it is also immanent, because it pervades every part of reality, manifesting at microcosmic levels. This is the esoteric and hidden meaning in all of the sacred scriptures and is also the basis for the doctrine of two natures.
This doctrine deals with the relationship between transcendent principles and physical reality. These two ‘realms’ are known as the ‘realm of being’, and the ‘realm of becoming’. The realm of being consists of transcendent principles that are the support and true life of the realm of becoming, which is the manifested state of constant change. The unmanifested state is eternal; the forms of becoming are ephemeral. Truth lies in the eternal.
As we have seen when discussing integralism nothing can be given an objective value other than the degree to which it aligns itself with a cosmic order, therefore all true value is found in the realm of being, and nothing has any meaning unless it reflects this spiritual dimension. This truth has been central to human civilisation since its conception, and only recently has it been forgotten. In ancient civilisations transcendent principles were personified as Gods, and the highest degree of transcendence, in which all things were unified, was recognised as a mystic force beyond the capacity of human understanding. Other religions actually personified this force as well, especially more recent religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
The importance of understanding the doctrine of two natures is that it allows a greater understanding of how the principle of integralism has been applied by various civilisations and also how it relates to the individual. What it essentially means is that physical reality has no inherent value, for everything within it is constantly changing and nothing stands against time. Truth can only be found in the eternal unmanifested state of transcendence, and meaning can only be found in physical reality when it is seen as a reflection of pure spirituality.
For more information read J. Evola’s “Revolt Against the Modern World” and “The Bhagavad-Gita” also R. Guenon’s “The Crisis of the Modern World”
4
Tradition
It was briefly mentioned in the previous essay that ancient civilisations had a greater knowledge of the doctrine of two natures than modern man. This can be seen especially in ancient religious and philosophical works, in which an exoteric and an esoteric meaning are usually evident. There are generally two layers of meaning, one relating purely to physical reality, and one relating to metaphysics. The former is the simple literal interpretation, while the latter has a symbolic, mysterious character. This is in contrast to modern philosophical works which, with scarce exceptions, are concerned only with the realm of becoming and the purely human function of reason. This shows a regression in epistemology with man going from the spiritual and the transcendent, to the temporal and the relative.
According to the modern definition tradition is simply values and traditions which are preserved by a culture for a number of generations. This is an echo of truth but this material view fails to comprehend tradition in its entirety. Tradition, at a metaphysical level, is knowledge of transcendent truths that are common to all civilisations with a spiritual origin. It was shown in the previous essay that transcendent truths are eternal and unchanging, for this reason many civilisations have discovered them, though there esoteric nature means that this is difficult to see at first.
The traditional ideal of transcendence being the centre of a civilisation can be seen in the west and the east, in every aspect of their societies. Firstly their social order was structured from the top down, at least in times when these civilisations were true vehicles of traditional spirit. This means that they were structured starting at their highest nature and working downwards, so their laws would have an origin in transcendence, meaning that every law would have a divine character. In other words, they revolved around the principle of integralism. Then a king, or emperor who was an embodiment of transcendence would take his place at the top of the society and direct it towards the realm of being. This embodiment was induced by special, ritualistic (The idea of a ritual may seem primitive form a materialist point of view but what it essentially was, was an action directed towards the perpetuation of the divine. So in traditional societies, every action was performed ritualistically. Modern historians have dismissed this as mere superstition, completely overlooking its esoteric significance) methods of initiation.
The king would then be responsible for the continuation of the divinity of the empire. If he failed to do this it was assumed that his merely human element had acted, rather than the supernatural element bestowed upon him through initiation. When this happened he was no longer fit for kingship and was removed from his position.
The points made in this section may seem unclear; unfortunately to explain them properly would take an entire volume rather than an essay. In his book “Revolt Against the Modern World” Julius Evola explains these concepts in more detail. In particular the first section concerning the world of tradition where he accurately cross examines a variety of different cultures and explains their relation to transcendent principles in detail.
For more information read “The Laws of Manu” however avoid Wendy Doniger’s translation
5
Religion
The difference between esoteric and exoteric is clearly evident in religion. All of the major world religions convey a form, which provides a set of rules for a particular culture, but beyond this they reveal traditional truths. While the inner meaning of religion is conceived by few these days, there have been times when it was considered self-evident, at least by the higher stratas of society. Again I shall refer to Hinduism, for it is, of all the religions, the one in which the esoteric meaning is most pronounced. In contrast to Christianity which, despite retaining its core esoterism is highly prone to degeneracy and misinterpretation. In Ancient India, the inner meaning of the sacred Hindu scriptures was determined by a priestly caste known as the Brahmin. Unlike the modern priests in the west these people were genuine spiritual authorities and were subordinate only to royalty.
In a philosophical reconstruction religion is closely linked to integralism, which is a transcendent godlike principle; beyond everything else religion deals with the relationship between the self and the whole (God). All religions teach detachment from material rewards. The significance of this is that they show the individual to let go of physical attachments in pursuit of a higher goal.
The final meaning of religion is that by overcoming the individual ego, or the ‘I’ and realising the unity of the transcendent Self (Soul) and the transcendent whole (God or integralism) one becomes immortal. The exoteric interpretation of the imagery of immortality in religion is literal and physical, a simple belief that when one dies, their ‘I’ continues to exist. The esoteric, metaphysical meaning is that when one dies, God is unchanged, therefore one who has become one with God, transcended the limitations of their form is truly immortal. This does not mean that the exoteric interpretation is invalid, for those who are incapable of realising the metaphysical meaning of religion, it serves as a mediation of transcendent truth, and for those who have realised the inner truth of religion, the ritualistic and dogmatic aspect of scripture serves as a way of actualising the spiritual element in their daily life.
For more information on this section read F. Schuon’s “The Transcendent Unity of Religions”
6
Contemplation
It is now that we arrive at the question of paths, in other words, ways in which to achieve spiritual awakening. Firstly it must be acknowledged that by following ones dharma (vocation) with single minded concentration and no thought of reward then one will attain enlightenment. However for those who wish to go beyond the earthly nature of dharma there are the two higher paths of contemplation and action.
Contemplation is found primarily in the far Eastern traditions. It has long been admitted that the East has a naturally more contemplative nature, while the West is more inclined to act; that even in a time when both had a natural social order that the East would have more Brahmins (priests) and the West more Kshatriyas (warriors). The far eastern tradition that emphasises contemplation over action and is well known to westerners is that of Buddhism. Unfortunately the meaning of Buddhism has been greatly distorted by the modern materialist mindset in the same way it dismisses ancient rituals as superstition.
The art of detachment is considered of utmost importance in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Buddha spent 49 days meditating, withdrawn from the world of sense objects until he found the truth. This theme is also found in Hinduism, where meditation is considered a path to God.
Essentially contemplation is the method through which God is found within the Self. By withdrawing from the world of sense object one learns to depend solely of transcendent truth for sustenance and desire is overcome. Contemplation is the art of overcoming the ‘I’ through direct detachment from physical action and finding transcendence by going inward.
For more information on this section read “The Bhagavad-Gita” and R. Guenon’s “The Crisis of the Modern World”
7
Action
Action is the opposite of contemplation in that it involves ‘actualising’ a spiritual awakening in the physical world rather than a direct withdrawal. What this means is that the physical action helps the individual overcome a spiritual obstacle and therefore reflects a metaphysical battle. It was discussed earlier than value could inly be attributed to the physical world when it contributed to the cosmic order. For this reason this type of action is the purest because it is a direct reflection of spirituality carried out in the realm of becoming.
Traditionally the action involved in war was the way in which this was achieved. The spiritual battle was induced by the physical battle, as the warrior feared for his life and was subject to other human passions. When the warrior overcame his ‘I’ and saw God as the purpose of his fight the spiritual battle was won and the outcome of the physical battle was irrelevant. This is best described by the Hindu saying: “Death on the battlefield means the attainment of Heaven, victory means the enjoyment of the Earth”.
This idea is also evident in the Islamic concept of a greater and lesser holy war. The greater war was the inner spiritual battle, and the lesser war was that outer physical battle. The physical war against those who rejected God was a way of achieving pure action, therefore overcoming the ‘I’ and attaining heaven.
This idea was also central to ancient Greek and Roman sports. The winner was often considered as having overcome a spiritual obstacle. Unlike modern sport which is purely material ancient sports were conducted ritualistically as a way of inducing spiritual powers.
The same applies to modern war which is simply a matter of mechanisation of man. Rather than bring soldiers to a higher state it forces them to rely on what is lowest in their nature, reflex and instinct. Unlike traditional war which was reserved for the warrior caste, modern war involves people to whom fighting is totally alien. Like modern sport, there is no longer a spiritual element.
Both action and contemplation are paths to heaven and immortality. Contemplation finds God within the transcendent Self, action induces and symbolically reflects a metaphysical battle with a physical one.
For more information on this section read J. Evola’s “Revolt Against the Modern World” and “The Bhagavad-Gita”
8
The Modern World
It is likely that, while reading this, one may have considered that the modern world does not conform to the principles outlined above. There have been many critiques of modern western civilisation in particular that refer to its failings in a purely material sense. Philosophically Nietzsche offered one of the best insights into the reasons behind the decline of the modern world. These are just causes however, of a deeper and more complex problem that eludes all but the most aware individuals. The primary cause of every problem we see manifesting itself in modern society is that it has lost its spiritual element. It no longer has any desire to align itself with the cosmic order, humans, with their illusions of progress which is purely material have conceived themselves as greater than reality itself. This is only possible because they no longer see reality as more than just a physical plane.
This individualistic materialism is the driving force behind the collapse of social order and the degeneration of civilisation. Modern collectivist democracy is a consequence of the gradual uprising of the lower earthly castes over the higher spiritual castes to a point where the individual is considered sacred and infallible. The mob mentality to which to the government must conform is driven purely by those of the lowest and most earthly motivations, all their thoughts are directed towards the satisfaction of their ‘I’. So instead of a traditional society where the divine influence could control the desire of the citizens, modern society is motivated by greed alone, because it has no connection to the spiritual element. This means that it has become degenerate and unsustainable. The Hindus knew that this time would come; in their scriptures it was called the Kali Yuga (Dark Age), the time when materialism would gradually overcome spirituality. The doctrine of cycles which is also integralism predicts this, but it will be overcome, as the cycle come to an end a new one shall begin, and those who act to perpetuate this cosmic certainty will surely find truth.
For more information read the “Rig Veda” and R. Guenon’s “The Crisis of the Modern World”
9
Pragmatic Nihilism
This section is essentially a simple guide for applying the principles that have been expressed in the essays. For those who wish to follow the path of action and for those who wish to contemplate.
Each day upon awakening still your mind through meditation. Focus not on yourself but on God and God alone. Think of how you shall direct all your action and thought towards the cosmic order.
Live in simplicity and sustainability to the greatest degree possible.
Do not indulge in selfish pleasures for their own sake.
Read the Holy Scriptures and meditate on them to reveal their inner meaning.
Learn to still your human instincts and focus only on the eternal.
Fulfil your duties without thought of reward.
Perform every action for the sake of the cosmic order without desire for the consequences of the action.
Do not allow yourself to become attached or averted to sense objects.
Everyday seek to better yourself by attaining knowledge and conditioning your body.
The following are directed only at those who wish to follow the path of action
Each day seek out others capable of comprehending spiritual wisdom and show them what light you can through carefully chosen words.
Use what tools you can to spread this knowledge so that it may be preserved for future generations. The internet is particularly useful for getting information to large numbers of people with minimum effort. More credible sources may also be used.
Form organisations or join others to increase influence, the www.anus.com and www.corrupt.org partnership is positive
Work within the system to effect change through political activism
If in a position to do so successfully, work outside the system to effect change through revolution and illegal action
Nihilism as a guide to daily life and spiritual awakening
Contents
1. Active Nihilism
2. Integralism
3. Two Natures
4. Tradition
5. Religion
6. Contemplation
7. Action
8. The Modern World
9. Pragmatic Nihilism
This is still in draft format, I'm interested in constructive criticism for anyone who bothers to read a post of this length.
Introduction
This collection of essays is more than simple philosophy, as that would imply a process of searching for truth. These essays are the truths that I have learned in the time since I became interested in such a noble pursuit. I daresay they are incomplete, at my age I have not had the time even to aspire to true wisdom, but I hope that they can offer you some guidance in the quest for spiritual awareness and heroic action.
1
Active Nihilism
To obtain a correct answer to any question it is necessary to have a non-biased starting point. For instance, a person who believes that the earth is flat could not correctly answer a question relating to geography, just as a mathematician who believed that 0=1 would be unable to solve virtually any problem correctly. To overcome this we must assume nothing to begin with, and build up knowledge based on what we can determine to be real. At first this begins with our senses, as children we learn by a process of trial and error, when one throws a ball into the sky it falls back to the earth and this behaviour remains constant. While we can never be 100% certain that it will continue to behave in this manner it is reasonable to assume that it will always do so.
When in pursuit of something immaterial like truth, scientific, empirical knowledge is not our primary concern. We can safely assume that scientists know what they’re doing, if not then it would take a lifetime just to rewrite every science and maths textbook in the world, and even then there is no guarantee of their infallibility. Truth is different; by its very definition it is infallible, and this makes it much harder to determine than any type of empirical knowledge.
Active nihilism is what gives us our non-biased starting point. Rather than erasing our empirical knowledge, we use it to erase knowledge of immaterial principles, so we can pursue truth without the concern of a false assumption. Probably the best example of active nihilism is the way in which Nietzsche used it to erase moral suppositions. The division of the world into good and evil, Nietzsche realised, was a subjective element that humans had created in their view of reality. By doing this they had distorted their view of reality and this made it more difficult for them to function within it.
When we erase every subjective element such as morals, and value attributed to certain material items, we are left purely with the objective, unadulterated reality; Unforgiving, unfeeling and without any inherent value. Nietzsche realised that if this was taken as an endpoint it led only to a meaningless and miserable existence. What active nihilism allowed was a re-evaluation of values, so that they could conform to objective reality, and therefore allow humans to function positively within it free from subjective concerns.
*For more information on this section visit www.anus.com or read Nietzsche’s “Beyond Good and Evil”. Thanks to both of them for their guidance.
2
Integralism
At this point, after the removal of inherent value the individual has to find a method by which to re-evaluate and in doing so, create a positively oriented system of morals with an objective origin. When viewing the world free from the subjective, emotional element, the individual must realise that they are simply a tiny portion of a far greater whole, and that even humanity itself is incomparably small relative to the system that created it. It is this system that forms the basis of objective morals. Nature, in other words physical reality, is the system by which we were manifested and constitutes everything that we can observe via the five senses. Objective morals have their basis in nature, for it is objective reality, therefore these new values must conform to natural methods. Scientists describe sections of nature as ecosystems; in these ecosystems every single physical feature has some form of positive contribution towards the whole. There is no good and evil, simply a cycle which benefits everything within it. A lion kills a gazelle, its body decomposes and it enriches the soil which allows plants to grow that are then eaten by that gazelle’s child. The lion killing was not evil because it had a natural place and purpose.
What we have here is a microcosm, because prior to the advent of the human race, every ecosystem on earth coexisted to form a larger ecosystem that functioned by the same method, that is, everything contributes towards the perpetuation of the life process. It can then be determined by virtue of analogous transposition that the earth itself is a microcosm and that the entire cosmos is in fact an enormous ecosystem, an organism more complex that any biologist has ever dreamt of. This principle is called integralism, and it is the only objective method of valuation. The reason for this is that integralism is the method by which nature functions and humans exist as a part of nature. So according to an objective moral code, if an action contributes positively towards the whole, it is a ‘good’ action, and vice versa.
Modern humans have a belief that they have progressed beyond this, that self-interest is more important than the perpetuation of an ecosystem. It is for this reason alone that humans are the one and only species that has a directly negative impact on their ecosystem. From an integralist point of view this makes humans ‘evil’. The paradox is that humans depend on nature for their existence, so by damaging it they are essentially damaging themselves. Unfortunately, until the human race can realise its function as an integral part of nature it will continue to destroy itself.
For more information visit www.anus.com
3
Two Natures
Some people may notice a religious ring to the idea of integralism. It deals with a principle that the entire cosmos is subject to, much like God. It is a non-material but undeniably real principle, again like God (see my religion section to understand the undeniably real statement). Most importantly it necessarily precedes physical reality. While it takes a conscious being like a human to be aware of it, it must be conceded that nature is dependant on integralism, not vice versa. This is the only logical possibility because a non-physical principle like integralism must have been present (in an unmanifested state) before the birth of the universe, otherwise the universe would not have followed the rules of integralism at all. In other words, integralism is transcendent, it is beyond physical reality, but it is also immanent, because it pervades every part of reality, manifesting at microcosmic levels. This is the esoteric and hidden meaning in all of the sacred scriptures and is also the basis for the doctrine of two natures.
This doctrine deals with the relationship between transcendent principles and physical reality. These two ‘realms’ are known as the ‘realm of being’, and the ‘realm of becoming’. The realm of being consists of transcendent principles that are the support and true life of the realm of becoming, which is the manifested state of constant change. The unmanifested state is eternal; the forms of becoming are ephemeral. Truth lies in the eternal.
As we have seen when discussing integralism nothing can be given an objective value other than the degree to which it aligns itself with a cosmic order, therefore all true value is found in the realm of being, and nothing has any meaning unless it reflects this spiritual dimension. This truth has been central to human civilisation since its conception, and only recently has it been forgotten. In ancient civilisations transcendent principles were personified as Gods, and the highest degree of transcendence, in which all things were unified, was recognised as a mystic force beyond the capacity of human understanding. Other religions actually personified this force as well, especially more recent religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
The importance of understanding the doctrine of two natures is that it allows a greater understanding of how the principle of integralism has been applied by various civilisations and also how it relates to the individual. What it essentially means is that physical reality has no inherent value, for everything within it is constantly changing and nothing stands against time. Truth can only be found in the eternal unmanifested state of transcendence, and meaning can only be found in physical reality when it is seen as a reflection of pure spirituality.
For more information read J. Evola’s “Revolt Against the Modern World” and “The Bhagavad-Gita” also R. Guenon’s “The Crisis of the Modern World”
4
Tradition
It was briefly mentioned in the previous essay that ancient civilisations had a greater knowledge of the doctrine of two natures than modern man. This can be seen especially in ancient religious and philosophical works, in which an exoteric and an esoteric meaning are usually evident. There are generally two layers of meaning, one relating purely to physical reality, and one relating to metaphysics. The former is the simple literal interpretation, while the latter has a symbolic, mysterious character. This is in contrast to modern philosophical works which, with scarce exceptions, are concerned only with the realm of becoming and the purely human function of reason. This shows a regression in epistemology with man going from the spiritual and the transcendent, to the temporal and the relative.
According to the modern definition tradition is simply values and traditions which are preserved by a culture for a number of generations. This is an echo of truth but this material view fails to comprehend tradition in its entirety. Tradition, at a metaphysical level, is knowledge of transcendent truths that are common to all civilisations with a spiritual origin. It was shown in the previous essay that transcendent truths are eternal and unchanging, for this reason many civilisations have discovered them, though there esoteric nature means that this is difficult to see at first.
The traditional ideal of transcendence being the centre of a civilisation can be seen in the west and the east, in every aspect of their societies. Firstly their social order was structured from the top down, at least in times when these civilisations were true vehicles of traditional spirit. This means that they were structured starting at their highest nature and working downwards, so their laws would have an origin in transcendence, meaning that every law would have a divine character. In other words, they revolved around the principle of integralism. Then a king, or emperor who was an embodiment of transcendence would take his place at the top of the society and direct it towards the realm of being. This embodiment was induced by special, ritualistic (The idea of a ritual may seem primitive form a materialist point of view but what it essentially was, was an action directed towards the perpetuation of the divine. So in traditional societies, every action was performed ritualistically. Modern historians have dismissed this as mere superstition, completely overlooking its esoteric significance) methods of initiation.
The king would then be responsible for the continuation of the divinity of the empire. If he failed to do this it was assumed that his merely human element had acted, rather than the supernatural element bestowed upon him through initiation. When this happened he was no longer fit for kingship and was removed from his position.
The points made in this section may seem unclear; unfortunately to explain them properly would take an entire volume rather than an essay. In his book “Revolt Against the Modern World” Julius Evola explains these concepts in more detail. In particular the first section concerning the world of tradition where he accurately cross examines a variety of different cultures and explains their relation to transcendent principles in detail.
For more information read “The Laws of Manu” however avoid Wendy Doniger’s translation
5
Religion
The difference between esoteric and exoteric is clearly evident in religion. All of the major world religions convey a form, which provides a set of rules for a particular culture, but beyond this they reveal traditional truths. While the inner meaning of religion is conceived by few these days, there have been times when it was considered self-evident, at least by the higher stratas of society. Again I shall refer to Hinduism, for it is, of all the religions, the one in which the esoteric meaning is most pronounced. In contrast to Christianity which, despite retaining its core esoterism is highly prone to degeneracy and misinterpretation. In Ancient India, the inner meaning of the sacred Hindu scriptures was determined by a priestly caste known as the Brahmin. Unlike the modern priests in the west these people were genuine spiritual authorities and were subordinate only to royalty.
In a philosophical reconstruction religion is closely linked to integralism, which is a transcendent godlike principle; beyond everything else religion deals with the relationship between the self and the whole (God). All religions teach detachment from material rewards. The significance of this is that they show the individual to let go of physical attachments in pursuit of a higher goal.
The final meaning of religion is that by overcoming the individual ego, or the ‘I’ and realising the unity of the transcendent Self (Soul) and the transcendent whole (God or integralism) one becomes immortal. The exoteric interpretation of the imagery of immortality in religion is literal and physical, a simple belief that when one dies, their ‘I’ continues to exist. The esoteric, metaphysical meaning is that when one dies, God is unchanged, therefore one who has become one with God, transcended the limitations of their form is truly immortal. This does not mean that the exoteric interpretation is invalid, for those who are incapable of realising the metaphysical meaning of religion, it serves as a mediation of transcendent truth, and for those who have realised the inner truth of religion, the ritualistic and dogmatic aspect of scripture serves as a way of actualising the spiritual element in their daily life.
For more information on this section read F. Schuon’s “The Transcendent Unity of Religions”
6
Contemplation
It is now that we arrive at the question of paths, in other words, ways in which to achieve spiritual awakening. Firstly it must be acknowledged that by following ones dharma (vocation) with single minded concentration and no thought of reward then one will attain enlightenment. However for those who wish to go beyond the earthly nature of dharma there are the two higher paths of contemplation and action.
Contemplation is found primarily in the far Eastern traditions. It has long been admitted that the East has a naturally more contemplative nature, while the West is more inclined to act; that even in a time when both had a natural social order that the East would have more Brahmins (priests) and the West more Kshatriyas (warriors). The far eastern tradition that emphasises contemplation over action and is well known to westerners is that of Buddhism. Unfortunately the meaning of Buddhism has been greatly distorted by the modern materialist mindset in the same way it dismisses ancient rituals as superstition.
The art of detachment is considered of utmost importance in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Buddha spent 49 days meditating, withdrawn from the world of sense objects until he found the truth. This theme is also found in Hinduism, where meditation is considered a path to God.
Essentially contemplation is the method through which God is found within the Self. By withdrawing from the world of sense object one learns to depend solely of transcendent truth for sustenance and desire is overcome. Contemplation is the art of overcoming the ‘I’ through direct detachment from physical action and finding transcendence by going inward.
For more information on this section read “The Bhagavad-Gita” and R. Guenon’s “The Crisis of the Modern World”
7
Action
Action is the opposite of contemplation in that it involves ‘actualising’ a spiritual awakening in the physical world rather than a direct withdrawal. What this means is that the physical action helps the individual overcome a spiritual obstacle and therefore reflects a metaphysical battle. It was discussed earlier than value could inly be attributed to the physical world when it contributed to the cosmic order. For this reason this type of action is the purest because it is a direct reflection of spirituality carried out in the realm of becoming.
Traditionally the action involved in war was the way in which this was achieved. The spiritual battle was induced by the physical battle, as the warrior feared for his life and was subject to other human passions. When the warrior overcame his ‘I’ and saw God as the purpose of his fight the spiritual battle was won and the outcome of the physical battle was irrelevant. This is best described by the Hindu saying: “Death on the battlefield means the attainment of Heaven, victory means the enjoyment of the Earth”.
This idea is also evident in the Islamic concept of a greater and lesser holy war. The greater war was the inner spiritual battle, and the lesser war was that outer physical battle. The physical war against those who rejected God was a way of achieving pure action, therefore overcoming the ‘I’ and attaining heaven.
This idea was also central to ancient Greek and Roman sports. The winner was often considered as having overcome a spiritual obstacle. Unlike modern sport which is purely material ancient sports were conducted ritualistically as a way of inducing spiritual powers.
The same applies to modern war which is simply a matter of mechanisation of man. Rather than bring soldiers to a higher state it forces them to rely on what is lowest in their nature, reflex and instinct. Unlike traditional war which was reserved for the warrior caste, modern war involves people to whom fighting is totally alien. Like modern sport, there is no longer a spiritual element.
Both action and contemplation are paths to heaven and immortality. Contemplation finds God within the transcendent Self, action induces and symbolically reflects a metaphysical battle with a physical one.
For more information on this section read J. Evola’s “Revolt Against the Modern World” and “The Bhagavad-Gita”
8
The Modern World
It is likely that, while reading this, one may have considered that the modern world does not conform to the principles outlined above. There have been many critiques of modern western civilisation in particular that refer to its failings in a purely material sense. Philosophically Nietzsche offered one of the best insights into the reasons behind the decline of the modern world. These are just causes however, of a deeper and more complex problem that eludes all but the most aware individuals. The primary cause of every problem we see manifesting itself in modern society is that it has lost its spiritual element. It no longer has any desire to align itself with the cosmic order, humans, with their illusions of progress which is purely material have conceived themselves as greater than reality itself. This is only possible because they no longer see reality as more than just a physical plane.
This individualistic materialism is the driving force behind the collapse of social order and the degeneration of civilisation. Modern collectivist democracy is a consequence of the gradual uprising of the lower earthly castes over the higher spiritual castes to a point where the individual is considered sacred and infallible. The mob mentality to which to the government must conform is driven purely by those of the lowest and most earthly motivations, all their thoughts are directed towards the satisfaction of their ‘I’. So instead of a traditional society where the divine influence could control the desire of the citizens, modern society is motivated by greed alone, because it has no connection to the spiritual element. This means that it has become degenerate and unsustainable. The Hindus knew that this time would come; in their scriptures it was called the Kali Yuga (Dark Age), the time when materialism would gradually overcome spirituality. The doctrine of cycles which is also integralism predicts this, but it will be overcome, as the cycle come to an end a new one shall begin, and those who act to perpetuate this cosmic certainty will surely find truth.
For more information read the “Rig Veda” and R. Guenon’s “The Crisis of the Modern World”
9
Pragmatic Nihilism
This section is essentially a simple guide for applying the principles that have been expressed in the essays. For those who wish to follow the path of action and for those who wish to contemplate.
Each day upon awakening still your mind through meditation. Focus not on yourself but on God and God alone. Think of how you shall direct all your action and thought towards the cosmic order.
Live in simplicity and sustainability to the greatest degree possible.
Do not indulge in selfish pleasures for their own sake.
Read the Holy Scriptures and meditate on them to reveal their inner meaning.
Learn to still your human instincts and focus only on the eternal.
Fulfil your duties without thought of reward.
Perform every action for the sake of the cosmic order without desire for the consequences of the action.
Do not allow yourself to become attached or averted to sense objects.
Everyday seek to better yourself by attaining knowledge and conditioning your body.
The following are directed only at those who wish to follow the path of action
Each day seek out others capable of comprehending spiritual wisdom and show them what light you can through carefully chosen words.
Use what tools you can to spread this knowledge so that it may be preserved for future generations. The internet is particularly useful for getting information to large numbers of people with minimum effort. More credible sources may also be used.
Form organisations or join others to increase influence, the www.anus.com and www.corrupt.org partnership is positive
Work within the system to effect change through political activism
If in a position to do so successfully, work outside the system to effect change through revolution and illegal action