Although Kal is currently exploring the possibilities of active enlightenment (also the title of his forthcoming new book) I have been studying something almost at the opposite end of the spectrum from that – active ignorance.
I define active ignorance as a two-stage process. The active element is the taking on of new information from whatever source, but usually it is from the ever-present media sources that are available to us. I actively take on this information and asses its usefulness. The criterion I use is to ask whether the information has any value in progressing me towards my goal of spiritual enlightenment. Also, is the information presented so as to edify me, to educate me, or is it simply designed to rouse my opinion one way or the other?
The ignorance part of the concept comes into play once I have assessed the new information. If I have found it to be of no value in helping me to progress then I will ignore any further information from that source related to that subject. Of course this may take several hours or days to consider whether it is useful or not (some information may be more immediate of course). I can now block out the repeated attempts to engage me on the subject from other media sources, or more usually from the same sources repeating their information and slightly elaborating it with tiny bits of new information which usually only serve to offer the chance to repeat the information as “news”.
Active ignorance becomes a useful concept when it comes to trying to give yourself some mental space within which to allow the conduit between the worlds to open up and communication between yourself and other sentient entities to occur. Silence promotes the gnostic process of natural magick. Interruptions and intrusions into that quiet space in your head distract and destroy that fragile and wondrous communication link, and reduces the possibilities for natural magick.
I therefore advocate that seekers actively ignore extraneous information from media sources where possible. Some say you should throw your TV out. Or switch your radio off. What I’m saying is easier than that. Listen to what information is coming in – decide if it is helpful to your spiritual path – ignore any repetition of that same information – turn off anything that you decide doesn’t help you.
By doing this you will open up once again the possibilities for magick through clearing a sane space within which to work.
Gwas.
It’s taken me a while but I seem to be getting better at this. Even if your TV and radio are off, it isn’t easy to catch all the mental and emotional info coming in–but this stream is quite powerful, and it’s so easy to get caught up in something that isn’t helpful without even realizing what happened or why. What made this possible was simply more silence in my life. And that silence has, I believe, made for a deeper spiritual path.
Hi Riverwolf,
Undoubtedly inculcating your life with more silence is the answer. Pure silence is difficult to find, and I’m not sure whether pure silence is the answer. For someone steeped in the outdoors like myself I can never expect the purity of silence that I know can lead to quick deep cpnnections. Instead I seek spaces in Nature whose only inhabitants are animal or plant. These species tend to be sympathetic and harmonious to my work. But I can rarely achieve silence in Nature for more than a brief moment. Therefore I have to frequently start over again and then again.
Similarly, in my own head, introducing periods of silence is sought after, but like Nature, occasionally the little bird in my mind tweets its familiar refrain to spoil the connection.
These things we must flow with. Some are a help not a hindrance.
Gwas.