Ritual Sacrifice & Alchemical Transmutation

Ryuzaki

お前はもう死んでいる
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TL;DR - A short treatise upon which nothing new is said. The information has been transformed from the typical presentation in hopes to achieve the same result in your mind: a psychological transformation. The topic deals with giving up something already achieved or obtained in order to gain something desired and absent.

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Ritual Sacrifice
Consider precisely what this term means in general.

Ritual
refers to a series of actions performed out of your own volition and agency, which is to say your own free will. The connotation of the word suggests that there is a purpose for which these actions are prescribed. They are meant to achieve a goal, or at least maintain and sustain a prior achieved goal or status.

Sacrifice refers to again purposefully surrendering something valuable and meaningful to us. Without value, meaning, and suffering, the sacrifice is not a sacrifice. In giving something dear and beneficial to us for the sake of a larger benefit, whether for ourselves or others, we hope to open new doors, new realms of possibility, and harness the energy left in the vacuum for new means.

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What Are Your Habits & Rituals?
This question can be taken in two ways and is meant in both. What are your life and work habits and rituals in terms of the actual processes that you perform throughout your days? And what do they represent in the grand scheme of things? Your rituals are your weapons and tools in the fight against mediocrity and failure to act.

As was mentioned by Emp in his thread that provided an overview of the adventure, you WILL encounter The Valley of Tears. The magic, the glory, the fun, the enchantment, the infatuation for your newfangled business and idea is gone. The initial rush is over and you now have perspective on not only how little you have traversed down the path, but how much more is ahead of you. As Emp called it, "The Suck" is exactly that. It is the soul-sucking, hard-work for ages on end, the hurdle where most people trip up, fail, and walk back home to sit in front of their television instead.

Your habits and rituals are what will keep you on the path even when you don't want to be on it. They are outlined for you, and by now you simply must go through the motions to envoke the power of Success. This is the almighty metaphorical being for which you perform your rituals. If you perform each step precisely, in the right order, without mistakes, you will summon forth Success.

Questions for Contemplation:
  • What rituals do I have in place and are they harmful or helpful?
  • What rituals can I design with the intention of accelerating my journey and ensuring success?
  • How can I adjust my positive rituals for efficiency and strength?
Taking a true self-inventory is something everyone thinks they've done, but they likely haven't done it deeply or recently enough. This should be done quarterly at least, if not monthly. Your business and goals will dictate how often you need to pivot and change, but the overall rituals should remain static.

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What Are We Sacrificing?
So what are we giving up and why?

Abandoning negative habits is difficult as they are likely very pleasurable to you or at least provide deep secondary benefits, such as giving you excuses, rationalizations, and justification to not be trudging along the path. This is part of the sacrifice. You will sacrifice comfort.

Everything has a cost. To make any decision in this sea of infinite possibilities is to negate the 999,999 in favor of the 1. That is another sacrifice. Making decisions takes courage in the face of existential angst. It requires the courage to exist with an internal locus of control and the responsibility to exercise this power. You will sacrifice opportunity cost / time.

These are just two examples and I'm sure you could provide many more. But the point is that comfort is what we are trying to achieve with our business ultimately, so why would we give up the bit we already have in order to gain more? Time is the most valuable commodity any sentient being with a limited lifespan has, and we are to give it up as well? Why?

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Alchemical Transmutation
Are you going to be a worker-bee, drone, warrior with an axe and no brain archetype, or are you going to be that as well as the magician? Will you comprehend your rituals and sacrifices on higher plane and use them as tools to aid you on the path? Will you be an alchemist?

If you think alchemy was really about transmuting elements into other elements, you'd know a fraction of the true purpose of this mystical pursuit. The goal is to transmute material, psychological, and spiritual energies into something more. It is to fundamentally alter the self at the most basic levels in order to gain control over the path.

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Why We Must Sacrifice
Upon giving up negative rituals, you create a vacuum of time, space, and energy. They are negative in the sense that they detract from our focus on the path. Contentment, resignment to mediocrity, psychological pressure release valves, time, comfort. All of these things are fantastic in their own right, but they aren't allowed through the gate at the end of the path. Giving up these benefits gives rise to an emptiness that can be filled with the same energies used before, but renewed and empowered: transmuted.

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A New Way of Understanding Choice and Transmutation of Ritual
The purpose of presenting this information in this fashion is to show the true magnitude of what we are playing with when we engage in this type of entrepreneurial lifestyle. I'm literally talking about magic, extending yourself into the field of time and the world of space and exterting your agenda upon it. I'm talking about using your mind to manipulate your body and your environment and those around you in a positive manner, true telekinesis. I'm talking about the ability to choose what stays and goes within your world. I'm talking about co-creation of reality.

This is the kind of high-level, metaphysical, spooky stuff that any determined individual does on the daily, that many perceive as being as low-level of topics as self-improvement, business tips, and regular run-of-the-mill labels that are so common place that they've sucked the potency out of the truth of what's going on.

Transmuting your habits, your body and mind, your energies, your perception of this process, the labels you use to describe them, and ultimately your business...

How can you expect to achieve the highest positions of power, wealth, health, and security without your entire experience and perception of reality being changed in the process? Have you considered that perhaps its not a matter of being changed in the passive sense but changing in the active sense?

Use your capacities to look at "everyday activities" in this philosophical light and you'll begin to pay it very serious respect. And when this happens, your rituals change, your sacrifices get made, transmutation occurs, and you find yourself further along the path than you realized even existed.

There are tiers of experience that simply aren't offered to you until you traverse the path deeper and deeper. But there are gateways that you can't pass until change occurs. But it doesn't happen to you. You happen to it.

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TL;DR summary:
Figure out what you want out of life and business, take a deep look at yourself and see what you're willing to sacrifice in order to move forward, make the changes, stick to the plan, abandon the trap of energy-sucking labels, and look at the process from the perspective of being a powerful entity in a universe that's willing to let you co-create. Respect the process and act first instead of waiting passively by, and guardians will retreat and gates will open.

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\\ Ryuzaki, Signing Off. Over and Out //
 
Pretty abstract, but I like it.

I've been experimenting with channeling specific emotions for various creative activities.

Basically:

  1. Set the goal (for instance, designing a logo). Really envision the essence of what I'm trying to achieve.
  2. Empty my mind of negative thoughts or distracting emotions I've picked up during the day.
  3. Act as a vessel for my vision - just let go and start working on the project. No assumptions, no judgements, just pure "flow."

It's weird - my work takes on a life of its own, but it always manages to reach the destination I set in my mind beforehand.

Not exactly related to your post, but I do sense something "magical" going on.
 
Very interesting. I really enjoyed reading it. This post tells a lot about us humans. We are very creative creatures :smile:
 
The main idea is knowing what you're willing to and what you have to give up to gain your goal. And then transmuting those losses, those energies left in the void with no target, and using them to propel you to the end of the path.
 
I like it and get the point. We need to understand the "magic" behind our regular lives and see how powerful it is when we direct this towards goals and business. The fact that I can think about lifting my arm and then lift my arm is pretty darn magical.
 
You lose control when you are hidden from yourself. Ego creates a veil. Other people's thoughts and opinions create a veil. See yourself for what you truly are. See your actions for what you truly do. Beyond all judgment, the pure intention and action.

Meditation helps, you can perceive the thoughts that insist on bubbling to the surface. Want a short cut? Try hallucinogens.

If you choose to be happy in the moment, seeking comfort, you can be happy in the moment. If you choose to be happy in the future, denying comfort, you can be happy in the future.

That's the way I see it. Things like "The Secret" are obvious truths. Who finds more success? Those who think about success or those who never think about it.

The problem is that people focus on what they don't have rather than what they want. If you focus on never having money, do you think you will? If you focus on having money, you will ALWAYS be looking for ways to make money. Opportunities will become more apparent.

If you thought seeing the color red would improve your life, if you really believed it, you would see red everywhere. Your mind would be tuned to picking up on it, because you believe it will benefit you. The red is always there, but if you don't see value in it you won't have any reason to pay attention.

A bit of a tangent, but hopefully some of that makes sense to someone.
 
Some time ago I made my research into the "World of Magic" and the answer I have received was far from what I was thinking about the magic. Simply, "magic" exploits our primitive senses. At the end of the day it's nothing more than ability to manipulate other human beings by usage of simple influence techniques. Magic is like marketing... or maybe magic is marketing?

For example (that's example taken directly from one of "Magician's" books...).

When you are at the bar and waiting to order your drink. you could get it faster (no queue) thanks to using very simple trick. Just stare at the barman with a friendly look of your eyes (Eyes! not stupid smile on your wasted by watching screen face...) and make him come to you. He will approach you because he is intrigued by the fact that you are looking at him in a different way than the others do (most often unfriendly, expecting something... Buzz?). Once you got him, just play an old friend or something like that and get your drink faster than the other people.

It's sounds crazy right? Sure it does. But I tell you guys give it a go. You will decrease your awaiting time by 50% at least and have some great fun while ordering buzz :D

Now, in most cases guys are targeting girls. However, these days we should not be looking judging by the gender. Often handsome barman will do just great with guys (and opposite). I know because I have been working in one of the oldest London's pubs you can find (posh pub...)

Honestly, we humans are very funny creatures... :D

So, "Magic" to me is nothing more than simply exploiting human states of mind. And that's confirmed by the guys who call themselves magicians.. :wink:
 
@Satvrn just posted a story that is the epitome of what's being talked about in this thread. If you're digging this topic, read his post here.
 
I had a realization after reading this post again.

It's a little magical and maybe even naive, but I think it's still relevant because of what it makes us do, even if it doesn't work.

My realization was based around the idea that "the universe moves out of the way for the guy who knows where he's going." I was thinking about god and the universe and whether or not it involves itself with our lives on a level we can't understand.

That led me to play out the scenario of "yes, it does, but only to those who help themselves."

One of my favorite musicians talks about not thinking of god or the universe as a magical genie who grants wishes. He says things like "teach me to teach me." Show me how to show myself how, etc. Asking to be empowered instead of given, so that we can earn things.

So I thought about how sad it is that people sit around begging, wishing, praying for magic to fall into their lap. Maybe all we need to do is DO and DO LOTS. Then we are out in the world rearranging time, things, energy, intentions, and everything in reality, and in that rearranging the universe will tip the scales in your favor. But you have to stir the pot first so it has something to work with.

Pretty cool thought experiment that may be baloney but it makes me want to do more faster.
 
Why We Must Sacrifice
Upon giving up negative rituals, you create a vacuum of time, space, and energy. They are negative in the sense that they detract from our focus on the path. Contentment, resignment to mediocrity, psychological pressure release valves, time, comfort. All of these things are fantastic in their own right, but they aren't allowed through the gate at the end of the path. Giving up these benefits gives rise to an emptiness that can be filled with the same energies used before, but renewed and empowered: transmuted.

Wow, I've been through this process before. I've been abstinent in recovery from drugs and alcohol for 6 years. When I became abstinent initially, gone were the substances and soon went the people I was using with as well. It followed that the time that would normally be spent with those substances, personalities, and lifestyle was now unoccupied (vacuum).

What you call a "vacuum" is what we in my program call a "void." It's characterized by an empty feeling, accompanied by a visceral "gnawing" sensation in my gut (though it may feel different to others). A newly abstinent person's first reaction to this feeling is to fill the void with the first thing that comes to mind (usually the very stuff we're trying to kill, so a relapse).

The feeling is the same when I cut out toxic personalities. My first knee-jerk reaction is to "jump back into the crab bucket" because it's "lonely at the top" in that particular regard. They don't even need to drag me down.

When I first got clean, I ended up filling the void up with a combination of healthy behaviors (networking with others in recovery, journaling, sharing thoughts, getting feedback, doing other activities with these new folks, etc.) and also other unhealthy behaviors (porn, sex, timewasting with shitty personalities, battling complacency and procrastination, etc.). Most recently, I've responded to the gnawing feelings by doing the above healthy behaviors, and now, visiting BuSo.

I'm grateful I understand the language of the above post because I've lived at least that part of the process (still living that part, still blows sometimes, still get stuck sometimes). It makes me feel better to know the same principles that get me through recovery are just as applicable to the hustle that I'll be signing up for in the coming months.
 
I stopped driving any of my vehicles almost a year ago! Talk about a sac! Instead, I bought a high-end mountain bike (Kona) and rode it through all seasons up here in Ottawa, Canada!

EFFIN AWSUM!

The path of least resistance leads to the garbage heap of despair.
The The


.
 
Interesting post!

I find that there is a reward behind each sacrifice we make. Whether it's a negative reward or a positive one, you'll usually see an external reaction to the internal effort you are placing on something. For instance, sacrificing your time to learn a useful skill or language will definitely pay off in the grand scheme of things.

We also have to understand that our good habits/sacrifices must be repeated every day in order to maintain effect. Once you stop, you start to lose the rewards from the sacrifice. Keep that in mind when you are deciding if you want to be a master or a slave in life my friend.
 
Questions for Contemplation:
  • What rituals do I have in place and are they harmful or helpful?
  • What rituals can I design with the intention of accelerating my journey and ensuring success?
  • How can I adjust my positive rituals for efficiency and strength?
Taking a true self-inventory is something everyone thinks they've done, but they likely haven't done it deeply or recently enough. This should be done quarterly at least, if not monthly. Your business and goals will dictate how often you need to pivot and change, but the overall rituals should remain static.

More people should do this quarterly thing.

I read the "Digital Minimalism" book by Cal Newport recently. He does 3 reviews per year and inspired me to do the same.

I've tried to do it before. But I didn't have a system, and got bogged down in perfectionism every time I wanted to create one. So Cal's version gave me a base to work from.

So far, I've done the review once at the beginning of June.

The review had a positive ripple effect on my day-to-day life. The fear of failure to achieve my 3-month goals keeps a fire lighted under my ass.

I started living by my google calendar and my content plan. Before, I was using these planning tools on and off. But now I need them to track my progress for reaching the 3-month deadline.

Overall, the review has improved my life. Because I like getting shit done. The more shit I get done, the better I feel. And now my productivity is higher than it's been in a long while.

Here's the system:

I keep a a template word file with questions to answer every 3 months in my "quarterly review" folder. I have scheduled the quarterly reviews on my calendar for the rest of the year.

My goal is to have a high-level habits, goals & priorities strategy plan for the next 3 months.
  1. I start with brainstorming goals - just whatever I want to achieve within the next 3 months, both in business and personal life
  2. Then I consolidate, change & delete as necessary the ones that are not actionable or vague
  3. Every goal / achievement gets broken down into a weekly and/or daily tasks or habits - small actionable pieces (this is the big one I learned from the book)
  4. I then log the weekly / daily tasks into my Google calendar & set them to repeat as necessary
This is the basic formula. The For the next quarter, I'm going to experiment with:
  • Splitting personal & business goals into 2 different files
  • Adding some version of 80/20 analysis
  • Looking at habits though the ritual lens, as Ryu suggested
 
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