The Perception of Form

Belief is a tool. This is the basic tenet of what is known as Chaos Magick. Its applications however, are more far reaching than one simple branch of magick. Annihilation of the Ego brings with it a sense of unreality. This unreality can become a full blown existential crisis. The common cry of 'God is Dead' captures this sentiment exactly.

Reality is unfolded by belief structures maintained by the subconscious mind in its interaction with the unconscious awareness. It is intuitively clear that these belief structures hold sway over the way in which each individual perceives their reality experience. Shared sets of fundamental belief structures, commonly referred to as culture, provide a communal experience which is fundamental to humanity. Each person however has a very unique set of experiences which color and flavor even a common set of shared beliefs.

These belief structures are maintained by the subconscious mind, and for a majority of the human race, never change. A Magician understands the nature of belief, and utilizes belief itself in order to unfold a specific experience of reality.

This is not a 'fake it till you make it' type of experience even though it may start out that way in its infancy. The subconscious mind does not readily change its program. The physical brain itself, while maintaining a changeableness known as 'neuroplasticity', is still hardwired with a neural net that will continue on its programmed course until its demise.

It is however possible to grow and maintain new neural pathways, and atrophy old ones. This process can be achieved in as little as one hundred days for an experienced practitioner. A new set of neural pathways properly initiated and maintained will literally unfold a new reality to the perceiving conscious mind. It will seem as if a magickal effect has taken place. This is the point.

Since all belief is based on perceptions, which are themselves false and dualistic, everything is permitted. I can be a Christian one day, and a Satanist 100 days later. These sets of beliefs will unfold vastly different versions of reality. Perhaps the best tool to demonstrate this to oneself, is to assimilate that which one is repelled by, and ignore that which one is attracted to. This practice taken to an extreme will reveal very simply the false and plastic nature of all belief.

For instance, if you hate Oysters, then eat oysters. If you practice this long enough, you will find yourself enjoying Oysters one day.

You may ask, what the hell is the point?

Apropos:

The brain secretes and transmits to the body the most potent and fundamentally efficient and brilliant chemicals when falling in love. Being able to fall in love at will then becomes a tool for providing a very specific and miraculous reality to the conscious perceptions.

In Maat magick, we see this notion in the romantic 'Dancing of the Mask'. Since the fundamental reality is formless and radically empty (not two and not one), we are always wearing a mask anyway. Many people have many masks and become different people in different situations. A magician wears whatever mask he feels like, based on a knowledge of what reality that will unfold. i.e. There is no mask, and there is no dancer.

A mask is a belief structure, and so is the dance. This is the Perception of Form.

Relativity however, alters the game slightly.