I remember a discussion from a few years ago with a Christian friend. Because I have studied and drawn upon Buddhism, Taoism, modern paganism, etc., he said that I was "picking and choosing."

Albeit perhaps from a different perspective, I understand how cherry picking can be a negative thing among spiritual paths whose purpose is to help us grow. It's a bit like exercise; skip the hard bits, and you're probably not improving.

As my friend and I delved deeper into our discussion, however, it seemed apparent that he meant something entirely different. It seemed that what he found objectionable was that I had reviewed many philosophies and spiritual paths and chosen those that resonated with me. To him, there is only one truth and one correct path; the idea that people might search the world over and learn from many different paths before settling down and practicing that which serves them well was downright heretical.

It would be a rabbit trail for me to delve into why organized religions frown upon people thinking for themselves or making their own decisions, but that's a whole other post. This post is about making decisions for ourselves and how that's the best thing we can do to foster our personal growth.
"Not my will…"

My personal Christian upbringing was Protestant and fundamentalist, which means that my experiences a) don't relate very well to Catholic Christianity and b) were radical and extreme compared to many modern Christians. (The same is true of my friend, of whom I spoke earlier in this post.)

We were worthless worms and hapless sinners, and any value that we had came from God's ability to look upon shit-stains such as ourselves and show a bit of mercy. If our thoughts and actions didn't agree with their interpretation of God's will, then our thoughts and actions were wrong. God's will was all that mattered; not ours.

If you've read my post on The Knowledge of Good and Evil, you're perhaps aware of how I interpret the Bible – through the lens of a wider world-view mixed with an acceptance of the conclusions of non-biased scholars. Honestly, it has, for the most part, become irrelevant to me. I do not find it beneficial. When the naked lady in the Garden of Eden wanted me to partake of the fruit, I was totally down, so I munched and moved on. Knowledge is among the things I value most. I was happy to trade the promise of blissful ignorance for truth and wisdom, even though we all know that the truth sometimes hurts.

The story of the Garden of Eden is about humans who were sheltered from the things that would help them grow. It is a story that was presented to me as "the fall of man," the first great sin against the almighty creator god, and the beginning of a curse under which we all suffer. Over time, I came to see this story as one of humans doing exactly what humans were supposed to do. They made the hard—but correct—choice to undergo the struggle of life so that we could grow. They made their choice so that we, ultimately, might "be like God," having the knowledge of good and evil, of life, of death, of love and pain, and all the things that make life both difficult and rewarding.

This first story in the Bible was about a woman—followed by a man—making a choice to exercise their own will.
Enter the Beast

A couple of thousand years later, another man—a modern occultist—provided a new take on the will of humans. His name was Aleister Crowley, and I have no opinion about his character or accomplishments. I do, however, find that he had some thought-provoking ideas. Among these is the concept of "True Will."

In the simplest terms, "True Will" is considered the deepest, purest expression of the self; something beyond the conscious mind and mundane desires, untouched by societal programming, or ego-driven aspirations. This "True Will" is a person's ultimate purpose or calling as dictated by their own unique nature or essence. It's the driving force that aligns one's actions with their nature in harmony with the universe.

The task for followers of Thelema—Crowley's spiritual system—is to discover and align with this True Will, which they believe will lead to a state of joy and fulfillment because they are living in accordance with their deepest nature and purpose. This process of discovery and alignment often involves various spiritual practices and rituals as well as psychological introspection.

Crowley suggested that those who live in harmony with their True Will are able to live in harmony with all things while contributing to the overarching order of the universe, a concept he referred to as "the Great Work." On the other hand, acting against one's True Will can lead to dissatisfaction and discord, both personally and universally.

"True Will" is a concept that could go horribly wrong in myriad ways. From Charlie Manson to Ted Bundy to Adolph Hitler, many people have followed their will down paths that are far from "in harmony with all things." Regardless of whether or not Crowley's Thelema offered a valid path to the genuine True Will as it was conceptually proposed it is the end result of a lengthy process of introspection, study, and the sort of personal growth that leads to genuine wisdom. One cannot simply say, "I want this, and because I want this it must be my True Will and I am justified in taking it." True Will is part of the ascent to godhood as described in the myth of the Garden of Eden, the end of a path that begins with the "divine spark" that exists within us all.
And we're done.

Am I a heretic? Most definitely. I am fully in favor of everyone going beyond their mundane desires, societal programming, and ego-driven aspirations so they can be themselves and feel in harmony with life and the universe. I encourage everyone to explore as many paths as their time and energy permit. Learn about the pre-Christian pagans, read a book on Hinduism, etc. Read three or four books on Buddhism (I'm happy to recommend a few). Read the great philosophers. Read poetry.

You are unique in this universe and you have something amazing to give back to it, but only if you allow yourself the opportunity to become your fullest self. If I can help in any way, please don't hesitate to reach out.

An Interconnected Web

Carl Jung, a Swiss psychotherapist, came up with the idea of synchronicity in the 20th century. He said it was a "meaningful coincidence" when two or more things happen at the same time and it's not just a matter of chance. In other words, these events seem to have nothing to do with each other, but they happen at the same time in a way that gives them a deeper meaning than what you might expect from random chance. This idea is often a big part of different spiritual or magical practices, like divination.

On the other hand, intuition is a mental process in which decisions or insights are made without using logic or conscious thinking. It's often called a "gut feeling" or a "inner voice," and it's thought to come from the mind's processing of past experiences and subconscious knowledge that it hasn't brought to conscious awareness yet.
Divination brings it all together

When it comes to divination, both coincidence and feeling are very important. Divination is a way to try to figure out the answer to a question or understand a situation by figuring out what omens, signs, or events mean. This can be done in many ways, including but not limited to reading tarot cards, astrology, the I Ching, or making runes.

In astrology, the idea of synchronicity is often used as a guideline. The diviner or seeker might see the "coincidental" arrival of certain signs or symbols as meaningful and important. For example, a tarot reading can be seen as a synchronistic event if a certain card is pulled from the deck at a certain time for a certain question. The divination is based on how this card is read in regards to the question being asked.

The same goes for intuition. Most of the time, diviners use their intuition to figure out what the signs or images they see mean. Even though some symbols, like tarot cards or astrological signs, have meanings that have been around for a long time, the diviner's intuitive reading, based on the question or situation, is often what gives the most meaningful insight. Here is where the diviner's skill and experience come into play.
Triggering insight for personal growth

Synchronicity and insight can be helpful ways to learn about yourself and grow spiritually. Synchronicities can help people see connections and trends in their lives that they might not have seen otherwise. As people think about these trends and what they mean, they can learn more about themselves.

Intuition, on the other hand, is a way to get in touch with your inner knowledge and understanding. Getting in touch with and listening to one's intuition can help a person learn more about themselves and gain personal understanding. It lets people get in touch with their unconscious minds and find answers that rational thinking might not find.

Divination brings synchronicity and intuition together. In divination, people often think about their own lives, thoughts, and feelings as they look at various symbols and try to figure out what they mean. This can help you learn more about yourself and grow as a person. Divination is like looking in a mirror to see what's going on in your subconscious mind. It helps you understand yourself better.
And we're done!

Different people have different ideas about synchronicity, intuition, and the practice of divination, and that their validity and value are often based on what they believe. But many people find that these ideas and habits help them think about themselves and grow as people.

The history of the English word "spell" is long and interesting. It has two main uses in modern English. As a verb, it means "to name or write the letters of a word in order," and as a noun, it means "a charm or incantation." The roots of these two meanings of the word are different.

"Spell" as a verb, means to write or say a word's letters in order. This use of the word comes from the Old English "spellian," which means "to tell, speak." Around the end of the 14th century, the word's meaning changed to what it means today. This may be because in the Middle Ages, people usually read out loud, and saying the words was thought to be the same as "telling" or "speaking" them.

"Spell" as a noun, meaning a charm or incantation, has a different root. It also comes from Old English, but it comes from a different word, "spell," which meant "story or message." By the early 14th century, it had come to mean a magic spell or charm. This was possibly because the folklore of the time linked stories and messages to magic and foretelling the future.
The Runes

Runes are the letters in a set of alphabets called the "runic alphabets." The Germanic peoples used these alphabets before they switched to the Latin alphabet. Around 150 AD, the first runes were written down. Different Germanic languages in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland all used runic alphabets.

Runes were not just a way to write; they were also often used for magic or to find out about the future. This is where the idea of a "spell" comes in. In the Elder Futhark, each rune had a name that was a common noun or an idea, like "fehu" for cattle/wealth. People thought that the runes were the essence of the things they were named after.

Runes could be used to cast spells in a magical setting. They could be written on amulets or other items to give them special powers, or they could be used in spells. Some evidence also shows that the act of writing was seen as magical and powerful in and of itself. So, in this way, to "spell" a word—that is, to write it out using runes—could be seen as a magical act.
Rune Magic

"Galdr" is an Old Norse term for a type of magic that was closely associated with the runes. It comes from a verb, "gala," which means "to crow" or "to sing." Galdr is often translated as "incantation" or "spell," and it refers to a kind of verbal or sung magic.

Galdr magic is often mentioned in the context of "seiðr," another Old Norse term for a type of sorcery or witchcraft. While seiðr is often associated with more manipulative or coercive magic, galdr is more closely associated with knowledge and wisdom, particularly the wisdom of the runes.

In the mythological poetry of the Poetic Edda, the god Odin is often associated with galdr. Odin is said to have sacrificed himself to himself by hanging from the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine nights to gain the knowledge of the runes, and with them, the power to work galdr magic.

In practice, a galdr might involve the carving or painting of specific runes, along with the chanting or singing of a verse or incantation. The galdr would be used to invoke the power or essence that the runes represented. This could be used for a variety of purposes, such as healing, protection, or gaining knowledge.
1 + 1 = cool

When a person has a fairly extensive knowledge of both programming and the pre-Christian history of Germanic-speaking folk, equating programming to the concepts stated above is a no-brainer. The same word that we use to mean "to write or say a word's letters in order" is the word for making magic. Before people were routinely writing, they used runes, which were said to have been won through great pain by their chief god, Odin. His personal sacrifice was "to gain the knowledge of the runes, and with them, the power to work galdr magic."

Few things seem more magical to me than stringing a few special words together, in just the right sequence, and seeing something happen as a result. To open an IDE (integrated development environment) and see nothing but a blank screen… and to then write words and see something come into being, ex nihilo, is an amazing feeling.

CODING is MAGIC.

P.S. The use of the word "spell" as a period of time (e.g., "a spell of good weather") comes from the Old English word "spell," which meant "substitute" or "shift" (as in changing work shifts) and got its modern meaning in the early 1300s.

And that's why we southern folk say things like "come on in; sit a spell."