I remember a conversation I had a few years ago with a Christian friend. Because I draw upon Buddhism, Taoism, and modern paganism in my practice, he told me I was “picking and choosing.”
In the context of spiritual growth, I understand why “cherry-picking” is viewed negatively. It’s like exercise: if you skip the hardest movements, you won’t see the results. But as our discussion deepened, it became clear that my friend meant something else entirely.
To him, the objection wasn’t about the *effort* of the practice, but the act of *selection*. He believed there is only one Truth and one correct path. To suggest that a person might search the world, explore various philosophies, and settle upon those that resonate with their soul was not just unconventional—it was heretical.
While I could spend an entire post dissecting why organized religions often frown upon independent thought, this isn’t that post. Instead, I want to talk about the necessity of making our own decisions as the primary catalyst for personal growth.
“Not My Will…”
I grew up in a Protestant fundamentalist environment. This means my experience differs significantly from Catholic Christianity; it was radical and extreme, even by some modern standards. (My friend from the earlier anecdote shared this upbringing.)
In that world, we were taught that we were worthless worms—hapless sinners whose only value lay in God’s willingness to look upon “shit-stains” like us with a shred of mercy. We were told that if our thoughts or actions diverged from a specific interpretation of God’s will, we were wrong. In that framework, the human will is a liability; only the Divine Will matters.
If you’ve read my previous work on The Knowledge of Good and Evil, you know I interpret the Bible through a lens of global philosophy and non-biased scholarship. For me, the traditional narrative has become largely irrelevant. When the serpent in the Garden of Eden invited me to partake of the fruit, I was entirely on board. I munched and moved on.
Knowledge is one of the things I value most. I am more than happy to trade a promise of blissful ignorance for truth and wisdom, even if that truth occasionally hurts.
I’ve come to see the story of the Garden of Eden not as “The Fall of Man,” but as a story of humans doing exactly what they were meant to do. Adam and Eve made the difficult, correct choice to abandon a sheltered existence in favor of the struggle of life. They chose the hardship of mortality so that we could eventually “be like God”—possessing the knowledge of good and evil, love and pain, and all the complexities that make life rewarding.
The first story in the Bible is not a cautionary tale about sin; it is a story about the exercise of human will.
Enter the Beast
Fast forward a few thousand years to Aleister Crowley. Regardless of one’s opinion on his character or his legacy, Crowley provided a provocative framework for this concept of will: “True Will.”
In simplest terms, True Will is the deepest, purest expression of the self. It exists beyond the conscious mind, mundane desires, societal programming, and ego-driven aspirations. It is a person’s ultimate calling, dictated by their unique essence. To live in alignment with your True Will is to act in harmony with your own nature and, by extension, the universe.
For followers of Crowley’s system, Thelema, the goal is to discover and align with this Will through introspection, ritual, and psychological study. Crowley suggested that those who achieve this alignment contribute to the “Great Work”—the overarching order of the universe. Conversely, acting against one’s True Will leads to discord and dissatisfaction.
Of course, a concept like “Will” can be dangerously misinterpreted. History is littered with figures—from Manson to Hitler—who followed their own desires down paths of destruction. However, there is a vast difference between impulse and *True Will*.
True Will is not a justification for greed or cruelty; it is the result of an arduous process of study and personal growth. You cannot simply say, “I want this, therefore it is my True Will.” Rather, the discovery of True Will is the culmination of the ascent toward godhood—the final step in a journey that begins with the “divine spark” within us all.
The Heretic’s Path
Am I a heretic? Most definitely.
I am fully in favor of anyone who chooses to push past societal programming and ego-driven desires to discover who they truly are. I encourage everyone to explore as many paths as their time and energy permit. Read the pre-Christian pagans. Dive into Hinduism. Explore Buddhism (I have several recommendations if you’re interested). Study the great philosophers and the poets.
You are a unique occurrence in this universe, and you have something invaluable to offer—but only if you give yourself the permission to become your fullest self.
If I can help you navigate that exploration in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.