he Western Mystery Tradition is a unique spiritual path that represents the collective spiri- tual wisdom of the western world. It accepts this wisdom from a wide variety of divergent sources because it regards all spiritual traditions as part of an ongoing conversation between man and God. A practitioner of this tradition has the freedom to choose the particular path that appeals to him, or to sample from a wide variety of paths. Some lean toward classical pagan mysteries; others seek more feminine, earth-based approaches that employ elements and nature symbols. Those who prefer their mysteries with a Jewish flavor focus on Kabbalah and Hebrew letters. The Western Mystery Tradition has no dogma or required beliefs; all it asks is an open mind and a commit- ment to inner exploration. Spirituality is understood as something that must be experi- enced by the self, not explained by someone else. Each individual is encouraged to take responsibility for his or her own spiritual develop- ment, instead of
Walking the Maze T
by Amy M. Wall
and study of symbols. The second practice, ritual, is utilized in all organized religions and indigenous spiritual systems. It takes special skills to perform ritual proper- ly; when these skills are mastered and deepened through regular practice, rit- ual can create a bridge between differ- ent levels of awareness: consciousness and superconsciousness, mankind and Divine, physical and spiritual. The third practice is self-knowledge. Self-knowledge, accomplished by continually questioning what we think we know, teaches us to separate who and what we really are from the false identities that we create during our lives.
These three practices enhance
relying upon a spiritual leader or guru. The teachings of this Tradition
rest on three practices: the study of symbols, the performance of ritual, and the search for self-knowledge. The Tradition recognizes that while symbols represent a different order of reality, they do not constitute that dif- ferent reality. This allows practitioners to be interested in and open to many symbols from a variety of sources. Our understanding of that different reality is strengthened through meditation on
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each other as we utilize them. Through a better understanding of symbols, our ritual practice is strengthened; through more powerful ritual, our self-knowledge is deep- ened; through deeper self-knowledge, we achieve a subtler appreciation of symbols; and so on. This creates a syn- ergy that alters our experience of be- ing human and, ultimately, leads us to the ultimate treasure: the perception of our own Divinity. This awakening is referred to in the Western Mystery Tradition as “Initiation.” Because the Tradition is com-
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posed of so many different threads and systems, it can feel a little haphazard and disorganized, par- ticularly to practitioners who grew up in more firmly defined religious systems. The practice of the Western Mystery Tradition has often been compared to searching for treasure in a maze. We expect the occa- sional wrong turn and blind alley; it’s an important part of the learning process and the search. But what we know for certain is that the treasure of Initiation is there, waiting for us in the heart of the maze. There are many books available for people interested in the spiritual path of the Western Mystery Tradi- tion. A list of some of these books is available at desertmysteryschool. com/
resourcelist.html. If books aren’t what you need to get started, you may derive more benefit from a living, breathing teacher who has walked the maze and can help you avoid the wrong turns. Walking the path of the Western
Mystery Tradition is not an easy, find- God-in-ten-quick-lessons approach to spirituality. It is a journey that requires us to be willing to walk away from comfortable beliefs into thorny places. It is a commitment that demands the best of our bodies, hearts and minds. It is a way of life that moves us away from the old, familiar routines of our lives. But those who walk this path know the treasure is worth any dif- ficulty and any risk.
The Desert Mystery School offers class- es in many aspects of the Western Mystery Tradition. Visit desertmys-
teryschool.com for more information. See ad on page 74.
Arizona
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