Consistency

We are what we do

Hey y’all,

There is a tendency to chop what we are in life into silos; we are one thing at work, another at home, another with one group of friends and still yet another with our parents or our siblings. Often with good reason… it can be difficult to fully express yourself with every group or place you find yourself, and wisdom / politics often require a certain amount of discretion to avoid negative consequences. Folks at work don’t need to know you spent Saturday enjoying the beach after dropping LSD. Maybe your friends don’t care to hear about work politics. Silos can be useful.

This tendency can have a disastrous effect on us, though, as it can chop us up into parts, instead of letting our being swell. Folks who are perceived as “larger than life” often have this figured out, consciously or unconsciously. They have a way of being, a fundamental set of principles, that is applied consciously and with effort to All of their interactions, to all of their places of being. Doing this empowers them. Doing this gives them a stable foundation. You can build big on stable foundations.

In Western Alchemy as well as in Palo, there is the idea that we move most powerfully when we move with the hand of nature. For example, if there is a river moving through the middle of my property — a powerful expression of nature — I can’t stop it by standing in front of it and pushing. I would be washed away. This is standing in opposition to nature, and foolish. If I’m wise, I carve the ground in such a way that I guide the direction of the river. Because I’ve moved with the river, I’ve also given my self the ability to move with the power of the river. Now I can use nature’s power to irrigate my fields, or to power my home, or to destroy a habitat. Nature has many powers, many less obvious than a rushing river, to which this same principle applies.

Our principles as persons can be this same kind of power. When we don’t live by our principles, by the ways of being that allow us to express ourselves fully and proudly, we can find that we are standing in front of the river. Those silos where you are untrue to the way of being that you cultivate will feel uncomfortable, they will be full of suffering. Those where we are able to express those principles correctly are where we often shine, find ourselves happy and welcome. This applies to careers, to spiritual places, to groups of friends…even to where we buy our groceries. We are most powerful when we guide nature’s hand, instead of standing in opposition to her.

For persons with powerful spiritual lives (or ambitions to spiritual power) this is incredibly important. If you are a Palero, or a Houngan, or a Santero, a sorcerer … you believe that intent paired with ritual can create powerful results. Does this express itself everywhere in your life, or only in your individual spiritual silo?

Do you have talismans built to create peace in your home? Do you have rites in place to ensure success at work? Have you connected with the spirits of place in your town, on your land? When you have a large project coming up, do you connect and pray to your ancestors or spirits for success? Do you divine the needs of friends and family, and do work to ensure those needs are met? Are you *actively* working your spiritual principles….or just responding to disasters when they appear?

When we are working actively and broadly applying our principles to our entire life, and not allowing them to flit in the wind, we can become ourselves a Force of Nature. We can be larger than we are, and in doing so create results that are larger than we could dream.

As a hunter I make decisions that honor the principles we have. If I don’t have game in the freezer I try to spend the extra money to buy meat that is most humanely treated. It means less meat per meal, but I’d rather have a smaller farm-raised, air chilled chicken than some large monstrosity from Foster Farms that has been tortured it’s whole life. The same principle that drives that decision also ensures that when I use roosters in spiritual work that minimizing suffering and honoring the animal are fundamental driving forces. That same principle makes me pause when doling out punishment to my children, attempting to choose patience and grace instead of pure severity, regardless of offense. Consistency is the key to growth, and the key to power, in my opinion.

Consider taking a look at life, examining who it is you wish to be and achieve, and striving for that consistency. It’s hard to do at first, but it builds up incredible momentum, and like that river, it can sweep away obstacles and provide nourishment for the body and soul.

Be well! —Christopher