I was 18 when I encountered my Daemon during a near-death experience. Except if you ask me, there was nothing "near" about it. I was dead, the Daemon came, gave me grief for dying prematurely and ordered me back. I refused, we fought, and then we cut a deal that I would return to Earth only if I had regular contact with him throughout this incarnation. I refer to him as my Angel rather than my Daemon...just semantics.
Back then (mid 70's), there were no references to explain this experience. So my Angel directed me to Aleister Crowley’s books since he noted similarities between my experience with him and Crowley’s experience with Aiwaz.
Crowley was the only reference I had for a close relationship with an Angel until I encountered Robert Anton Wilson a few years later. Bob Wilson had begun, in the early 70's, to experience communication from an entity which seemed to be an Angel from Sirius, and in trying to figure out what was happening to him, he also had found resonance in Crowley's work.
The works of Crowley and Wilson kept me sane as I lived through an experience my culture vehemently informed me was not possible. Bob Wilson left us not long ago, but before he died someone asked him if he ever heard from the Angel from Sirius again, and Bob replied that his Angel had never left, so he wasn’t sure how to answer the question. Yay Bob!
My Angel has continued recommending reading materials over the years – bicameral, qabalistic, quantum, ancient stuff ... I could list the references but most of them are in ITLAD. If I could have read your book when I was in my early 20's, Tony, it would have saved me a whole lot of grief. Can’t wait to read your new one.
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8 comments:
Athamandia,
I am so pleased that you are now involved in this blog. For those of you who do not know about her (at that will be all of you) Athamandia is living empirical proof of every single element of CTF. Sceptics say to me that your theory is very elegant but where is your proof I can only cite the experiences of the regular bloggers on this site but for Athamandia (and a handful of others that I hope in due course will join in this blog)the Daemon is a real and powerful presence in their lives that guides and assists whenever it deems to. In many way s I am even more excited about my second book than my first because "The Daemon - A Guide to Your Extraordinary Second Self" will present some amazing proofs with regard to my Daemon-Eidolon Dyad. Of all the elements of CTF the Dyad is the most amazing and potentially important.
Athamandia has shared many of her amazing experiences with me in pravate emails. I am hoping that in due course she will, with her Daemon's permission, disclose a little more about this being and how it has shaped her life.
I am sure that this fascinating post will stimulate a very interesting response from others on this blog. I request that you all look into yourselves and see what your own Daemon wishes to reveal about itself and its role in your life. Then ask it whether you can share these experiences with the rest of us.
Maybe we could generate another book from this (and I do mean 'we')- we could call it "Daemon - The Proof" or something similar.
Welcome again Athamandia.
Tony
04 March 2008 08:01
Although I have never had such a direct encounter with my Daemon/Angel as Athamandia describes, I can relate to the concept that the Daemon "recommends" reading materials. I often find that I'm led to read particular books (including ITLAD!) and to see particular films at times in my life when I can most benefit from them, or when I'm especially ready for them. Often I notice coincidences in what I'm reading vis a vis other things I've encountered in my day-to-day life, e.g., recurring words, names, ideas, etc. I find that my reading builds on previous reading. Sometimes I feel as though I'm studying at my own personal "spiritual" university!
Not long before I discovered ITLAD, I read several of Jane Roberts' "Seth" books. To me, the ideas expressed in those books are consistent with the ITLADian/Cheating the Ferryman theory -- but the Seth material is more difficult to follow (although not impossible), and seems to imply that we're living multiple lives at once, at multiple periods in "time," and with multiple parallel "potential" lives, rather than variations on just the one life, over and over again. As I said, I think it's all consistent, but the concept as described in ITLAD seems clearer to me, and is more than enough for me to try to get my mind around at this point. The Seth material, although it rings of truth, is often just too mind-boggling to fully grasp (which is not to say that it's not worth pursuing).
Another "gift" that I consider to have come from my Daemon is the film "What the Bleep Do We Know?!", which arrived at a time in my life when I was feeling particularly despondent about the world as viewed through the conventional worldview, i.e., I had a particularly strong "Is this all there is?" feeling about life. The film really got me thinking and pursuing many literary avenues that I may never have found otherwise.
While the ideas in all these books and films are many and varied, they nevertheless have many concepts in common. Perhaps many of the theories I've come across in my reading are "correct" -- but at the same time, each focuses on one aspect of an enormous reality (which is perhaps all it is physically possible for one human-generated endeavour to achieve).
Anyway, thank you, Athamandia, for providing your personal experience, which truly enriches our faith in and understanding of ITLADian and other theories.
I'm really looking forward to the release of "The Daemon" in September.
Athamandia - Welcome indeed. I would ask you to read some previous post (and comments) on this blog between Tony and myself, notably on Crowley here: http://cheatingtheferryman.blogspot.com/2008/01/aleister-crowley.html
and here:
http://cheatingtheferryman.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-soon-is-now.html
I have personally written on and studied Crowley for many years and indeed Robert Anton Wilson's "Schrodinger's Cat" and "illuminatus" Trilogies.
Having spoken to Tony today on your post I do feel that we need to connect.
I look forward to seeing further comments and posts from you (or email me directly).
Har-poor-krat on the astral wishes it so.
*Private smile to Athamandia*
Hi Karl, Har-poor-krat's quite the manifestation, isn't he? Always humming that old Simon & Garfunkel song "Sounds of Silence" during personal appearances. :-)
(Little magickal humor there)
I read the recommended blog entries, Karl, and I see that you grasp the connection between the Knowledge & Conversation of the HGA and the Daemon. I'm looking for a way to strip away the ceremonial baggage and cut to the heart of the experience. Solitude seems to contribute to direct access to the Daemon, and in this regard resembles Native American vision quest.
IMHO, and temporarily mounting my soap box, more eidolons need to hook up to their daemons. It's ridiculous that so many people still don't have the direct experience for themselves. And also IMHO we need to create an accessibility around the experience, making it less mysterious, up to and including taking it out of any religious/ magickal realms. Thus the beauty of Tony's work.
Hi Dreamer-- I loved "What the Bleep" too. I didn't expect to, but I saw it twice in the theater. Good stuff.
Thank you all for your kindness in welcoming me here.
Hello darkness, my old friend !
*giggles at Athamandia's private Magickal humour*
I completely agree with you regarding the isolatory and insular conditioning making one open to higher self communication.
We've discussed topics such as Lucid Dreaming and Astral Lights on here previously, which I'm sure you may be interested to read. Primarily here:
http://cheatingtheferryman.blogspot.com/2008/02/last-night-i-dreamt-i-went-to-mandalay.html
and here:
http://cheatingtheferryman.blogspot.com/2008/02/mandalay-effect.html
and finally regarding the Daemon/Eidolon dyad here:
http://cheatingtheferryman.blogspot.com/2008/01/virgin-life.html
I too enjoyed "What The Bleep Do We Know" and indeed the 4 HOUR "Quantum Version" which was doing the rounds about a year ago. And there was an interesting series on the Discovery Science channel a couple of months ago called "What We STILL Don't Know" presented by Sir Martin Rees (Astronomer Royal)
REGAL TRUMPETING!
*retreats from room touching forlock and bowing ceremoniously*
Dreamer:
I'm interested in your comments regarding being "guided" to particular books and reference points.
I wonder if you read my post here:
http://cheatingtheferryman.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-soon-is-now.html
and specifically some of the comments, your input would be very welcomed and interesting.
*smile*
Karl, I'll be sure to go and check out that post -- I'm fairly new here so didn't read it at the time.
Thanks!
Dreamer, any questions let me know.
*smile*
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