From the new discussion board a friend and I are conjuring in our spare moments....soon to be unvieled, though I thought this post quite relevant across the board, but I am keeping in the pagan scope here in the verbiage.
The Witch's Pyramid, also known as the Laws of the Magus, are four simple maxims:
To KNOW
To DARE
To WILL
To keep SILENT
These four items are keywords that refer to the four "indispensable conditions" that are necessary to attain a magickal state of grace:
*Enhancing your knowledge with reading and study (to KNOW)
*Fearlessness in what you are doing (to DARE)
*A will which cannot be broken (to WILL)
*The wisdom and judgment to know when to speak (to keep SILENT)
According to Eliphias Levi, these concepts go back to ancient Egypt, and are part of the mystery of the Sphinx.
Many modern Wiccans interpret "to keep SILENT" in different ways. Some say it means that you must not tell anyone about the spellwork you do, or the spell will diminish in power; some say that if you tell others about your spell, that "unbelievers" will muck it up with their thoughts and render it ineffective. Others claim that it means that you must not tell anyone about the rituals you do; and some say it means you should not "out" anyone as a Witch.
But interestingly, even though "To keep SILENT" is interpreted with many different meanings today, this portion of the pyramid was traditionally considered to be the most important part, and it did not have a simple answer like the ones given above. This was because:
You have to KNOW before you can DARE.
Through proper study, you can acquire the knowledge to calculate your risk before daring to do something. Also, by knowledge, you can decide whether or not it is worth the risk before plunging in.
You have to DARE before you can WILL.
In order to put forth your force of will entirely, you have to be willing to assume the risk. You have to be able to "feel the fear and do it anyway," to quote pop psychology; and you must overcome your fear before you can direct your will.
You have to WILL to attain your goal.
In order to be successful in your spiritual or magickal work, you must put your full force of will behind it.
You have to keep SILENT in order to keep what you've won.
But in all cases, Levi says, if you are not sure that you KNOW enough, or that you DARE enough, or that you have enough WILL behind you, your wisest course is to "keep SILENT."
The ability to keep silent when it is appropriate shows that you have the state of wisdom, judgment, and grace that is necessary for higher spiritual work.
What does the Witch's Pyramid mean to you? In your opinion, is the phrase "to keep SILENT" an imperative to stay quiet about all of your magickal work, or is it a judgment call?
