Distrust thy teacher, for 'divine truth' has prevented better men from wisdom. In such revelation there is no suggestion. Do thy utmost unto others; But be surely what thou wilt, and keep thy belief free of morality. Observe thyself by sensation, thus know the finer perturbations and vibrations.... Think not the words 'I wish,' say not the words 'I will.' Fear nothing, strike at the highest. Break thy commandments, be lawless unto all dogma.

- Austin Osman Spare

The Universe likes to play. Anyone who engages themselves in the study of magic comes to know the game-like quality of life, the universe and everything. The universe is a game and it invites us to play along, if we dare.

At various points along the way in this book I've drawn attention to the illusion of "duality" in the universe, and how the ability to break out of dualistic thinking is the hallmark of a Chaote. But perhaps it's not so much "breaking out" as it is integration. As the Tao master would tell us, both yin and yang are the inseperable Tao.

When one breaks through this restrictive way of thought, the first thing that becomes obvious is that what are called opposites are really only two sides of the same coin, as it were -- the coin of yin/yang.

This is closely related to our inherent biological restrictions. Unfortunately, our evolutionary survival has required that our species develop a psychic censor, or else be constantly overwhelmed by sensory input alone, much less our "extrasensory" perceptions. The cacophony of unfiltered sensation and thought would overwhelm the organism. Living in the magical reality is all well and good, but it makes it difficult to hear the sabre-tooth tigers closing in for lunch.

So there must be a "black-white" rule imposed on our thinking process; that which we pay attention to, and that which is ignored.

The Taoists say that we are so obsessed with "consciousness", with what we pay attention to, with the continuous running verbal commentary in our thought processes, that we mistake this for "reality"; that this narrow beam of consciousness is the only "real" way to see the world. How we as individuals learn to narrow this beam of consciousness determine the rules by which we play the Game of Life. But these are arbitrary rules.

In this great Game, humans often see themselves as in eternal conflict with the universe. Most of Western philosophy rests on this underpinning, of "black-versus-white -- regardless of whether the player sees themselves in the role of black or white. One side must not only predominate over the other, it must destroy the other! It's not enough that my side wins, but your side must also lose. What people fail to realize is that "winning" implies that the game is over. But the game is never really over.

Finite and Infinite

In games theory, there are two types of "game": finite and infinite. The purpose of a finite game is determine a winner. The purpose of an infinite game is to keep playing. To a chaos magician, life should be considered an infinte game.

What makes this whole study of Chaos Magic worthwhile and valuable? Is it no more than a form of entertainment? An interesting hobby? A way to make one feel important and powerful, regardless of what might actually be the case?

Personally, I've found my practice of Chaos Magic to be useful, enlightening, and to have enhanced the quality of my life. Of course, your mileage may vary. I've tried to present Magic as an artistic expression, one that yields practical benefits. Like any art form, if it isn't enjoyable to create, you've probably chosen the wrong kind of personal expression.

It may well be that all of the noemenal effects one can attribute to magic are equally explainable by other mechanisms. Perhaps this is so, and whatever experiences and benefits one attains are the result of psychological metaprogramming, self-hypnosis, and "the power of positive thinking". Fair enough. But those benefits, in my experience, are well worth the effort put into the practice regardless of the mechanism or "explanation".

However, it's very important if you expect magic to help you accomplish your will in the world, that you provide some pathways for that will to manifest. This is a part of the whole process of results magic, and one you ignore at your peril.

Occultism is packed full of "great magicians" who are possessed of no social graces at all, are unable to relate to mundane life in any way, and are completely devoid of any marketable skills whatsoever. I am not very impressed by "powerful mages" who can't afford to take care of themselves.

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