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laurence galian: beyond duality by Alex Burns (alex@disinfo.com) - February 28, 2003 |
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The key to the manifestation of all things is through the differentiation into pairs of opposites and their union in a third. I distinctly remember the first time that I read Laurence Galian's masterful book Beyond Duality: The Art of Transcendence (Tempe AZ: New Falcon Press, 1995). Here was a postmodern grimoire containing insights from diverse streams: the Fourth Way, Chaos magick, Cabbala, Voudon, Paganism and Sufism. Like Phil Farber, Peter J. Carroll and Robert Anton Wilson before him, Galian conveyed key concepts lucidly and succinctly: he offered many pragmatic examples of how to integrate creative practices into the challenges of everyday life. Galian's background is suitably diverse for a magician of the Contemporary Era - he is a highly regarded Wicca priest, a member of two Dervish Orders, a much sought after dance and ballet accompanist, and was Senior Dance Accompanist in the Hofstra University Department of Drama and Dance. He honed his aural spell-casting and digital processing abilities at The University of South Florida, Adelphi University and IRCAM (Paris). Thes fruit of these intensive studies is evident in Beyond Duality. Eschewing obtuse Hermetic language and New Age psychobabble for more direct clarity, Galian reveals that perceptual frames and mind-sets shape how we interpret reality, and also how we utilize the artefacts of earlier esoteric schools and spiritual traditions. Non-existent dualities ensnare us through self-delusion and spooky language games (what generally passes for "magick" today: the spell-obsessed unworldly occultnik is not without foundation). One of Galian's tools to avoid this mindless fate is a tool called the Triangle of Manifestation which strengthens the psyche through Hegelian synthesis, balance, and equilibrium. This is the esoteric core of IAO, AUM, and the Egyptian Samtaui (Horus and Set reconciled). Only by finding the contradictions hidden within our deepest Desires, Galian suggests, can we transcend our dreamless sleep and manifest our True Will. Dis-identifying with (not regressing from) the verbal mind enables us to Work the hidden realms of the collective unconsciousness. Galian reminds us that accomplishing this task is demanding Work, but one that can be achieved with grace, humor, and a Discordian satire of conspiracy culture idols (the "Roswell Declaration"). Sections on Awakening Pre-historic Atavisms and Extra-terrestrial Incarnations suggest we have a great untapped evolutionary legacy at our disposal. Perhaps a great future spiral Mage will conceive the equivalent of the Human Genome Project? The Sun at Midnight: The Revealed Mysteries of the Ahlul Bayt Sufis (Quiddity, Inc, 2002) dispels the romantic myths surrounding Sufism, specifically the misunderstood role of the Teacher, who can don an autocratic guise at specific phases, but whose aim is to act as the light-bulb until the Student experiences gnosis and observes that they are grasping after Truth in broad daylight. The Teacher creates the environmental circumstances and position the student for this "vital shock", but the Student must do the actual Work. This is a crucial distinction between Sufism (and valid contemplative communities) and debased forms of guru-worship. Exoterically identified with Islam, but found throughout many psyche-worshipping or respecting cultures, milieu and times, the various Dervish Orders have influenced Western civilization's developmental trajectory (sparking the embers of the European Renaissance mind-fire). Their legacy is an unparalleled science dedicated to realizing the spiritual faculties inherent in Humanity, an awakening to the potentialities (and responsibilities) of the Divine Work. Galian's books and Paradigm Shift articles embody the Sufi fusion of rigorous metaphysical knowledge and practical experience. Like an earlier Teacher of Dances, these qualities may be his most lasting gift to us all. |
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Laurence Galian's Home Page Quiddity, Inc Paradigm Shift: The Triangle Of Manifestation New Falcon Publications Summerland Grove Crescent Moon Goddess Paradigm Shift Al-Islam Subject Index The Bektashi Order of Dervishes Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project The Gnosis Interview with Refik Algan Magick The Sufi Conundrum The International Guild of Musicians in Dance What is Sufism? Beyond Duality: Review Disinformation Dossier on The Process Church of the Final Judgment Disinformation Dossier on Robert Anton Wilson Disinformation Dossier on Terence McKenna Disinformation Dossier on Chaos Magick |
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