In my view, the world is full of paths. All are true and proper components of reality. Paths of light and shadow, creation and elimination. All dynamics have to take their place in the cycle of things. It is also my view that different beings naturally align with different phases of the grand cycle, like winter animals versus summer animals.

Yes! Respecting the needs to be different and relating to differing aspects of the grand cycle. Well said. I would see it as the need to be the same as you are inside.

So both dark and light practitioners can cross the line to mania or profanity? They can both yes, but one seems less likely than the other. Why is that?

It’s my understanding that the dark arts are more about power of the self and could therefore have more challenges in keeping this balance? Yes, reflection causes less turbulence, rocks the boat less, but when it comes down to really fully taking action in the world, are we really in different boats? While those on dark paths walk closer to mania, it is possible that if they are on their genuine hearts path, they are closer to understanding the risks than those who shy away from it. You don’t see the car coming until you see the car coming, and you don’t notice your heart breaking until it’s breaking, but some don’t notice their heart breaking until it’s already broken. Why is there such a gap in awareness there?

Something to do with your locus of control? Indeed, much has to do with locus of control, and locus of control is synonymous with focus of attention.

So you most often see evidence of mania in self-styled acolytes of the dark arts. Why is this? Or should we define mania first?

Mania is actually quite simple. Imagine at first you have full freedom to roam in your life, then something happens and you are confined to your own home. You have free access to all the amenities of your own home, then someone confines you to the section of your home nearest your bathroom. You would begin to feel a bit anxious, no?

You might still find ways to function, read the books you keep nearby, but then they confine you to your bathroom itself. What would you do? What would you behave like before too long? They might even be feeding you, but you cannot leave your bathroom.

There are two possible responses. Some degree of catatonia, you shut down and limit or even almost eliminate your awareness of the world around you. Or you lash out, frenzy in an effort to force your way to freedom. That frenzy is mania.

I imagine that is what prisoners do. When their time comes for getting out into the world again they get very scared. Those are the ones I mentioned who adopt some degree of catatonia. Catatonia is an effort to become “comfortably numb.”

So cabin fever completely developed is mania? I expect we all have felt the onset of that in some form. Indeed. In regions of Alaska people even wind up committing inadvertent suicide as they lose their ability to evaluate things like how safe it is to go outside. This is why they legalized some use of marijuana there. It produces drug induced catatonia.

The split between the light and the dark is not moral. It’s innate, a reflection of temperament. Light aligns with the catatonia coping strategy, dark with the mania coping strategy.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~