AethericEngineer
10-10-2005, 06:49 AM
Everyone has a point of view of all these songs and often they can mean different things to us at different times but listening to Reflection has had the most philosophical impact on me because it represents one path of wholeness we freaks move through. Some of this is from my personal experience and some is from the writings of others.
Reflection seems to be about transcending narcissism and attaining unity within the cosmos. The analytical field of psychology has done some research into this odd phenomenon. Its also expressed in various sections of Plotinus’ philosophy http://www.endoxa.org/etekst/plotinusthesixenneads.pdf Check out Ennead 1, tractate 6 entitled “Beauty” for an introduction. He goes on to detail the process of comming to know Unity (as an unpersonified deity). Hermetic practitioners describe this as the “Great Work.”
This process is almost always described as perfecting and beautifying the self so that you can attain knowledge of the Higher Self, Perfect Self, Holy Guardian Angel, Cosmos, Unity, Augoedies as well as a great many other labels I’m unaware of. The process is good because it should lead to character building but it can also be socially isolating, especially if you’re adamantly trying to “push the envelope” and “go where no ones been”. Few aspire beyond the flesh and Plotinus gives a great example of what an ugly soul does and desires. Anyway, the process can cause feelings of narcissism, or narcissism may causes them, regardless, self-love can peak and all of one’s attention focuses inward until the self is as perfect as can be.
At some point, realization of the ego’s hollowness occurs and everything really begins to suck. “Finding peace within the emptiness” can be pitiful. Then comes the allegory with the moon and “source” or light. I think she’s saying that the apparent light from the soul isn’t coming from the soul at all so WAKE UP! The symbolism of crucifixion is death and rebirth so the ego must die before it can be reborn. Aspire to the “source” and let its light touch you and move through you and leave behind the negative place (existence) expressed at the beginning of the song in favor of the “hope and reason” attained from the HGA, Unity etc.
It’s not that simple but it is.
Reflection seems to be about transcending narcissism and attaining unity within the cosmos. The analytical field of psychology has done some research into this odd phenomenon. Its also expressed in various sections of Plotinus’ philosophy http://www.endoxa.org/etekst/plotinusthesixenneads.pdf Check out Ennead 1, tractate 6 entitled “Beauty” for an introduction. He goes on to detail the process of comming to know Unity (as an unpersonified deity). Hermetic practitioners describe this as the “Great Work.”
This process is almost always described as perfecting and beautifying the self so that you can attain knowledge of the Higher Self, Perfect Self, Holy Guardian Angel, Cosmos, Unity, Augoedies as well as a great many other labels I’m unaware of. The process is good because it should lead to character building but it can also be socially isolating, especially if you’re adamantly trying to “push the envelope” and “go where no ones been”. Few aspire beyond the flesh and Plotinus gives a great example of what an ugly soul does and desires. Anyway, the process can cause feelings of narcissism, or narcissism may causes them, regardless, self-love can peak and all of one’s attention focuses inward until the self is as perfect as can be.
At some point, realization of the ego’s hollowness occurs and everything really begins to suck. “Finding peace within the emptiness” can be pitiful. Then comes the allegory with the moon and “source” or light. I think she’s saying that the apparent light from the soul isn’t coming from the soul at all so WAKE UP! The symbolism of crucifixion is death and rebirth so the ego must die before it can be reborn. Aspire to the “source” and let its light touch you and move through you and leave behind the negative place (existence) expressed at the beginning of the song in favor of the “hope and reason” attained from the HGA, Unity etc.
It’s not that simple but it is.