Esotericism

I was listening to Troy the Devil Man (of Scholomance.ca) speaking about esotericism in Freemasonry. Now I am not a mason. But I was struck by the six features of esotericism: Correspondences, Living Nature, Imagination and Mediations, Experience of Transmutation, Practice of Concordance, and Transmission. When it comes to understanding the occult and esoteric tradition upon which my practice is built, I am horrible trash goblin and an uneducated dilettante. So I was unfamiliar with these six items. But upon reflection, I realized that they all apply to this school.

According to Wikipedia, “‘Correspondences… …is the idea that there are both real and symbolic correspondences existing between all things within the universe.” (From Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism). Correspondences is basically the idea of the Shadowlands and the Bonelands written from a different angle. The primacy of symbolism is central to the ideas in The School for Villains. Wikipedia continues by saying that, “all esotericists envision the natural universe as being imbued with its own life force,” (From Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism) which is essentially pantheism. I haven’t explicitly articulated the underlying pantheist philosophy of the Song of Seven. However the idea is implicit in the First Verse of the Song of Seven. Further from this “all esotericists place great emphasis on both the human imagination” (From Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism), especially rituals designed to achieve specific effects. Well that is strewn throughout The school’s curriculum, particularly Craft Brew Magick. The article lists the primary goal of esotericists as “fundamentally transforming themselves through their practice, for instance through the spiritual transformation” (From Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism). This is explicitly the goal of the school, so there you go. The ideas of Mystery and the Flame comfortably meet the esotericist idea that “there is a fundamental unifying principle or root from which all world religions and spiritual practices emerge” (From Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism). Last, and most obvious, is “the transmission of esoteric teachings and secrets from a master to their disciple, through a process of initiation” (From Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism).

So the School for Villains and its accompanying systems all fall comfortably and easily into the esoteric tradition. So bear that in mind when deciding whether to stay or run in fear. For many, we will be the people your parents or preachers warned you against. For others, we will be exactly what you were seeking. Which are you?