Comments on: Love is the Law: Philios, True Will and the Great Work (Part I)

By: Plutonica.net’s half-birthday | Plutonica.net

Plutonica.net’s half-birthday | Plutonica.net — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:54:12 +0000

[...] of Tarot, reviews and, of course, our first guest blogger: Kara Rae Garland and her two part essay Love is the Law. We also delved deeper into definitions of magick, what we mean, also looking at reader feedback [...]

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By: Nomination for the 2008 Sexiest Occultist Alive (or dead) | Plutonica.net

Nomination for the 2008 Sexiest Occultist Alive (or dead) | Plutonica.net — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:06:56 +0000

[...] sexy (just look at her! way hotter than Manly P Hall) and brilliant (check out her essay “Love is the Law: Philios, True Will and the Great Work“) and an occultist (bibliophilic second gen chaote) – need I say [...]

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By: Beth W.

Beth W. — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:49:18 +0000

Hi! That makes perfect sense -- being able to have that "witness," whether it's thought of as HGA or something else, really does help. There are moments when that consciousness can step in and say, "Wait a moment, this isn't right," or "Go ahead, you're safe here."

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By: Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede)

Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:32:32 +0000

Briefly, my model of the five loves: Eros: Romantic and/or sexual love, love expressed through sensual pleasures. Philios: Love of friends, neighbors, community, humanity. Storge: Familial love, parent and child, siblings, etc. Thelema: Love of freedom, concepts, sometimes objects. Love of truth and beauty. (This is the love I have the least developed concept of presently.) Agape: love of God, an all-encompassing unconditional love, the kind of love that only a God could have. What did you think of the second part?

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By: Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede)

Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:25:18 +0000

According to my understanding, there are five kinds of love in the Greek model:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_words_for_love

But they can have fuzzy distinctions and sometimes flow into one another.

Briefly, my model is:

Eros – romantic and/or sexual love
Philios – love of friends, neighbors, community, humanity
Storge – familial love
Thelema – love of freedom, objects, concepts
Agape – love of God, an all-encompassing uniting love

(Of these, my concept of Thelema is presently least developed.)

I believe that these distinctions give us a lot to think about.

What did you think of the second part of the piece?

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By: Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede)

Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:13:58 +0000

I appreciate your enthusiasm. But I'm not entirely sure I was saying what you think I was saying! :D

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By: Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede)

Kara Rae Garland (Soror Ceilede) — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:06:14 +0000

Hi Beth. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond, and I hope that my response is satisfactory. I feel that part of the process of Knowledge & Conversation is the marriage of logic & intuition, heart & mind. From this new perspective, both lenses are filtered together, through one another, if that makes sense, allowing one to see a bigger picture. Your heart may be wide open, but with this coagulation, you gain the wisdom of the heart that allows you to see the best course of action in accordance with your compassion. Heart is grounded with rational thought, mind is spiritualized with deep compassion at the same time, and these twin courses flow together, into one another, through each other.

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By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:03:58 +0000

You know, the term “Impeccable” actually means “Without Sin against Self”.

It brings, thoroughly, to my mind the Castaneda ideal of “Acting Impeccably”, this Self Love.

I must admit, though, I feel a bit perplexed;
Always I had understood the loves as

Agape (Devoted, Unconditional, Spiritual Love (which is how I read a lot of your attributions to Philios, here)
Eros (Romantic, Intimate, Sexual Love)
and Philia (Friendship, Companionship, Care between Parents and Children, Caretakers and Pets, etc.)

In this sense, the broadening of the term of Philios to represent a deep connection to humanity based solely on the fact that we all find ourselves “in it together” feels extraordinarily benevolent and exemplary.

I look forward to reading the second half of this article.
I found it touched on relevant topics, without ever dropping into highly Occulty slang – available to the (inescapable reality of) every day you ‘n me ‘n he ‘n she.

Well done, Soror

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By: xi_o_teaz

xi_o_teaz — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:50:39 +0000

This was one of the most succinct summations of the Purpose of Life (LOVE!) that I've yet seen. All the World's Religions focus on Love as the central message to at-one-ment with the Godhead; Kara gives an excellent and down-to-earth explanation that would easily explain many a Mystic's supposedly "ineffable" philosophy of Life.

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By: Beth W.

Beth W. — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:04:56 +0000

Kara, it's great to see more of your writing -- you are so good at it. :) One thing I have always found difficult to reconcile is that when my heart is "wide open," as you discuss, then sometimes I am unable to act -- either in my own best interest or anyone else's -- because i am compassionate with too many things, all of which conflict with each other. I find that being compassionate but not allowing the heart to rule my judgment helps much more. What do you think?

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