When does the journey begin? Surely, when the first steps are taken, we are already past the beginning. Consider the words of the Sphinx: “To know, to will, to do, and to keep silent.” When we take the first step on the journey, we have already acquired knowledge and we have already crystalized our will. The first step is only the beginning of the “to do” part.

We took the first step and signed up for The Nascent Magician course on June 20, 2015 at the Thaumaturgy 777 “Save the Magick” Summer Solstice Festival. Almost a year has past and much has changed. The Thaumaturgy 777 shop has closed, but Kevin Trent Boswell continues to teach the Nascent Magician course; continues to sell his wares (now at Conjure Work, an online shop); and continues to practice his art of Conjure Coaching.

I’ve changed, too. Now I actually do the rituals I first read about in the 1980s. Now I know the Sacred Names and sacred alphabets that, in the past, I never had time to study. Now I look at the world in a slightly different way, a slightly more numinous way.

And I look at my dreams. Again. After so many years. I find there both old themes and new; both terror and solace. But I have better interpretive tools now, new techniques, new knowledge.

And I look at my library, built over decades, and I start to read. Really read. With the Course guiding my choices, I avoid the dross and concentrate on the gems.
The gems were always there, waiting patiently for me to take up the Lamp, to walk forward on the Path, to Know.

And I Will. And I Dare. And (for the most part) I keep Silent.

But humans are meant to communicate. To write and to speak. To spread knowledge amongst one’s peers and, most importantly, to spread knowledge across generations. This is what it means to be human.

Even when the Golden Dawn teachings speak of becoming “more than human”, this essential core of communication is still required — is actually more important — because becoming “more than human” doesn’t mean becoming “not human”, but becoming quintessentially human. Hence, communication is still important, still required, still the essence of humanness.

When we ask where this journey really begins, we find the history of other journeys, some long past, some recent, some completed, some in progress. The Wheel of Fortune tarot card reminds us that the cycle of life rotates inexorably, but sometimes we forget that new cycles are always beginning, even before old cycles complete. And so, the study of Witchcraft in the 1990’s has led to the study of Ceremonial Magick and Hoodoo in the 2010’s.

The wheel turns. The journey continues.