​Memes and the Post-Riot Age

At the turn of the century a new form of media rose that virtually obsoleted the dominant media form which had a stranglehold over information for the past 100 years. News print, television and film have all suffered with the rise of the internet, and rightly so, as their deadly machines have been increasingly co-opted to serve a corrupted establishment, and their subversive and destructive agenda.
The internet has provided the world, particularly the Western world, with a new form of protest – the meme. Originally conceived by Richard Dawkins in his seminal work ‘The Selfish Gene’, a meme is the cultural equivalent of a gene (its similarity in name is no coincidence). Whereas genes are information passed down genetically from generation to generation, memes are information passed down through cultural means. The old joke “an Englishman, in Irishman and a Scotsman..” is a meme in that the same joke will be told in Iran as “an Iranian, an Iraqi and an Israeli…”. the framework which exists underneath the outer dressing is the meme.

As the internet has grown certain figures, images or icons have been used again and again to express a similar idea, universally understood by users. One such meme is Pepe the frog, who recently rose to prominence with the Donald Trump campaign. Many Trump supporters took control of the Pepe meme, which has existed on the internet for at least a decade, and used it as a form of protest against their enemies, to great effect.

In the 21st century protests, marches and their inevitable outcome, the riot, are now the reserve of angry, impulsive minority groups, which gives them the unconscious appearance in the European psyche of being course, rash, or crude forms of political or social expression. The meme has become a vastly superior sophisticated form of protest or psychological warfare to Europeans. The blatant lack of ability to understand and use memes by minority groups is painfully obvious.

Typical ‘black meme’

There are many in the European struggle who puzzle at the apparent apathy of their people to enact a response to the current situation, and it may seem that this lack of interest amounts to their certain death, at the hands of more energetic groups. Europeans have been through everything at least twice, their racial memory – always picking up subtle cues from the environment – is well aware of the amount of energy one expends when organising protests and marches and the such, and the relative futility of them in the face of the enemy. Europeans have become more nuanced in their behaviour and less physically obvious in their response to situations in which they are threatened. Once they had crusades and decades long wars, then revolutions, civil wars, pogroms, and short, large-scale ground offensives – each time becoming faster and more precise in the execution of the solution to the problem at hand. Europeans have faced their enemy many times before, and to respond the same way each time would be madness.

Europeans play politics like chess, reserve ones energy for the time when it will be most needed, and then, in as few decisive moves as possible, change the game. There is no longer any sense in bursts of energy, as these deplete vital stores and leave one unable to fully push back when needed. Instead, they suffer the spears and arrows, the constant insults and disrespect, the denigration and dismissal of their culture and the destruction of their civilisation, because they know deep down inside when the time is right they will strike back, and it will be devastating.

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Iconography As Narrative-Shaping

Any symbol has the power to change the minds of those who view it. A symbol is even more powerful if that symbol has associations not explicitly stated in the depiction itself.

Abstraction is the means to compress information, and is one of the most powerful means of sharing ideas. Associations build around symbols and spontaneously become astral attractor fields (memes – in the broad sense of the word).

When crafting symbols, be aesthetic, and be clear on what the symbol means to you. To clarify: it is not initially important what a symbol means to others. Never craft a symbol with others in mind. First, have a clear idea of what it means TO YOU.

Obviously, what it means to others will rapidly become important. But without knowing its inherent associations, an abstract symbol is lacking in initial potency.

WHAT DOES THE ABOVE SYMBOL MEAN TO YOU?

The modern American flag is a powerful symbol. However, it is a diffused symbol, meaning that it has widely different connotations for different people. It may represent pride, angst, suffering, patriotism, comfort, nostalgia, confusion, happiness, sadness or a host of other things. But those who crafted the symbol initially had a clear idea of what it meant TO THEM, and this formed the foundation of the edifice of the symbol.

The symbol makers in charge of society work overtime to produce powerful symbols, and you should do the same.

The above symbol is from the 90’s TV Series “Space: Above and Beyond” – it indicated a right-wing nationalist movement in France in a fictitious future.

We desperately need a better and clearer class of symbols, ones that resonate with an integral ethos, and that serve the aims of the 21st century hyperborean man.

The creation, cultivation and diaspora of symbols is a MAJOR activity of mankind. Take care in crafting your symbols and examining what the symbols you encounter may represent, and what they mean to you.

Don’t let your symbols be defined by others, or limited to half-assed memes. Cultivate and propagate. Let the best symbols win.

Don’t let these be the symbols that will come to historically define us.

 

What is Alchemy?

The word alchemy derives from the ancient Greek word for Egypt, Khem or Khemet which means “the black land”, and was so named after the rich crop-enriching black silt of the Nile River.

The ancient Egyptians practiced an art that the Greeks called Khemia, the “black art” or the “hidden art”, which is also known as the Hermetic philosophy. Although it was called “the black art”, this term has nothing to do with the modern connotations of black as nefarious or evil. Later, the arabic prefix Al was added to the word khemia, and eventually it came to be known as alchemy.

Alchemy is what is known as “The Perennial Philosophy”, “The Royal Art” and “The Sacred Science”, among other names.

Inner and Outer Alchemy

Modern day alchemists consider alchemy to be split into two main branches, external or “outer” alchemy, and internal or “inner” alchemy. Truly, these branches are both expressions of the universal alchemical art exemplified by Nature itself.

Outer alchemy is primarily concerned with the transformation of material substances in order to capture their essences in a sublimated material form, with the explicit aim of producing a rare material essence known as the Philosopher’s Stone. This stone is said to have amazing transformative and healing properties.

The art of external alchemy is the origin of modern chemistry. External alchemy continues to be practiced as a sister science to chemistry, for the fundamental methodology of the two sciences are different. Although it is a material practice, the recipes of external alchemy require an internal component: it is said that the alchemist must not only follow the chemical formula and procedures, but must possess the proper attitude and mental state for the work to succeed.

In contrast, inner alchemy is the practice of intentionally directing the transformation of consciousness.

Many alchemists believe inner alchemy to be the one “true” alchemy, where the external alchemy either provided a smokescreen, or a practice that acted as a mirror for the inner alchemical work.

Generally, the inner alchemist does not reject the outer alchemical methods, or even the methods of modern science, but rather is interested in a more subtle and direct approach. Discovering the Philosopher’s Stone of inner alchemy requires a profound refinement of the consciousness of an individual.

External alchemy also transforms consciousness, but it does so via sympathy: practicing the outer alchemical methodologies in order to transform vegetable, mineral, and chemical substances engenders a corresponding change in consciousness.

Alchemy is Self-Inquiry, the practice of contemplation of Self. Consciousness is the mirror of the divine, and the universal consciousness does nothing but practice alchemy (Nature is itself an alchemical work), producing phenomena after phenomena in devotion to the eternal Self.

A crucial aspect of the alchemical worldview is that the physical world is not separate from consciousness, but is rather an expression of consciousness.

Alchemy Throughout The World

Many of the ancient practices of the various cultures of the world constitute an implementation of the alchemical art. The concept of alchemy often overlaps or is synonymous with the concept of magic.

For example, the Taoists of the Orient practiced a rich and complex alchemical art, both internal and external. The mystery schools of Europe are basically schools of alchemy. The philosophies of Plato and Aristotle are markedly alchemical. The Vedantic science of India is a highly sophisticated alchemical exposition, as are the teachings of Buddha. What is popularly known today as “shamanism” is the practice of inner alchemy. Likewise, magick is a form of inner alchemy.

The early Christian Gnostics espoused a unique alchemical worldview. The Kabbalah is a complex alchemical system, as are the mysteries of Sufism. There are, of course, many more examples of alchemical theory and practice in world history.

The Secrets of Alchemy

Throughout the ages, alchemists have been very secretive concerning their art. This was for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was to escape persecution, insuring that the methods of the art continued to survive to the next generation.

The uninitiated often misunderstand the alchemical practices and may fear the alchemist, even if the alchemist has their best interests at heart. Witch hunts, inquisitions, and other persecutions by those in positions of power have occurred throughout recorded history.

Even in recent history, the Taoist alchemists of China were persecuted during the so-called “cultural revolution”, when traditional culture was seen as something to be destroyed rather than preserved. Many alchemical lineages and unique secrets of alchemy passed down for generations were lost to posterity during that time.

Despite the secrecy surrounding the practice of alchemy, it is known to adepts that “the great secrets of alchemy keep themselves”. Even if very powerful secrets happen to be publicly revealed, only one with a refined consciousness (that is, one who is actively engaged in alchemical work) would be able to make effective use of them.

Inner Alchemy

Ultimately, inner alchemy is one of many practical methods for the directed inner development of the individual; fostering the process of realizing one’s true nature through a gradual transformation of consciousness.

The practice is divided into three distinct transformative stages. These stages describe the major fields of exploration that the aspirant travels through on their journey. They are the stage of Prima Materia, the stage of the White Stone, and the stage of the Red Stone. In alchemical literature, there are also many different descriptions of the sub-processes and strata within each stage.

It is important to note that the stages are only a device for explanation of the alchemical process. In practice, the stages often overlap as insights from different stages appear to the individual.

The framework of the three stages provides a reference map of the alchemical process that guides the individual through a graduated revelation of inner potential. This map assists the individual in navigating what can otherwise be a confusing inner journey.

The Aim of Alchemy

The aim of alchemic practice is a radical shift in perspective, a transformation of consciousness that changes one’s life. This transformation leads to an understanding of one’s own nature and potential, to an unfolding of the dormant possibilities within.

The inherent value of this practice is beyond measure. Those who persevere in the alchemical path will surely receive a treasure beyond any other: understanding of the Self.

The Self is the true inherent nature of each individual. We employ the Self always, but rarely understand it or recognize our true relation to the ultimate Reality.

This is the goal of inner alchemy: to realize one’s true nature, and to understand one’s relationship with all things. The alchemist seeks to awaken from its slumber the inherent association with the one true Self that resides within their own individual incarnation.

Whatever secondary discoveries and insights occur in the practice of alchemy, they are unimportant in relation to the true aim of the art. If these discoveries serve to hinder the understanding of the Self, then they are less than worthless.

ALCHEMY IS NATURAL

The cosmos is already engaged in an alchemical process, and you are a part of it. Life is alchemy. The transformation of the elements occurring everywhere in natural processes is alchemy. The creation of culture is alchemy. Art is alchemy. From a spider’s web to a spiral galaxy, the observable world is a process of transformation.

This transformation is not without purpose. Existence is the process by which the Self knows itself. This happens spontaneously, even unconsciously.

Alchemy is the deliberate practice of the natural aim of existence: to manifest beings that are aware of their own true nature.

Alchemists are those who recognize the underlying alchemical process that is already occurring, and become actively engaged in this process.

ALCHEMY IS PRACTICAL

Because consciousness is the origin of the material world, an individual may only profoundly affect their environment to the extent that they have purified their consciousness. Because a key aspect of alchemy is the art of the purification of consciousness, the practice of alchemy has inestimable practical value.

AS WITHIN, SO WITHOUT

This inner transformation motivated by alchemy is mirrored by external change. As the aspiring alchemist progresses, their environment shifts to match the inner conditions.

Among the greatest achievements of alchemy is the recognition that the world adapts to the state of one’s consciousness, as the nature of the world is consciousness.

When this principle is integrated into one’s life, a practitioner is able to effect external change by changing their state of mind. This is the principle that has been popularized as “the power of positive thinking” or the “law of attraction”.

This is usually a gradual process. The world, being consciousness itself, adapts itself in a smooth, graceful manner to the mind of the alchemist.

Those alchemists who practice external alchemy (transmuting material forms) are also experiencing a corresponding inner change. This is also one of the ancient alchemical secrets. Action transforms consciousness, and transforming the environment transforms the mind.

This principle is best described by the axiom “as within, so without” or conversely “as without, so within”. Inside and outside are mere categories of consciousness and thus affect each other in kind.

ALCHEMY IS A WAY OF LIFE

The practice of inner alchemy touches every aspect of life.

An understanding of the alchemical principles leads to a deeper understanding of any endeavor one may be involved in. These principles may be applied to any activity.

Alchemy is a way of life that consciously emulates the scheme contained in life itself.

One Does Not Simply Ask For One’s Freedom

The following passage is taken from pages 57-58 of Personality and Evolution, by Stan Gooch:

‘The Ego, ideally, bears its sufferings in silence and without complaint. Again, ideally, it does not break this silence even under torture. It does not request mercy. Nor does it request freedom – it simply takes it, or dies in the attempt. ‘Let my people go’ is the request of the Self. (And one must report, sadly, that those who merely ask for their freedom do not usually get it.)

There is, indeed, a sense in which the Self does not want to be free and in which it enjoys its suffering. This is a statement one must make with caution – for, though it is, I believe, in a certain sense true, it is the kind of statement which is apt to be only too useful as fascist propaganda. Is one saying, for example, that the Jews enjoyed the concentration camps of the last war? Or that Negroes wanted to be shipped as slaves to America and elsewhere, there often to die of starvation and mistreatment? That obviously goes much too far. Yet there is a sort of truth here. There is a joking question which asks : “What does a Jew fear more than persecution?” to which the answer is : “being overlooked.” And something of this is true, I think, also of women. Some women, at any rate, seem willing to accept a good deal of physical violence and other ill-treatment from the men they love. The wanting of punishment or suffering has in fact obtained clear recognition, not only in clinical psychology, but in common parlance, with the term ‘masochism’. A masochist is a person who, in some sense of the terms, enjoys suffering and invites pain.’

For the purpose of this essay I will be referring to Gooch’s theory on the human mind, which simply proposes that it is comprised of two systems, the Ego and the Self. In short the Ego can be roughly equated to a daytime, conscious, linear, masculine brain, located in the cerebrum and the musculature of the body, whilst the Self can be equated to a nocturnal, unconscious, irrational, feminine brain, located in the cerebellum, and the autonomic responses of the body – the reflexes, the senses, the viscera etc.

Some populations of the world are led more by the Self, and some by the Ego. But every one of us contains both at all times. It’s the essence of human. Across the world, where cerebellar activities such as ‘soul’ singing, dancing and the use of emotional feelings to describe one’s state are more popular, we can say these people, as a whole, are more driven by the Self. And where we find a greater propensity for cerebral activity, such as technical discussion or time-regulated tasks, as well as a sense of individuality, we will find people who are more Ego-dominant. Incidentally, on average, men are more ‘Ego’ focused and women more ‘Self’ focused.

Americans asking for their freedom

Getting back to our point, the notion of freedom, to an Ego dominant individual, is inherent in his personality. The very idea that another individual doesn’t have freedom is incredulous. How can you not have something that you were born with, he will say? How can you let someone (whom you have not contracted with) tell you what to do? For individual freedom is indeed a natural state for the Ego dominant personality. A Self dominant personality, on the other hand, is naturally submissive (lacking a dominant internal Ego), and so practically requires a master to give him the discipline required in an Ego dominant system, such as the West. If we apply Gooch’s theory to our world, then we begin to understand why some people just can’t be free.

Take the current situation in America for example (and to some extent across the Western world). Radical, separatist African-Americans, or at least their latest incarnation known as Black Lives Matter, are asking for the American establishment to give them the same privileges and freedoms apparently only allowed by white Americans. The question that no one seems to ask is why don’t they simply walk away from their oppressors and start their own country somewhere else? Isn’t this exactly what the white American people had to do in order to free themselves from their former master England? Break off all ties and never speak again, or at least until the dust had settled and they had found their own identity as a cohesive, separate nation. Of course, it wasn’t easy, but the end result was vastly more freedom than they had been previously ‘allowed’ by the English. They never complained during the hardest years, neither did they ask England to save them during events such as the great depression, they suffered their pain in silence rather than buckle under and crawl back in a submissive position.

Black people resisting

Black Lives Matter (along with many other ‘oppressed’ Self groups) talk about forming resistance (which is at least a step up from ‘assistance’). But resistance is exactly what they don’t need to be doing. Why would someone want to remain a part of a system that supposedly treats them with such abject disrespect, and always has? Resistance is the language of the willing victim, for it is only someone who wants to be accepted by the system who feels they have something to resist in it. They could apply their full force in resistance but eventually they will expend all their energy and the age-old system will still be there. If you wish to make yourself an enemy of the masters, who hold all the power, you will, inevitably, lose. The only way to negate the effect of the system is to totally remove oneself from it, and refuse to interact with it ever again. Of course, this would also mean no more special rights and privileges such as welfare, free schooling, access to jobs etc, but after a few years hard work they would be truly self-reliant, self-sufficient, and free.

The same argument can be applied to Israel, and the Jewish populations of the West. Historically, almost every Jewish population has claimed to have suffered oppression under their host nations. Even as far back as ancient Egypt we find Moses tasked with freeing his people from slavery (((which they had apparently been placed under for no reason))). The question is, if the West is so anti-Semitic, why don’t they simply move to their own country which they fought so hard for (and continue to fight for), and never have contact with the so-called evil Europeans again? Could it really be true that some people relish their place in society as the eternal victim, using it to milk assistance from the countries who are simultaneously accused of abusing them?

Is it then the fault of the ‘oppressive’ Ego-led, self-responsible Europeans, with their ‘one man’ mindset, or is it the fault of the ‘oppressed’ Self-obsessed peoples of the world, with their ‘one world’ mindset? In reality, it is no ones ‘fault’. It is simply a ‘fault’, or more correctly, a ‘feature’ in the genetic make up of each human race that is responsible for their actions and reactions. Only our recognition of this hard-wired precurser can prevent us from repeatedly making the same historic mistakes, over and over.