THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
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To: tariqas@europe.std.com
From: nagasiva@luckymojo.com (haramullah)
Subject: Nontraditional Avenues 

50000510 IVom

assalam alaykum, my kin.

a correspondent wrote:
>It may be the case, as your critic suggests, that treading the high,
>spiritual life without a guide is dangerous.  But for some of us --for
>various reasons, geographical, cultural and/or personal-- if it is to be
>tread at all it is going to be without a guide.

I would disagree here. I think that a guide is absolutely necessary,
and that this guide may come in a variety of guises. the most
traditional (and perhaps precautionary) will of course wish to seek
out such a guide from the traditional lineages. this I think is a
valuable starting place, and Brother Hazifullah is wise to attempt
to prevent people from willy-nilly experimenting with strange and
peculiar applications of the traditional spiritual tools.

that said, there are some for whom, and this is probably your point,
Brother John, such warning will go unheeded, and their tight-rope walk 
will include chancy and, from the perspective of the most conservative, 
plainly dangerous exploits. only those whose path is guided by the Most
Compassionate will avoid the traps set by the Adversary in this kind
of endeavor, and I would add my caution to that of Brother Hafizullah
that such things are better left for the mystical Edge-walkers and
Thrill-seekers who may have unseen guidance which makes it LOOK easy.
 
> The idea that a guide is absolutely necessary in this business is and must
> be false. Otherwise how is it that different, hitherto unknown paths come
> into being at some point in history?  

all paths are created and inspired by Allah. there is no other
resort from Whom to seek out such an "alternative". in Hir
compassion SHe sees the worthiness of the dedicant and provides
Hir guidance in one form or another. these selected few will be 
given what seems remarkable "luck" or "insight" so as to avoid 
the traps and hazards the ordinary will fall into on the 
mystical back roads and create what may come to be a new 
tradition. there are also the gifted, the saintly, and those
whose submission is so pure that their innocence protects them
whose acts may be remembered as insane, strange, and perhaps
awe-inspiring, yet these will not create traditions at all.

>It seems that for this to be possible someone had to be the first 
>to tread it, and it seems that this first-treaded would not have 
>the benefit of a guide --at least not an earthly one.  

if you just mean a human guide, then I agree with you here,
though usually a composite of guidance is constructed out of
informal and chance passings with the traditional community
even by these, as I understand it. that is, these individuals
tend to be familiar with the tradition at least somewhat if
they are successful, and have used their passing familiarity
to bolster their natural skills and spiritual gifts.

>One may have simply "stumbled" on a method or a practice no
>one has implemented before --certainly, by the grace of God, 
>no doubt-- but nevertheless a new path.  

very often I think that instruction arrives for the unusual
alternative students not 'out of the blue', as if a shot, 
but instead from the Most Compassionate directly or through 
one of Hir many agents in the spiritual world. I do think that 
djinn are at times the dedicated selected for this communication. 
angels are, of course, other such agents (e.g. Gabriel's 
communication of the Most High's utterances to the Glorious One, 
Muhammad, peace be upon him). there is also the tradition of
the Holy Guardian Angel popular amongst some Semites and
Hermetics.

>Dangerous? Yes --we can be duped. Impossible? No, I think not.

of course we agree here, and showing that something is impossible
is not easy to do in any case.
 
>...there are many efficacious ways to lead the high, spiritual life. 

and those which are riskier can be provided with warning labels,
as are dangerous substances like lye. this does not make them
useless for all, merely hazardous for the unwary.

>Some old and well trod, some new and less sure, and some never tread 
>before; but the proof of this pudding is in the eating.

this is the second time that someone has reminded me of this pudding.
I think this proof is in the tasting, and moreso, in what the
pudding does to one's spirit, to one's mind, one's soul. by the
time it is eaten it may too late.

>No doubt some of us are going to have to eat alone on the way up 
>due to the conditions in which we find ourselves. But if we are 
>to eat at all there sometimes appears to be no help for this.

I suspect that the typical method will be simply "no visible
means of support", yet behind it will be found that SOME agent
of assistance is involved, concerned, and protective of those
who achieve any degree of success. I know that *I* feel this
way about my own journies, and am grateful for what assistance
from both worldly and transworldly sources that I have received.

peace be with you,

haramullah