The Sacrifice of Tendencies – Life of Ritual

A curious chapter and sacrifice, indeed. When you read the pages relating to this sacrifice, called the Sacrifice of Tendencies, it is hard to understand how the words written relate to the sacrifice.

Let us see if we can find the bridge.

Here the author, E.J. Gold, speaks about accompanying someone who is in the corridor of madness. This is a stage that happens a bit down the road. But, Gold says when we are in such service, “we must be able to be with the individual continually, without falling asleep.”

Here we are invited to be in a state of alertness that we generally do not choose for ourselves. But, we are working now mostly alone, we come together only to meet and discuss. We are not necessarily working in a group format. How then do we interpret this sacrifice of tendencies.

If one operates by their tendencies, they are able to get by in life, they are able to operate the machine and kind of make it along the path of survival. That is not our intention.

As Gold continues, he advises: “To make this sacrifice one lives a completely ritualized existence, making all Obligatory Observances and Purifications.”

What are our Obligatory Observations and Purifications? How do you make this sacrifice? That is the task before us.

Audio Recording Class_7_Aug_10_2011