I thought it might be time to throw out another random 'food for thought' bone to see what conversation it might stir up. (Mainly because I finally came up with one!)
"Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should."
Agree with it? Explain why. Disagree? In what way. How do you think it applies to magic or spirituality? Share the thought. Don't really understand what it even means? Ask about where it confuses you. Does it inspire a thought that has no direct link? Share it anyways. There are no wrong answers. ...No 'right' ones either. Just ponder what it means to you and share what it inspires.
As usual, in case you have not seen the previous prompts here is the link to the last one;
On the surface, the ability to do something doesn't give someone a right to do it. Deeper than that though, doing something just because someone can may lead to unforeseen or undesirable consequences. This suggests that we should strive to think before we act instead of giving into our impulses. When possible, we should take a step back and reflect on how our actions may affect not only us, but the world around us.
This is also very important when applied to magic, perhaps even more than the mundane in some cases. True, magic doesn't cause the immediate grand scale changes depicted in fiction, but it does cause changes nonetheless. Sometimes the results of such changes aren't always apparent. Even when we carefully outline the path a spell should take, things don't always happen the way we envision. We never really know exactly how that spell is going to end up bringing a desired change or what the long term results of that change might be.
A very open topic for discussion which absolutely does wonders for the mind and indeed is food for thought.
So sharing my views in response to the topic, I would first like to touch on an event or episode from Greek mythology.
Daedalus and his son Icarus where imprisoned by King Minos. Now Daedalus was a master at his craft so he put his knowledge and skill to good use and created two pairs of wings made from some feathers and wax so they could escape.
However, Icarus was warned not to fly too high because that would mean he would be closer to the sun, and his wings of wax would melt, causing him to fall to the ground. So Daedalus and Icarus flew up and escaped, however Icarus became too excited, and abit over confident in himself and pushed the limits, only to find himself too high and too close to the sun, which inevitably melted his wings, and he fell into the ocean and drowned.
So in may opinion to ' just because you can, doesn't mean you should ' , I would agree totally.
Because this example or this story should serve as some kind of reference that although we have can do something or achieve something , we must not be over confident because being over confident leads to ego. And ego leads to self destruction over the time. So the story of Icarus, in my opinion should serve as a metaphoric example of being over confident after being warned and letting ego distract you of accomplishing a rather simple task, which obviously led to his own demise.
It's like, I know I can climb up that tree, should I, even tho the branches don't seem too strong, yet maybe capable of holding me, just because i can, it doesn't mean i should, because i don't want to be over confident and let my ego take over, and end up falling to the ground with all sorts of problems arising.
We should always have limits, set limits to your own capability and not of others,
Be bold, be confident, take pride in what you doing, however don't be over confident and don't let ego blind you, because it can literally blow up in your face, know when enough is enough, because not knowing when enough is enough, is for me the root to overall destruction.
Fly high in your intention, fly high in seeking to accomplish your endeavours , however, don't fly too close to the sun.
Remember , just because you know you can go the the extra mile, it doesn't mean you should, fly high, just not too close to the sun.
I agree with what both of you have said already; To me, what this all boils down to is that a person should remind themselves to think before they act, because there is never only one consequence.
I especially think this applies in magic as an important lesson that people new to a spiritual path should be exposed to. As I have observed the comings and goings of so many sites and groups and practices over the years there are some common trends that pop up. Not the least of which being that initial draw to magic (and spiritual practices in general) tends to be based on achieving some sort of personal gratification. Or to look for some way to bypass the need to earn or work for a goal (be it because of impatience, laziness, or fear). It is like watching a teenager with their very first credit-card. The "Buy it now, pay for it later" mentality that gets so many people into trouble when they realize that the 'pay later' they had been banking up has suddenly become 'pay up now', when they already don't have enough to cover what they need because they were living beyond their means.
Just because a person can make and work a spell to make someone love them, it doesn't mean they should because not only are you playing architect with your life, you are doing it to that person as well. What makes a person think they are qualified enough to think they have the right to tell the universe how someone else should live, just because the worker wants it? Even if such a spell appeared successful, does the worker not recognize that they may very well then spend the rest of their lives fearing that the person wouldn't actually love them if it wasn't for the spell? ...And I could go on for actual pages on the ramifications and complications such a singular and seemingly 'harmless' spell could bring about. And that is just one spell!
Morally-speaking, I see magic in a similar way to how a warrior sees martial arts. You learn how to fight, so you don't have to. Martial arts is about understanding your body and its strengths, about using observation and communication and wise choices to avoid fights (and the harm that comes with them) before they start. You can not lose a battle that never happens, after-all. In the same regard I think a magician's goal should be to reach a stage in life when they do not -need- to call on magic. Instead they allow their experience and observations to guide them where they need to be.
Magic, and the many spiritual paths that surround it, are about engagement and understanding. Making use of active observation and being conscious of the relationships between ourselves, our nature as living beings, out connection (and dependence) on the world around us, and to exploring the idea that there is more to the world than what can be seen with our eyes. But human instinct drives towards control and gratification so it becomes an easy trap for the unwary.
I have pulled a useful tool from the box of those who engage in the lively and passionate art of debate. ...Proper debate I mean, not the "I'm right, you're wrong" nonsense you see on podiums and grandstands of the mainstream. I'm referring to the Philosophical challenging of ideas to weigh and measure their worth against contrasts and balances used to learn about and grow an idea.
"If you wish to argue for something, you must first put the whole of your heart into arguing against it."
Explore and observe your idea, goal, desire, ... Whatever... from the opposing side in a genuine way. In debate it is a tool to essentially prepare for the questions and challenges of your opponent by having literally beaten them to the punch. You would have answers at the ready before your opponent even knew they wanted to ask the question. But I argue (heh) that it also can be used to confirm the wisdom and integrity of a personal choice or action before you make it. If you think you should, argue genuinely why you should not. In every conceivable and legitimate way. And, if you find you are unable to convince yourself otherwise after genuine effort, only then consider the action you want to partake.
I suppose after blathering so incoherently for all this time (as I do), I think "Because you can doesn't mean you should" is a reminder to explore every reason why you shouldn't, to ensure that it is right.
The comments about the martial arts resonated with me, I have practice them for some time ('79). I think this quote touches upon a number of ideas on moral and ethical behavior. Just because we can cause harm, it doesn't mean we should. The "think before we act" should in my mind be "think ethically and morally before we act". The golden rule or threefold law coming to mind.
I also think there is an implied inverse to this statement as well. The continuation being
"Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should. Just because you think you can't, doesn't mean you shouldn't try." This statement should be a balance between restraint and growing, all guided by sound ethics and moral thought.
That is indeed a thoughtful point! Many people give up on attainable things before they even start because the goal just seems too daunting. Or the risk of what might happen if you don't succeed/do something wrong outweighs what you feel success might bring.
It is a barrier that people come up against in every aspect of life I can think of. From finding a new job ("I know this job sucks, but what if the new one turns out to be worse?") To learning a new skill ("I don't know how to use a computer, how do I know I won't break it?") To spirituality, meeting new groups of people, exploring new places, or quite frankly anything at all where the result of an action has potential for more than one outcome or consequence.
It is almost frightening how much a person can lose out on because of a lack of confidence. Heh, it has certainly been a thorn in -my- side for the best-part of my life. Though, on reflection, I have found that when I do manage to, for a moment, overcome such a fear it isn't by creating confidence. Rather, it is by acting despite a lack of it.
It actually birthed another axiom in my mind that I have grown fond of;
"Bravery is not a lack of fear. It is taking action despite it."
Lack of confidence could probably be a more contributing factor to regret also.
One sometimes lack confidence to learn, to explore, or even to understand and this is genuine regret in people's lives.
Not only does one regret choices that they have made, they also regret choices they haven't made, and this is due to a lack of confidence.
If only they were confident enough to see out their task, or to see out their choices and decisions, probably things would have been different!, or better perhaps! So yes, how many people did miss out on opportunities because of a lack of confidence.
Willpower together with determination, for me, I feel it strengthens your confidence in attaining and achieving.
Your confidence is a product of how bad you want something ( if that sounds correct), if you have a strong willpower and determined in achieving your desired goal, your confidence will be on an all time high.
In life, we have to apply action to what is needed, and as we know that every action has a reaction. And because of this reaction, our minds perceive this reaction to be a consequence, our minds are so good in creating problems that is not even there, we tend to lack the confidence of putting our goal into action.
However, in saying that, we must learn to accept the outcome of any situation. We should not live in regret because we lacked confidence.
When you pluck a rose from the garden, be prepared to get pricked by it's thorn.
Don't live in regret that you didn't get to enjoy this beautiful gift from nature.
