LESSON 21

Self-evaluation

Since you have reached this point in your exploration of the IHC magic system, it is safe to assume that you have been practicing different disciplines for at least five or six months. You have been keeping careful records in your magic journal, hopefully on a daily basis; constantly observing your own thoughts, emotions, sensorial perceptions, habits, desires and choices; evaluating your personal relationships and the influence you have on other people's lives; keeping track of the things you have affinity for or aversion to; exercising your charitable disposition; becoming aware of the sociopolitical implications of the way you relate to others; developing a sense of justice based on empathy and fairness; taking your first steps towards a Hermetic way of life by practicing doing good in thoughts, words and actions; using a Hermetic Prayer to attune yourself to the Way of Rebirth and engage in simple ceremonial magic. All of this you have done, and all in the first few lessons contained in the First Series (1-7). I advise you to take this as solid evidence of your interest in this system, your capacity for persevering in a kind of work that is not at all easy or simple, and your affinity to the ideas and values expressed here. Use this to keep encouraging yourself to continue with your study and practice.

Alternatively, if you feel that you have not performed the proposed tasks in a satisfactory manner, do not be afraid to start over. Go back to Lesson 1 as many times as you need to, until you are satisfied that you have understood them all and performed them to your satisfaction.

Before you advance to the next lesson, take some time to do a self-evaluation of your involvement with the IHC system. Spend some time thinking about whether you have learned anything new about yourself, your place in the world, and the characteristics of your spiritual life. Take also a long and attentive look at your experience with the magic rites you have studied and performed. Before you move on to Lesson 22, take all the time you need to decide whether continuing with the program presented in this site is a worthy use of your time and energy.

One good indicator of your own interest in a Hermetic (or, at least, Hermeticism-adjacent) spiritual path is the amount of spontaneous reading you have done on the subject. Back in Lesson 7, you were directed to read the "Poimandres," the first book of the Corpus Hermeticum. Have you since read any of the other books in the C.H.? If you have not, maybe you need to consider whether that says something about your real interest in Hermeticism. The books in the C.H. will be something you will keep going back to, reading and re-reading as you advance in your Hermetic work. You must expect to do this for the rest of your life, not merely until you reach a certain point in your studies.

After a week, should your meditations result in your renewed certainty that the IHC system is right for you, then proceed to Lesson 22 for a new chapter on your journey. Should you, instead, find out that all of this is not really your cup of tea, then may you be blessed with the gift of finding your own path out there!

Light on your path,

C. I. Theon