The Witches' Pyramid

a lecture

Four things which anyone may do to lead a fine full life:

To Know

means curiosity, the hunger to feel reality inside and out, to see and taste and smell whatever is really here. It means you must explore yourself till all your dark little knots of fear and stubbornness are cleared away. It means you must have faith this world somehow makes sense despite its great unknowns, its disappointments and its pain. It means you must temper all your doings with the deepest wisdom you can find. Do not lose sight of this: Beyond your life there is greater life containing yours. This is the root of all true knowledge.

To Will

means finding for yourself the things which you shall do. You know the reasons you are here, the things you seek, the object of the longing in your heart. You must abandon all false goals and pursue your own true purpose steadfastly. Doors open to anyone on such a quest. Challenges appear to test your ardor and hone your skill. The skills you learn and earn are those of self-control. Never forget: Your life is in your hands like clay. You are the creature born to do the things which you shall do. Be true to this. Be for yourself a lamp and guide.

To Dare

means casting off from home into a racing tide. It means breaking down your walls and stepping out into a broad dark land. There are moments which cry for action. There are times when you are much too small a child. These are times when you must grow, when you must set aside the limitations, possessions and identity that you have found so far. Without complaint, without demands, with no longing for the safety that has passed, obey the call of life. This is how we grow: The caterpillar wraps herself into a silky shroud and then bursts forth to fly.

To Keep Silence

means discretion and the calm of inner strength. It means that kind of patience which can let things be and yet the power to reach deep for truth. Thoughts are things which grow too quickly to a jostling clutter. Words have wings and ought not be tossed out heedless onto the wind. That is the folly of all Humankind, the true source of our evil and grief. Things you need to live wisely are these: Wholeness in yourself, acceptance of your fellows with their faults, access to the ceaseless fountain of inward light. All of this can be had through silence.