Axioms of Magic: Law of Relative Truth



*IV Law of Relative Truth*
Everything is real in one sense, false in one sense, and meaningless in one sense. This is a function of one’s vantage point (worldview). In the words of Hassan Ibn Sabbah, “Nothing is true. Everything is permissible.” It is possible for a concept or act to violate the truth patterns of a given personal universe and still be "true," provided that it "works" in a specific situation.

This law is closely allied to Law VI: the Law of Paradox and Law I: The Law of World views. Essentially, it allows personal worldviews to overlap and interact with the nominal universe which underlies all other existences, bridging the gap between Laws I and VI.

According to Law I, there are two kinds of Truth in the cosmos, one Absolute, the other Relative. The Absolute Truth is the unchanging and eternal tao which underlies the world(s) we know. Relative truth, or what we consider reality, is faceted by the perceptions and desires of individual wills. It is ever changing but illusory. It is only real to those who have conscious awareness of it or give it credence.

*Application of the Law of Relative Truth*

The Law of Relative truth pertains to the power of suggestion. For instance, if someone tells you that you have been cursed, and you believe you have been cursed, then your belief lends truth to the existence of the curse. If on the other hand, you choose not believe in the power of the curse, you have the power to negate its effects. This Law also affects divination and visions of the future in what is refered to as a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you are made aware of a possible future, that future is more likely to come to pass because you know of its possibility, especially if you adopt a defeatist attitude of waiting for it to come to pass.

Looked at in another way, talking about a ghost or spirit gives power to that spirit to interact within the parameters of your worldview. If someone is told that a house is haunted, even if they say they do not believe in ghosts, any doubt they may silently harbor gives a real (or imagined) spirit a window into the world of the observer. This spirit may be created by the belief of the observer, or it may in fact be a spirit which uses the parameters of the belief to clothe itself in the trappings of our reality. Even if they do not know a house may or may not be haunted, the fact that someone believes the house to be haunted allows anything there to make itself known.

This also applies to Thought-forms (also called Tulpas, servitors, egrigors, golems). Essentially, you can create a spiritual entity with the power of your belief. In the 1970s, The Toronto Society Of Psychical Research experimented with the concept of thought-forms, creating a spirit named Philip. They were extremely successful, though the groups were never able to explain the results of their experiment scientifically. Too bad magical laws are inadmissible in scientific arguments! Though this experiment was performed simply to ascertain “scientifically” whether it could be done, in magick, thought-forms or Tulpas can be given various tasks beyond simple séance-type interaction. Thought-forms can be asked to ward a place, person, or thing, to attack others psychically, gather information, help with an upcoming test… essentially a thought-form can do nearly any task you set for it within the parameters of the abilities you initially envisioned.