Occultism and fear

Rational discussions on metaphysical and abstract topics.
obnoxion
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Re: Occultism and fear

Post by obnoxion »

Cerastes wrote: Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:35 pm Ehrfurcht (Ehre= honor, Furcht= fear)
It’s the kind of fear that honors whatever is feared and contains a high amount of esteem and respect. You can have Ehrfurcht of a high mountain as well as of a spirit or another person. It marks the consciousness of the high potential or importance of whatever is feared. Fear is very negativly charged and largely known as a weakness, Ehrfurcht however is valued as a positive feeling.
Could this be the same as the English "awe"...?
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Cerastes
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Re: Occultism and fear

Post by Cerastes »

Could this be the same as the English "awe"...?

You might be right. I would have interpreted it slightly different. While Ehrfurcht is a kind of fear, awe is a kind of respect. The ingredients are the same though, so I'm just cherry picking again. Mighty google translates Ehrfurcht with awe too. :) I find it hard to interpret English words right since their etymology is much more untransparent.
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Polyhymnia
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Re: Occultism and fear

Post by Polyhymnia »

Reverence was the word that popped up in my head, as the closest to holy fear. Very interesting point you bring up. This gives me a big chunk to ruminate on today. Holy fear was always a term my preacher father would use, and when I was younger I think I mistook that for a type of malevolence. I think I need to examine this closely at this point in my life. Thank you for your valuable insights.
"Limited love asks for possession of the beloved, but the unlimited asks only for itself." -Kahlil Gibran
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Cerastes
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Re: Occultism and fear

Post by Cerastes »

Polyhymnia wrote: Fri Mar 01, 2019 9:11 pm Reverence was the word that popped up in my head, as the closest to holy fear. Very interesting point you bring up. This gives me a big chunk to ruminate on today. Holy fear was always a term my preacher father would use, and when I was younger I think I mistook that for a type of malevolence. I think I need to examine this closely at this point in my life. Thank you for your valuable insights.

Yay, I learned a new word. :)
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I understand why you mistook holy fear with malevolence because I did the same.
Holy fear or the fear of god is often abused as tool to satisfy the human will to power and in this moment it becomes nothing more than an empty phrase. Religious doctrines have been using it to keep people from finding their own way. For exaplme, in earlier times it was absolutly normal here to inherit your belongings to the chrurch after death and not to your children. The priests told people that this is the only way to escape gods punishment and the purgatory. Even my grandma gave most of her saving to the church. This is not holy fear, it's an control instrument established by humans and it has nothing to do with honoring a divine energy. A large part of my occult work is to actually find the divine essence in this deep swamp of human imperfections. The „real“ holy fear is able to create meaning and it does not block the own will but it clarifies it.
“Granny Weatherwax was not lost. She wasn't the kind of person who ever became lost. It was just that, at the moment, while she knew exactly where SHE was, she didn't know the position of anywhere else.”
(Terry Pratchett, Wyrd Sisters)
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Polyhymnia
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Re: Occultism and fear

Post by Polyhymnia »

Cerastes wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:35 am
I understand why you mistook holy fear with malevolence because I did the same.
Holy fear or the fear of god is often abused as tool to satisfy the human will to power and in this moment it becomes nothing more than an empty phrase. Religious doctrines have been using it to keep people from finding their own way. For exaplme, in earlier times it was absolutly normal here to inherit your belongings to the chrurch after death and not to your children. The priests told people that this is the only way to escape gods punishment and the purgatory. Even my grandma gave most of her saving to the church. This is not holy fear, it's an control instrument established by humans and it has nothing to do with honoring a divine energy. A large part of my occult work is to actually find the divine essence in this deep swamp of human imperfections. The „real“ holy fear is able to create meaning and it does not block the own will but it clarifies it.
That's so insane about giving your belongings to the church after death! I know my mother would do that in a heartbeat, though, if it were asked. I've been sitting on this thread for the past couple of weeks, trying to meditate on the concept of "healthy" holy fear. The real holy fear you speak of. The one that creates meaning and clarifies will. I think I'm getting closer to being able to understand and experience it, but I'm hoping it will just click sometime in the near future within myself. I had a moderate amount of breakthrough during the Equinox, but I'm hoping my spirit remains receptive while I work through this.
"Limited love asks for possession of the beloved, but the unlimited asks only for itself." -Kahlil Gibran
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