Kitabı oxu: «Tarot and the Medici Patience. Grimoire»

From the ancient, grey-bearded past, the Tarot cards have arrived for us.

They guard a secret within themselves—the keys to Eternal mysteries.

Many have come to them seeking all that is desperately needed.

And what they found there—well, dare to guess.

Legends and tales swirl about the Tarot.

One of them is about the Medici—a most enigmatic Solitaire.

It governs the future, or so the legend tells.

But is it true, or isn't it? Test it and discover for yourself.

Walk the long road of the Seeker of answers.

Make your choices boldly along your Path, and solve every riddle in full.

And should you walk your Path all the way to its end,

Then you will discover for yourself where sorrow sprang from wisdom.

May this book become your navigator and guide,

Leading you safely by true course amidst the reefs.

Claim your Heritage, so faithfully preserved by the Tarot.

It has waited so long for you… and waits for you still…

…

Myths and legends weave themselves around the Tarot cards.

One such legend is that of the Medici Solitaire.

Legend has it, this Solitaire enables you to command the future.

2025 Edition

Chapter 1 Introduction to Stalking.

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But what, pray tell, is Stalking?

Life is a cascade of millions of choices and thousands of roads paved with experience.

Yet it’s also riddled with mountain ranges of rules and limitations. Rules and Laws weave the labyrinthine closed circle of life, from which it is nearly impossible to break free into the World of your dreams.

Millions of bipedal predators are ready to tear to shreds the life of any novice who dares to step into this World. And they chase him in circles through the panopticon of their own making, like a squirrel on a wheel, for his entire Life.2

The author admits there is a kernel of sense in the antisocial view held by the 'Thieves in Law,' who regard society as nothing more than a pen for sheep. Yet he denies that their Path is the only true and righteous one.

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Rice Who gazes at whom—is it the years that look into a person, or the person who gazes into the years?³

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Since time immemorial in the mountain regions, the silvered hair and wisdom of the elders were more prized than gold.

They knew the scarcely trodden paths and secret passes over the mountain ridges. Inaccessible and lethally inhospitable to all living things almost year-round, as sharp as the razor's edge of hatred, with bottomless chasms and gorges.

The experience and skill of the elders, their knowledge of the land in hard times—when disaster or foe descended upon peaceful folk—were the very guarantors of their people's survival.

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Rice The old Tree beneath the sky—still creaking, still creaking.⁴

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And they were reverently called 'aksakals.'

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Rice. Do you see the stalker? No?! Yet he is there! … and he is always there (author’s note).⁵6

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In those forested realms where, more often than not, the sun’s rays never reached the earth. Instead, they merely ricocheted from the myriad living souls stretching toward them.

The Chaos of life’s exuberance is apt to bewilder any uninitiated soul in its thickets. Drawing the traveler down into its depths, with little hope of return, until he is utterly exhausted.

Yet even there, there have always been those who, guided by signs visible only to them, confidently discover The Path amid life’s tangled confusion.

Fearlessly they would plunge into the heart of the taiga or jungle, as if into their own pockets. And back they would come to their loved ones, and those waiting for them—with spoils in hand.

They were known, with pride, as Hunters. With a capital ‘H’.

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Rice Now we’ll really gorge ourselves on fresh meat! Isn’t that right, master?⁷

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Rice Did anyone put in an order for a well-roasted traveler? For a false Order, the forfeit is a three-day mirage—complete with a traveler!⁸

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In the blazing shimmer of the desert, like a mirage, appears the silhouette of a figure striding along as though wound up.

And after a while, just long enough for the mind to barely register it as real, there stands beside you a traveler from the other side—radiating heat.

In the place he came from, even the lizards—if they hadn’t met their own untimely ends within two or three years—would die of astonishment just trying to calculate the odds of it all.

How did he survive, out there where, for hundreds of versts, there’s neither water nor shade?

How did he keep from losing his mind to the whisper of infinity brushing against eternity? Where did he come from and where is he headed—what is he searching for?

Whom has he saved, whom will he yet save—and whom might he punish?

They spoke of him, half in reverence and half in the frightened bewilderment of those who cannot understand, and later told their children his tale as legend—the Ranger.

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Rice Harken to the whisper of endless Eternity.⁹

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Rice It is not always possible to find The Path at once.¹⁰

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And behold—a bolt of lightning descends from the heavens, darting down in fits and starts of 100 or 150 meters each time, branching like The Tree of possible destinies.

Out of billions of possible descents, it finds the most faithful and the easiest. The ones that demand the least expenditure of energy, while offering the greatest number of ways forward.

And should anyone doubt that the lightning’s path was indeed optimal—let them stand beneath its stroke. And in the final instant of his life, he will feel that the lightning's power was not spent in vain along its journey. From its very inception to its very Death. Its force was preserved, and oftentimes even grew.

The lightning conducted its surplus of power from the heavens into the earth, and balance, once more, was restored.

All of this reveals that Stalking is by no means the exclusive domain of stalkers, but rather the most ancient art of survival and orientation—the understanding of The World, one's place within it, and the restoration of balance to The World.

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Rice Choice determines result.¹¹

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Rice Do you possess a talent for mutually beneficial cooperation? And what if I find one?¹²

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A Stalker is both the lightning of choice, the hunter of intent, the ranger of Spirit, and the elder of experience.

It is the universe itself attempting to gaze into the eyes of the universe and see therein its own reflection and understanding of itself.

If we were to briefly sketch the distinctive features of Stalking, the following points come to mind:

1. Stalking is a Magic whose history numbers in the thousands of years (over fifty, if you believe the legends), and stands among the oldest of techniques.

2. Unlike many celebrated varieties of Magic—such as hypnosis, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and so forth—Stalking is less an active, outward practice and more a passively inward technique.

The sense of Stalking often resides in an inner attunement with the World, or with certain of its elements.

This may occur on various levels of consciousness—from the physical to the causal—by all manner of means and methods.

With techniques drawn from the most diverse Schools and Paths.

3. Stalking is wondrously multifaceted and, in essence, comprises nothing less than the very foundations of Magic itself.

That is why it has never been especially advertised on its own as Science and Practice.

For, in the author’s deepest conviction, there exists no magic save for Stalking, in its myriad kinds and forms.

All modern varieties of magic known today are nothing more than assorted Schools that have merely slapped their own labels onto Stalking.

4. Stalking is, above all, the art of understanding the world, discerning its purposes and pursuits—and the talent for establishing a long and fruitful dialogue with the world.

As a unified part of him, one that directly enters him and consciously and willingly fulfills his goals and purposes.

Likewise, a cell in the body learns the art of establishing a dialogue with the entire organism. And that cell which has mastered this art becomes the nerve cell of The World—a Stalker.

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Rice Knowledge offers the chance for Understanding. Understanding grants the Power to rise above Ignorance.¹³

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ATTENTION!

This book is written as a self-instruction manual in Stalking.

Specifically, it delves into the programming of events using the Minor Arcana of the Tarot.

To absorb and master the material—down to the very marrow of your spinal cord—it’s essential to complete the ‘homework’ after reading each chapter.

For greater effect, it is advised to record all your answers in a learning journal.

To transmute mere quantity of understanding into true quality, it is wise to periodically reread your own notes.

You are also encouraged to write your answers with generous margins, leaving ample room for future commentary.

It is also recommended to apply information structuring techniques in your answer journal. Such as: colored pens, bookmarks, stickers, and the like…

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ATTENTION!

Written answers to questions are approximately three times more effective than answers given only in thought.

Composing written answers in a single journal is about three times more effective than scattering them in various places.

Rereading your answer journal increases your understanding by about three times.

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It’s up to you to decide exactly how to do your homework…

…just as before.

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Homework Section No. 1.

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Rice There is an artist who paints with light. You probably know about him. He holds a camera in his hands. The click of the shutter—and time stands still…¹⁴

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0. Begin a journal, a thick notebook, or a file-folder for keeping your homework records.

Graph paper is recommended.

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ATTENTION!

All answers to the questions in this and subsequent homework assignments are to be written. And only in writing.

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1. What does the author consider to be the 'three pillars' of Stalking? List them. Explain in your own words.15

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2. Identify professions in society that correspond to the first 'whale' of Stalking. What character traits are common among people in this profession?

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3. Imagine, if you will, mentally erasing from society all those who belong to the profession of the first 'whale.' What would happen?

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4. Identify professions in society that correspond to the second 'whale' of Stalking. What character traits are common among people in this profession?

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5. Imagine, once again, mentally removing from society those belonging to the profession of the second 'whale.' What would happen?

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6. Identify professions in society that correspond to the third 'whale' of Stalking. What character traits are common among people in this profession?

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7. Imagine, if you will, erasing from society all those devoted to the profession of the third 'whale.' What transpires then?

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8. Seek out, among society's trades, professions akin to the fourth 'whale' of Stalking. What character traits are common among people in this profession?

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9. Picture a world where those of the fourth 'whale's' profession vanish from the social tapestry. What unfolds?

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10. What emerges when a single individual combines within themselves all three essential qualities of the three 'whales' of Stalking? What distinguishing traits or behaviors might one observe in a person of such unified character?

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11. What key character traits set a Stalker apart from the average person?

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12. Give examples of well-known historical figures who fit the criteria of a Stalker.

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Fig. 'My photographs are burning.' Words and inaccuracies perish. This is our biography—yours and mine. Our serene past…'¹⁶17

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Chapter 2. How a Mage becomes a Stalker.

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Rice The mage’s evolution in fast-forward.¹⁸

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As an example, the actual journey of the mage’s evolution into a Stalker is described in a playfully earnest manner.19

Naturally, such evolution is not accomplished in a single year…

And, as a Rule, not in just one Life…

…and few ever traverse it, for not all of Magic’s jests go down well in the tender Organism of a young and overly self-assured Mage…

…but let us not brood over gloomy things…

Thus—the Magician's evolution—on fast-forward, of course.

…

As someone who’s occasionally cast Spells—in other words, a minor practitioner—I can offer you information of absolutely indisputable veracity.

For example, let us consider a classic case:

You are a Mage; she is a Princess. But she mustn’t be just a Princess—she has to be head over heels in love with you.

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Rice. Charge, my cuirassiers!²⁰

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1. Right then, quick and dirty, let’s whip up some magic in a way that’s anything but childish…

Spells are cast however you fancy! Or is it ‘are being cast’? Who cares—let’s dance!

Everything those wizened elders of Magic say is absolute drivel! They don’t understand a thing themselves, and—blast it—won’t let anyone else in on the secret either…

Nooooow… a cavalry charge liiike—

RRRRRRАААААААZZZZZZzzzсссссссссссссс

…tfffaffa…

…tffffiiififi…

…ММММММММmmmmm…

Damn. ннннннннннOh, the agony!!!

What on earth was that?!

How many teeth did that send flying!..

I wonder, in general—how do princesses feel about the gap-toothed and ever-so-slightly, entirely toothless?

I clearly need to cast a Spell of dazzling, all-bewitching attraction to charm every princess, of all races, ages, and nations…

Well, all right, perhaps not quite everyone… and never mind, not everywhere—let's say, that particular princess…

Maybe not dazzling, but, damn it—enchantiiiiingеееееее!!!

Honestly, at least some of my teeth are still more or less in place…

Maybe before I lose every last tooth, guys, it'd be wiser to visit a dentist, hmm?

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Rice Swings are not just for the kindergarten playground.²¹

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2. According to the first point, for those who survived by following point 1, it may be delicately hinted that, perhaps, it’s wise to rhyme your Spells.

So that it all rolls over the target in waves, you see—rather like the sea itself.

Incidentally, this is precisely what the Law of Rhythm, as set forth in the Tablets, proclaims.

This does nothing to diminish the magical backlash, but it does render it altogether more pleasant and familiar.

In other words, the backlash no longer splits you in half like a hapless smelt, but instead pleasantly flattens and rolls you out across the pentacle. And honestly, the pattern of blood spatter on the walls is far more elegant than after those who followed the first step…

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Blast, that’s RIGHT—I should’ve done it all in rhyme…

Now, that's poetry; now, that's what I call love…

Even the shameless cat is getting affectionate now…

Though, for some reason, she's affectionate with everyone indiscriminately…

The Princess smiles… she smiles…

She's definitely smiling at the wrong thing, that fool…

She needs a stronger enchantment—like this…

Hit her with five-foot iambs, then she won't escape…

Absolutely…

Ooooo—how marvelous that feels…

So, what's at the end, anyway?

The Princess?

Nope—'Princess' doesn't rhyme!

Blast, how did I not notice at once that ‘princess’ just doesn’t rhyme?

If I don’t urgently say something in rhyme, the magical backlash wiааааааааааррррррррll split me right in two, aаааааааnd throw me to the sprats!!!!!…

Just look at all the magic swirling around here…

I must urgently say something in rhyme…

What did I just say????…

…

Upppsss… that wasn’t me!

Nooooo—truly, nobly, it wasn’t meee…

…

Too late… (Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ now swells, grand and haunting—standard Mage marker spell has officially triggered)22

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Rice Egregores are not chosen! It is the Egregores who do the choosing! Which is primary? Which is secondary? These debates have lasted for eternity…²³24

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3. For those who, in the spirit of true theory, have dared to try not only the first point but the second as well—staggering and cursing all the while—have been heard to say, 'Honestly, a little warning would have been nice; they don't make pants like this anymore, so what am I supposed to wear now…'

It may be delicately noted that casting Spells solely on personal power is rather tiring.

Besides, nobody really does it that way anymore.

Well, unless it’s in battle, when all the Wands and magic wands have already been spent, and enemies keep stubbornly crawling into the crosshairs of the Sight.

And in general, that’s usually called profanity.

However, in the shadowy corridors of the Academy of Magic, it’s said that all the good stuff is done not by the one uttering the Spell, but on behalf of their Astral ‘roof’ (or basement, depending on your taste in interior design).

So, after scratching your still-smoldering (thanks to points 1 and 2) head, you hastily flip through the catalogue of Astral roofs, basements, and quaint little mezzanines.

A proper shed is selected in Magonia.25

And next time, having practiced in advance shouting the name of the Astral ‘roof’ and already sensing an ill omen…

…having chosen their most unnecessary trousers, and, after some deliberation, the slippers as well, those still able to stand and amount to anything – proceed to the next stage… proceed…

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Rice Make way for the Padishah’s Elephants! An ancient fresco, speckled with the DNA splatters of an unknown hero.²⁶

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4. Well, damn, they don’t proceed anymore—those were the old days! Bli—нннннннNNNNNNN, what a dazzling roll across the pentacle! Right through all five dimensions!!!

Whoever said in the third point that magical backlash can flatten you down to your very boots – KIDS, ALL OF THEM!!!!!

But when the Astral roof falls on you, it really flattens you—instantly and forever,

You immediately realize that not only have you understood, but you’ve truly felt, just how terribly wrong you were in the first, second, and *especially* the first point!

Did I already mention that?

So then, what was that item again?

You’ll have to do the counting yourselves now, yes…

I’m perfectly happy as I am—a meaty, steaming pancake, sprawled on a freshly printed, wall-mounted, bloodied rug…

Casually boxing with the floor, the ceiling, and—wait for it—the asphalt…

…hold on, where did asphalt even come from? …they haven’t even invented asphalt yet!

…ah well, never mind, to hell with the asphalt!

…so, after about two or three liters of smeared blood and snot, you start to suspect, however faintly, that, well, something might have been overlooked!

It seems as though something vital is missing! What on earth could it be?

But there’s nothing to be done, and so you proceed to the next point— …

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Rice Just like that! And tie it tighter! Tighter! With a blowtorch! And don’t forget the paid insurance, as always—three copies!²⁷

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5. …ммммммммMMMMM…

…aaaaАААААААА…

… (indecipherable mutterings, moans, sobs, hysterical mad laughter, and the rapid footsteps fading into the distance) …

But the Organism gets its way; that scoundrel just wants to live, and you understand, damn it—never!

NEVER, for the love of all that’s absurd, will you ever find yourself behind the wheel of this vacuum cleaner…

…

Well, or almost never.

And you definitely won't be getting up—turns out that Earth hits back rather painfully when you fall flat on your face…

Well, maybe you’ll just lie down… for example, in Kremer’s bathtub…28

And really—why am I always the one stuck taking the fall for everyone?!

Do we even have a fellowship of kindred spirits, or is that just a myth? Let them do some work for a change!

WHYYYYY am I the only one slaving away for everyone, like some kind of cursed wretch?!

Look at all these certified slackers idling about with nothing to do!

Alright, everyone, gather round for a quick briefing—briefed, signed the safety ledger, reviewed the spell texts, then off you scamper to the Kremer baths…29

…one, two, three-E-E-EEE… all together now (mind the language! It’s a spell for the ages, and heaven help our descendants translating the swears in the chronicles!) – ApplооооооооiiED—LIIIIIVED!!!

Just look at how beautifully they’re lying there!

Not a twitch! True professionals, every last one!

Why, they look almost uncannily alive!

You could slip their photos into a textbook this very instant—under the chapter 'Group Catastrophes with Fatal Outcomes,' subsection: 'Where It’s Thin, That’s Where It Tears…'

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I tried that approach a good dozen times or so (I was desperately eager to bewitch a certain comely princess from some rather ramshackle empire).

Everyone wanted to (well, at least while they were still among the living, naturally).

You start to think that maybe, for the sake of reliability, one ought to duplicate every piece of the system. Stabilize the channel—starting at about three corpses, er, I mean, mages per channel.

Or whatever happens to be around as a reality anchor…

…………………

HurraaaAA— not everyone died after the Spell was cast!!!

True, half the mountain range got blown away and the island's a bit askew now, but that's trivial—the main thing is, the Princess is in love!

…True, the Princess loves everyone en masse (the minx!), without troubling herself over details, but that's a mere trifle—a minor side effect.

But now we may proceed to the next matter…

…precisely, see, I still remember how to count—marvelous, isn’t it!

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Rice True heroes always keep to the ski trail³⁰

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6. In fact, if one truly thinks about it… and, quite honestly, by point six thinking becomes inevitable…

…lo and behold, the same is written on clay tablets…well, inscribed…were inscribed…

…two thousand years ago…

…before our era…

…before people, that is…

…dragons…

…those who remain…

…because we never did finish learning properly, and so we couldn’t fly away to other worlds…

…pfft, I’m completely and utterly tangled up now…

…well, in the end, it turns out none of this matters!

…so here’s the point—why go through all the trouble of making your own apple? There are plenty lying around already!

The main thing is to be there at the right time, in the right place…

…

Look over there—yet another Princess (or at least, that’s what she thinks) is crossing the street!

Oh my, what an elegant turn of the ankle on those stilettos!

Right in front of a speeding KamAZ truck!!!31

And here I am, so dashing, all heroic—on a white drago…

Ugh, seriously, are there even dragons nowadays?—on a white hor…

Ugh, not that either! …white, white… white what, exactly?

…ah—turns out I’m an orderly, in a white… coat…

Noooo—it’s too late to be an orderly now! She’s not the same Princess anymore—who even wants her now, all banged up…

In white… white… but what sort of white, exactly? Ah—in a white Mercedes! Of course—how elegantly I maneuvered it into the path of the KamAZ and rescued the Princess!

That’s it!!!

Well—now the Princess owes me a life debt!

…oh, just imagine how much she owes me now—she’ll be paying it off for five years at the very least!

Nеееееее —that’s covert violence! That’s practically a crime! The Guardians never ever forgi-i-i-ive…

…

Alright, I’ve finally decided—I’ll be in the white KamAZ myself!

I, for heaven’s sake, cranked the wheel as hard as I couldааааааааand went straight into the wall… the white one…

…which is why the KamAZ is now white… but who cares…

But now the Princess is dazzling me with her blue spotlights!!!

…as if I were the one and only, incomparable grandfather of our grandchildren together!!!

There you have it – this is LOVE!

…goal achieved… and hardly any magical backlash at all…

…though, to be honest, the KamAZ isn't entirely convinced about the lack of backlash…

…what's left of the KamAZ…

…but really, who’s going to ask him all that much anyway?

…the KamAZ itself, you know…

After honing your skills in step six, trading in a couple (or maybe three) prettier princesses, and amassing a modest private fleet of assorted machinery, the next logical method for reducing magical backlash presents itself:

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Rice Chip dashes off to his Gadget.³²

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7. No magic needed—there’s a whole ocean of princesses as it is…

At least one of them is yours…

Especially if you saved her…

Or if she saved you…

Honestly, it makes no real difference—the main thing is to clear out one side, and after that, the current finds its own way.

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So, let us, with a dash of mischief, summarize the stages of a mage’s evolution into a stalker. Let us, as they say, conduct a brief inventory:

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Section Summary of Chapter 2.

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1. Stage One.

The novice mage radiates puppyish delight and cocky self-assurance. The whole world, irrevocably and unmistakably, belongs to him and him alone.

He is bursting with strength, energy, and a total absence of negative experience.

He simply hasn’t realized yet that he’s young, but already a talented… idiot.

His first triumphs in Magic grant him the sacred conviction that he is capable of 'everything.' Granted, 'everything' itself has yet to learn that it is he who commands it.

Thus, he heeds no one; all advice, to him, is nothing but the hollow anxieties of the ancients. And so he barges forward, in the finest kamikaze tradition. Selecting, of course, the field where the rakes lie thickest and heaviest.

He has skimmed through Article One of any organization's charter—'The Commander is always right'—but pays it no mind for now.

He simply doesn’t have any spare time for that. He’s terribly busy! There’s so much wood to chop, so many bruises to earn! And now, if you please, a barrage of tedious rules, Laws, textbooks!

This is where the career of many an aspiring Mage, alas, ends—in a wheelchair and with a prodigious list of pills to earn or, at times, beg for, for the remainder of their Life.

Yes, yes, esteemed friends—an inevitable happy ending is but a covert marketing trick of Holly Wood, just to make the film sell better!

In the Real, you can't just save and reload!33

GAME OVER – you truly don't get a replay in this life!

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2. Stage Two.

After gaining his first real experience, the Mage discovers the World is not, in fact, the cherished, ever-accommodating mother’s bosom.

And this, one way or another, he must now take into account. It turns out, cavalry charges in Magic are a tad problematic—and, frankly, suicidal.

It’s better—and, far more importantly, safer—to do everything gradually and smoothly.

Then, perhaps, there will even be time to notice and reflect on where, how, and in what one was mistaken.

Those who become aware, surrender, and embrace this simple truth sometimes even manage to survive—and stand a fair chance of reaching the third stage of evolution.

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3. The Third Stage.

After the Mage has acquired a couple of spectacular bumps (all over his aura), tested his Health for durability, and his body and hide for regeneration, he cools off a bit and begins to behave more or less rationally. The Magician now sets about learning the fundamentals of Magic much more diligently and thoughtfully.

And not by leaping straight into practice, as he once did, but first by devoting attention to theory. And—oh, miracle of miracles—even seeks counsel and asks others, 'So how is it actually done, colleagues?' He even begins to heed the opinions of his senior peers, though they are hardly aflame with the desire to divulge their secrets.

The Magician’s transition to the next stage of evolution depends profoundly on his manners, friendliness, and powers of communication. Some, at this stage, succeed in falling out with the entire World. Others, on the contrary, choose their enemies in smaller numbers but with a much thicker, juicier aura—secure in the hope that these battle-hardened Magicians will surely do them in, properly, thoroughly, and with a lifetime guarantee.

The secret to a Mage’s passage to the next level is humility and a lack of malice. No Mage has ever died of humility. But every second one has ended up six feet under—thanks to swaggering bravado and cocky pride.

But even that often proves insufficient.

Only in celebrated TV series do underdogs—howling at anyone who'll listen from the very first episode—live on, just to spite their enemies and the mighty of the World, until the inevitable victorious finale: healthy, glowing, and happy.

Yet one should clearly understand that this happy ending is nothing more than a marketing trick for the world's largest focus group—outsiders and misfits.

In the Real, it is usually those modest souls who quarrel with no one and are desperately needed by everyone who survive. There are some you simply can't do without!

Like dentists or plumbers, for example.

Eras change, flags and dictators rise and fall, but the need for dentists, plumbers, janitors, cleaners, and all kinds of service folk endures under any regime worth its salt.

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4. Stage Four.

After the Mage gains access to global Flows and powers, he acquires a taste of Beyond-the-Limit interaction with force.

At last, on his own skin—vividly and painfully—he grasps his place in the evolutionary chain of Spirit.

A place as humble as it is fragile. He even begins to view ants—and all manner of little bugs—with newfound respect. For he too could so easily have been crushed by some passing Archangel, flattened like a bug, and never even noticed.

And yet, strangely enough, here he is—still alive, somehow. This singular fact casts him into a deep, lifelong contemplation, and endows him with a remarkable politeness, tact, and composure toward all.

Only then does he stand a chance of progressing to the next stage.

Those who fail to cultivate these skills sooner or later cross the path of a Siddha or a Demiurge—perhaps on holiday and decidedly out of sorts—and are swiftly and cheerfully reincarnated as stammerers and mutes (the latter is a precaution, and believe me, it's not the worst fate to be had).34

By the way, an Anecdote on this theme:

A hippopotamus is paddling down the river.

Suddenly, around the next bend, he spots a mob of baboons pummeling some hapless hippo for no apparent reason.

(B) – WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU MISCREANTS DOING! – bellows the behemoth at the monkeys with all his might.

(O) – Today, we're thrashing anyone who opens their mouth too wide, – the monkeys respond to the behemoth.

(B) – aaaaa… well, well…

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5. Stage Five.

At this stage, the Mage begins to realize that there is an enormous, truly monstrous, gap between theory and practice. This has to do with the fact that theory is always significantly divorced from the Real. And it is practice that constantly affirms this divide through experience.

Especially in the case of magic—where, damn it, the confirmation is overwhelmingly painful, and more often than not, delivered posthumously.

The Mage’s journey involves improving not only through practice, but by continually refining and revising their grasp of theory.

Otherwise, quite simply, survival is not an option.

Only as an experienced and cautious (read: still among the living!) practitioner does the theorist of magic stand a chance of making it to the next evolutionary stage.

.

6. The Sixth Stage.

Those who survived the previous stages and, time and again, wagered their battered hides, have all stumbled upon a disarmingly simple revelation. All bicycles in this World are invented many, many, many times over.

And rather than squandering time and energy, or imperiling one’s Health and very Life, one need only stroll into the library and have a rummage among the shelves. It’s quicker, safer, and, as a Rule, more effective than those clumsy, self-assured solo exploits.

Indeed, books from different ages, races, and tongues often mutually complete one another.

And the older the book, and the deader the language in which it is written, the greater the treasures it tends to conceal, as a Rule.

This seemingly obvious Truth becomes a marvelous revelation—a tool—for those who have uncovered it through their own adventure.

And those who have taken it into their toolkit, branded upon bone and etched into reflexes, stand every chance of advancing to the next level.

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7. The Seventh Stage.

At this level, a simple truth is revealed.

In most cases, there's absolutely no need to stubbornly champion your own unique and irreproducible (usually, thanks to its distinctly elementary and one-of-a-kind foolishness) path. It's enough simply to synchronize yourself with The World and the processes unfolding within it. And thus achieve everything you so earnestly desired—and even more—virtually without effort.

Much like a sparrow, who fussily flutters its wings and crosses several kilometers. And the albatross travels thousands of kilometers without even ten wingbeats.35

It's a paradox, it appears utterly impossible, and yet so it is.36

Thus, mages become stalkers… At least, those who survive long enough to see it.

The chief distinction between a stalker and a mage (as the term is commonly understood) is that the stalker does not reinvent the wheel, nor does he force his way through the tunnel of probabilities. Instead, he treads already-made paths and rides ascending flows, arriving—almost effortlessly—precisely where the World needs him at this very moment. In that role which the world demands, and the stalker finds intriguing.

.

…and for the one who walks the Path, there are always plenty of interesting roles, scenes, and worlds…

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Homework Section No. 2.

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Rice We walk the difficult road to Emerald City…³⁷38

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1. For each of items 1–7 in the subchapter 'Summary of Chapter 2', find images or photos online that could serve as a kind of epigraph or conclusion for each point.

Print them out and paste them into your journal. Justify your choice of image in writing.

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2. Identify the stages of human development, from conception onwards.39

As an example, search and study 'The Ballad of Childhood' by V. Vysotsky on the Internet, on YouTube.

Somewhere between 5 and 10.

.

3. Highlight the TYPES of mistakes that occur at each stage of human development.

Such as: critical errors, fatal mistakes, and so on, and so forth…40

5 to 10, or more if you wish. Naturally, with examples. Add more, stir to taste.

.

4. Identify, at each stage of human development, the acquired traits of character and consciousness that allow a person to move from one stage to the next.

Five to ten should do—or more, if you wish.

Be sure there are no gaps in your classification under point 2.

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5. Consolidate your answers from points 2–4 into a single, interconnected table or diagram.

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6. Repeat the analysis on your own, this time concerning the Mage.

Make a table as in question 5, only now for the Mage.

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7. How can one improve the Mage’s chances of survival?

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Rice Knowledge flies in one ear and out the other. The Understanding gained through your own toil remains forever with the Enlightened!⁴¹

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Chapter 3 No need to be clever here—just point with your finger!

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Rice Hovering in subspace, swaying in the wind. The East, hammered in place, sways in the wind. Gone without a sign. Gone without a sign. Gone without a sign. A Sign would have done the trick.⁴²

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A jest…

A well-known Anecdote.

.

The Arctic Ocean—wind, frost, a sky draped with clouds, hanging a hundred meters above your head. Upon the leaden water, an Eskimo’s kayak bobs to and fro. A hunched Eskimo is casting about in the water for something—or perhaps anything—that hasn’t yet had the good sense to make for Sochi or Turkey, at least according to his compass.

Suddenly, the water begins to roil and bubble furiously, and a rather battered submarine pops up nearby, its hatch swinging open. Out onto the deck climbs a captain swathed in an enormous black cloak. He spends an age flipping through some obscure reference book, then launches into a recital of the various dialects spoken among the peoples of the Far North. He opens the conversation with such gems as, 'Yes, I am Captain Two Wrench, and who are you?' The Chukchi, squinting, makes a desperate attempt to tilt his head upwards—though it never has, nor ever needed to before. Finally, in the grand style of the Russian stage, he ‘casts a sidelong glance and bows his head low,’ for his head stubbornly refuses to tilt upwards; and so, in impeccable English, he poses the classic geologist’s question on the third day of searching for oil amid crates of empty vodka bottles:43

‘So, what do you want, officer?’

To this, he receives a bewildered reply from the captain, who is trying his utmost to speak English as purely as an Eskimo:

‘Might the esteemed Sir Chukchi kindly direct me to the side of the world where our Lord and His Son’s blessed America lies?’

To which the Eskimo replies:

‘South-south-east, 250 miles—just mind the banks near the shore.’

After that, the captain, utterly at a loss, gloomily descends the hatch and disappears. An Eskimo is busy catching something distilled from whatever once overheated in the tropics and now, as horoscopes insist, is chilling nicely by your beer.

Time passes.

The water fizzes and bubbles anew, and up surfaces a Russian submarine, rocking and staggering in the oddest way.

Barely alive, the boatswain hauls himself out on all fours and, bellowing somewhere below: 'Ah, it’s nothing! We’ll sort it out, captain! Who needs that compass anyway—there were two liters of spirits in there! Can’t let good stuff go to waste!'—then, squinting to focus on the Chukchi, he roars in a hoarse bass:

– Hey, Chukchi, which way is Murmansk?

To which he receives the reply:

– Nor'west-west, about three thousand miles, give or take. Just don't tip the boat over, boatswain, please, when you start diving.

To which the boatswain bellows angrily:

– Don't get clever, you rascal, don't get clever! Just point your finger and show me which way to sail…

.

So, what is Stalking, in plain terms?

.

Rice Hey, you! Yes, you—I'm talking to you! Come over here! We're going to share, brother to brother, as it should be, whatever God has sent your way.⁴⁴

.

Evening falls… Yet another young Mage, following in the noblest tradition of fools and failures, has read fantasy novels to the point of utter 'shutdown' and now, with the uncertain gait of a sleepwalker, retreats to his burrow in his beloved five-story tower, there to blissfully enter suspended animation—at least until something pure, good, and luminous comes along: the release of a new remake in which he—cover to cover—is the Great and Powerful.

Meanwhile, the forces of darkness—represented by an up-and-coming petty criminal known as Lisp (three years probation under Article 213) and a pack of a couple more young, talented rascals—had gathered themselves into a pack, loitering in the entryway, sipping drinks, and searching for something soft and yielding on which to train their still-fragile psyches.

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Rice Once I ascend to Magicianhood—then they will know! Their time grows short! In just a year, the new season shall dawn!⁴⁵

.

Possible courses of further development:

Option 1: Our hero noticed Shepelyavy only when he had already slithered across the entire screen. Frantic searching for the mouse with his right hand and feverishly clicking the left button, together with the mysterious absence of a Sight on the screen, made discourse with the people of this mighty Mage rather complicated.

The last record left on the hard drive that day—a smeared, 60-hertz, dirty palm. She veiled The World entire, flipped it over, and smothered its light. He didn’t even notice how, right behind him, a young but already promising KMS in 'judo before' and 'judo after' soared up onto the landing. And then, with supreme confidence, began weaving macrame from the young—yet already so talented—ne’er-do-wells.

.

Rice. Now, what have we here? Nagual or Tonal? Perhaps, just for fun, he should throw in a smidge?⁴⁶47

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Option two: Our young wizard was so caught up in dreams that he slipped and scattered all his fantasy tales right by the front door. And while he was gathering them, in burst Gavrila—young, but already a fading KMS boxing hopeful—who dashed up the stairs and promptly tripped over Lisping. What followed was a brief but meaningful exchange.

During their short discussion, it was decisively established that a left hook holds a clear advantage over mere bravado, including bravado in street slang. In the process, Gavrila nonchalantly affirmed Lisping’s nickname in the finest traditions of the trade—with a confirming kick to the head.48

The young sorcerer, drenched in cold sweat and gingerly sidestepping bloodied snot and vomit, scampered quickly into his burrow. He then sighed with relief, hurriedly opened his dose—pardon me, his book, of course, his book—and happily lost himself on the second level of the Book about Him! The Great One! Hallelujah!

.

Rice. Where to go? Where to seek refuge?⁴⁹

.

Variant 3: The little Hobbit, dripping with sticky sweat, scampered home in quick, skittering dashes.

All day long, the signs were screaming at him about the imminent and inescapable approach of a white fluffy beast coming for his soul. With every passing hour, the hints from the World became ever more blatant—the cats screamed louder in his ear, and the passersby, who seemed to be uttering random phrases, started giving him increasingly meaningful looks, bending the Matrix itself so much that any minute now they might pop out of RAM onto this side of the screen.

The final sign was a scrap of newspaper by the front door bearing the headline: 'Final Warning to Ukraine from Gazprom,' although only the first half of the headline was left.

‘…I wonder what Castaneda would have to say about this?’ mused the Hobbit, settling himself, half-crouched, on the bench before the entrance.

The answer arrived, as always—in the form of profanities and the soulful cries of young, yet already remarkably gifted ne’er-do-wells, led by Lisp. To the rhythmic hacking of the young, yet already promising KMS crantez-do Gavrila, who slipped into the entranceway as the Hobbit continued to ponder: ‘To be or not to be—that is the question.’

'But of course, strike him—heel to the nose,' mused Gavrila.

.

Rice Nothing betrayed the standard bearer, Dr. Shmir Faces. Even the Long-Range Communication radio was artfully disguised as a worn-out accordion.⁵⁰51

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option 4: (…a deep, rolling voice, off-stage… set against a backdrop of peculiar hissing and crackling.)

…the Dal Reconnaissance resident slumbered… Yet he knew that in… however many minutes, he would awaken in his own bed and recall every detail of his dream. Therefore, today he shall forgo the KMS of something-or-other, Gavryusha, and slip into the stairwell out of turn.

…end of transmission.

.

Rice …Three, Seven, Ace… Three, Seven, Ace… Three, Seven, Ace…⁵²53

.

Option five: 'Well now, let's let the King of Spades through, let him through,' Yuri lisped with malicious glee after his last meeting with The Lisping One, ever more enveloped in the role of the local madman, as he ushered Gavrila into the stairwell—Gavrila, who had yet to discover the fateful encounter with The Lisping One that would alter Yuri’s destiny, but was already hurrying towards it…

.

Rice: How’s it going, bro? Who did you bump into today?⁵⁴

.

Option 6: 'Kings of Swords to the front, please…' mused Herman, gazing coolly into Gavrila’s eyes as they traded empty phrases—and Gavrila, businesslike, dashed off to punch Lisping Guy in the face, just as any card in the solitaire is supposed to do.

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Rice: People are cards. Cards are people. Where you lay them out—that's where they'll stay.⁵⁵

.

Option 7: 'Nnnooo, I don’t like this spread…' thought the Stalker, and reshuffled the spread where Gavrila, with his trained leg, delivered a finishing kick to Lisping Guy’s head, forever ridding the stairwell of this infuriating, scrappy pest—but earning his first conviction in the process.

And really—what an honor, to lay out a solitaire for Lisping Guy.

Now, Gavrila—that's a fine chap. I'll have a word with him, and he'll give that fellow a proper thrashing anyway. But Svetka from apartment 54—she's a fool, wagging her tail every which way, blind to her own happiness.

They need a solitaire laid out for them with Gavrila. So they might finally get together and live happily ever after. Then, in the building, by the way, in a decade or so, there will be more decent folk around, instead of all these lispers.

.

Section Chapter 3 – Conclusions.

.

For the skeptics among you, a classification of fingers:

1. Version Zero of Stalking, or…

2. Unconscious Stalking, or: wherever a guardian angel manages to stuff you—that is truly your homeland.

3. 'Aboutооооооооо, enemies once again… 'They've surrounded me—it's an ambush, can you believe it, guys, seriously?'—semi-conscious Stalking, which often glides smoothly into Stalking in the madhouse. All under the watchful care and in the company of kind, attentive orderlies. With haloperidol at the ready.56

4. Stalking the dreamer… or, more precisely, the dreamer's Stalking… or perhaps the stalker's dreaming, probably… or Stalking of the dream, strictly speaking… or a dream within Stalking, perhaps… or maybe Stalking within a dream? …who could possibly unravel these dreams without a council of stalkers…

5. Stalking is not quite a cardsharp yet, but already starting to shuffle… the cards… and the events…

6. Stalking the stalker… or at least, that's what he thinks…

7. 'Surely, by now the stalker ought to become a Stalker,' mused The World…

.

Homework Section No. 3.

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Rice. Downshifting. Down—the mask. To whoever sees this, consider it a sign.⁵⁷

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1. Prepare your own collection of mottos, epigraphs, proverbs, sayings, or photos for each item in the first part of Chapter 3.

Do it no worse than the author of this book—that pitiful failure untroubled by intelligence!

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2. Prepare your own collection of mottos, epigraphs, proverbs, sayings, or photos for each item in the second part, 'Summary of Chapter 3.'

Do it at least as well as the book’s author—that illiterate scribbler who imagines himself the Guru of Stalking!

Revise the section titled 'Summary of Chapter 3.' Record it in your journal, along with your epigraphs.

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3. Determine the KEY, that is, the primary and distinctive features of the Stalker's evolution at each stage. Draw up a diagram of their evolution.

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4. Apparently, the author has cunningly concealed the secret Knowledge from the masses and conveniently neglected to reveal the three most significant stages of the Stalker's development. Undoubtedly, he did this to clandestinely weigh down the ignorant masses from behind the Veil.

Restore to the people—in your own face, that is, to yourself—the lost inheritance! Become the Chosen One and, in a fit of Channeling, inscribe the three missing articles!

.

5. Seek out on the Internet the secret guidebook entitled 'How to Rule the World Without Attracting the Attention of the Orderlies.'

Download it, print it, purchase it, pen it yourself, bind it into a hefty ancient tome with a lock, and suspend it from a chain above your bed. Into the book, under lock and key, place three secret points of Stalker development that you have uncovered yourself, in Channeling mode.

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6. If your friends inquire about that intriguing book perched above your bed, deflect with humor, steer the conversation elsewhere, or reply in the words of James Bond or any other literary or cinematic legend.

Your mission: under no circumstances, to anyone, ever, are you to divulge or explain the contents of this book.

You are now the Keeper of Secret Knowledge—on probation. By the way, the Keepers’ probation period is limited solely by the number of their 'blunders.' In other words, if you neither foul up nor blurt out the Stalker’s military secrets, it lasts for as long as your enthusiasm endures.

For example, Eternity.

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7. Find any cinematic hero on the Internet whom you wish to resemble, and record a selection of their catchphrases in your journal. Master these lines, along with their delivery.

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Attention!

Do not forget to remain within the boundaries of the Criminal Code.

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Choose your mask wisely!

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Fig. Mask to mask. People to people. As you don the mask, so shall it be!⁵⁸

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Chapter 4. Pont, simply Pont.

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Rice A light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. We are drawing ever closer to our goal.⁵⁹

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So, what exactly is a Stalker, when you look more closely?

Well then, for instance, let us consider the necromancer. With him, everything is delightfully straightforward—he is surrounded by the dead he has summoned from their graves, who howl dreadfully, are fiercely jealous of anyone venturing too near the necromancer, and will shred to pieces anyone lacking a CASCO policy.6061

Or, for instance, vampires. With them, everything is perfectly clear—no one ever mistakes a vampire for anything else. At least, not before death.

The defining feature of the Bogatyr, let us say, is heroic strength. The Magician—the knack for conjuring. The witch—witchery. The Warlock—working warlockry.

But what, in all the worlds, is a Stalker, and with what, pray tell, do kindly, personable, and exceedingly likeable folk of every dimension eat them?

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Rice Whether you loved or you suffered—in the end, you wound up here all the same.⁶²

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Should anyone have perused the preceding chapters with due attention, they may have—quite by accident—noticed that every scenario comes equipped with a multitude of possible outcomes. And, curiously enough, every scenario offers endings both happy and terminal—full stop. Yet, should one toss a handful of scenarios together and give them a gentle stir, it swiftly emerges there are myriad combinations, but they all share a principal quirk: the overall odds of a happy ending, for reasons unfathomable, decline inexorably toward zero. The farther we go, as they say, the scarier it gets.

And yet, the probability of finding oneself three meters underground inevitably marches toward 100% with time—no matter the scenario! And if your script isn't pulled from children’s comics but from the grim realities of life, the disappearance of a happy ending proceeds at roughly the same speed as uttering the word ‘disaster’ with heartfelt conviction.

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Rice. Why are we standing? Whom are we waiting for? Motherland looks upon you with hope, my son! So what if you just rescued someone? The houses—they keep burning and burning…⁶³

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At this point, any halfway-competent mathematician will recall the wildest extremes of such hazardous and unwholesome professions as Agent 007, or, for that matter, Indiana Jones.

Everyone wants him, everyone is after him, and their intentions toward the scape— ah, pardon me, the hero – naturally, the Hero – are entirely incompatible with robust health and sound sleep for our leading man.

And the most curious thing is, even if, in the grand tradition of Indian cinema, you fire 150 shots from a six-shooter, they somehow still manage to shoot back! And – as a Rule – in bursts! And these fiends, wouldn’t you know it, come running at you from all sides. Like, honestly, as if it's some kind of clearance sale.

Vampires, now they have it easy in such moments—just latch onto a couple of scoundrels in some shadowy corner, top up on hells, and off they go, carried on the wings of the night. But what’s a humble Pont supposed to do in this predicament?64

These questions, oddly enough, trouble him very little. Without a trace of nerves, he glides from episode to episode, alive, well, and positively rosy-cheeked. Well, perhaps just a little bit worse for wear courtesy of the latest sex maniac. But how does he pull it off? Why is he slathered in chocolate and all manner of Halle Berry? And yet here, you see, the sandwich inevitably falls butter-side down?!

A film, you say? But someone does win the national lottery! …or becomes president… And someone—perish the thought!—becomes the president’s wife!!!

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Rice One squirrel keeps spinning another in the wheel, round and round. Always and everywhere. People are forever turning the eternal puzzle.⁶⁵

.

And if you look closely at Pont's actions in the film, you’ll spot one distinctive detail—he, that sly dog, is always right on time!!!

Not a second sooner, not a second later… the very instant the guard turns away, lost in musings on the meaning of existence… wham, Pont materializes—impossible to erase! And, taking advantage of his fleeting introspection (and sparing ammunition for the remaining 149 guards), you give him a good thump with your charisma right on the noggin, and off goes the soul—racing straight to par… ah, no, well, to hell, of course. I mean, obviously, to ааааааааааddd.

It’s just that the dear lady, for a few minutes, was overtaken by a bout of delicate feminine weakness.

And there’s Pont, right on the spot! Ready for use, as if he knew all along, that scoundrel…

And that’s always the way with him: give an inch—Pont’s already seized everything. What once belonged to someone else—now is Pont’s!

Even an old crone has her off days, so tell me, how are villains supposed to snatch a moment’s rest from their misdeeds? Pont takes full advantage of these breaks in the most shameless way, and then looks you straight in the eye—bold as brass—and brazenly announces, ‘Pont. Just Pont.’

What a delightful rogue, eh?

But the most intriguing part is—he manages to play his ‘one in a million’ chance with the consistency of a Swiss chronometer, inevitably slipping from episode to episode, deftly weaving through bursts of machine-gun fire and slipping between shapely legs in those rare moments when they were relaxed and defenseless.

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Rice. The instructions are simple. Take it—wave your hands about. If only a smidgen of strength remained for personal growth.⁶⁶

.

Here’s another fairly well-known new film—‘Next’, starring Nicolas Cage.

There, Kolya had the uncanny ability to see the future—literally, three minutes ahead. Yet, as it turned out, that was enough to duck at the right time and raise his head at the perfect moment. He sprinted between machine-gun bursts no less expertly than that dashing fellow, Pont.

The first time I saw him, I thought, ‘That’s it—Pont has gotten plastic surgery again.’

Their moves are just identical: no one fires a shot, you’re not even issued a pistol—just like in the construction battalion—yet the enemies tumble left and right, lining up neatly in stacks as if strictly following GOST standards!67

Thus, it logically follows that since Kolya never waved a pistol around in ‘The Prophet,’ and Pont doesn’t make a habit of shooting either, their chief weapon is the uncanny ability to appear in the right place at the right time—and, naturally, to greet incoming bullets with a broad, photogenic, bulletproof smile worthy of toothpaste advertisements…

Perhaps that’s what blinds the bullets—there’s really no other explanation for why they always end up missing…

.

Rice As one poet put it: ‘Everything is trivial, except for time!’⁶⁸

.

And if one were to employ strictly scientific language for the especially fastidious, one might offer the following formulation:

A significantly increased likelihood of success, even in those near-impossible survival situations, is afforded these individuals by their innate or acquired ability for absolutely synchronous interaction with aggressively disposed entities—thus enabling them to realize their wishes and capabilities in the most optimal fashion.

Did anyone understand any of that?

This, you see, is one of the distinguishing marks of Stalking—absolute synchronicity with The World, with the barest whisper of force, aggression, or weaponry.

On this note, I am reminded of verses—by Guberman, if memory serves:

My comrade nourished lice upon himself,

Refashioned rags, trembling all the while,

Took scissors to the fabric of The Universe,

And paid visits to God…

…without a knife.

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Homework Section No. 4.

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Rice – Give me a place to stand, and I shall overturn the world! – That point is not outside, but within you, my friend! – Oh, what a fib! Come on!!! No, rууууууу!⁶⁹70

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1. Look up and watch the film 'Next' (2007), starring Nicolas Cage.71

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2. What enabled Cris Johnson to perform his feats?

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3. What possibilities does this grant him (C.J.) that set him apart from ordinary people? Compile a list of such abilities. And what could these offer their possessor? List at least five points.

.

4. What drawbacks accompany Cris’s abilities?

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5. Compare the behavioral strategies of Cris Johnson in 'Next' with those of James Bond in the Bond series (take at least two or three films with the same actor, for example, Daniel Craig).

Create a list (or table) of similarities and differences, their distinguishing characteristics, and the consequences of those differences. In your conclusions, endeavor to substantiate them. Cite references supporting your conclusions by indicating the relevant series and episode timestamp.

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6. If such a person prefers not to flaunt their powers of foresight, can these abilities still be discovered? How? Create a list of specializations and professions where the gift of foresight might secure success in society.

.

7. Search the internet for information about the prototype of Bond. What is he like?

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8. Search the internet for information about the prototype or analogue of Chris Johnson. What is he like?

.

9. Might modern power structures and special services be interested in employees like Chris Johnson?

.

10. Search the internet and compile a list of countries and TV channels that feature a show similar to 'Battle of the Psychics.' Take note of the years these shows first appeared. Take heed of the expenses incurred in hosting the show and its overall return on investment. What, pray tell, is the goal of these shows?

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11. Treat yourself to about five episodes of the series 'Mentalist' (2008–2015), starring Simon Baker—perhaps from the very first season. Pay attention to the show's length, its budget, and the Ukrainian remakes.72

Delve into the history of the series and its archetype.

What is the English translation of the words 'stalker' and 'stalking'?

Who, exactly, were Chikatilo, Red John, Red Dragon (give it another watch), and those other maniacs?7374

If there is a Shadow, what is it that balances it?

Which Order is known by the unofficial title 'Dogs of the Lord'?

Would counterintelligence ever flaunt itself and its activities?

.

12. In what other exotic guises or forms might the contest, 'Battle of the Psychics,' be held to reveal those with extrasensory abilities?

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13. If one were to draw a comparative analysis between Chris Johnson and James Bond, Patrick Jane and Hannibal Lecter, who among them stands closest to the Stalker?

What, would you say, is the defining trait of self-adoring professional athletes?

What, then, marks most serial killers and maniacs as a breed?

What do 'styag', 'to amass', and 'to amass the Holy Spirit' actually mean?

So, who exactly is a Stalker?

What are considered 'trophies' for a stalker following this self-taught guide?

Please justify your opinion in writing, point by point, with evidence where possible.

.

14. In the film, is Chris Johnson a puppet, or a conductor?

Please justify your opinion in writing, point by point, with evidence where possible.

.

15. Watch the 2008 film 'Say Leo.'

Spot Chris Johnson in it.

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16. Recall and make a list of films where—if only fleetingly—the main or supporting characters possess the gift of foresight as part of the plot.

.

17. Bonus.

Watch the series 'Vampires of the Middle Lane.'75

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Rice If only I had known the winning hand, I’d be living in Sochi! Some people know, but they’re not telling! (For the record, he lives far better than in Sochi.)⁷⁶

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Chapter 5 The cat darted by, waving its tail…

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Rice 'I know that I know nothing' (a distorted and incomplete maxim, commonly misattributed to Socrates).⁷⁷

.

What does it mean to be in the right place at the right time?

To put it in the pedantic tongue of incorrigibly clever mathematicians: it is to possess the correct spatiotemporal coordinates at just the appointed moment.

In other words, F(x, y, z, t) = f(t), where f(t) is that very sly function responsible for success, acclaim, and the ever-elusive feeling of deep moral fulfillment.

Has anyone understood anything at all?

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Fig. To sleep or not to sleep. Through the dream – to see. If you haven't awakened – you can't unsee it.⁷⁸

.

To put it more simply, let's take a simple example: a cat dashes across the road. Right in the thick of traffic. Which, incidentally, could easily run her over.

Personally, three things have always astonished me:

1) The cat, as a Rule, runs without glancing about, but instead fixes her gaze on some distant point;

2) If she stops darting across the road and begins to look around, that's exactly when, as a Rule, she tends to get run over;

3) A simple, yet astonishing fact: where just a moment ago there was a cat, a car now passes by—but the cat is no longer there!

And here, quite naturally, analogies of this very kind come to mind:

.

Rice The clever learn from the successful. The wise learn from those who achieve results.⁷⁹

.

1. One who successfully darts across the highway of life focuses on a single spot, just like a cat—they see nothing but their ultimate goal and trot towards it (cats, after all, rarely gallop).

This particular brand of fanaticism is a hallmark of those notorious goal-seekers. In other words, those who find success—for it is the goal-oriented who inevitably capture it.

A certain secret lies hidden within all this. In fact, this is simply a feature of human consciousness. A person may cast their gaze upon thousands of things, but truly SEES only those they are SEEKING—and, once found, CLINGS to them with that same gaze. It seems a thing as plain as an orange; everyone knows it—but nevertheless…

…anyone who has ever been duck hunting and fired a shot knows an amusing little trick: when a duck is brought down, it tumbles into the grass. As it falls, the stalker instinctively tracks the duck with his gaze. EVERY stalker sees where the duck lands, and then sets off to search for it in the grass.

But… only the stalker who, as he approaches the spot where the duck went down, does NOT avert his gaze from that place, will truly find it.

Those same stalkers, who more or less remembered where the duck had fallen and went searching there—confident that, with their three or four kilos of brains, surely they would find a lousy duck in the grass—reasoned absolutely correctly! 99% of the time, they’ll never find it! Though, really, where could a dead duck disappear to in the grass? It couldn’t possibly have crawled off to paradise on its own, with zombie-drive, could it?

Look into the eyes of any devotee, fanatic, careerist, or person infatuated with some idea.

You will witness the same absent-minded stare often seen in a cat. Or rather, a gaze fixed on some mysterious goal visible only to them, just behind you.

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Incidentally, here is a very real Anecdote on the topic:

'One evening I stepped out onto the balcony for a smoke. What happened next:

I stand there, smoking. I spot the neighbor’s cat creeping along the cornice—clearly set on plundering a sparrow’s nest.

I hid and suddenly shouted: ‘Hey, scram! What do you think you’re up to here, you little scoundrel?!’

At that very moment, an old woman bolted from her spot, plucking seeds from the flowers beneath the balcony. A lad drinking beer atop a pipe tumbled down and fled.

The girl pinning a notice to the entrance vanished in an instant!

Only the cat continued, stalking slowly and inexorably…

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Rice A hereditary Zen master, undiluted. Utterly focused. There is a goal, and nothing but the goal. And it must be caught and devoured. This is the Meaning, the Truth, and the Path.⁸⁰81

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2. Should one avert their gaze from the original goal and begin to doubt halfway, it is unlikely to end well. Much like a cat, frozen before the oncoming automobile.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of people are in a perpetual state of doubt about absolutely everything. EVERYTHING… AND EVERYONE… but really, what’s the point???

There’s a fine proverb: The brave die but once, the coward a thousand times.

Now let us pose the question to women—those arbiters of natural selection among Homo sapiens males—what, pray tell, is a 'remarkable' man? Answers will be legion, but each will invariably mention at least one key trait: a CONFIDENT man.

'Confident' is the antonym of 'doubting.' In the eyes of women, a man can be anything at all—even a criminal, a sadist, a murderer, a rogue, a beggar—and still be attractive to one of them. But… take away a man's confidence, and that's it—he's unlikely to impress even a single one. !!!!!!!!

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Rice. To gooooo or not to goиииииии? Thaaat is the questioooon! Is it nobler to waaaait for the machiiine foreeeever? Should I bow in submission and linger as a sile-e-e-ent sto-o-one, stranded by the roa-a-adside of Destin-yyy? Or ought I rise in defianceееееееее? And slither between the eve-e-e-en arms of De-e-e-athоооооооsuffocating? Or muиииииииrder? And de-e-evour? Juuust in caaase? (As ‘Mumbles’ would say, by Chic Spear)⁸²

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A woman's finely honed instinct for selecting promising suitors tells her without fail—a man lacking confidence will achieve NOTHING—he simply has no prospects.

The archetypal outsider hero, straight from the pages of any bestseller, can only become an idol for other outsiders. And it is only within the pages of a bestseller—a narcotic for the unsuccessful—that he can achieve greatness.

Had the bestseller followed a different script, its readers would be few indeed. The successful have no use for such tales, while outsiders require the hero to mirror them if they are to see themselves in him.

In the Real, those who trust in their own strength generally repel failure by sheer force of confidence. And, of course, with an unshakable sense of humor and the priceless gift of laughing at oneself.

This is precisely why small children (and professional dog trainers) can blithely approach the largest, grumpiest dogs and pet them with total nonchalance. Absolute faith and utter fearlessness, the sheer absence of fright, does not provoke the dog to bite the stranger.83

‘…And if you had faith even the size of a mustard seed, you could move mountains…’ 84

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Rice – 'Calling Mission Control, calling Mission Control, come in…' – 'Mission Control here. Go ahead.' – 'Reporting in.' We're now on the second day of our voyage. Flight normal. All systems are operating within standard parameters. Over.⁸⁵

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NдддддддAaaaa… But let us note that faith is not a thought, nor is it some grand Kung Fu theory—rather, it is a special psychological state, the very first habit a Stalker must unlearn.

It’s a unique state and a worldview, a genuinely real mood of the psyche—not just mumbling ‘I believe, I believe, I believe… yes, I swear I do—on my honour!’

For those initiated in extrasensory arts, you can simply point and say—this is energy, a sensation—this is the 22nd Arcana of the Tarot (‘The Fool’): a man with a knapsack, his head thrown back, eyes skyward, seeing his Path up in the clouds rather than down on the earth.⁸⁶

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Fig. 22. The 'Fool' Arcana, from the Rider-Waite deck.⁸⁷

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It is this Arcana, after all, that both commences and concludes the study of the Tarot. No wonder, then, that Tarot sages still debate—is it the 22nd Arcana, or the zeroth?

Indeed, it is this very card that portrays Stalking and, in general, the entire curriculum of learning on planet Earth.

And it is precisely the energy of this Arcana, the taste of its sensation, that grants 'faith,' the very capacity for learning itself—and every consequence that follows. Including, of course, that dazzling, bulletproof smile for any bullets whizzing straight toward your face!

'Fools have all the luck,' as people say. And indeed—they do! And how!!!!!!88

For those truly curious about understanding and mastering this energy, let us consider the 22nd Arcana in somewhat greater detail.

What, then, is the energy of the 22nd Arcana, and wherein does it truly lie?

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Rice The mask will reveal—who am I, where am I?! What afflicts me. What can I do.⁸⁹

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When that pillar of Ancient Greek philosophy, one of the wisest and most learned men of his era—Socrates—was asked about his own learning and to assess it, he replied more or less as follows:

'The more I know, the more I realize that I know nothing,' and 'I know only that I know nothing, but others don't even know that.'90

And although Socrates here, it seems, was speaking about the ever-receding horizon of Knowledge, what interests us is not his central argument, but rather the psychological mood itself.

Consider this: a man no longer in his youth, endowed with a tremendous stockpile of knowledge and experience, a thinker and intellectual whose authority was universally acknowledged in his time—in other words, a true titan of thought, father of ancient Greek philosophy—publicly and consciously admits, in essence, that…

…that he's simply a fool?!

…!!!

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Rice And now the children will discover how things truly are in this world.⁹¹

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How different this is from when the self-important, sky-gazing dabblers fancy themselves sages and authorities—the Alpha and Omega of Truth, the final arbiters!

It is precisely the clear and conscious admission of one’s own limitation, folly, and amateurism—one’s deep, endless, and inevitable imperfection—that opens the way to Knowledge and self-perfection.

It is impossible to teach the supremely confident in their own omniscience. It is impossible for the smug to set foot on the road of Knowledge—they ALREADY know and understand everything. So why bother going anywhere, discovering anything new, or learning at all?

For this reason, most people swiftly fall into the trap of latent or flamboyant know-it-all-ism, and remain ensnared in it for the whole of Life.92

And though armchair experts ‘know’ ‘everything’ ‘about everything,’ they never move beyond their own self-assurance, narrow horizons, and, more often than not, a rather basic illiteracy.

Only the irrevocable admission that you are 'The Fool,' 'nobody, called nothing,' regardless of how impressive your list of accolades and merits may be, and the ability to see the World through the eyes of a child—still capable of believing and being amazed—opens the way to Knowledge, learning, and Stalking.

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Rice Heavens! What is happening here? It smells delightful! And—not a bit frightening!⁹³

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For Stalking is, at its heart, a two-way (!!!) dialogue with the World of the student—who, more often than not, does not walk the path of Knowledge, but is led along it by the World itself. It’s just that The World converses with humankind in the language of circumstances and situations. Otherwise, the doctors will diagnose schizophrenia.

"When a person speaks to God, it is called prayer.

When God speaks to a person—that’s schizophrenia."94

(A widely circulated medical joke.)

To the novice stalker, it may appear that he is but a marionette, that nothing truly depends on him; merely a foolish plaything in the hands of Fate. In a sense, that is exactly the case.

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Fig. Threads stretch from the puppets. The net rises and falls. Yet the puppets remain blissfully unaware: the Puppeteer is a marionette himself!⁹⁵96

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But a marionette, having become aware of its submission and feeling the strings on which it dangles, paradoxically attains a certain degree of freedom and choice.

All the other unique and inimitable individuals, who would never for anything admit they are marionettes, will never gain this freedom and choice.

For, in their invincible self-assurance, they will never notice the strings that control their one-of-a-kind and singular puppet of flesh and bone.97

And he who does not see the bars of his own cage shall never escape it by his own hand.

Incidentally, in the runes, this Arcana is in many ways akin to the rune Raidho.

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Rice A schematic depiction of the rune Raidho.⁹⁸

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Which, in its essence, describes the aftermath of the 22nd Arcana—the journey along the path of Knowledge—and thus is intimately bound to this Arcana.

The key to comprehending and harnessing the energy of the rune Raidho lies in the fact that, by the Law of Correspondence of Hermeticism, the rune’s form aligns with a particular pose (Kama) and the practitioner’s psychological state.99

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Rice Gray life, gray life—how thoroughly dissatisfied I am! Dissatisfied I am! Soothe me, will you?¹⁰⁰

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The rune Raido is, in its way, a symbolic sketch of a person flinging their arms to the side (elbows stuck out).

This reflects dissatisfaction and discontent with the current state of affairs. Which, naturally, gives rise to the urge to depart from one’s current place and situation. It prods one to take a step—if not forward, then at least 'away from here.'

This, incidentally, is precisely what the right, outstretched ‘leg’ of the rune is illustrating. It’s as if she’s been ‘lifted’ in anticipation of a step forward.

It is precisely one’s discontent with their current state, and the inner challenge thrown at society (arms bent at the elbows and resting on the hips—a classic pose of defiance, symbolizing a readiness to elbow one’s rivals out of the way and push through the crowd towards the goal), that compels a person to peel themselves off the plush sofa and take a Step along the path of Knowledge.

Incidentally, a remarkable number of Instagram photos featuring ladies with designs on a blissful future, oddly enough, are taken in exactly this or similar postures!

This inner impulse—this mood of chronic discontent, of dissatisfaction with oneself and one’s lot, and the attempt to escape it by setting out on the Path—is both encrypted and, in essence, inscribed in this rune.

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Rice. Did someone summon an Expert? A thumbs-down for a false alarm!¹⁰¹

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How different this attitude is from the psychological posture of the 'sofa sages'! They, after all, have already reached the summit of evolution: Homo Stibadium Peritus—the Couch Expert!

And for them, as with all perfection, there is simply nowhere left to evolve.

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Homework Section No. 5.

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Rice One, two, three, four, five—I'm off to choose a Bond.¹⁰²

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You really needn’t have bristled at this

In response to the merriment of my mischievous nature.

Fools they pretend to be, but fools they are not!

It’s only fools who try to appear clever!

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1. Could Socrates have been an ‘armchair expert’? Why or why not? Justify your answer.

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2. Find, among the Bible’s list of mortal sins, any that might pertain to the ‘armchair expert’. Under what conditions do these arise for the ‘armchair expert’? Under what behavior does it fail to appear? Compose a schema of the development, evolution, and degeneration of the armchair expert based on your conclusions.

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3. What is fanaticism? How does a fanatic differ from an ordinary person? List the key and distinctive traits of character and consciousness. Provide examples.

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4. How can the famous phrase attributed to Jesus, '…Judge not, lest you be judged,' be connected? 'For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you…'—how does this relate to fanaticism? Justify your answer.103

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5. What is a goal-oriented person? What traits of consciousness and character do they share with a fanatic? Provide examples.

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6. What is a confident person? On what can their confidence be based? List the key and distinctive traits of character and consciousness. Provide examples.

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7. What is a self-assured person? What is their self-assurance based on? List the key and distinctive traits of character and consciousness.

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8. Create a summary table or diagram for the fanatic, the goal-oriented person, the confident person, and the self-assured person.

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9.) Under what conditions, or with what changes in character, can a person transition from one of the above-mentioned personality types to another?

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10. Why do women choose confident men and alpha males? What accounts for this? Please provide justification.

What might happen if they acted differently?

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11. If a woman misjudges a man's character and, instead of choosing a confident man, picks one of the aforementioned types, what potential consequences could this have for the relationship? Please provide reasoning.

Create a table or diagram illustrating the possible developments.

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12. Returning to James Bond’s patterns of behavior with women—what explains his success with them?

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Figure. Bond, just Bond.¹⁰⁴

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Chapter 6. What is this… Or magic: gray, white, and black-brown-raspberry, all speckled…

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Rice Every Stalker Desires to Know Where the Pheasant Perches¹⁰⁵106

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When a society lacks color differentiation in its trousers, it lacks purpose! And when there is no purpose—there is no future!107

('Kin-dza-dza')

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And so, ever closer approach the secret and clandestine arts of Stalking. How, you see, to govern the future with your stern and relentless, yet undeniably just, hand.108

For now, let us begin, as they say, with a modest preface. Do not fret; after another five or so lectures, the most Stalking Stalking of all will at last commence. What is a symphony without an overture, after all? There's no time to pop by the buffet, arrive fashionably late, or give one's wife a full hour before the mirror.

So, before we begin stalking every which way, we must first divine just what manner of magic Stalking truly is.

And here unfolds a curious discovery—in contemporary European culture, there is still no definitive classification of magic as such. At least, not officially.

The situation here is rather like that of psychology. Psychology, you see, exists. But the soul, you see, does not! Paradox!109

So, let us begin, slowly, to disentangle that chaos—or more precisely, the absence even of chaos—which reigns in the popular modern magical literature on this matter.

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Rice With the wise one, the mantra, and in concrete. For the especially gifted.¹¹⁰

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First and foremost, one must point out that Magic is the handiwork of that very worm—or super-larva—that resides in everyone's spine. This worm is called Kundalini111. And all the feats of Magic, in fact, are performed by it (or sometimes ‘them’, if the Mage is particularly advanced).

Meanwhile, the Kundalini of every Mage (psychic, Warlock, witch, and so on) generally has a favorite and customary point of exit in the body—a chakra. And the corresponding primary color of the chakra.

Strictly speaking, the human body is little more than a biorobot—a peculiar sort of costume, a spacesuit, created especially for Kundalini. And just as a costume is lifeless without a wearer, so too is the body dead without Kundalini.

Indeed, all the peculiarities of PSS, psychiatry, and magic are, in one way or another, dictated by the behavior of a person's Kundalini.112

For instance, sleep, extrasensory perception, magic, and various forms of madness are typically partial or total, controlled or uncontrolled, exits of Kundalini from the body.

For example, hypnosis is the interplay between the hypnotist's Kundalini and the Kundalini of the one being hypnotized.113

Likewise, a coma is nothing more than the Kundalini not returning to the body. Meanwhile, from the perspective of official medicine, the body may be perfectly healthy, yet a person can still die in a coma without ever regaining consciousness.

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Rice Kundalini coils in a dance. Where once the dancer—a Magicianess!—had been.¹¹⁴

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This graphically illustrates who is truly in charge: the body, or Kundalini.

The death of a human being is nothing less than a break in the body's sacred connection with its Kundalini, whereupon the Kundalini flies off to attend to its own evolutionary business.

At this moment of parting with Kundalini, the body's heartbeat and breath grind to an unceremonious halt.

Conversely, when the breath stops, so does the heartbeat, and the person's Kundalini is released and takes its leave.115

Herein lies the secret behind countless Eastern practices and Astral escape routines—those so-called meditations and the other clever feats of Yogis.

This secret eludes the Western mind, since he approaches the practices of the Yogis with the limp enthusiasm of a Sunday jogger, lacking any clear idea of what he's meant to achieve.

In certain cases—sometimes even after clinical Death has been recorded, and Kundalini has departed from the body—it makes a surprise return. And at this moment, as per the Rule, disidentification of one's consciousness from the body occurs, along with a host of other marvelous oddities. It is here, amidst these murky happenings, that the secret of many initiations and rites of passage in secret societies and the Order is said to dwell.116117118

For example: in the film 'Game of Thrones,' during the initiation of the King of the Iron Islands, the ritual of consecration by water is depicted with surprising accuracy and detail (?! in a fantasy film, no less?!).119

When the future King, Euron Greyjoy, was drowned and held underwater until he, in fact, perished. And only after this ordeal was he returned to the realm of the living. Having undergone this watery initiation and passed through clinical death, his consciousness was unbound from his body, and he ceased to be merely human. But he was initiated into the mysteries of water—which, as it happens, is precisely why he could be a rightful and proper King.

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Rice Liar, you wretch—you won't get away! Just a bit longer—your time will come!¹²⁰

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Yet the process of coaxing the liberated Kundalini back into the body holds a multitude of nuances and perils. To start with, a fully freed Kundalini has not the slightest wish to return to its earthly shell.121

It's rather like trying to persuade a baby—who, after indignantly screaming from being swaddled, has finally broken free from its bindings—to voluntarily crawl back into those dreadful cloth-shackles. Only a sense of duty, unfulfilled promises and obligations, sometimes a few other things, or specially trained individuals can compel one to do this.

Generally, for even a faintly respectable chance of success with this trick, the presence of a professional catcher and returner of Kundalini to the body is required.

He assumes the curious role of midwife to the newly reborn. Usually, this role is taken up by either the Master of Life or the Master of Death. Without him, the odds of success for this particular acrobatic feat dwindle to nearly zero. Should Kundalini ever voluntarily consent to return to the body, she’ll hardly succeed without a touch of professional help.122

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Rice The carcasses hang there—you can’t eat them. You can put it on and listen.

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But we have, alas, strayed a bit.

Thus, the principal colors of Kundalini upon her exit from the Magician’s body (and the colors of the magic and chakras involved) are as follows:

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Rice "And remember, sir, the title of Knight is not merely a privilege, but also an obligation. And he who neglects his duty to his liege is no longer a Knight. And as for getting his license renewed—he's got about as much chance as seeing his own ears. Next… Next… Next… Ok.¹²³124

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Red—through the first chakra, the Muladhara—magic of health and strength. For example, lifting 500 kg. Consider:

1. Berserkers – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserker

2. Knights – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight

3. Amok – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amok

4. Voi – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voi

and other slayers of the underaged.

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Rice ‘…All sorts wander around here, wander and wander… just keep on wandering… and then—artifacts go missing!!! I won’t let you in! Beat it!’¹²⁵

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Orange – channelled through the second chakra, Svadhisthana – is the Magic of sex and sensation, perception, as well as speed (or, to be more precise, the art of slowing opponents by the recoil of a magical strike), and also invulnerability (“Iron Shirt” (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Боевые_искусства), and the legendary “dragon’s skin”).

For example: hearing the grass grow, running faster than the wind, or fulfilling even the most long-standing of carnal requests.

For example:

1) witches – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ведьма

2) warlocks– https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Колдун

3) kunoichi– https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Куноити

4) tantrikas– https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Тантра

and so on.

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Rice – Lord, I implore you, let me spend my entire Life sleeping at a prestigious and respected job! – Not a problem. Except all the night watchman vacancies are already taken. Would you care to become a Buddhist monk?¹²⁶127

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Yellow (not to be confused with golden!)—through the 3rd chakra, Manipura,—Magic of thought, will, and governance. For example, hypnosis, telepathy, and the control of living—and, incidentally, non-living—nature.

For example:

1. Chan Buddhism – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Buddhism

2. Yoga – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga

3. Magicians – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusionism

4. Hypnotists – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis

5. Stalkers – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream

and so on.

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Rice For it is written in the Scriptures: 'Seek, and you shall find!'¹²⁸129

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Green—through the fourth chakra, Anahata—is holiness, love, the magic of unity, wizardry, and transformation.

For example:

1) Sufis— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism

2) Healers— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healer

3) Saints, saints, saints again, and saints yet again— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint

4) Psychics— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic

5) Stalkers— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowsing

and so on.

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Rice Whoever knows everything about the future shall always become Great. For only the Chosen One is able to know all things in advance.¹³⁰

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Blue—through the fifth chakra, Vishuddha—Magic of Chaos and Order, the magic of chance: prediction, fortune-telling, and the management of fate and future.

For example:

1) Fortune-tellers – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune-telling

2) Soothsayers – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prediction

3) Prophets – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophet

4) Stalkers – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostradamus

and so on.

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Rice "Cast your spells, granny; cast your spells, granddad; cast your spells, little bear. Let this sword be claimed only by the one—who is worthy of the words 'my lord!'"¹³¹132

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Blue—through the 6th chakra, Ajna—is magic undiluted, in its pure form.

For example:

1) Wizards —https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie

2) Alchemists —https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy

3) Demiurges – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demiurge

4) Enchanters – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcist_(cleric)

5) Stalkers— https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insider

and so forth.

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Rice ‘… center… center… center… coooome iiiiin… coooome iiiiin… coooome iiiiin… calling the yogi… planet Earth… aaaaaАААААААА!!!!… leeeeeet me ooooout of heeereуууууууууdаааааааа!!!!!!! I'm innoceeent!!!!!!’¹³³134

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White—by way of the 7th chakra, Sahasrara—is magic for communing with the cosmos and the World itself. More precisely, it is the magic of cleansing oneself from karmic missteps (otherwise known as sins).

For example:

1) Yogis – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga

2) Saints – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saṃsāra

3) Lunatics – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altered_state_of_consciousness

4) Avatars – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar

5) Stalkers— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspiration

6) Mad bards – the Control System of the Indigo Network. Their toolkit: a sound-based model of perception for working with the Network. Their method: two special modes of Network entry (brief and prolonged), and two grand melodic philosophies—harmonic and dissonant compositions.

The chief function of the Mad Bards is to control and stabilize the interactions between the worlds of their domain.

The World of the Elter Rus book series. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iar_Elterrus

7) Buddhas – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha

8) Atmans – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atman

9) Infants, babies – very young children in the first, milky age of life, before the so-called fontanelle on their skull closes with bone, possess a rather strong connection to the Absolute by virtue of fact – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontanelle_(anatomy)

and so forth.

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Rice Centuries melt away behind him. He stands—ever vigilant.¹³⁵136

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Furthermore, magic is often of mixed varieties.

For instance, rainbow magic, where the craft proceeds with several Kundalini at once or unfolds across multiple planes—say, Rainbow Magic among wizards, Christians, sorcerers, and so forth.

There is also a form of magic known as necromancy, which typically shimmers in a silvery mist or glows a venomous green.

Magic that plumbs the infernal realms is, by tradition, black or a grimy gray.

Magic that ventures into paradisiacal worlds is, as the Rule goes, golden-hued.

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Rice "Muuuuurziiiik, muuuurziiiik, come on, Murzik." "Come out—there's a half-poker here who needs a good biting. Bite him, Murzik, bite!"¹³⁷

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Yet a pure hue is a rare beast indeed, and more often the color of any given ritual or sorcery is a blended affair—something along the lines of gray-brown-crimson with a smattering of spots.

For instance, summoning the departed to stir up enmity between spouses.

Nevertheless, a clear conclusion emerges: Stalking is a domain of the Magic of Order and Chaos.

This is a form of Magic that, as a rule, draws upon the workings of the Vishuddha chakra.

Magic of this sort governs probabilities, and likewise enables one to perceive the web of cause and effect.

For instance, to sense that this slot machine is presently prime for winnings, while that one is not. Or to know that this individual will become great, and that one will be a corpse, after a certain spell of time.

Furthermore, given sufficient desire and a lofty level of mastery in Stalking, one may even orchestrate events themselves. The degree of influence depends upon the stalker's talent and innate abilities at any given moment, as well as the sheer 'massiveness' of the objects in question.

It’s one thing to manipulate a child’s aluminum roulette wheel, and quite another to take charge of Mount Fuji, at least as depicted in the woodblock print of some nameless hero.

To engage in Stalking, it’s best to have one’s Vishuddha or Ajna Chakra as spotlessly pure and superbly tuned as possible; though certain deeds can, regrettably, 'clog' and 'shut down' these Chakras. Such unsavory acts as lying, perjury, blasphemy, broken promises, spousal infidelity, and a few other misdeeds—these will close off your Chakras, and thus, your talents for Stalking.

A sure hallmark of Stalking is the ability to 'caw' as well as unflinching honesty. Add to this a knack for praying (with palpable results). At its most rarefied, there is Stalking of intention—where anything a person desires arrives without so much as a whisper of prayer—simply 'of its own accord.'138

Naturally, there exist special techniques for 'stirring up' and cultivating one's Stalking abilities. Even—dare I say—from absolute zero.

These arts, as fate would have it, are intimately entwined with the Tarot cards and their elusive workings. We shall speak of these practices in due time. For first, one must discern what it is the stalker holds in his hand, before flourishing it recklessly to and fro.

Otherwise, in respectable company, one risks being left ‘hands-free’—both in the figurative sense, and, alas, in the most mundane and literal way.

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Homework Section No. 6.

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Rice. “Is everything truly all right? Cross your heart?” So, I won’t be bitten today? You’re certain?”¹³⁹

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1. Visit every link given in this chapter on the first sweep. Please acquaint yourself with the provided material.

.

2. Watch the following films:

a) 'Flatliners' (1990) – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Коматозники_(фильм,_1990)

b) 'Flatliners' (2017) – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Коматозники_(фильм,_2017)

c) 'The Water Diviner' (2014) – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Искатель_воды

d) 'Game of Thrones', Season 6, Episode 5 'The Door'; Season 3, Episode 9 'The Rains of Castamere'

e) 'The Alchemist: Faust's Elixir', Russian TV series (2018)

e) 'The Demolisher' – https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Разрушитель_(фильм)

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3. What is medical specialization?

Why did it come about?

What do doctors in the specialties of 'ENT', 'ophthalmology', 'pharmacology', 'surgery', 'bonesetting', and 'therapy' actually specialize in?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of these specializations?

What is Dr. House's specialization in the series 'House, M.D.'?

Why do doctors of all specialties find themselves compelled to consult him, despite the presence of powerful modern diagnostic equipment?

After all, they can place any order for tests and analyses themselves.

What are the key qualities of Dr. House’s mind and character in his work?

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4. What is a mantra in spiritual practices?

On what physical principle does a mantra work?

With what does the vibration of a mantra interact?

What common mantras are used to activate and open the seven primary chakras in Yoga?

What are the Elements and the Prime Elements?

What Elemental mantras are there?

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Rice. Meet Shiva – simply Shi Va.¹⁴⁰

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5. What does the cobra upon Shiva's shoulders signify?

How many kinds of snakes are there, and which inhabit India?

How does the cobra differ from other serpents?

Why is it specifically a cobra upon Shiva's shoulders, and not another snake?

What is the position of the assemblage point—in other words, the nature and hue of Shiva's magic?

How many names does Shiva bear, and what are they?

Why, despite Shiva's myriad names, is he most commonly called Shiva?

Substantiate your answer.

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Rice Pssssst, comrade, have you summoned the end of the world yet? What do you mean, 'not yet'? What does 'why on earth do we need him?' even mean? And why, pray tell, is there a whole God just loitering about here?¹⁴¹142

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6. Statues of Shiva often show him with two serpents and four arms.

What explanation might there be for this?

What is Shiva's purpose?

What sort of petitions fall within his area of expertise?

What kind of prayer might one address to Shiva?143

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Rice Only after quelling the world around you will you catch a glimpse of your own gaze. Then you will understand who is to blame—and for what. But this truth you will learn far too late. And yet again, just as before, you will fail the exam.¹⁴⁴

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7. What is freediving?

What are the current records in freediving?

What is the longest breath-hold ever recorded among freedivers?

What is clinical death?

After how long without a pulse does a resuscitation doctor declare death?

What is the lowest pulse ever recorded among freedivers?

What is the pulse rate of a person in a coma?

On the edge of what do the body and consciousness of a freediver balance?

To what does freediving inevitably lead, according to the lore of Stalking and Magic?

What is Samadhi? What are its stages, and how do they differ?

Who is a freediver from the perspective of Yogis and the realm of esoterica?

What is the trance of Samadhi Yoga?

So what is it that a respectable Yogi seeks in 'meditation'?

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Rice He holds the key in his hands. He hints, he hints again. As if to say: take it and open the door. Someone actually does.¹⁴⁵

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8. Scattered throughout this chapter are secret keys to the absolute practice, unlocking all the mysteries of Yoga and Magic. Seek them and write them down.

In the architecture of temples, statues, icons, and the like, rituals, spiritual practices, and exercises for Seekers and Wayfarers are often encrypted.

Simulate a spiritual practice or exercise by contemplating the photos of Shiva statues provided.

Try practicing it, just for fun—say, for the next five to ten years. Just for the giggles.

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9. In the series ‘Game of Thrones’, several practical varieties of Stalking are presented, named, characterized, and shown.

Often remarkably well-socialized.

Find and list them—at least a dozen.

How and by what means do these varieties of Stalking come about? Defend your reasoning.

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10. Let us suppose, purely for argument’s sake, that everything depicted in the ‘Game of Thrones’ series is true, and not merely the author’s fancy.

In that case, how—and upon what principles—might a postal service via ravens be organized?

How did the ravens know precisely where to deliver the letter, and how did they locate the intended recipient?

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Chapter 7 Who Moves the Hands, or What is Causal Magic.

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Rice Go left—and you will find yourself married. Go right—and you will find yourself wealthy. Go straight ahead—and you'll go off the rails. At the switch, there are only two paths.¹⁴⁶

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Thus, in the previous chapter, by the exclusive and venerable method of scientific poking about, it was determined that Stalking is Magic performed through the Vishuddha chakra. This kind of Magic is rather different from the well-worn stereotype.147

Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at this point.

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Rice We’re caaasting, magicking, wraaangling chakras, fiixing those chakraaasss! Faaast! Cheaaap! Special discounts—minus 500%—for pensioners, students, and the mentally overworked, 400 days a year!¹⁴⁸

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Let’s say we take your average love spell – as a Rule, that sort of thing operates at the level of the second Chakra, the Svadhisthana.149

There, as they say, everything is perfectly clear.

You grab yourself a parasite with a muzzle-filter calibrated for the energy of a particular person – no other energy will do, it simply can't absorb or gorge itself on anything else – you tie it hard and fast to the recipient's Chakra via their phantom, and voila – the mechanism is set in motion.150

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Rice And who here is feeling so bold? What do you want? Perhaps you’d like a medal, for braaaavery?сссссссTo give, to hand over? Poooosthumoussslyyyyy…¹⁵¹

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The larva wants to feast, you see, it has nowhere else to go, so it will itch the patient in the most intriguing spot. Until patient number one comes running to patient number two on their own initiative. With the most transparent of intentions. To everyone's satisfaction, including the larva's own.

This is Magic at the level of emotion, at the plane of Astral interactions—it takes effect literally within a couple of hours. However, one’s Astral is in a constant state of flux—the full cycle of renewal, as the Rule would have it, is typically less than forty days.

Thus, most such enchantments—unless one resorts to the likes of Voodoo dolls—crumble after a month or two. By that time, however, clients are generally untroubled by the matter. Their ‘little hankering’, as the Rule foretells, is already sated and promptly fades away.

The most amusing thing is that, under certain special circumstances (a scuffle, a war, a flash of heroism, or that most banal of rituals—a barbecue), this whole process unfolds quite naturally, and by almost the same means…

… Well, almost… Who these days can tell the difference anyway?

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Rice Rails, rails, sleepers, sleepers… Who stands there so tired and weary?¹⁵²

.

If one considers magic at the fifth chakra—Vishuddha—the situation shifts: here, the work is done at what is poetically called the causal level.

The causal level bears rather striking distinctions. A love spell at the causal level plays out something like this:

1. Patient number one, for reasons unknown, is in a proper mess. And, of course, it’s precisely that without which, by definition, our poor soul cannot live. For example, his (or her) beloved dog falls ill—a creature as dear as the only being on earth who truly values them, loves them, and bestows deep moral satisfaction, a sense of self-respect, and—remarkably—a steady, not insignificant income in Bonds.

And now, wouldn’t you know it, that very creature pulls a stunt—a sudden ailment, as if perfectly timed. And that’s it—the curtains fall, the family budget collapses.

2. And then suddenly, as if by a capricious whim of Fate (?!), it turns out that the single, absolutely unique chance to restore the pure, kind, radiant—once effortless—life can be granted by only one person on the planet. But really, what can I say? He’s not merely a man—he’s a Man among Men, a Giant of thought, the Father of Russian democracy, and, in fact—Bond, simply Bond.

3. And he sweeps in to save, you see, this creature with a grand gesture from such a mighty and powerful hand… For in his boundless goodness, generosity, and magnanimity… well, and so on—the usual list—just add salt, sugar, and spices to taste—mix, but do not shake…153

4. …and everything, as they say, would have been splendid, and one could have gone on loving and being loved…

But this tailed miscreant, this cunning saboteur… (for in the realm of causative Magic, unlike other branches, new flavors of ‘how and why’ spring forth, since the prior cause has already run its course and does not return for a second round of wool-chewing), is now not ill, but pregnant (or perhaps lost, or abducted by bandits as the sole and unique heir of the legendary dog… and so on—mix well, add salt, sugar, spices to taste…)

5. And, strangely enough, it turns out that only he can help yet again. As it happens, he has some rather eccentric hobbies—like gynecology for dogs he himself has operated on (in his spare time), a classmate in a detective agency, and, just today, those very same gangsters—who, as good acquaintances, promised to gift him a dog, the one and only descendant of a truly unique canine—are coming to his birthday party…

6. … ... … and once again!!! … ... and again!?! … and again! … and once more!!! … As the saying goes: 'This has never happened before,' and yet—here we go again?!

7. By the third or fourth go-round, patients tend either to gently blend their shared households and bodies, thus sparing themselves from dashing back and forth at every new crisis and wasting precious hours in traffic…

Or else, they start to thrash about terribly in the snares of Karma, savagely ripping away whatever’s managed to stick to them. The especially obstinate and thick-skulled sometimes go so far as to tear off their own heads in the process. But frankly, that head probably wasn’t doing them much good anyway, if they’ve still learned nothing.

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Homework No. 7

Rice Attention! Smile, comrade! Don’t be bashful, don’t clam up… Let us continue tending to our usual affairs… Done! Svetochka—file it away in the case… that one, you know… well, you’re in the know…¹⁵⁴

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1. Who watches over the builder's work?

Who keeps an eye on the seller's labor?

Who oversees the warrior's service?

Who monitors the doctor's work?

Who keeps vigil over the electrician's craft?

Who supervises the programmer's work?

List, provide examples.

How far does control reach?

Substantiate your answer.

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2. Watch the films based on the novels by Sergei Lukyanenko: 'Night Watch' (2004), 'Day Watch' (2006), and 'Draft' (2018).

Check out the music video by Uma2rman, 'Night Watch,' on YouTube.¹⁵⁵

.

3. If it strikes your fancy, read Sergei Lukyanenko’s series of novels, 'The Watches'—

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Вселенная_«Дозоров»

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Remember—keys to Understanding are strewn throughout the text not only by the author of this book!

A fairy tale—a lie.

There's a hint in there!

A lesson for valiant youths!

(folk wisdom, voiced by a classic)

.

Rice Life—no sooner is it born than, whoooosh, off it goes! Blink and you'll miss it; before you know it, it’s already ended.¹⁵⁶

4. Identify and compile a list of significant events and processes in human society that are controlled by no one and nothing.

About ten.

Substantiate your answer.

Draw your conclusion.

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5. Suppose, for argument’s sake, that angels exist (uproarious laughter, the disorderly beating of wings, and countless soft bumps into floors and walls, all on the Astral—author’s note).

Alright, maybe, let's just suppose.

Who, purely in theory, could control this entire aviary—sternly, yet with absolute justice?

Consult that unimpeachable source of 21st-century truth—Wikipedia—and find an article on the subject.

To ensure you've located precisely the right article, gather a dozen candidates and treat them to an uncompromising casting, natural selection, and a good old-fashioned knife fight.¹⁵⁷

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Rice Over the course of life, there are three paths: to stand still, to move forward, or to step aside. And each must decide for themselves: are they a mere passerby, or the Temple itself?¹⁵⁸¹⁵⁹

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6. What is the zone of responsibility?

Can a hero simply stroll past a crime?

How is the zone of responsibility entwined with duty, power, privilege, and punishment?

Under what circumstances does each of these concepts awaken and manifest in the life of the common mortal?

How does an ordinary soul come by power? What does one receive along with power?

How does one lose power—and for what reason?

What responsibility falls upon the slave, and what upon his Mister?

According to ancient Roman law, if a crime was committed by a slave, who compensates the damage caused to a citizen?

How are rights and duties interconnected?

What is the meaning behind the Little Prince’s phrase, ‘We are responsible for those we have tamed’?

What is the meaning of Kant's phrase, 'Freedom is conscious necessity'?

What is your zone of responsibility? Why?

What is your power? Why?

Compose a table, diagram, poem, ode, or mosaic panel to show how these concepts are connected.

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Rice Years roll by, gathering into centuries. 'Confiscate and redistribute!' – comes the cry from every corner.¹⁶⁰

.

7. What are the boundaries of responsibility, and why, whence, and for what purpose do they arise?

To grasp this—imagine a world with no boundaries of responsibility.

Conduct a thought experiment.

Write down your musings and conclusions.

Substantiate your answer.

Rice And just like that—click—fate—broken… or was it, as always, just my imagination?¹⁶¹

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8. What are key events? Why are they called 'key,' rather than something else?

Offer an example of The Ten key events from the war between the USSR and Hitler's Germany. Why do you consider them key points?

Give a few examples of events from WWII. Why do you consider them key points?

What are key points and positions on the battlefield?

Google it. Reflect upon it. Be inspired.

Provide examples of ten key positions on the map of the USSR during the war between the USSR and the Great Germany. Justify your choices.

.

9. Returning to the subject of our chapter—why is human fate analogous to railway tracks?

Record your thoughts and conclusions.

Substantiate your answer.

.

10. Familiarize yourself with the notion of the 'Emerald Tablet.' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Tablet

What does the Law 'As above, so below…' speak of? Write down its full and proper formulation.

How is this Law entwined with analogies?

.

11. In what language does the left, logical hemisphere of the human brain speak?

What does left-hemisphere dominance bestow upon human thought?

Provide examples of individuals with a vivid dominance of the left hemisphere.

.

12. What language does the right, imaginative hemisphere of the human brain speak?

What does right-brain dominance provide in human thinking?

Give examples of people with pronounced right-brain dominance.

.

Rice While the bookworms bleat and moo, Insta reigns and revels! (status of an unknown heroine).¹⁶²¹⁶³

13. Answer question 9 again, this time using the language of analogies to support and justify your conclusions.

Provide, in writing, ten analogies from this chapter as examples.

Which style of thinking predominates among men?

Which style of thinking predominates among women?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of left-brain versus right-brain dominance in thinking?

Which type of thinking is at the core of the exact sciences? For example, Programming?

Which type of thinking underlies the arts? For example, sculpture or Painting?

What gives rise to jargon?¹⁶⁴

Which dominant thinking style processes large quantities of real-world information more swiftly?

Why?

What sort of thinking characterizes a Magician, a Stalker, or a witch?

What kind of thinking do you possess?

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Rice Master, by the whiskers of the cat, how are you? Still not knocking yourself against the doorframe?¹⁶⁵

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14. In what language does the human Subconscious speak?¹⁶⁶

In what language does the human Superconscious speak?¹⁶⁷

Why do Gurus, prophets, and saints speak in parables and verse?¹⁶⁸

Why do scientists of the exact sciences and narrow specialists 'speak Chinese'?

How can we easily distinguish the musings of theoreticians from True statements?

.

Chapter 8. The Secret of the Sekret, or the Mysteries of the Divine Secret Service.

. 169

Rice – Daaad, hey daaad, why do the rails keep clattering? – Because the Clock of Fate ticks loudly, my boy.¹⁷⁰

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In the previous chapter, it came to light that, at the causal level, the destiny of most ordinary people (Mages and Stalkers not included, for now) is steered not by inner, but by external causes.

In other words, for the train of fate to change direction, the switchman must throw the switch, while the passengers—still locked in eternal debate over a glass of murky liquid in the third compartment, endlessly wrestling with 'who, you see, is to blame and what ought to be done'—can happily go on arguing forevermore.

This mechanism is a safeguard by which freedom of will becomes possible for certain individuals—at least, until a certain moment or some threshold value is reached.

But who are those mysterious switchmen who flip the levers? The answer is both paradoxical and simple. But first, an Anecdote:

.

…A devilish commission strolls into the hall where cauldrons full of sinners are merrily boiling.

Suddenly, a fellow leaps out of the first cauldron, scurries over to a table conveniently stationed beside it, grabs a bottle of moonshine, fills a glass to the brim, knocks it back, and sprints straight back into the cauldron. And at the table, dozing, sits an ancient devil. The head of the commission asks: where, pray, is the security? But the old devil replies that no security is needed: the Russians are boiling away in their cauldron. All they require is to have a bottle of vodka close at hand—they need nothing else in this life.171

As for the second cauldron, it was guarded by a horde of devils brandishing pitchforks. ‘That’s where the Jews are simmering,’ explained the infernal steward. ‘If even one manages to climb out, he’ll haul the others up after him.’

And the third cauldron was left entirely unguarded. To the commission head’s silent inquiry, the steward replied: ‘Oh, that’s where the Ukrainians are boiling.’ ‘And there’s no guard, because if one of them tries to climb out, his own people will drag him back down by the legs.’

.

As the saying goes, every joke contains a grain of joke. Everything else, as they say, is pure, as pure as a baby’s tear—naked truth…

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Rice—How are you, brother?¹⁷²

.

Let us proceed in the manner of Christ—teaching with anecdotal parables:

Once upon a time in Western Ukraine, there lived two brothers – Taras and Gritsko. Then the Soviets came to power. Taras joined the collective farm and took his seat on the tractor, while Gritsko remained on his own homestead. When the Germans arrived, Taras joined the partisans, while Gritsko became a policeman.

The Soviets returned once more. Taras emerged from the Forest and went back to the collective farm, to his tractor. And Gritsko? Off he went to Siberia, to the logging camps.

But time flies swiftly, and at last Gritsko returned home. But he didn't stay on in the village; they never forgave him his police bravado there. He found work in the district center, as a mechanic in the Machine and Tractor Station. You blink—and he's already a brigade leader, then a shift chief, until at last he ascends to chairman of the district agricultural machinery administration. And his brother, Taras, is still in the collective farm, driving his tractor. One day he came into the district, dropped in on his brother, they sat down, drank some horilka.

"I just don’t get it, Gritsko." "All my life I've worked honestly, and yet I’m still just a simple tractor driver." So, you—the traitor—sat out in the camp, and yet became a big boss?

– Exactly so. And in my file, who's listed as my brother? A heroic partisan! And you? A police collaborator!

.

Rice Paw to paw, body to body. Both to keep warm and to listen in.¹⁷³

.

That’s exactly why the devout and those seeking spiritual evolution often withdraw to monasteries. There, as they care constantly for one another, they evolve themselves and help others to do the same.

So, to the question: who is this nefarious scapegoat? Who has cut off the oxygen for me—so talented and remarkable as I am? Who has fastened my trousers to my shirt?

At which point, the crowd can gleefully shout in unison, “МММММММММММЫЫЫЫЫЫЫЫЫЫЫЫЫ – T H E C O L L E C T I V E!!!”…174

And often, much like in the Anecdote, people will gouge out their own eye, just so their neighbor won't have two.

All of this would be funny, if it weren’t so sad. From this point of view, the childish and naïve slogans of Christianity—‘Love your neighbor as yourself’—look a bit different. Strange as it may sound, this algorithm actually works—and what’s more, it’s even strategically advantageous. Napoleon would have understood.175

Still, folks who have been through the wringer tend to wise up quickly, and soon they’re stampeding en masse to certain saints and priests, pleading, ‘pray for us, won’t you?’

Thus, from everything said above, it is fair to assert that the switchmen (for the average soul) are simply everyone around them, to one degree or another.

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Rice Food! Food! Food! Let me through! Move aside! Yes, move aside, you scoundrels! Why are you all pushing your way in so brazenly, cutting the line? Let me pass! I reserved this spot back in my past lives!¹⁷⁶

.

Nonetheless, there exist other mechanisms for deflecting the arrows of Karma.

Chief among these, and strangely enough, is sleep. For it is in sleep that one enters the collective unconscious, and there, much of one’s fate is inscribed.

Yet, few realize—or even suspect—that their own dream is at once, and in part, the dreams of others. As a Rule, one's nearest kin, friends, and acquaintances. And, first and foremost, one's spouse and children.177

.

Fig. I'll wait a little longer. Perhaps he'll come out onto the road.¹⁷⁸

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This is why respectful regard for women is held in such esteem, and precisely why gentlemen are always fortunate. For it is the dreams of women that first and foremost shape the Karma of men—or rather, the realization of their desires in the Real.

This Law of the Mirror is the world's defense against those who are a bit too grand, with eggs that clang too loudly. They can huff and puff to their heart’s content, shaking their fists and brandishing their Weapons all their Life.

But a so-called 'weak and defenseless' woman, in her sleep, will weave his fate just as he deserves. And she’ll arrange it not only in this Life, but in the ones to come as well.179

Were it not for this protective mechanism, the toughest would simply become tougher, driving everyone else into the ground up to their ears. And his offspring would finish off the rest completely.

Yet, in reality, this never comes to pass. This, of course, is precisely why every dictatorship and empire eventually crumbles. This is exactly why any family or lineage with a formidable tyrant at the helm will invariably degenerate by the third generation. There's even a proverb about it: 'Nature rests on the children of geniuses.'

As soon as Karma becomes distorted at the causal level, certain key qualities unravel—and after two or three generations of despotism, the dynasty collapses of its own accord.

It is precisely these mechanisms—unseen and beyond anyone’s control—that serve as Divine Providence, wielded in the delicate hands of the 'weak and defenseless' ladies. Those very same unseen guardians who sustain the Balance of the Universe. 180

To one who cannot perceive the succession of generations and their evolution, it may not seem so. But once you extend your gaze across even a few centuries, this becomes perfectly obvious.

.

Rice. xррррррррр… Xрррррррррррррр… Xрррррррррррррр… xррррррррррррр… ххххххххgrrr… xxgrrrr? xxGRRRRR??? xрррррррр!!! xррррррр. There we go! Now, everything is just as it ought to be.¹⁸¹

.

So, what do the Mages and stalkers make of all this?

First and foremost, Mages are skilled in entering lucid dreams—a state they label as trance—and by orchestrating events within the dream, they’re able to tweak their fate from the outside.182

And not just their own, but, it would seem, entirely foreign destinies as well.

.

Rice And the boundaries melt, melt away… Everything that was frozen stirs back to life!¹⁸³

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Yet a dream is such a curious thing – it is marvelously multifaceted. Moreover, the deeper one digs, the nearer the schism from the Real, and there is Recoil – the dream 'slips' from the Mage’s grasp.

And the presumptuous Mage is cast out into the 'real.' Sometimes not only cooled and cold, but slightly spoiled as well.184

This is the World's second defensive wall. It protects the World from mages who are a little too crafty for their own good.

The Stalkers, however, chose a different path.

They do not attempt to alter fate through their own dreams. They simply understand what Life is, and where the reverse and the face of it lie, far more clearly than apprentice mages.

Through purely scientific and practical inquiry, they found that a human life is the dream of God, in which we all ‘live.’ What seems real to us is, in truth, the dream of a single vast being, which itself is but the reflection of the dream of the multitude of lesser consciousnesses that constitute it.

.

Thus, stalkers do not descend into dream-trance for magical operations like mages, but instead interact directly with the sleeping consciousness of God, who perceives everything as the Real.185

.

So, what's the difference, you may ask?

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Rice – Halt! Who goes there?! Password?! – Password. – Prrrrrroceed…¹⁸⁶187

.

And the difference is that someone is watching the dream, whether you're aware of it or not. And since God is constantly reviewing your life as a dream, He is the one who shapes it.

And if one plays Life by certain rules, as an Actor does, this dream (your reality) will change according to particular mechanisms.188

As those acquainted with the theater know, there are only about a dozen fundamental plots, and the storyline determines the end when played out in a certain manner.

Many sneer at Actors, but as the classic noted, 'all the world's a stage, and the people upon it merely Actors.' Whether they realize it or not.

Furthermore, if you try to steer the dream by way of dream-trance, you inevitably come up against the defensive mechanisms of the World, which are rather tricky to navigate inside the dream. At least, for the ordinary mortal.

Yet, by moving through the Real as if in the dream of God, one may engage with these mechanisms—both directly and obliquely—with a far grander range of freedoms.

Though, even here, certain drawbacks lurk. Well, you can't have strengths without weaknesses.

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Homework Section No. 8.

.

Rice The life of a simple gymnasium student is both troublesome and rather lacking in glory. To become a champion, you truly must toil and sweat!¹⁸⁹

.

To complete this and other homework assignments, use the Internet and any other sources you see fit.

.

1. What is a reflex in biology?

What varieties of reflexes are there?

Provide a dozen examples of reflexes.

Where are they encoded?

.

2. What is an unconditional reflex?

Give, for example, five unconditional reflexes.

What would happen to you if these reflexes failed to function?

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Rice And someone, with a sovereign hand, delivers a kick to the back of your knee. And the proud bird, the Penguin, takes flight—overcome by love.¹⁹⁰191

.

3. What are species survival reflexes? Why are they needed? Provide examples.

What are survival archetypes? Why are they needed? Provide examples.

What might happen to a species if its survival programs and reflexes cease to function?

In which situations do survival programs and reflexes manifest and operate?

.

4. What is meant by the priority of a program's operation?

What sorts of priorities might survival archetypes and reflexes possess?

Under what circumstances, and for whom, can the priority of a species’ survival programs change? Provide examples.

What has the power to activate and deactivate the survival archetypes and species reflexes?

.

5. In which domains of consciousness do species reflexes and survival archetypes dwell and perform their work?

Is it possible for the user to perceive and control both unconditioned and species reflexes, as well as survival archetypes?

Please provide examples.

.

6. How does a conditioned reflex differ from an unconditioned one? Please provide examples.

Can a conditioned reflex be harnessed in service of survival archetypes?

Where, how, and for what reasons might unconditioned and species survival archetypes intersect with conditioned reflexes? Please give examples.

.

Rice The squirrel spins the wheel, and the gears grind away. No one really knows what or where anything is happening. The mechanism is rather subtle. And so, all of Life passes by. From birth to the grave.¹⁹²

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7. Devise the most comprehensive table of species-specific reflexes and survival programs in women.

Divide the table into sections, such as: 'Name of Reflex,' 'Description,' 'Reason for Emergence,' 'Outcome When the Program Functions Properly,' 'Outcome When the Program Malfunctions,' and so forth.

.

8. Devise the most comprehensive table of species-specific reflexes and survival programs in men.

Divide the table into sections, such as: 'Name of Reflex,' 'Description,' 'Reason for Emergence,' 'Outcome When the Program Functions Properly,' 'Outcome When the Program Malfunctions,' and so forth.

.

Rice. Strange games. Strange dances. There is no place in them for simple ragamuffins.¹⁹³

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9. What is a well-bred man—a gentleman—from the standpoint of the existence of species survival programs in men, and how do these interact with the species survival programs in women?

How does the chain of interaction between a man's and a woman's species survival programs unfold in the course of a gentleman's conversation with a woman?

What is the role of the developer in printing film and photographs? What is the role of the fixer in printing film and photographs?

What defects may arise when printing films and photographs?

What kind of energy do the developer and fixer hold? To what can developer and fixer be likened in human society?

What befalls a man's fate if a woman passively resists his will and dictation?

How does a woman's behavior change if she actively resists a man's will and dictation?

How does a man's behavior change if he passively resists a woman's dictation?

How does a man's behavior change when he actively resists the dictates of a woman?

Please provide examples.

Draw a diagram of the various scenarios of interaction and the evolution of communication between the sexes. Highlight the key points, underlying causes, and branching moments—arrows and triggers of interaction.194

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10. What is the connection between the concepts of 'gentleman' and 'conditioned reflexes'?

Please provide examples.

List the gentleman's set of unconditional, species-specific, and conditioned reflexes.

Compare these to the behavior of James Bond, gallant cavaliers, and other gentlemen portrayed in films, series, and books.

Fill in the blanks in the gentleman's set of reflexes.

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Rice And the city gazes into my soul with its faceless throng. Alone with myself, I am a mute cell.¹⁹⁵196

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11. What are social roles, and how are they connected to species programs?

Please provide examples.

List the social roles of women and men in society.

Compare the list of social roles in patriarchal and matriarchal societies.

What kind of society are we heading toward? Why?

Draw a conclusion and substantiate it.

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12. Analyze the functioning of a wolf pack using reasonably professional sources and literature, from the standpoint of species reflexes and survival programs.

How does a species reflex differ from a species survival program?

Examine the notions of 'Alpha male' and 'Alpha female' in the wolf pack.

Who does the reproducing in a wolf pack?

Why does it work this way?

What might happen if it were otherwise?

What are the largest wolf packs ever recorded in history?

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Rice It's not us—it's Life! (An excuse as familiar as family…) And if anyone got eaten, well, that was just us—kidding around!¹⁹⁷

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13. How does the concept of an 'Alpha male' intersect with human society?

How and why do women react to alpha males?

What becomes of the offspring of alpha males?

Please provide examples.

Please substantiate your conclusions.

What is a society founded on competition?

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14. What underpins the concept of communism from the standpoint of species survival programs?

Which animals, fish, birds, or insects exemplify the model of communism?

Provide examples, and substantiate your observations and conclusions.

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15. How and where does communism intersect with Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism?

Please provide examples.

Draw your conclusions and predictions.

Substantiate your answer.

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16. What is ethics?

What types of ethics exist, and what do they address?

Is ethics in any way connected to species survival programs?

What conditions and key character traits determine the transition from one caste to another?

At what levels of consideration does ethics emerge as a social Order?

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17. Bonus.

Watch the film 'Hitch: The Rules of Seduction' (2005).198

What did Hitch use in his work, and how did he use it?

Highlight the key points and triggers in his work.

Fill in the blanks in the answers to the above questions.

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18. Bonus.

Watch the film Bimboland (1998).199

What did Alex Baretto use in her flirting, and how?

Note the key moments and triggers in her approach.

Fill in the blanks in the answers to the above questions.

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Rice I set out alone upon the road, quietly going my own way. Yet someone sternly watches my back. Watching, watching—who is it? I cannot tell…²⁰⁰

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Chapter 9 What, indeed, are these little creatures made of?

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Rice Beyond high walls, behind closed doors, a mortal struggle—within it, an immortal destiny.²⁰¹

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In previous chapters, we discovered that all objects, processes, and events of The World can—when you attune yourself to them—be confidently assigned to a grand system of energetic patterns.

This fact has been confirmed time and again by practical experiments, and so is hardly up for debate. After all, the classics of theater and poetry have been saying as much since time immemorial.

And, moreover, there exist some rather refined and coherent theories explaining this very state of affairs. Take, for example, Feng Shui, Daoism, and assorted others.202203

For example, in such arts as Wu-Shu, Kung-Fu, Tai-Chi, and the like. There exists the notion of dividing all fighting styles into several principal directions:204205

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Rice Once the body is brimming with strength, the specifics of what or how become irrelevant. It truly doesn’t matter how, when you get right down to it. A fool is still a fool, even in Africa.²⁰⁶

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1. The styles of the Earth element—for instance, the bear, Elephant, bull, and so on—these are movements both slow and mighty, imbued with the power of the whole body. Stances solid and unyielding, as immovable as the mountain itself. Energetically attuned to the Muladhara chakra and the red force. The focus of attention flows to the legs and the tailbone.

The hallmark of such styles is that ever-popular superpower—tenacity and sheer survivability. For instance, hurling a boulder that weighs a ton.

Or, pierced with sharp objects like a pincushion, continuing to dole out stern—yet entirely righteous—retribution upon the foes. At least, until the end of the workday. Or the workweek. Or until the enemies themselves run out.

Such styles in Europe were practiced by Knights and berserkers. The rage and frenzy of Northern berserkers are specifically tied to the activation of the Muladhara chakra (or even lower—author's note).207

It is no wonder they so often draped the pelt of some hapless bear, tiger, or other poor creature across their shoulders. In myth and legend, they are frequently depicted as bear-warriors, jaguar-warriors, wolf-warriors, and similar illustrious personages.

The majority of the serial exploits of epic heroes—Heracles being a prime example—commence with the slaying of a beast and the ceremonial donning of its skin.208209

Socialization in society typically involves athletes, models, bodyguards (the unarmed sort—bouncers), builders, and bankers.

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Rice Patient and deliberate, water will make its way through any wall. As the saying goes, without water—'you're neither here nor there.'²¹⁰

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2. The style of the Water element—for example, the tiger (or the leopard or Wolf, in different Schools). These are, as a Rule, soft and fluid ('lazy') movements.

At more advanced levels of mastery, the technique reveals abrupt transitions into firmness. Short, streamlined stances, sticky close combat, with fluid vertical escapes and an unexpected hardness. That is, all those traits that are native to water.

The Tiger style places special emphasis on entering a trance state, achieved through the 'tiger's breath' and 'tiger's roar,' as well as channeling and concentrating totem energy in the claw-fingers.

In Leopard style, attention is focused in the lower back. In these styles (especially Leopard), at a high level of technique, special emphasis is also placed on wave-like movements.

Energetically attuned to the Svadhisthana chakra and the orange energy. The hallmark of this style is sensitivity, charm, and charisma—including of the more sensual variety. The signature move of the style lies in making an impression and beguiling others, as well as a certain talent for inflicting wounds.

The supreme Siddha of this style is command over the currents of time—the ability to pause it locally, if only for a moment. For instance, the Tiger style boasts the so-called Roar of the Overlord—a deeply guttural sound that briefly paralyzes one's foes.211

The myriad ‘iron shirts,’ ‘iron’ arms and legs, and ‘dragon’s skin’ too are kin to this particular school of style. These techniques rest upon the local displacement of time across the fighter’s flesh.

Upon the surface of the fighter’s body, time slips—if only for the blink of an eye. Thus, it is impossible to pierce the ‘skin of yesterday.’

Socialization amid the tribe usually recruits: Actors, venerable connoisseurs of antiquities, wines, and art; chefs; investigators; keepers of personnel; kept women; and gigolos.

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Rice Fire dwells within everyone from birth. And without Fire, there is no movement.²¹²

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3. These are the styles of the Element of Fire—such as, for instance, the Snake style.

Above all, these are supple, 'boneless,' undulating and spiral motions, with a particular emphasis on that trembling sensation in the fingers.

A special focus is placed on cultivating flexibility, for it is the secret to conducting the energy native to this style through the body and limbs.

Within this style, one hones the art of channeling energy not only through one's own body, but through the body of one's opponent as well.

Moreover, when channeling energy through an opponent’s body, one brings about changes in the functioning of their internal organs. For instance, one might paralyze an opponent—permanently or temporarily, ‘poison’ them, or even heal them, and so forth.

Indeed, this is what gave the style its legendary name. Adept practitioners of this style possess keen understanding of the human Organism, both as a unified whole and in the finest of its parts.

They are, likewise, well-versed in medicinal herbs, remedies, and their mysterious effects upon the organs of humans.

Thus, adepts of this style often find themselves socialized in society as healers, apothecaries, medicine men, bone-setters, or massage therapists of various kinds.

An emphasis on the Manipura chakra, channeling yellow (not to be confused with golden) energy. The signature flourish of the style is the talent for transmuting both one’s own and others’ bodies and energies. For example, this encompasses the art of healing—that is, not simply suppressing symptoms, but transforming the actual root of the malady.

And, on the flip side, there is also the ability to ‘poison’—that is, to intentionally block the functioning of organs at the physical level (for instance, through pharmaceuticals—poisons—or by some other method).

For example: acupuncture, acupressure, or a well-aimed strike to the intersection points of the nadis.213

A classic illustration is the 'snapping' finger strike at an acupuncture point, inevitably resulting in the opponent's paralysis.

The more elaborate variant is the 'Touch of Death'—a clandestine, seemingly 'ordinary' touch to a particular acupuncture point, culminating in death after a certain interval.

The deadline for Death’s arrival may fluctuate anywhere from a handful of heartbeats to days, months, or even years.

An illustration of such a blow can be found, for instance, in the film Kill Bill 2 (2004), when the Black Mamba dispatches Bill.

Exponents of this tradition include the 'Serpent' schools, Tai Chi Chuan, Ninjutsu, Su Jok, schools of acupuncture, Kunoichi, Kundalini Yoga, and the like.

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Rice It is something everyone always needs. No Air – then disaster.²¹⁴

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4. Styles of the air element – such as the renowned Monkey, Crane, Eagle, and Fan styles, among others.

Attention is focused on the chest, the Anahata chakra, the element of Air, and the 'green' energies.

Mastery of the style is often practiced atop elevated places—pillars, lianas, branches, and the like.

In training, movement along 'trajectories' is emphasized, which is essential for ultra-fast maneuvers.

In the 'crane,' for instance, there is also the skill of concentrating the strike—and its energy—at a single point. Focusing a blow to a single point made it possible to pierce the armor of heavily armed and enchanted foes. Similarly, the ‘crane’ was often brought to bear against ‘iron’ styles, such as ‘iron shirt’, in the alchemical discipline of Qi Gong. The ‘crane’ found favor among imperial households as a trusted personal style, famed for its effectiveness and superiority over adversaries versed in rival traditions.

Within the ‘eagle’ style, the art lay in channeling energy to the very tips of one's fingers—and, indeed, into the opponent's body—alongside profound work with the style's totem.

The ‘eagle’ style often served the purposes of military reconnaissance, combining totemic practice with the singular skill of Astral projection to gather intelligence—returning, naturally, with findings from the field.

Moreover, the 'eagle' and 'falcon' styles allowed for effective practice of painful techniques and holds. They were often employed by guardians and security to capture criminals alive, with the goal of subsequent interrogation and trial.

The 'monkey' style is distinguished by low stances, rapid, 'chaotic' movement across any surface or architecture (these days one might call it parkour), as well as unexpected combinations of holds and throws.

A hallmark of the 'monkey' style is that it stands among the rare few capable of thwarting an opponent wielding firearms—thanks to quick, compact, unpredictable movements, and a knack for outguessing both attacks and impending peril. Indeed, it was forged expressly to oppose projectile weaponry and the refined, tiered systems of defense.

Likewise, a distinguishing trait of the Air styles is agility and a certain mastery over the play of probabilities.

For instance, if you spot someone in a film rolling double sixes twice in a row, or striking the target after the third ricochet, rest assured—they are almost certainly a practitioner of one of the Air styles.

These styles may also confer fleeting bursts of superhuman speed, and the uncanny knack for anticipating events, attacks, and enemy blows.

A Chinese mandarin brandishing a fan—absurd as he may appear to the European eye—may, on closer inspection, be a bona fide practitioner of the Air style.

A master able not only to foresee palace intrigues, but also attacks and blows, moving with breathtaking swiftness, displaying fantastic agility, and accomplishing many, many other feats besides.

For example, a master of Air might be a dazzling stock market player, conjuring wealth in the best traditions of their style—quite literally, out of 'Air.' Or, to be more precise, the art of anticipating what is yet to come.

Socialization, as a rule, encompasses all things connected to the management of complex systems, construction, and forecasting.

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Rice Born amidst the whirlwind of the Void, Metal is mightier than anything else in existence. It forms the bridge to the rainbow dream. Even children know this.²¹⁵

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5. Styles of the Void, of Metal—take, for example, the Dragon style. As a Rule, it emerges as the sum of all preceding styles, possessing all their strengths, free of their weaknesses and vulnerabilities.216

Traditionally, it is mastered only after studying the previous four styles, through special initiations or by diving into dedicated trance techniques and work with totems. Sometimes, one’s training undertakes its auspicious beginnings with the Dragon style, serving as the primordial rung towards mastering the elusive remaining styles needed to complete the mythical quartet.

A keen concentration upon the Void and the Vishuddha chakra—a shimmering blue spectrum of energies—is encouraged.

Practitioners of the Void style—provided their mastery and circumstances are on par—inevitably triumph over the stalwart forms of Earth, Water, Fire, and, dare we say, Air.

Ordinarily, the Dragon wields the techniques of its sworn antagonists when entering the ring. Thus, one might see Air rising against Earth, Fire clashing with Water, or—should the spirits be particularly mischievous—a cunning blend of two or three styles facing just one.

Well, it's only logical. Truly—what is the point of battling an Element or style with its exact counterpart?

The signature trick of this style is omnipotence, versatility, and an all-encompassing nature.

The Siddha of the style—a leap into the Void, that is, teleportation, as well as the Siddhis of all the preceding styles! 217

Not a bad toolkit, wouldn’t you say?

For example, the ability to fly just as ably as to swim, to pass through stone, water, Fire, and even to inhale the vacuum of space.

Thus, the ‘dragon’ sooner or later turns into a cosmic Voyager and begins their pilgrimage up the staircase of Shadan a`Kar.218

The standard-bearers of the Void style are, as a rule, schools of the 'Dragon' persuasion.

The 'Color' of the Dragon in a school's title typically determines the particular Element or chakra towards which that School's disciplines are skewed.

For instance, the School of the Black Dragon concerns itself with martial disciplines impervious to any Magic whatsoever.219

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Rice Well, here it arrived and, just like that, it began—ended, and yet never came to fruition. There's no need to weep or to laugh. Where it died—there it was born.²²⁰

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6. As for the Styles of Death—think necromancy, the alchemical arts of poisons, demonology, and other such amusements.

In applied terms, this style comes in many flavors—the assassin schools, for example, or the more totemic establishments patterned after the Scorpion, the Spider, the Mantis, and so forth.

The art of mastering this style typically involves extinguishing consciousness and then activating the subconscious. It is, in essence, a metamorphosis into a flawless killing machine—if one is into that sort of thing.

And, as a matter of course, these Schools tend to delve into the secrets of Death and the World of the Dead.

The focus, predictably, falls on non-human energies and the Chakras. The color of this energy is, as a Rule, black or silver. In the grand tradition of Necromancy, it's an eye-searing, poisonous green—an unequivocal nod to its direct ties with the Styles of Life and, naturally, Shamanism (the 17th Arcana).221

The signature move of this style? Hypersensitivity to the faintest signals, the patience of a saint, adaptability, survival, and movements best described as 'unerringly precise.'

And, lest we forget, the uncanny knack for slipping from one world into another. From the realm of the living into Limbo, and back again. And, mind you, sometimes for truly epic stretches of time.222

Those same vampires, who slumber in their coffins for years, are classic representatives of the Death Style.

The social circle of Death specialists typically includes: surgeons, resuscitators, oncologists; morticians; robotics engineers.

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Rice The chain of incarnations stretches on and on. Someday—it will come to pass.²²³

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7. Ways of life—Shamanism, theurgy, and various 'Upper' styles.224

For example: Taekwon-Do (in its primordial essence), Tao, all sorts of 'Cloud Hands,' 'Golden Clouds,' 'Golden Towers,' 'Golden Dragons,' 'Dawns,' 'Buddha Hands,' and so forth. – styles that emphasize the meditative-trance state aimed at the ‘Upper’—the paradisiacal worlds (typically focusing on specific denizens of these realms or even parts of their bodies).225226227228229

A variant of this style—indeed, its true primordial essence—is the noble art of combat with a sword and chakra.

The crowning feature of the style lies in an array of ‘paradisiacal’ bonuses. For example: cheerfulness, health, optimism, resilience, intuition, longevity, mastery in the art of healing (up to and including resurrection), and so forth.

Socialization typically involves: ecologists, veterinarians, healers.

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Why, you may ask, was this entire Kung Fu panopticon invoked here?

Because the styles of martial arts—much like the entire world—are apportioned according to the fundamental Prime energies.230

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Rice Everything in this world is quite simple. There are two, and then—another four.²³¹

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A similar division is found in Magic: Magic itself splinters into several principal domains—the Magic of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Void (Metal), Death, and Life.

In other words, the entire World is composed of several fundamental types of energy.

Moreover, the fifth of these – Metal or the void – is, quite obviously, a superposition of the four primary ones.

Meanwhile, Death Magic can be seen as the lower limit of the magic of the void (ether). And Life Magic, conversely, marks the upper limit of the magic of the void (ether).232

Thus, from an energetic perspective, the World divides into the following projections of a six-faced cube—

1) Four projections onto the vertical faces – Earth, water, Fire, and Air.

Take note that Fire stands opposite Water, while Air faces the Lands;

2) above, it is bounded by the facet of Life;

3) below—by the facet of Death;

4) and in the center rests the primary space of the cube: ether, Metal, or the void (variously named by different schools and philosophies).

So, it is safe to declare: the entire World and any given thing is composed of four elemental energies (for simplicity, the energies of Death and Life are not counted as ultimate boundary cases), as the principal philosophies would have us believe.

Consider, for instance, Christianity. There, the cross serves to symbolize the very architecture of the world.

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Rice I set out alone upon the road. Is it possible, perhaps, that when alone, one encounters far too many enemies?²³³

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Homework Section No. 9.

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Rice. The nutshell of knowledge is hard. But we—well, we are not accustomed to retreat! To crack this shell shall aid us—an ordinary squared notebook!²³⁴

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1. Enumerate the heroes and idols of your childhood, drawn from adventure films, action flicks, books, and so forth. No fewer than ten, if you please.

Compile a list.

Analyze what qualities allowed them to emerge victorious.

Indicate which of the aforementioned properties of the Elements these qualities correspond to.

Through which Element did Domino, from Marvel comics, manifest her superpower?

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2. Find emblems and symbolism that feature the Snake. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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3. Find emblems and symbolism featuring a skull or bones, whether currently or historically used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What do they symbolize?

4. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the Eagle is or has been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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5. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the tiger, lion, or leopard are or have been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

.

6. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the bear or bull is or has been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

7. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where the Dragon is or has been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

.

8. Identify emblems and symbolic imagery where bright light and rays of Light are or have been used. To which organizations and structures does this symbolism pertain?

What does it symbolize?

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9. Compose a Portrait of the hero you would wish to become.

What qualities ought he to possess?

Which elemental qualities provide the foundation for your hero?

Give reasons for your choice.

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10. Decay, burning, and explosion, from a chemist’s perspective, all produce the same end—dust, and ashes.

In what ways do decay, burning, and explosion differ?

How can decay transform into burning?

Under what circumstances could burning, for one and the same substance, become an explosion?

Offer examples, and justify your selections.

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11. Reframe question 10 of this chapter as an analogy for the process of a student’s learning.

Identify three principal learning trajectories, each with a different pace of student development.

How and why does the pace of a student's learning change?

Justify your conclusions.

Provide historical examples to support your arguments.

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12. In the Cube of Elements, Fire stands opposite Water, Earth opposite Air, Life opposite Death.

The artist charged with drawing the Cube of Elements scarcely understood what he was illustrating and introduced a fair number of errors and inaccuracies.

Identify and correct them.

Why must it look precisely this way?

Substantiate your answer.

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13. What is an absolutely black body?

Give examples of an ABB.

At least five, if you please.

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14. Compose a list of names for the Dragon Schools.

Which areas of martial prowess ought each Dragon School to emphasize?

Which Siddhis should be developed within each School?

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Rice And now, a Kung Fu expert—at the slightest provocation, he'll lay one right across your spine!²³⁵

Chapter 10. One matryoshka, two matryoshkas, and a dash of Astral too…

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Rice. The memory of what once was lies forgotten. And instead of Knowledge—what a twist of fate! For the delight of the uninitiated, the matryoshka turned into Khokhlomiziya.²³⁶237

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As was brought to light in the previous chapter, all things in The World are composed of the four fundamental Elements—Earth, Water, Fire, and Air.

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Rice Let fairy tales remain fairy tales for some. And for others, everything is a hint. And still they insist Paradise is but a myth! …millennia. Those who have crossed over—they cannot confirm. They are simply not here. Simply not here.²³⁸

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The spectrum of these energies is capped above by the plane of the Element of Life. Upon crossing that plane, the object shifts into a ‘+’ quantum state. In other words, it ascends to the realm of Paradise existence.

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Rice But getting to Hell is rather simple. All you have to do is multiply graveyards. Where Life is absent—Hell arrives. That’s the business model, brother.²³⁹

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The spectrum of these energies is, in turn, limited below by the plane of the Element of Death. When crossing this plane, the object enters a “minus” quantum state. In other words, it falls to the level of Infernal existence.

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Both ‘Heaven’ and ‘Hell,’ in the first round of selection, are, in essence, curious parallel realities of our Lands.240241

The structure of these worlds is quite accurately portrayed by the Tree of Sephiroth and the Qliphoth, respectively.

Later on, the ‘Heavenly’ and ‘Infernal’ worlds are situated along the Fan of Worlds—a structure reminiscent of the ladder of Sha dan Kar.242

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To understand how these element-energies make their grand entrance into The World, let us examine each one, step by step.

Our entire exploration shall, for the sake of dramatic effect, refer to the noble architecture of the human body:

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. ²⁴³

Element Earth:

1) At the level of the etheric field (Muladhara chakra), we find the territories of muscles and bones;

2) At the level of the Astral field (Svadhisthana Chakra), there dwell emotions such as confidence, serenity, composure, and so on;

3) At the level of the mental field (Manipura chakras), we take up residence among thoughts like axioms, basic concepts, alphabets, multiplication tables, et cetera;

4) On the level of the soul (Anahata chakras) – sociability, or, in other words, productivity;

5) On the level of Karmas-Fates (Vishuddha chakra) – talent;

6) On the level of the Ajna Chakras – intuition;

7) On the level of the Sahasrara chakras – rationality.

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.²⁴⁴

Element of Waters:

1) On the level of the etheric field (Muladhara chakra) – these are the fields of lymph and blood;

2) On the level of the Astral field (Svadhisthana Chakra) – emotions such as attentiveness and benevolence;

3) On the level of the mental field (Manipura chakras) – thoughts of the sort found in lexical links and established phrases;

4) On the level of the soul (Anahata chakras) – tolerance;

5) On the level of Karmas-Fates (Vishuddha chakra) – craftsmanship;

6) On the level of the Ajna Chakras – memory;

7) On the level of the Sahasrara chakras – religiosity.

.

.²⁴⁵

Element of Fire:

1) On the level of the etheric field (Muladhara chakra) – these are the fields of tendons and nerves;

2) On the level of the Astral field (Svadhisthana Chakra) – emotions such as persistence and perseverance;

3) On the level of the mental field (Manipura chakras) – thoughts of analysis and self-analysis;

4) On the level of the soul (Anahata chakras) – optimism;

5) On the level of Karmas-Fates (Vishuddha chakra) – ordeal;

6) On the level of the Ajna Chakras – reappraisal, revelation;

7) On the level of the Sahasrara chakras – transfiguration.

.

.²⁴⁶

Element of Air:

1) On the etheric field level (Muladhara chakra) – this concerns the structure of the networks of blood vessels and bones, the vessels in the lungs, and gas exchange;

2) On the Astral field level (Svadhisthana Chakra) – emotions such as secrecy, elusiveness, and a thirst for novelty;

3) On the mental field level (Manipura chakras) – hypnosis and self-training;

4) On the soul level (Anahata chakras) – mentorship;

5) On the level of Karmas-Fates (Vishuddha chakra) – instruction;

6) On the level of the Ajna Chakra – mysticism;

7) On the level of the Sahasrara chakras – channeling.

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.²⁴⁷

Element of Metal:

This is a superposition of all four previous Elements, and depending on the proportions of its components, it can be anything at all (naturally, on the corresponding level):

1) On the level of the Muladhara chakra, within the energy field of the Earth element – the etheric field of a person, energetic copies of all organs and body parts;

2) On the level of the Swadhisthana chakra, within the energy field of the Water element – all emotions, experiences, and memories in figurative form;

3) On the level of the Manipura chakra, within the sphere of the Fire element’s energies—thoughts, aspirations, dreams, will, knowledge;

4) On the level of the Anahata chakra, within the sphere of the Air element’s energies—experience, relationships, love (as a dialogue of spirits);

5) On the level of the Vishuddha chakra, within the sphere of the Void element’s energies—destiny-karma, oaths and promises, principles, ethics, laws and rules, morality;

6) On the level of the Vishuddha chakra—mutual understanding, knowledge, hypnosis, alchemy;

7) At the level of the Sahasrara chakra—faith becomes a dialogue with God, co-creation, omniscience, and the transition to a new quantum plane.

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Rice Such is the layer cake that is Man. So it was in ancient times, and so it shall ever be.²⁴⁸

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These decryptions are given but as examples—a few shimmering facets of a crystal whose sides are truly without number.

To contemplate the realization of the Elements’ energies in The World is to witness a projection of rainbow-hued Russian nesting dolls, each tucked within the next, casting shadows across the walls from four suns, each blazing in its own hue and all shining perpendicularly to one another.

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Homework Section No. 10.

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Rice There are objects—and there are shadows. And then, there is the kingdom of phantoms.²⁴⁹

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1. Consult the oracle (Google) and discover what 'shadow theatre' is.

In what manner is a shadow bound to its object?

Substantiate your answer.

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2. What mystical forms can one conjure with their fingers?

Seek out a dozen finger positions for shadow theatre on the web, and commit them to memory.

Compose a play for your ten mastered roles, and give a solo performance.

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3. How many objects took the stage in the performance of Assignment 2 from this chapter?

How many roles were enacted?

Why do the first and second numbers fail to match?

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4*. Procure several candles of various chemical compositions and thicknesses.

Armed with a laser pointer (or an oversized lens), ignite each candle one by one in utter darkness, and cast their flames into the spotlight.

Illuminate each flame so that its shadow is thrown onto a smooth, light, and monochrome surface.

Experiment with an array of candles, mood lighting, and distances until, at last, several layers emerge within the shadow.

Why does the shadow of a candle's flame reveal multiple layers?

Observe, analyze, and record your thoughts and conclusions.

Justify them.

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5. How can different flowers and plants flourish in the same flowerbed?

Provide examples from your own experience.

How can thousands of different radio stations and broadcasts exist within the same radio broadcast simultaneously?

Why don’t they interfere with one another?

How can the same Element manifest itself differently on different levels?

What is an inner monologue, a dialogue, or the Pyatnitsky Choir?

How does one transform a chorus into a monologue?

What is the cessation of the inner monologue?

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6. What distinguishing qualities might a person exhibit if the Element Earth is well developed within them?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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7. What distinguishing qualities might a person exhibit if the Element of Water is well developed within them?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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8. What distinguishing qualities might a person exhibit if the Element of Fire is well developed within them?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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9. What distinguishing qualities might a person exhibit if the Element of Air is well developed within them?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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10. What distinguishing traits might one display when the Element of Metal flourishes within them?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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11. What singular qualities might manifest in a person whose Element of Life (Light) is robustly awakened?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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12. What emblematic features might arise in a soul where the Element of Death (Darkness) is richly developed?

Draw a conclusion. Justify your answer.

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13. To which Element does each of the twelve Signs of the Horoscope pledge its allegiance?

What defining characteristics ought each Sign of the Horoscope embody, and for what grand cosmic reason?

Please substantiate your conclusions.

Compare your conclusions with the characteristics of the signs.

Create a table comparing your conclusions with the generally accepted ones.

Why might a discrepancy emerge?

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14. Recall a dozen of the most serious diseases.

Compose a list of them and their distinctive signs as the illness progresses.

Distortions of energy in which of the seven Elements provoke this disease?

Draw your own conclusions and attempt to justify them.

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Rice. Where is the master, and where is the shadow? One can ponder for an entire day. But only when night arrives does the shadow rise and slip away.²⁵⁰

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Chapter 11 One, two, three, four, five. I’m coming to understand you.

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Thus, as mentioned in the previous chapter, all things in this world are composed of four fundamental (for the sake of simplicity) primal energies of the Elements—Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Meanwhile, each energy, upon every level (from the physical to the Divine), manifests, embodies, is interpreted, and depicted in the most myriad ways.

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Here’s the situation.

Let us take, for example, a word like 'cat.'

This word boasts a perfectly concrete and unambiguous spelling.

Yet in our world, it refers to dozens of species and billions of felines. And they often look nothing alike. Compare, for instance, the Sphynx cat—more reminiscent of a rat—to, say, a lynx.

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Rice Cats, courtesy of a search on Pixabay.com.²⁵¹

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Naturally, having lived many years and encountered hundreds of cats in your lifetime, each of you can unerringly recognize a cat, whatever form it may take.

But suppose you had never set eyes on this object before. Would you be able to recognize it in a new disguise?

For instance, what sort of device do you see in this picture?

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.²⁵²

And in this one?

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How about this one?

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This one?

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.²⁵⁵

This one?

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.²⁵⁶

This one?

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.²⁵⁷

And finally—this one?

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What do all these images have in common?

Curiously enough, all of them are computers.

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.²⁵⁹

From top to bottom: a mechanical arithmometer, a computer from the '70s, a computer from the '80s, Stonehenge, the Pyramid of Chichen Itza, the planet Earth from space, the spiral galaxy M31, and, at last, a modern computer.

Naturally, everyone recognized the modern computer. After all, they've seen it countless times and have been told, over and over, 'This is a computer.'

But when it comes to its other variants and incarnations—especially when you throw scale into the mix—not everyone would be so quick on the uptake.

Yet, all the objects paraded above, when viewed from a certain angle, are encapsulated by a single word: 'computer.'

How, you might ask, could such a marvel come to pass?

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The division of the Elements into ten Denomination-digits by level of strength (which are, in fact, dimensions of an object or event) allows for the most diverse array of things to be symbolized in a code of numbers and symbols.

For instance, to describe ALL objects or events in the Universe.

From a grain of sand to the Universe itself, from the dance of an atom to the Act of God's Creation.

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For example, on the physical level, one might use the following symbolic interpretations:

1 – a push, an impulse, a solitary object, the initial spark.

2 – interaction between objects.

3 – a system of objects.

4 – nature, naturalness, a simple form.

5 – a Portal, a Wicket, a source.

6 – circulation, exchange.

7 – harmony, balance, equilibrium, purification.

8 – resilience, an intricate composite form.

9 – completion, mastery, perfection.

10 – transition to a new level, transformation.

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Let us explore the manifestations of symbols such as numbers across several layers. Since our world is governed by the decimal system, these are the numbers from 1 to 10.

For simplicity's sake, let us contemplate them through five principal levels of energy. We shall journey from the energy of the Lands to the energy of Metal.

Their corresponding interpretations, for example, might appear as follows:

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For those seeking deeper insight and more elaborate interpretations, one might, for example, peruse the magnum opus of Avessalom Podvodny—'Kabbalah of Numbers.'260

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Any object, beyond being viewed in terms of Denominations, may also be considered through the prism of various projections upon the Elemental Cube. That is, the projections of an object upon such Elements as Earth, water, Fire, Air, Life, and Death.

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'Rabbits—it's not just about the premium fur!'

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Let us, for our amusement, consider the classic comedic vignette by A. Moiseenko and A. Danilets.261

In this vignette, we playfully toy with a simple idea through humor.

The very same object—a rabbit, for instance—can be seen from entirely different vantage points.

For example, a rabbit is not just a fine pelt, but also two or three kilograms of dietary meat.

Yet jesting aside, let us take a more systematic approach to our rabbit, examining it through all six Elements of the Elemental Cube.

Here, the Elemental Cube is a six-faced cube, each facet representing a plane of the Elements—Earth, water, Fire, Air, Life, and Death.

A gentle reminder for the newcomers:

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The Element Earth is coarse matter and everything connected with it;

The Element of Water is the realm of feelings, emotions, memory, and all that is bound to them;

The Element of Fire holds sway over thoughts, will, ideas, and all that walks in their company;

The Element of Air governs the realm of possibilities, chance, structures, and the future in all its branching multiplicity;

The Element of Life reveals the universe in the forms of birth, growth, and becoming;

The Element of Death is the sphere where the Universe reveals itself through fading, aging, degradation, and decay.

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Fig. Games of light, games of shadow. All objects are apparitions.²⁶²263

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Then, if we consider the rabbit:

from the viewpoint of the Element Earth – it is meat, fur, entrails, bones, blood – all that is material and can be felt by hand;

from the viewpoint of the Element water – it is a toy, perhaps a friend, an amusing and endearing creature;

from the viewpoint of the Element Fire – the rabbit is the living embodiment of the instinct to be forever gnawing on something;

Through the lens of the Element Air, the rabbit is a geometric progression of creatures, ever-adapting to their habitat;

Through the lens of the Element Life, the rabbit is an irresistible force of multiplication and survival; Should you doubt this—simply google the fate of rabbits in Australia;264

Through the lens of the Element Death, the rabbit is a mortal being, perpetually struggling against death by means of countless offspring.

Bear in mind, projections onto particular Elements are, at heart, a certain kind of 'mirror reflection.'

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When contemplating objects, their symbolic numerical denomination may be combined with the angle of perception according to the Elements.

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Rice Everyone desires it, everyone seeks it. Everyone needs it so much – delectable sustenance!²⁶⁵

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For example, a plump, well-fed rabbit may be catalogued as an Eight of Lands. That is, a stable form of Matter.

For instance, a cheerful, exuberant rabbit might be inscribed as an Ace of Water. In other words, a surge of feelings and emotions.

Or, a gnawing, burrowing rabbit as a Deuce of Fire. That is, the willful interaction of the rabbit with the World.

For instance, a family of rabbits may be depicted as the Three of Air. That is, a chain of coincidences giving rise to a system (the family).

For example, a population of rabbits in the World might be portrayed as the Four of Life. Perhaps the Element of Life in the Tarot cards was signified by a Rose blossom. In other words, the natural, organic expression of Life as a species.

For instance, a dying rabbit might be described as the Ten of Death. The Element of Death in Tarot cards may well have been marked by a human skull. That is, a dying rabbit is nothing less than a transformation by Death.

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Rice We spin, we twist, we turn. Everything we wish, we understand.²⁶⁶

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Yet the very same object, depending on your perspective, can acquire the most wildly varied status—whether in terms of Denomination or in its projection upon the Elements.

And that’s entirely normal—after all, anyone can pick up any object and rotate it, regarding it from all sides.

No one ever seems surprised, twirling a pencil, that from one angle it looks like the letter ‘I’, from another a ‘-’, and from a third, it’s practically a ‘.’

Likewise, depending on the angle and plane of consideration, one and the same object may acquire the most varied of statuses.

For example, in the material world, a single object may have entirely different length, width, and height.

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In Kabbalah, Stalking, and the Medici Solitaire, the very same object can possess completely different Denominations when projected onto the faces of the Cube of Elements.

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For example, a house as a shape fashioned from bricks—a Four of Earth.

A house as a work of art—a Nine of Earth.

The house as a system of binding connections—the Six of Lands.

That same house, say, as a financial exchange, is a system of emotional interactions and monetary traffic—in other words, the Six of Water and the Six of Lands.

That same house, when constructed as the incarnation of a blueprint—the Ten of Air.

The house, as the architectural unit of the city, is the Ace of Lands.

The house as the structural unit of a city is the Ace of Air.

The house as the hearth of the family and the seat of comfort and happiness—let’s say, the Eight of Water.

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In other words, the symbolism of an object's description hinges, first and foremost, on the chosen perspective and the framing of the question.

This fact must not be overlooked when contemplating Kabbalah, Tarot, divination, Stalking, or the Medici Solitaire.

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Yet there exists another sly little nuance of projection.

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As one increases the scale—meaning, as one recedes from the object—any object, as a rule, diminishes to a mere point.

Similarly, when we expand our frame of reference, the Kabbalistic Denomination of any object tends to gravitate toward Unity.

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An exception to this rule may be those objects and events that are parts of other, grander entities, which, when viewed on a larger scale, begin to manifest in their true forms.

For instance, a dozen rabbits (Three of Lands), when one magnifies the scale of observation and stretches the temporal frame, could, even in the wilds of Australia, resemble the Ten of Air.

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It is precisely here that fledgling stalkers and diviners stumble. Neglecting to account for perspective, scale, the framing of the inquiry, or the boundaries of time—and relying instead on generic interpretations of symbols—one can swiftly become ensnared in a dead end and offer an erroneous symbolic reading.

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It is the very understanding of how the system of Denominations forms, and its projection onto the boundaries of the Elements, that grants the key to accurately and fruitfully defining the Denominations and suits of events.

On the other hand, the attentive reader might suspect that any object can be assigned any Denomination and suit, depending on one’s point of view.

This claim, in the author's opinion, is rather contentious and shall not be addressed here, as it stretches far beyond the simple acquaintance with the material intended at this stage.

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Meanwhile, putting into words the semantic burden of a symbol is, more often than not, a feeble endeavor, for multidimensional semantic holographic objects are notoriously unwilling to be voiced by the rather meager means of human speech.267

This predicament is usually outmaneuvered with pictures, memes, pithy verbal images, poems, and songs.

The poems of a talented author, such as Makarevich, often possess several layers of correspondence and analogy.268269

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