Evil is The Good unbalanced, unfocused, and energized by destruction as The Good is energized by Creation.
In ourselves, the balance of our Elements is in constant shift, but for most certain traits predominate. These traits, which are the current WORK in our slow Path to perfection, may involve dealing with fears and trauma. In self examination, we often discover that we have placed ourselves, find ourselves, or perceive ourselves, to be in danger. If there is no physical reason for anxiety, Humans understand their mortality, so psychological fears, depression and anxiety proliferate. Social anxieties can substitute in triggering the adrenaline to run or fight, as we perceive insults to ourselves, our loved ones, or our ‘team” in politics, sports or religion. This is the underlying cloud of everyone you meet, not unique to any one of us, it is a necessary condition for survival, based on memory. But, it can interfere with our progress, and like all powerful forces, is best understood and transformed than set loose to blunder about blindly.
Any time we get angry or afraid, we store a powerful symbol of the experience in our Treasurehouse of Images. If we bury a strong emotion, it spawns tiny demons to prick us annoyingly in our daily life. If we harness and transform it, another tool is added to our inventory of powerful and positive responses. Rarely do we get to immediately and satisfyingly discharge the result of our anger or fear at it’s actual target. These emotions can build up and leak out inappropriately by supercharging our feelings out of all proportion. If we take our raw feelings and WORK on them over time through meditation, Will and relaxation, we not only save ourselves wear and tear internally, but begin to gain the reputation of a thoughtful and mature person.
If you are strong, beware cruelty. If you are compassionate, beware co-dependence. If you are intellectual, beware acting cold, if emotional, of acting to hot. If dreamy, of not earthing your dreams. If too material, not dreaming.
The Tree of Life is a great glyph for balancing ourselves.