The First Week: Certain Spiritual Exercises, part the second and final

We must avoid, moreover, among the other hazards of speech, idle words; such as all those must be understood to be, which profit neither the speaker nor any other, nor are even uttered with the intention of doing service. But, on the other hand, no such words are by any means to be accounted idle, as concern the accomplishment of one's own or another's Will, the health of one's own or another's body, or even one's own or another's temporal advantage, or at least are directed by the speaker's mind to something of the kind, even though a person speak concerning matters foreign to eir own plan of life, as if a religious speak concerning wars or trading. But from speech ordered to a good end there arises merit; while that which is directed to a bad one, or uttered idly, hinders the knowledge and accomplishment of the Will.

Hazards of the mouth are also, lying, false testimonies, detraction. For we must not be guilty of detraction or finding fault against anyone. For by revealing anyone's grave failing, which is not public, with a bad intention, or grievous damage of another's good fame, a grave failing is also committed; by revealing a minor one, only a minor one is committed. Moreover, as often as we make known another's fault or defect, we show at the same time our own fault and defect. But where the intention is right, it will be lawful to speak concerning one's neighbour's fault in two ways.

First, when it is public, as a fault which damages community, or a thing which has been condemned by communal agreement, or is pernicious, as on account of public error damaging the lives of those with whom we live.

Secondly, when the secret crime of anyone is told to another by whose assistance e may be repair eir failing, provided there appear some probable reason or conjecture that such will be the case.

Among the hazards of the mouth might be set down also derisions, insults, and other things of that kind, which e who gives the exercises will be able to pursue as e shall judge requisite.

Concerning Deeds.

Placing before one's eyes the Law, with the ethical understandings of the individual, and those with whom e lives, we must account that whatever is done contrary to any of these is a failing of the Will; lighter, however, or more grievous, according to the different ways of failing, and the different habits of each individual. Now, we consider as belonging to the ethical understandings of those with whom an individual lives the stated boundaries and traditions of those with whom e is in spiritual community (as in a coven, temple, ekklesia, ashram, et cetera), which are accustomed to be developed in the free association of devotees both through history and in the current moment for the respect of those sacred things with which they work; by which people are invited to development of themselves and participation in sacred ritual. For indeed e fails not lightly, whoever dares to despise and transgress such pious agreements and traditions of eir spiritual community.  Should eir understandings and those of eir community come into irreconcilable and hindering conflict, the requirement of free association must be kept strongly in both eir mind and that of eir community, for sometimes separation is the proper path.

A Method of General Examination, comprehending Five Portions or Points.

The first point is, that we must maintain a practice of gratefulness for the benefits we have received, whether that thankfulness be directed to a particularly deity, oneself, or nothing at all.  This gratefulness must stem from an understanding that any benefit we might receive is in our understanding and that the world and all in it have value in and of themselves, separate from their relationship with us.

The second, that we can find great assistance and much of use by intreating our spiritual and divine aides and, in particular, Antinous Nauigator for the knowledge and shifting of our failures to accomplish our Will.

The third, to ask account of our Holy Guardian Angel concerning our failures to accomplish our Will throughout the present day, searching through the several hours from the time when we rose. And first, indeed, concerning thought; then concerning speech and deed; in the same order in which it was laid down in the particular examination.

The fourth, to be gentle with ourselves concerning our faults.

The fifth, to propose amendment with the aid of Antinous Nauigator; and after all the above to say the Flower Prayer: "Who is this flower above me?  What is the work of this god?  I would know myself in all my parts."

THE USE OF OPEN DISCUSSION OF ONE'S FAILINGS OF WILL AND OF COMMUNION.

From an open discussion of one's failings of Will voluntarily initiated with those one trusts to involve themselves with lovingkindness, among many other advantages are gained these three.

The first, that, although e who maintains an open and vulnerable relationship with those around em who are skilled in lovingkindness is by no means obliged to specially initiate an open discussion of this kind, yet the person eirself who makes it gains much more advantage and merit, on account namely of the communal recognition both of where these failings of Will have affected those around em and of the work e is doing to amend eir behavior and to repair the situation if need be, and for the chance to feel more vehemently eir and the community's emotions around these failings of the Will.

The second, that having seen, by means of the spiritual exercises, much more clearly than before, the causes and effects of these failings of eir Will, e will gain so much the greater advantage and merit.

The third, that it is reasonable to expect that e who has thus openly discussed eir failings of Will, and is thus attending to eir community and eir relationships as a permaculturist to eir garden, will be much better prepared to engage in the particular ecology of eir community, which conduces in the highest degree both to the perfection and accomplishment of eir Will, and to the preservation and increase of grace.

And this general confession will be best placed after the exercises of the first week.