The Western Magical Tradition has been criticized by adherents of Eastern enlightenment traditions such as Buddhism and Zen as not containing a valid initiatory path within the various systems extant today. Moreover, some critics continue, since almost all major religions contain at least one form of initiatory path, the modern earth-based religions such as Wicca that are common in the United States today which by dint of being created out of whole cloth do not contain such a path of development are doomed to not even being able to function adequately in those roles which religion has historically been noted for.
In response, the Western traditions note that the transcendental paths of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and others concentrate on removing those aspects of mortal man that obscure the hidden divinity. As those mortal thoughts are understood and purified, the faithful achieve the moment of Union where there is no will, but God’s will be done. By contrast the tradition of magic seeks to obtain knowledge and understanding of all, so that all may fall within the grasp of the Magician and he becomes One with all, creating and sustaining all and indeed inherent in all while being also separate. When all the starry sky is but a gleam in the eye of the Absolute, the adept has no will in any direction.
Said the Adept of the West to the Adepts of the East, “We both point to the same moon. Why are you staring at my finger?”.
