Title: On the Counter-Initiation - The subversion of true spirituality by inverted forces Tags: #Tradition #CounterInitiation #SpiritualWarfare #Guénon #Evola 1. Counter-Initiation Defined – Forces working to distort and subvert genuine spiritual aspirations, replacing them with materialism, disorder, and false ideologies. 2. Beyond Good & Evil – Not merely a moral struggle, but an objective metaphysical battle against non-human influences corrupting civilizations. 3. Hidden Hand of Revolutions – Historical subversions are orchestrated by occult forces, masked as political or social movements. 4. Positivism as Deception – The denial of transcendent realities (materialism, scientism) is itself a tool of the counter-initiation. 5. Modern Occultism’s Trap – False spirituality (Theosophy, psychism, neo-occultism) lures seekers into inferior psychic realms, not true transcendence. 6. Pantheism as Inversion – The illusion of "cosmic unity" dissolves the individual into lower psychic forces, opposed to genuine metaphysical ascent. 7. Mediums & False Contacts – Psychic phenomena and deceptive revelations often stem from regressive, subpersonal forces masquerading as higher knowledge. 8. Degenerate Initiatic Chains – Some "initiatic" lineages have inverted into counter-tradition, serving anti-hierarchical and destructive ends. 9. The West’s Fatal Path – Modernity’s rejection of transcendence (Renaissance → Enlightenment) aligns it with counter-initiatory forces. 10. Spiritual Defense – Only adherence to true traditional doctrines and initiatic discipline can resist these corrosive influences. On the Counter-Initiation Those who seek to transcend human limitations and attain higher knowledge must recognize the existence of what René Guénon termed the Counter-Initiation. They must also understand its various manifestations and the means it employs to achieve its ends. At its core, the Counter-Initiation represents forces that infiltrate human domains—both individually and collectively—to distort true spirituality, obscure truth, falsify values, and promote materialism, disorder, and subversion. This is not merely a moral or religious struggle between "good" and "evil," but a far more objective and concrete action, often unrecognized even by religious authorities, who may unwittingly fall victim to it. Historically, no subversive movement lacks an occult origin. One of the most insidious modern deceptions is positivism, which denies these hidden influences, attributing all events to tangible historical causes. This mentality serves the Counter-Initiation perfectly—just as some have noted that the devil’s greatest trick is convincing men he does not exist. Revolutions and ideological upheavals are not merely political or social phenomena; they are spiritual attacks, often bearing the mark of nonhuman forces. Guénon meticulously exposed how these influences shaped the "modern mentality," even in supposedly rational domains like science. Materialism and scientism are not accidental but deliberate limitations imposed to obscure higher realities. When materialism’s grip weakens, and people begin sensing the invisible world, the Counter-Initiation shifts tactics. Instead of outright denial, it diverts seekers toward false spirituality—toward the subnormal rather than the supernormal. Modern occultism, spiritualism, and psychism exploit this, luring individuals into inferior psychic phenomena rather than true metaphysical realization. Pantheism, vitalism, and irrationalist cults of "Life" further this deviation. They promote a false transcendence—a dissolution into "cosmic consciousness" that is actually a regression into the Lower Waters of chaotic psychic forces, mistaking disintegration for enlightenment. Guénon warned that this is not liberation but spiritual drowning. Behind these distortions lie intelligent, nonhuman forces—some mere corrosive influences, others conscious agents of inversion. Guénon spoke of a "deviated initiation," where initiatic knowledge is corrupted into its opposite. Evola expanded this, showing how Western man’s pursuit of absolute autonomy—from the Renaissance to the myth of the Superman—aligns him with the Counter-Initiation’s destructive path. For those committed to true esoteric disciplines, recognizing these dangers is essential. The modern world teems with false movements, lodges, and ideologies that serve these inverted forces. Without proper discernment, seekers risk not elevation but spiritual degradation—a fate far worse than mere materialism. Metaphysical part: The Crisis of Modernity and the Metaphysical Beyond The crisis of the modern world manifests on both social and spiritual planes. Bourgeois society and civilization have reached their breaking point, while the process of "emancipation" has unfolded in two ways: first, as a purely destructive and regressive force, and second, as a trial of complete inner liberation for a di