Title: The Knowledge of the Waters: The Primordial Force and the Path to Mastery
Tags: #Evola #Traditionalism #PrimordialForce #GreatWork #Magic #Initiation #Metaphysics #Esotericism #Mastery #Waters
- The Primordial Force: At the core of all existence lies a primordial, chaotic force—craving, restlessness, and an insatiable yearning. This force drives the cycles of creation and destruction, attraction and repulsion, terror and desire. It is the essence of becoming, the fiery mixture of cosmic nature that knows no rest.
- The Great Work: The Magistery of Creation and the Magistery of self-realization are one and the same. The “Great Work” involves mastering this primordial force, aligning oneself with the universal principle of transformation and power.
- The Living Reality: This force is not an abstract concept or myth but a living, powerful reality—the spirit and vitality of the Earth and Life. It is hidden from ordinary consciousness by the illusion of material phenomena, revealed only to those who have reached a certain level of growth and strength.
- The Force Within: This force manifests in moments of sudden danger, hunger, terror, or passion. It is deeper than the will, consciousness, or Self—something absolute and untamed that takes charge in critical moments.
- The Chain of Illusion: Humans are bound by this force like a chained dog. Even the “highest things” are secretly governed by it. True freedom comes only through recognizing and mastering this force, not through superficial attempts to oppose it.
- The Radical Humidity: In Tradition, this force is symbolized as the “Waters” or Humidum Radicale—the primal, chaotic substance that is the source of all life and transformation. It is the “earthly Venus,” the cosmic matrix, and the serpentine power of Shakti.
- Mastery of the Force: To master this force is to dominate nature itself—fire, earth, air, water, life, and death. The “Science of the Magi” teaches the art of creating something immortal and impassive, free from the chaotic Waters, and subjugating the cosmic nature within oneself.
- The Conquerors: Those who master this force are the “Survivors of the Waters,” the “Lords of Life and Salvation.” They are the Dragon Slayers, the Dominators of the Bull, and the Consecrated to the Sun. They have transformed through Ammon’s power and Wisdom, balancing the lunar force of desire with the solar force of will.
- The Razor’s Edge: The path to mastery is a painful struggle, akin to walking on a razor’s edge. Fear and interruption lead to disaster. One must proceed with unwavering will, resisting the swirling energy of the Waters until it is fully subdued.
- The First Teaching: To begin the Work, one must become insensitive to good and evil, upright, absolute, and naked. Learn to will without yearning, to act without tiring, and to resist all bonds of sensuality and passion. The Force does not give itself up—it must be taken. Dare to say, “I WANT.”
Knowledge of the Waters
At the core of all existence lies a primordial Force, an insatiable craving that drives all beings. This force is restless, wild, and untamed, embodying chaos, transformation, and the eternal cycle of creation and destruction. It is the essence of life itself, a fiery, chaotic flux that knows no rest.
The Wise have described this force as both wondrous and terrifying, naming it the Universal Fire, ὓλη (matter), Green Dragon, Quintessence, and the Great Magical Agent. It is the principle behind both the cosmic order and the individual’s path to self-realization. This force is not an abstract concept or myth but a living, powerful reality—the spirit and vitality of the Earth and Life itself.
Humanity remains largely unaware of this force, shielded by the illusion of material reality. Only at a certain stage of growth, and with the strength to endure its revelation, does this veil lift, allowing the eye of Knowledge to open.
This force manifests in moments of sudden danger—a speeding car, a collapsing crevice, or an electrified object. In these moments, something deeper than your will or consciousness takes control, revealing a primal, untamed power within you. It is the same force that drives hunger, terror, desire, and the blind thirst for life. It is the root of your instincts, habits, and character, the chain that binds you, even when you believe yourself free.
Do not be deceived: even the “highest” aspects of your being are subject to this force. The more they appear independent, the more deeply they obey it. This force cares not for forms or reasons; it is a wild, intoxicating power that reasserts itself through imagination and suggestion. It is like fear, sleep, or passion—the more you resist it, the stronger it becomes.
This force is the life within you, yet it is not you. You do not own it; it owns you. Your will, consciousness, and self are external to it, parasitic upon its deeper functions. Dig deeper, and you will find that even your will and self are not truly yours. You are not the life within you; you endure it. The illusion of a permanent “Self” is shattered when you realize its dependence on the body and the force that sustains it.
Cross the threshold and detach from your self. Feel the rhythmic sensation of this force, expanding beyond the notions of “me” and “not-me.” It is nameless, limitless, and wild, pervading all of nature, carrying all beings in its irresistible flow. This is the KNOWLEDGE OF THE “WATERS.”
In our Tradition, these “waters” are symbolized as the Humidum Radicale, the earthly Venus, or the Original Snake. They represent the primordial, demiurgic power—the Magic of God, the substance from which all things emerge. This force is indifferent to good and evil, capable of taking any form, and is the source of all transformation.
To master this force is to dominate nature itself—fire, earth, air, water, life, and death. The “Science of the Magi” seeks to create something immortal, free from the Waters, and to subjugate this cosmic nature within oneself. This is the secret of the Art of the Sun and Power, the “Mighty Strength of all Strengths.”
Do not let fear or doubt hinder you. The Matter of the Great Work lies within your deepest craving, closer to you than your own self. Arouse it, resist it, and experience its wild power. If you can conceive of a greater strength, what can resist it?
On one shore lies ignorance, passivity, and intoxication. On the other, virile men, heroic souls, and the Conquerors of Life. These are the Survivors of the Waters, the Lords of Life and Salvation, who have mastered the force and turned it into a magical power that obeys them. They are the Dragon Slayers, the Dominators of the Bull, transformed by the power of Ammon and Wisdom.
To approach this Art is to walk a razor’s edge. Fear and interruption lead to disaster. You must go all the way, for the energy you provoke will crash down upon you if you falter. Prepare yourself, fix your eyes on the goal, and learn to discern the ethereal light that carries the first secret of the Work.
Become insensitive to good and evil, upright, and absolute. Learn to will without yearning, fear, or regret. Create a cold, hard, and flexible power. The Secret of the Force lies in willing without ceasing—never yearning. Free yourself from sensuality and passion, and become the absolute ruler of your soul.
Resist, and the powers of nature will obey you. Desire nothing, fear nothing, and you will rule over all. But enjoy nothing until you have first conquered it within yourself.
The Force does not yield. Take it. Dare.
When you are free, balanced, strong, and pure, and have slain desire, say: “I WANT.”
This is the first teaching. The door is open. THE FORCE IS IN YOU.
Metaphysical part:
To grasp these concepts, we must first clarify the symbolism of the soul as a demon, genius, or double. In Classical Antiquity, the demon or double represented a profound force—the essence of life itself—that governed bodily and psychic events beyond ordinary consciousness, yet shaped an individual's existence and destiny. This entity was closely tied to the mystical powers of race and blood. The demon resembled the lares, the mystical guardians of a lineage, as noted by Macrobius: “The gods sustain us—they nourish our bodies and guide our souls.” The demon's relationship to ordinary consciousness mirrors that between the individuating principle (a supra-individual force transcending birth and death) and the individuated principle (consciousness bound by the body and external world, destined for dissolution or fleeting survival).
In Nordic tradition, the Valkyrie parallels the demon, often merging with the fylgja, a spiritual force shaping human destiny. As kynfylgja, the Valkyrie embodies the mystical power of blood, akin to the Roman lares. Similarly, the Fravashi in Aryo-Iranian tradition represents an inner life force tied to ancestral powers and war, serving as both a life-sustaining entity and a terrifying goddess of battle.
This leads to the first connection: the deep soul of the race, a transcendent force within the individual, shares traits with war goddesses. Ancient Indo-Europeans held an aristocratic view of immortality, reserved for heroes who transcended ordinary existence through spiritual transformation. This transformation elevated the individual “I” into a supra-individual, immortal power symbolized by the demon. However, the demon's eruption into ordinary consciousness could cause a destructive crisis, akin to a living experience of death, explaining its association with death deities. In Nordic tradition, warriors encounter their Valkyrie at the moment of death or mortal peril.
Religious asceticism seeks to induce this crisis through mortification and surrender to the divine, while heroic traditions achieve it through active, Dionysian impulses. Sacred techniques like dance evoke deep forces, and war represents the highest expression of this process. Combat, symbolized by the Latin ludere (to play, to fight), liberates latent forces, aligning the demon, lares, and individuating “I” with entities like the Furies, Valkyries, and Fravashi. These entities, often linked to death, also guide warriors to victory, symbolizing the triumph of the “I” over destructive forces.
The mystical conception of victory in ancient traditions reflects a correspondence between physical and metaphysical realms. Victory signifies both material success and spiritual rebirth, as the warrior overcomes internal and external threats. The sacred nature of victory is evident in the transfiguration of the victor, celebrated as a divine figure. This tradition, shared across Aryan cultures, connects light, solar glory, victory, and divine royalty as real, latent potentials rather than abstract concepts.
In summary, the demon, Valkyrie, and Fravashi symbolize a transcendent, supra-individual force tied to race, blood, and destiny. Their association with war and death reflects the transformative power of heroic combat, leading to spiritual victory and immortality. This tradition underscores the sacred meaning of victory as both an external triumph and an inner mystical rebirth.