Okay, so you went the distance. You mastered practical magic, did all the self-work, encountered your Holy Guardian Angel (or whatever guide presents you with your True Will) and discovered the meaning of (your) life. By most accounts, your journey is over, right? How come you’re still alive? You’ve completed the Great Work. That’s supposed to be the end of it. There’s no further instruction given, so what’s next? What does living even mean after you’ve discovered The Meaning of Life?

This is where you actually begin living as a complete being. Students think getting their black belt is the end of the road, but black belts know it’s just the beginning. Likewise, the Apprentice thinks the journey ends after the Abyss, but the Archmage knows it’s only just begun.

After making his Crossing, the Master enters a period of silence and reflection, gestating his newfound wisdom into something he can use to put his own experience into perspective, and prepare it to be passed on to those who have yet to attain.

It’s like climbing a high mountain and looking down at all the paths coming up to that point. Many paths begin the journey, but few go all the way to the top, and the Master sees which ones get there and which ones need a little help.

Imagine the view from the peak, where you see the paths that go back down. There are also whole parts of the mountain with no paths at all, and people at the bottom seeking their way up. This is when the Master passes from silence into speech, and he carves a new path down the mountain where none existed.

This is also one of the tasks of the Master, creating new ways to attain in service to those who have no path before them.

And what happens after that? What happens when the Master has returned to the ground and is once more among the people?

Stay tuned.