In the Buddhist tradition, there is an idea that three "root poisons" drive the craving that keeps us from achieving liberation. One description of these comes by way of a metaphor. Imagine three bowls - the first is upturned, and cannot be used. The second is filthy, and cannot be used. The third has a hole in it and cannot be used. These are delusion, hatred, greed, respectively. Now, as all good metaphors do - this one provides a logic that can lead to a solution.
First we turn the upturned bowl rightside up - this is analogous to becoming willing to receive, to open one's borders to an outside - to a higher power, if you will. Next we clean the bowl of filth - this is the operation of examining one's emotional revulsions and accepting them as such - and moving on, releasing the compulsion to act and react on the basis of our hatreds and angers. We can now stack these two bowls, and we find that the third bowl, with the hole fits on top of them, forming a three-in-1. The exercise of becoming receptive and of cleaning up our intentions leads to a capacity to accept and be satisfied with enough.
This metaphor is an alchemical transformation that will establish the capacity to receive and retain spiritual nourishment. It is the formation of a crucible capable of sustaining a practice of non-harm and purification. The sigil of this process is found on the Temperance card of all meta-magick Tarots.
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