7/25/2019 MKampe
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MKampe: Adept SignsIgnoring, for a moment, the question of why
it might be important to
be able to recognize an adept ... my inclination when trying
toanswer any question about magick is to rephrase the question tobe
about something mundane, and look at the answer, and then askwhy
the answer should be any dierent for magick.
So, how does one recognize an adept in a mundane art?
I nd it much easier to deal with specics than to deal
withquestions in the abstract, so I am thinking about four peopleI
know who are clearly adepts in !ery dierent mundane arts"a
watch#maker $mechanical%, a rock#climber $physical%, aprogrammer
$intellectual%, and a therapist $emotional%. &hatqualities do
these people seem to share?
$'% when faced with problems that seem to challenge neophytes,
they seem to automatically and eortlessly deal with them in simple
and eecti!e ways.
$(% when faced with comple) problems, they seem to quickly $and
with little thrashing% nd their way to the heart
of the matter.
$*% they predictably achie!e high quality results with seemingly
little strain, and e!en their informal and spontaneous eorts care
carried out with a high degree of skill and polish.
$+% their discussion of a wide range of e!ents andphenomenon is
illuminated by non#tri!ial insights
that deri!e from a mature and well integrated world !iew
$obtained from their art%.
$% they can successfully apply principles from their art to a
wide range of situations, but !ery seldom try to apply them where
they are not applicable.
$-% where!er they go, they see craftsmanship and beautyall
around them ... in places that you or I wouldne!er notice. If they
can e)press themsel!es well,they can enable others to see and
appreciate it as well.
$% they may take pride in their work, but they are under no
delusions about the e)tent of their abilities. /hey are more
interested in talking about the work than about themsel!es. /hey
are more interested in accomplishment than recognition.
$0% they take pride in their technique, but ha!e little trouble
admiring other techniques. /hey can nd
fault in e!en master performances, but they can also nd beauty
in what would seem to be totally
inept performances.
$1% their practice is a well integrated part of their
