GUIDO DE GIORGIO

THE ROMAN TRADITION

The Establishment of a Traditional Society

Priests The general lines that are given here about a society established along the nor s o! a tradition truly such" can serve as the odel and e#a $le !or leading the current %est to a nor ality that it has lac&ed !or 'uite so e ti e" (hich could" ho(ever" be gradually and $rudently restored (ithout great di!!iculties by the return to those $rinci$les and to that s$irituality o! thought and li!e that are indis$ensable to the very e#istence o! en) There!ore it is a 'uestion o! a general ty$e according to (hich Euro$e could be oriented and hence the (orld (ith the necessary ada$tations to change conditions o! li!e (hile avoiding a violent and radical dissolution that (ould *eo$ardi+e" through its ra$idity" the reintegration o! a nor al state) I! a return is $ossible" i! a recti!ication is still $ossible to save the (orld !ro s$iritual and aterial ruin" it entails a change o! direction that ust absolutely $roceed !ro the inner to the outer and not other(ise) ,irst o! all" s$iritual conviction o! a si ilar change is necessary" and this conviction ust be !ounded on a purely intellectual realization" i)e)" (ithout any senti ental in!iltration (hatsoever" o! $rinci$les that rule a traditional society" and" since it (ould be useless and childishly uto$ian to believe that the entire $eo$le and the asses can achieve it through an instant $rocess" it (ould be su!!icient that a !e( at the beginning (ould constitute a !or ative nucleus (ith an increasingly ore e!!icient o$erative irradiation leading u$ to the reintegration o! a nearly $er!ect !or ) These !e( (ould be ani ated by a single !orce" that o! truth" and guided by a single goal" that o! a&ing it triu $h" and not to give in to any concession to(ard onesel! o! others" but to beco e true and $ro$er centers o! salvation !or en isled and corru$ted by centuries-old errors) I! such en do e#ist" the return to nor ality (ould again be $ossible and the truth could still triu $h over ignorance) A change o! this ty$e entails the $ure and si $le re*ection o! all the $re*udices that have debased Euro$e !or centuries" o! all the errors that the Anti-tradition has been a assing !or hundreds o! years to corru$t
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thought and li!e" i $overishing the ind and $araly+ing those s$iritual !orces $ro oting the true and only good" the !ruition o! the Truth in a su$erhu an order (here it alone resides and (here it is necessary to have the courage and the strength to aintain it) These en could save Euro$e and the (orld" leading the $eo$le bac& into the great traditional channel" to(ard the light o! those $rinci$les that are the very basis o! e#istence) /ut a great energy is necessary to con'uer $essi is and s&e$ticis (hich are o$$osed to any reestablish ent on the one hand" and su$er!icial o$ti is " on the other" that considers a$ically reached that (hich is a si $le degree o! transition) Above all" great detach ent is necessary" strict intellectuality" the absolute absence o! that $seudoysticis so uch in style at the $resent ti e (here s$irituality and senti entality are e'uivalent" (here enthusias and !aith are $laced on the sa e level" (here the dar&est and ur&iest i $ulsiveness is believed to be an e#$ression o! strength" (here the e#ternal is not only e#cessive" but tends to destroy the internal" (here agenda &ills true develo$ ent" (here !inally all that is in!erior and illegiti ate is a!!ir ed (ith an i odesty (hich the (orld has never &no(n be!ore no( even in the ost acute $eriods o! decadence) /ut above all" great courage (ould be necessary in these en and a great !aith to con'uer so uch dar&ness o! ignorance" to brea& u$ so any !alse bridges" to !acilitate the return to the co $rehension o! the truth" to give bac& to thought its dignity and to li!e" its *usti!ication) Many currently in Euro$e are a(are o! the ud the (orld gets ired in every day" but their conviction is hal!-hearted and i $er!ect0 it is ore about a $essi istic and s&e$tical attitude than a true and $ro$er conviction) None o! those (ould be able to indicate the re edy or to sho( the (ay to return to true li!e" (hich" be!ore all else" recon!ir s the values o! the s$irit that are divine" but do not neglect the necessities o! e#istence" orienting the along the $urely traditional a#is) Every traditional society entails the organic allocation o! labor and the assign ent o! tas&s to various categories o! en ada$ted to their nature and their $ossibilities) Even currently" in the agonal state o! Euro$e and the (orld" this allocation e#ists" but it is !alse" arbitrary" unnatural" te $orary" not !ounded on traditional nor s" i)e)" according to a strictly and $urely hierarchical order that derives !ro the very eaning o! the
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ter 2hierarkhia3high $riest in Gree&4" (hose sacred character should not elude anyone) 5ince every tradition is sacred" the allocation o! labor ust be i $osed only !ro de!erence to the truth that is the divine order6 there!ore" the $riests (ould stand at the a$e# o! a traditional society" (ho are the bearers o! the divine order" the divine &no(ledge) %e could say Ascetics" but (e $re!er to $receding ter because it better highlights the $recise character o! the nature and the o!!ice assigned to the bearers o! su$ernatural truth) This caste includes those (ho do not $artici$ate in active li!e" (ho lac& every res$onsibility o! the $ro!ane" te $oral order and are the leaders o! traditional society" but in reality" through the very character o! their ission" occu$y a arginal $lace in res$ect to the $ractical act o! e#istences" but one that is central" deter inative and indicative !or the aintenance and the develo$ ent o! traditional society) They are the $oor o! God" the voluntary renouncers o! the (orld" the truth givers" the 5$irit lovers" the last because the !irst" (hose li!e is devoted to the reali+ation o! the great divine nor s that constitute the traditional body) No con!usion is $ossible regarding their nature and their issions (hich are o! a $urely s$iritual order" (ithout any (orldliness" e#tending into the $ure regions o! the 5$irit o! God (ho governs the (orld invisibly) 777 There!ore" they constitute the caste o! the invisible ones because their continuous" untiring" hidden action is o! the sacred s$iritual order and is s$ontaneously !ul!illed through the very !orce o! the soul" the $urity o! their li!e that ust be a rite" an o!!ering" a sacri!ice) %e insist $articularly on the character o! the $riestly caste to deter ine the odality o! the hierarchic $o(er and the e!!icacy o! the revelatory ission entrusted to the ) They are the leaders o! traditional society" but invisible leaders because the sacred &no(ledge o! (hich they are the de$ositaries is not a $urely dog atic syste nor a dead body" but a living" $erennial !ire that they ust nourish" living continuously in co union (ith the s$irit o! God" acting so that His truth is to(ering at its $ea&" in isolation !ro His $ro!ound virtue" in the active and e!!ective develo$ ent that only the conte $lative li!e allo(s to be
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reali+ed) They are the great her its and they descend a ong en" the bearers o! the graces o! the truth" but" even i! living in the (orld" they are really on the outside and do inate (hile not do inating" act (hile not acting" illu inating (ith their light" they save (ith their $resence" strengthen (ith their e#a $le) Their hierarchy and their organi+ation" the traditional ty$e to (hich they are tied" the value o! the character o! their ission are absolutely deter ined by their having !reely and consciously chosen not a career" not a $ro!ession" not a *ob" but the (ay o! God" that by leaving !ro God leads bac& to God" and o! having chosen it not only !or itsel!" but rather (ith the $recise tas& o! sho(ing it to all) They sacri!ice the selves and they sacri!ice0 it is re!lected care!ully in the value and in the i ense i $ortance o! these t(o e#$ressions (hen led bac& to the $recision o! their ety ological eaning 2sacri!ice3 a&e sacred4) The 9riests cannot not be sacred the selves" they cannot not a&e sacred everything that they touch and go near because they (ere born !or that" they (ere destined to that and their choice" in e bracing the holy inistry" is an absolute atch (ith the inherent $ossibilities o! their nature) They cannot deviate i! they are truly $riests" they cannot" i! they deviate" not !all into the lo(est ab*ection because they have betrayed God" they !ailed in their vo(s" and by ab*uring" they conta inated the selves and en) I! the value and the height o! the tas& entrusted to the 9riests is !i#ed and (ell understand" one (ill reach so e conclusions to (hich the odern (orld" having beco e anti-traditional" is no longer ca$able o! elevating itsel!) :et us outline one o! the ) 5ince the 9riests are the holders o! sacred &no(ledge and constitute the insu$$ressible base o! a truly traditional !oundation" they are to secure its nor ality" they are to aintain the unity (ith their invisible s$iritual hidden (or& and there!ore are res$onsible !or the general de!ection o! the traditional s$irit" because no one can !all i! the $riests the selves do not !all" no one can !ail i! the $riests the selves do not !ail" no one can be banned against the truth o! God i! the $riests do not betray it !irst" no one can corru$t the (orld i! they do not corru$t it !irst" abandoning their sacred ission !or the concerns o! the te $oral order" $assing !ro the
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conte $lative li!e !or (hich they are destined" to the active li!e that is not absolutely the $lace o! the develo$ ent o! their activity" (ith !alling short o! their caste" their obligations" and es$ecially the divine $rinci$les (hose radiating virtue they ust &ee$ intact) Ho( any are ca$able o! understanding ho( the current state of abjection is due to the defection of the priestly caste who are responsible for it because they alone" the 9riests" aintaining contact (ith the divine not only by eans o! their action over en" but above all (ith the constant reali+ation and e!!icacy o! their interior ascesis< =ust as God>s strength is ysterious and invisible" so is the 9riest>s occult and hidden0 conte $lating they act" !ul!illed in God" they (or& in the (orld" sacri!icing the selves they sacri!ice" $raying they save" although their ission is genuine and not the unholy $ro!anation o! God>s la(s) I! one can (ith absolute certainty i $ute to the the state o! current Euro$e" (hatever de!ection o! this caste" (hatever decadence o! hu anity is not attributable to the traditional !or to (hich they are reconnected and o! (hich they could be the authentic re$resentatives) Tradition is invulnerable" inviolable" unassailable" it is God>s truth and is &e$t intact because" even i! betrayed by His inisters" He al(ays !inds those (ho $reserve its sacred character" those (ho" a ong en not belonging to the $riestly caste" beco e its legiti ate and authori+ed carrier) And al ost al(ays those" $riests a ong en" carry out their ission ore dangerously than i! they belonged to the o!!icially recogni+ed caste" because they have to !ight against a $ro!ane !orce that tends to su$$ress the " that o! those (ho have betrayed the !aith" re$udiated tradition" abandoning the divine !or the hu an and the sacred !or the $ro!ane0 those are the !alse $riests (ho are no longer such" i)e)" holders o! sacred &no(ledge) Re!lect on the i $ortance o! (hat (e say" and you (ill be able to understand ho( the solitary Ascetics" those (ho (e (ill be able to call ?@ ABC 2the outside4" in all the $eriods o! decadence o! the $riestly caste" have &e$t alive the $erennial !ire o! tradition against the deceit" the hatred" calu ny o! those (ho !ailed in their ission) The sel!-establish ent o! ascetic grou$s outside the $riestly caste" the $resence o! Masters" i)e)" o! solitary Ascetics" in all the $eriod o! decadence is e#$lained $recisely by the abandon ent o! tradition by
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$arts o! those to (ho its de$osit (as entrusted" and the necessityEo! the divine order" (e insistEthat others see& to &ee$ contact bet(een an and God" $urging the sacred (ays o! the $ro!ane dross that the !alse $riests a assed" i)e)" the ost ungodly deniers o! the su$ernatural (orld) Dante docet F It is necessary" to avoid isunderstanding" to insist on the nature and character o! this de!inition" o! this conta ination that ta&es $lace in the a bit o! the $riestly caste in the $eriods o! decadence) The divine truths that constitute the sacred body o! tradition has a $urely eta$hysical" or transcendent" character0 they are su$erhu an" eternal" and to a$$roach the " it is there!ore absolutely necessary to $ass beyond the hu an condition and bring onesel! (ith the intellect into that s$here o! $ure actuality (here the divine reality is develo$ed beyond the do ain o! ,or s and Rhyth s in the silence o! its ine!!ability) ,aith $re$ares this transition !ro the hu an to the divine" in !act" it is its essential condition" that (hich cannot elude anyone through the ele entary analogy (ith so any hu an and contingent situations) It is necessary to believe that one &no(s" because one &no(s only by &no(ing that one can one &no( be!ore &no(ing" i)e)" be!ore having ac'uired the (isdo and having already co $leted the $assage !ro the hu an to the divine in order to do so that only the divine is) ,aith in (ho < In God" in the Master" so say all traditions that insist on this absolutely necessary condition !or the e!!ective reali+ation o! the divine) One believes in the truth be!ore reaching it" i)e)" be!ore being there and being it" and the intensity o! !aith is in direct relation (ith the e!!icacy o! the achieve ent) ,aith is there!ore the rail" the bridge" the isth us bet(een the hu an and the divine" bet(een (hat an is not and (hat he really is (hen he is no longer" (hen he sur$assed and $assed over !orever the hu an condition) /ut since this is the !ruit o! ignorance" !aith is the necessary condition !or the dis$ersal o! ignorance and the reaching o! (isdo ) It annuls every hu an li itation in an" abolishes individuality" o$ens all the $assages o! In!inite $ossibility" considers the chains as untied so that they are really so" it (or&s a ty$e o! $re$aratory radiation o! individual !aculties" because one believes in things other than onesel!" in
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the sacred te#t" in the hidden value o! the rite" in the inister" in the aster" in other (ords" in (hatever $asses beyond 'uotidian reality" the illusion o! the (orld ordinarily e#$erienced in the a bit o! all sensible and rational li itations" it denies resolutely the tangible (hole and a!!ir s an invisible reality) To have !aith eans to believe in (hat one does not yet &no(" one does not &no(" it is the ost noble and des$erate atte $t to bring onesel! !ace to !ace (ith the threshold o! ystery and to a!!ir that beyond it there is an uns$ea&able reality" that (hich is revealed) Even !or those (ho cannot $ass over this threshold" it is enor ously $ositive that they succeed in bringing the selves to the e#tre e li it connected to their strengths (ith an act o! !aith that lea$s over error" the visible $resence" the (orld and things" in one stro&e" to genu!lect in the !ace o! the Invisible 9resence" God and His Na es still concealed $recisely because they are absent" asserted" and believed and not &no(n) ,aith is there!ore su$erior to any hu an &no(ledge (hatsoever" to any con'uering activity o! the hu an alone" because it $asses beyond it" considers it as ancillary" negligible" negotiable" even nothing in the !ace o! the divine that it recogni+es as the invisible venerable root through its invisibility" real through its a$$arent unreality" divine e#actly because not hu an" not tangible" not discernible (ith the senses" and analy+able by reason" $laced in a s$here o! this the good ones" those (ho believe" (ill be able to en*oy" i! it (ill be $leasing to God" only a!ter the dissolution o! the hu an co $ound" i)e)" post mortem) ,aith (or&s this iracle that those (ho cannot reach by an o$erational e!!ort and a(are o! the threshold o! the divine" attain it (ith the ra$id and direct contact that can be !ecund (ith greater results0 co $ared to those (ho &no(" that are beyond the threshold" they !ind the selves very !ar" but co $ared to those (ho do not believe" to the s all en o! the s all (orld" the a!!ir ers o! the ini u in the ini u and lovers o! the shado(s" they are in a clearly $rivileged $osition because they are distant !ro *ust as !ar as the s$irit sur$asses the !lesh and intelligence sur$asses i becility) 777
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Those (ho are called IgeniusesJ by en o! today" so tied to the hu an to see the through the greatest irony" even the su$erhu an" enclosed as they are in hu an and terrestrial li itations" are greatly in!erior to the ost hu ble o! believers because they hy$ertro$hy a nothing" an and the (orld" and they a&e everything !ro this nothing" (hile the believers deny the nothing" an and the (orld" and rea!!ir it only $utting it bac& on God" i)e)" in the su$re e cause) Those (ho do not believe see the e!!ect se$arated !ro the cause" (hich is absurd" (hile those (ho believe see the e!!ect in the cause" (hich is con!or ed to truth0 those (ho &no( even abolish the e!!ect and this is the truth) Dee$ening this last $oint" one (ill be able to co e to understand" !irst o! all" the tri$le attitude o! an in the !ace o! the truth in accordance to (hat is subhu an" hu an or su$erhu an" and conse'uently the (ay in (hich the $rinci$le o! causality ust be considered in the transition !ro the $ro!ane to the sacred" !ro the hu an to the divine" according to (hat the sche a o! death" li!e" and liberation a&es o! it) This tri$le sche a can be ore crudely !or ulated in connection to these $ossibilities0 without God, with God, God) ,aith is there!ore the traditional base !or e#cellence since it is the necessary antici$ation o! the eans through (hich the $ath begins !ro the hu an to the divine and it resolutely builds a bridge that is !i#ed on the other shore (ithout seeing it but only &no(ing it as revealed0 tradition (or&s this !i#ation in the divine that constitutes !or the believers the invisible ubi consistam 2$lace to stand4" the !ulcru o! its elevation to the threshold o! ystery) %e note that God" $recisely because He is believed but not &no(n" is a!!ir ed in His dee$est reality" that o! the Un ani!ested 9rinci$le" and that si $le !aith $ronounces itsel! ore $ositively than (hat (ould a$$ear to a su$er!icial e#a ination" since by a!!ir ing the un&no(ability o! the destination" it ad its i $licitly that only a reali+ing &no(ledge can attain it (ith an e!!ective beco ing) This &no(ledge !ollo(s !aith" it $asses over the threshold o! the divine to carry onesel! into the sa e ystery) It is the ost interior $art o! the Te $le (here the sacri!ice is $er!or ed" that altar (here the 9riest resides)
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5o i! the (hole te $le constitutes the do ain o! the sacred and (e have the $ro!ane only outside o! it" in the te $le itsel! a ong the altar and the rest" there is a clean se$aration" and (hile the altar constitutes the active reali+ation o! the divine and there!ore it is the true do ain o! the sacred" the rest o! the church is reserved to those (ho are $resent at the sacri!ice" they $artici$ate in it" but do not perform it themselves" there!ore they are al(ays only the $ro!ane because there is a barrier bet(een the and the divine truth) This is the relationshi$ bet(een !aith and &no(ledge" bet(een the !aith!ul and the 9riests" bet(een those (ho only believe and those (ho &no( and should &no(" bet(een the throng o! the called and the and the ran& o! the elect" bet(een $assive love that genu!lects and $ulls bac& outside o! the sacred threshold and the active love that $er!or s the sacri!ice directly (ith a gesture that is a benediction" a voice that is o! God" an altar that is the very throne o! the Eternal) ,ro all that it is easy to reach this conclusion that the 9riests" as the bearers o! sacred &no(ledge" ust really $ossess it by eans o! a reali+ing &no(ledge in order to be able to $er!or on the altar the highest o! the sacri!ices" the divine sacri!ice" through (hich they strengthen the !aith" recon!ir it in its strength" and reach the ho$e that it can" by crossing the threshold" reach the s$here o! charitas" o! divine love) I! the 9riests do not attain this reali+ing &no(ledge" they are not such" they cannot be the sustainers o! Tradition" the $rinces o! a traditional society" those (ho aintain the contact bet(een the hu an and the divine in a $er anent current" (ho secure li!e and the *usti!ication o! li!e itsel!" $lacing it bac& in God) This is the true sin (hich a 9riest can incur" o! not having attained the reali+ing &no(ledge" o! $er!or ing a rite (ith &no(ing its value" e!!icacy" and eaning" o! not &no(ing" in other (ords" the sacred &no(ledge and o! reducing it to a si $le babbling o! the li$s or to an idle !or ulation that" in the sco$e o! reali+ing &no(ledge (hich should be that o! the 9riest" is an absurdity because the one !alling short $uts hi sel! beneath the believers" the $ro!ane a ong the $ro!ane and the $ro!aner a ong the $ro!aners) Tradition re ains untouched ho(ever" even in such a case" the
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intangible rite does not di inish the e!!icacy that it had on believers" on the !aith!ul" so e o! (ho can even substitute" i! not in !act" in a reality that even lea$s over the !act" the 9riest" $er!or ing !or the the rite and beco ing !or the the transient or $er anent de$osits o! God>s truth) I! this de!ection does not har Tradition in itsel!" it har s enor ously the basis o! a traditional society" it invalidates the $rinci$le o! authority that is absolutely necessary to the aintenance o! the t(o orders" the hu an and the divine" the $ro!ane and the sacred" that o! !aith and o! &no(ledge" o! those (ho believe and those (ho &no(" but (hat is ore serious" it gives rise to the priesthood of solitary Ascetics (ho" by God>s (ill" aintain the traditional secret (ith their (or& reserved to a inority" they sa!eguard it" they $rotect it against $ro!anations" and they end u$ being o$$osed by the $riestly class that !ears in then its sa e &no(ledge" that (hich they the selves abandoned and betrayed) These de$lorable clashes al(ays occurred at the e#$ense o! sacred &no(ledge" giving rise to u$heavals and con!licts o! every ty$e contrary to the aintenance o! traditional order) In a&ing the 9riests the de$ositaries o! sacred science in in considering so these various 'uestions" (e thin&ing o! a traditional !or that ore is ada$ted to nature and the s$irit o! the %est (here the sole ascetics should be the 9riests" (here they along should truly sa!eguard the traditional body reali+ing e!!ectively in itsel! the doctrine (ith the dee$ &no(ledge o! everything that constitutes the divine truth) The 9riests besides being de$rived o! real &no(ledge o! sacred things can also co e u$ short o! the decoru that is i $osed on their caste) The accusation o! i orality is too noted and too usual because one has to insist there" instead o! this (ere derived inco $rehensible devaluations o! tradition itsel!" (hich is truly absurd" giving rise to the sect" schis " heterodo#y) %e (ill i ediately and clearly say that the orality is !or &no(ledge and not the inverse and the $urely oral side o! a 'uestion o! any !act is the least act !or a&e it co $rehend and valued its eaning) The !irst and only sin is ignorance and one is res$onsible ore !or not &no(ing or $oorly &no(ing than to act evil) As to *udge conscience" (e do not believe that his is not only a very arduous and insolvable tas&" but directly a sacrilege" because !ro God alone and in the na e o! God consciences are *udged and (here it never
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than the so called ore *udg ents are given in God and in the na e o! God< One re!lects attentively that and one (ill see that only the !acts can be *udged in the custo ary $lace as the condition ca$able o! deter ining others and there!ore" i! har !ul" conde nable) There!ore (hat ust be *udged" conde ned" and $unished is the deed (hen it is visible" it is IactiveJ" it leads to i itation" it is the e#a $le" the seed o! other deeds" it corru$ts0 (hat ust be conde ned is scandal in all !or s" in all classes" and this is the healthy $rinci$le o! a truly traditional ethic that aintains the $rivilege o! the conscience in action as God>s $rivilege" and re$resses the in!raction not because the otives are conde ned" but to $revent the re$etition" the e#a $le) And since there is a vast range in the intensity o! the $ro$agation o! an o!!ense" i)e)" in the i ortality o! a deed" a truly civil society should ado$t all those natural" e#ternal" brutal" re$ressive easures that $unish" !ro the death $enalty u$ to the torture and !logging" but they do not judge" in beating the an" (hat he has that is the ost e#ternal" i)e)" the !lesh) A truly civil society" reado$ting all the old easures o! $hysical" out(ard coercion" returns to the truth o! the traditional river-bed" obeys scru$ulously God>s truth" and at the sa e ti e enriches the nu ber o! true" real reasons !or action" creating a ga e" an alternation" a reci$rocity bet(een the cri e and the $unish ent" !ruit!ul in sensations bene!icial to li!e" !ertile in e#$ansions and the sur$assing o! the brutal !act) Ma$ital $unish ent" the various ty$es o! torture $ublicly in!licted (ith their tragedy" are al(ays considerably e!!ective and instructive and they can even deter ine true sources o! $uri!ication" $ositive co $le#es" (hose i $ortance does not elude those (ho are e'ui$$ed (ith sense and truly constructive i agination and not esthetically and so!tly deviators) /ut there is another consideration o! a dee$er order0 the cri e has degrees integrally subordinated to hu an $assionate nature" i)e) to the dar&est co $le# that do inates ordinary en undis$utedly0 it is there!ore necessary that hierarchically or analogously $ro$ortionate $enalties corres$ond to these levels" $enalties deter inate by an i $ersonal *ustice that stri&es in the !lesh" abstracting !ro any e#$eri ental character0 thus only a re(ard and a recti!ication reaching a
1.

balance is established6 this is the indicator o! a true and $ro$er traditional society) The 9riests can and ust be bla ed only i! they !ail at their tas& through total or $artial inco $rehension o! traditional truths0 their e#istence" on the $urely e#terior side" i)e)" !ro the oral $oint o! vie(" is re$rehensible (hen it o!!ers atter !or scandal and then only i! they sub it to a tribunal that can be constituted only by en belonging to their caste) In !act !ro (hat has been said thus !ar" it results that real &no(ledge" i)e)" integrative and reali+ing" belongs to the conte $lative" and not the active li!e) The relationshi$ bet(een conte $lation and action is o! the greatest i $ortance !or the aintenance o! the traditional idea because their i balance constitutes a ru$ture" a hierarchical inversion" a veritable deviation that" $rolonged !or centuries" (as the origin o! the current ab*ection o! the %est) Monte $lation stands to action in the sa e relationshi$ as the divine to the hu an" the sacred to the $ro!ane" the eternal to the e$he eral" since their range is distinct and cleanly circu scribed by the t(o di!!erent ty$es o! activity) In conte $lation there is an activity o! a s$ecial order that is acco $lished in the eternal $lace" beyond ti e and s$ace in the s$here o! transcendent truths" in an a$$arent retreat and in an interiori+ation that in reality are a veritable translation !ro the hu an to the divine and a cancellation o! the hu an so that only the divine re ains in its absolute autono y) In this sense" conte $lation and revelation are synony s because the divine truth can be revealed only in an beco ing a te $le" i)e)" the re!uge itsel! o! the truth" the e $ty te $le o! hu anity !ounded on earth and elevated to heaven in a verticality sy bolically re!lecting the li!ting u$ o! all being to the totali+ation o! the higher states !or their inclusive and intensive integration) I! in the 9ri ordial Tradition the (orld itsel! (as the te $le" (ith the successive degeneration o! hu anity" the sacred enclosure (as established to se$arate the sacred !ro the $ro!ane and aintain the distinction bet(een the t(o orders in the (ay that the higher directs and guides the lo(er) The te $le is the sy bol and ore than a sy bol" it is the $lace o! $eace" o! absolute interiority (here" every individuality is
11

denied" annulled" or distanced !ro every hu an dross" the reali+ation o! the divine is acco $lished" the theo$hanic cycle o! all its e!!ective !ullness) %hoever conte $latesEand conte $lation is only o! the divine order" there!ore it ust be *udged absolutely ina$$ro$riate to any order" es$ecially to the esthetic order (hich is visibly in!eriorEnot only se$arates hi sel! !ro others" but !ro hi sel!" that (hich is the essential" and it e $ties his heart a&ing it the center o! his being (here the Invisible 9resence is ani!ested in a $rogressive irradiation (hose levels are (ithout end and constitute the hierarchy o! divine stages) This ter there!ore cannot be" nor ust be" a$$lied to another that is not the real" e!!ective achieve ent o! higher states not $assively gli $sed as though !ro the outside" but actively reali+ed in one>s interiority o! the great te $le (hich is the $uri!ied heart" cleansed" ade a rece$tacle o! light" the holy chalice (here the divine ystery is co $leted) Everything that is $urely and clearly hu anEli&e art in the $ro!ane sense and $hiloso$hy es$ecially in the odern eaningEis e#cluded !ro the conte $lative !ield that is the divine and not hu an li!e" reality and not illusion" truth and not ignorance) 9hiloso$hy that is an i $aired (isdo and art that is a $urely e#terior in!atuation !or their very degeneration" are e#cluded !ro conte $lative li!e and re$resent an arti!icial interstructure that the current ab*ection established bet(een conte $lation and action" s all s$urious (orld (here (ea&ness and i becility $roduced by the ignorance o! e#ternal things is de$leted) I! conte $lation is there!ore reserved to the 9riests (ho are the bearers o! divine (isdo " (hat (ill be the relationshi$ bet(een the conte $lative and active li!e< It is identical to that (hich rules the divine order and the hu an order0 the active li!e ust be oriented in accordance (ith a vision that can be deter ined only by those (ho live conte $latively" In !act" i! an and the (orld in the selves are nothing (hen se$arated !ro their cause and not $ut bac& in it" i)e)" in God" they ac'uire instead 'uite another eaning (hen they are integrated in the real order because they re$resent the sa e $lace (here one o! the divine $ossibilities is !ul!illed) Re!lect attentively on this0 the conte $lative li!e is a larger circle that includes in it a s aller one" the active li!e" the integration o! these t(o odes constitute the traditional unity) A!!ir ing
18

the su$eriority o! the conte $lative li!e" (e $ostulate the necessity o! the active li!e $rovided that the latter is included in it" i)e)" it re ains hierarchically subordinated in order to sha$e it and $rocure !or it all its o$erative e!!icacy) One" conte $lation" (or&s in the eternal" the other" action" (or&s in the e$he eral" (hich is the sy bol o! the eternal0 one" conte $lation" is the do ain o! the sacred" the other" action" is the do ain o! the $ro!ane that beco es sacred only i! it receives light !ro the !or er) To be ore e#$licit0 the conte $lative returning to li!e $ro$erly called" i)e)" to e#ternal e#istence" sees it under another as$ect" di!!erent !ro that o! the co on an" there!ore it is logical and natural that he see&s to consider it not as se$arate !ro the divine truth" but as e!!ective $re$aration !or that" the vestibule" the $re-$osition that rules and deter ines a !inal develo$ ent reali+ed only in the $lace o! $ure conte $lation) The har ony bet(een conte $lation and action is necessary !or the co $lete integration o! hu an $ossibilities so that an could be truly such" rich in every develo$ ent" *udge o! his o(n destiny" ca$able o! elevating hi sel! !ro earth to heaven in a $rogressive e#$ansion o! all his !aculties) /ut that is $ossible only i! conte $lation do inates action0 in the reverse case (e have the hierarchical revolution" the annul ent o! the traditional a#is" the i $overish ent o! an de asculini+ed" ade ugly" victi o! all those in!erior !orces on (hich he can have the u$$er hand only i! he is guided by the s$irit o! God) It is u$ to the 9riests" besides" to act so that the s$irit o! God reigns in the (orld and sustains the !orces o! an and truly digni!ies hi because an is everything (ith God" nothing (ithout God" and his action de$rived o! any traditional content is a gro$ing in the lo(er dar&ness" a (ic&ed shado( a ong (ic&ed shado(s" sterile bedroo activities 2fornicatoria4 that i $els hi !ro illusion to illusion" !ro error to error in the great detrital riverbed" the hellish" subhu an" ghostly" and le uric (orld) /ut i! instead the active li!e is regulated along the traditional a#is" as a rite" then all the a$$arent i balances are annulled (hile counterbalancing each other" all the varieties o! hu an es$ression and deviations are arranged and are resolved in an integrative ho ogeneity)
1;

It is necessary to insist on (hat en have co $letely !orgotten in the colla$se o! all traditional values0 the active li!e is so uch richer the ore it is subordinated to the conte $lative li!e" because in a truly traditional society there is an a $li!ication o! hu an $ossibilities" an in!initely ore !ertile develo$ ent o! their ost various activities" in the odern (orld" they are co $letely (asted) ,or a la( o! analogy that regulates the $arallelis o! the t(o orders" (e (ill say that the ore intense the conte $lative li!e is" the richer is the active li!e" as uch as God is e#alted" so uch ore is an valued" and that in a truly traditional society" everything $ro!ane is so ething sacred in fieri 2$ending4 and all aberrations are reco $osed in the e'uilibriu bet(een the divine and the hu an" love and hate" (isdo and ignorance" (ar and $eace" virtue and vice" good and evil" in a !ull" integral" oceanic con!luence" are har oni+ed" sur$assed" and t(inned" in the great traditional river-bed) /ut because this ta&es $lace" it is necessary !or the 9riests to truly be the su$re e club-bearers and that their li!e be $urely conte $lative" as the bearers o! divine truths" the great !ee en o! the eternity that they &ee$ (atch on the bastions o! ti e" inter ediaries bet(een the higher and lo(er (aters" bet(een the divine and the hu an" bet(een the cos ic and the hy$eruraniu 2(here the 9latonic ideas reside4" &no(ers o! the light that is the only light e anating !ro God) 777 Warriors In the active li!e" they are the bearers o! $o(er and there!ore constitute the second caste o! traditional society (hose duty is the aintenance o! activity guided by virtue) %e say $o(er only in the arena o! the active li!e because in the conte $lative li!e" true $o(er is ani!ested in its highest reality" !ro the invisible to the visible" !ro the divine to the hu an" and thus re$resents the su$re e authority that belongs to the $riestly caste) 9o(er in the active li!e is reali+ed by giving a sacred character to every ani!estation6 hierarchically organi+ed" the %arriors sacri!ice the selves in order to re ove the $urely contingent as$ect

1D

!ro hu an activity and to a&e it a &ind o! need that is acce$ted by consciously sacri!icing the selves !or the !ul!ill ent o! divine reality) They are the hosts o! the earth and choose the ost di!!icult $ath in it" &ee$ing the sanctity o! the intent unbro&en in the $ang o! the ost intense activity by virtue o! a continual ascesis that is a $uri!ication and a $re$aration !or glory) 5ince the %arriors reach glory that a&es the the victors o! the ti e in $er$etuity that is i ortali+ed !or ages and their na e is $reserved as the constant e#a $le o! sacri!ice) They choose to be victi s to a!!ir the victory o! an over death even (here death reigns0 voluntary and active victi s" arbiters o! their destiny" a(are o! the transience o! the !lesh and the $er$etuity o! their e#a $le) As everything $ivots on the conte $lative li!e !or the 9riests" so !or the %arriors everything is based on the active li!e because they constitute its su it and its la() In !act" the active cycle re!lects the conte $lative" and as the death o! the hu an is the $relude necessary to the !ruition o! higher states" so the %arrior lives in order to die in the a(areness that everything is vanity e#ce$t victory over death" (hich is also the seal o! glory) They obey a $urely interior disci$line that $uri!ies the $assions" e#alts the " and directs the to(ard a single end" the a!!ir ation o! $o(er in the intensive de$loy ent o! a !orce that acts aterially" but has its origin in the (orld o! Rhyth s) As the s$iritual and the noetic do inate in the 9riests" in the %arriors the $sychic do inates" the hidden net(or& o! Rhyth s that heighten hu an $ossibilities creating the heroic tur oil (hich" li&e a !la e" nurtures the great (arrior virtues) No one" ore that the %arrior" is averse to 5ilence" to the (orld o! the 5$irit" because he voluntarily chose the active li!e in its ost violent !or to set his strength against it" to de!eat it (ith his o(n violence" e#alting his hidden energies and carrying the Rhyth s to such a high tonality that it encroaches on the ,or s and bends the integrally" sur$assing the ) %e observe that this over!lo(ing o! strength cannot be absolutely e!!ective (ithout a true and $ro$er ascesis" a sel!-denial in every o ent !or sel!- assertion only in victories" unless this assertion has the as$ect o! rhetorical *ubilation" but rather it is li&e the blosso ing o! no( e'uali+ed (arrior virtues" recogni+ed in the !lo(er o! all the activity $recisely because sur$assed and triu $hant) %hile all other
1G

en co $ro ise" they are the intransigents" those (ho a&e the obstacle the $ri+e o! their strength" !or (hich the ce ent is the sancti!ication o! an0 they &no( that only death can $lacate the " so in con!ronting it" they esca$e it" and in esca$ing it" they con!ront it because it co es only (hen the $ea& o! $o(er is reached in the $ea& o! abandon ent) In this sense" $eace is their (ar and (ar is their $eace) They are a$$ointed by the 9riests (ho sanction the the sacred character o! their activity (ith the rite" (hich is uni'uely directed to sel!-sacri!ice as an o!!ering o! all o! the active li!e on the threshold o! conte $lation" a sacri!icial $urge o! the e#istence that is continued even a!ter death" and even a!ter death) %hile the conte $lative death that is !aced by the 9riests can neither be seen nor understood by the asses o! en (ho" as (e said" believe but do not &no(" they do get a gli $se o!" but do not understand" the degrees o! integrative &no(ledge" (hile the death !aced by the %arriors is visible to all6 it re!lects" in an active $lace" the !or er and is carried out" analogically li&e the !or er" (ith a sacri!ice (hose value !or en is as uch higher as it is ore a$$arent) /ut (hile this sacri!ice is !i#ed $lastically !or the asses that relive it in its ost cons$icuous $hases" its secret rhyth and inti ate character elude the ) In the %arrior the active li!e asserts itsel! by e#alting itsel! and in the !ierce heroic heat" it denies itsel!0 in !act" the !orce that ani ates the %arrior is love in its ost destructive ca$acity and devotion in its ost constructive !or 0 love and devotion constitute the (arrior cycle (hich is that o! triu $hant virility) %hile &no(ledge do inates !or the 9riests" !or the %arriors" love do inates" because all their strength is a ty$e o! o!!ering in a continuous dissatis!action that is satis!ied only (ith death) %hile they cannot &no( the divine (orld" they love it and tend to it" cli bing over hu an li itations (ith a constant overco ing o! Rhyth s over ,or " o! the $sychic over the organic that it sustains" it increases a hundred!old the resistance to the obstacle and the !orce that sur$ass it" establishing a !or idable aura o! secret !lashes that the ancients sy boli+ed (ith the real" but invisible" divine assistance o! the heroes) The ,or s" in heroic action" undergo a greater or lesser in!lection in accordance (ith the intensity o! the Rhyth s that a&e the *u $" by
1H

encroaching on the " re$lacing the " !ringing the " so to say" (ith an i $recision that a&es the ore inde!inable" (hile the %arrior hi sel! is dragged" a(are only o! the sancti!y o! his sacri!ice" in an al(ays ore over(hel ing tur oil that is cro(ned" (hile !illing u$ (ith death) /ut (e can say here that love de!eats death as glory de!eats ti e" not in the absolute sense that is reali+ed only through the &no(ledge and in the &no(ledge (hich dissolves every duality in the integral !ul!ill ent o! the divine) It is necessary no( to s$ea& o! the great and the s all (ar to $recise the t(o !ields o! active conte $lation and heroic activity) a&e

The Great %ar is the develo$ ent o! the being in the sur$assing o! hu an conditions that are !irst con!ronted and then sur$assed" destroyed" trans!or ed" and resolved only in the divine s$here0 the ene y to de!eat is the an (ho ust be struc& centrally in hi sel!0 the !ield o! action is his o(n heart that ust be e $tied o! every dross0 victory is that o! truth over ignorance" o! divine reality over cos ic and hu an illusion that is dis$ersed (ith the reali+ing &no(ledge *ust as the !og brea&s u$ in the sun (ithout residue" and that (hich disa$$ears had never e#isted in reality) Nictory in the Great %ar is Divine 5olitude" the decisive su it o! every ascesis (here nothing re ains e#ce$t $ure aseity and (hat in Hi is absolute ine!!ability) The starting $oint o! the Great %ar is the non-duality o! the hu an and the divine0 the destination is divine unity0 but since (hat vanishes is not a reality but only ignorance" once this is dis$ersed" only (hat al(ays (as re ains" that cannot be said o! the transient" but only and uni'uely o! the eternal) No( this victory" (hich is the only real and de!initive victory o! :i!e over death" (hich" !or si $li!ication" (e say call the resolute $ea&" (hile in the reality o! its develo$ ent it is ani!ested as a di!!icult co $le#ity o! states" it re'uires such a concentrated !orce" a tas& so resolute o! the (hole being (ho ust be trans!igured in a succession o! $rogressive reali+ations" !ro being able to be $roduced only in e#ternally !avorable conditions" not that these are the necessary $rinci$le" but $ractically they beco e so) Hence" the isolation o! the Te $le !or the $riest" o! the re ote $lace !or the ascetic" the her itage and !inally an ense ble o! conditions that !avor and !acilitate this (hich
1K

is the highest and the holiest o! all rites" the ost heroic o! all actions" and the ost $er!ect o! all tas&s" the &illing o! an in the :a( o! God" the real abandon ent o! Rhyth s and ,or s dissolving in the allness o! 5ilence) No( evidently (hatever ty$e o! action is contrary to a si ilar achieve ent" and every rhyth ust be reco $osed" every (hirl(ind assuaged !or the achieve ent o! the Great 9eace that is the true Nictory o! the Great %ar) The ene ies to de!eat in !act are so nu erous" so terri!ying" the dangers to avoid" the states to revive so re$etitive and successive" that only the integral cessation o! every activity can a&e victory $ossible) It is about sur$assing the hu an and the cos ic in all their !or s and in all their rhyth s" to re a&e the creative $rocess in the reverse $ath" to lead to (here God !or ed an (ith His breath" to be able to initiate the $aradisiacal cycle) This is the odel barely noticed !or the Great %ar that constitutes the traditional secret" the sacred de$osit held in trust by those (ho &no(" i)e)" the 9riests) One can understand !ro that ho( uch this caste sur$asses all the others and is not" al ost the truth" a caste" but a true and $ro$er su$ercaste" because o! its absolute $ree inence) Thus its su$re e authority" its consecrating" legiti ating $o(er" the de$endence o! the three castes on it" the *usti!ication o! their e#istence" because nothing that is acco $lished by en has value in reality i! it is not sealed by the divine s$irit) No( the %arriors the selves are consecrated by the 9riests" nor can they not be" (ithout ceasing to belong to their caste since the (ar that they !ight ust re$resent a reduced version o! the Great %ar in order to be legiti ate" it ust lose" i)e)" the e#ternal character and con'uer a dee$ eaning that *usti!ies its attain ent) The %arriors there!ore sub it the selves to an inner disci$line" to a true and $ro$er ascesis that (ill consist in their de$assionali+ation so that by &illing" they &no( ho( to &ill the selves" by de!eating" to de!eat one the selves sel!" by considering the ene ies as victi s" in the sacred sense" and not as !lesh !ro the slaughterhouse" by res$ecting the as the selves" by $assing over the carnage (ith the love that redee s" over the conta inations (ith the $urity that *usti!ies" over death" and over atrocity o! death (ith the consciousness that nothing can die because nothing can be born" only the eternal e#isting in its inaccessible reality)
.L

777 The 5 all %ar ac'uires a dee$ ascetic signi!icance and i $oses on the caste" only to (hich it is reserved" not slight sur$assings that have" as (e said" love and devotion !or its !oundation) The %arrior is guided by his love !or the Divine 9rinci$le that is close to hi " al ost accessible and even distinct" in (hich he centers hi sel! (hen the heroic $ea& ha$$ens and the con!luence o! Rhyth s generates the su$re e $assion" that o! dedication to God o! the carnage0 then a su$er-action o! the nor al hu an !aculties o$erates" that ada$t" raising hi sel! in the highest develo$ ent o! the consu ing !ire and the %arrior beco es the great sacri!icer" the victimarius" and the ba$tis o! blood is a catharsis that rene(s hi " !reeing hi (ith his violence !ro hu an brutality" redee ing hi as in a $uri!ying basin 2E# 1L01H4 that cleanses horror (ith $iety at every death) 9iety in !act $ushes hi to sacri!ice o! hi sel! and o! the ene ies in each one o! (hich he catches sight o! his o(n e!!igy6 in the clash o! a !ight" he see&s to beat bac& the resurgent duality" the terrible IthouJ" the shado( o! hi sel!" the eye that loo&s as&ance at hi " the hand and the ar that threaten hi " the love in (hich his o(n love is irrored" the IotherJ (ho bloc&s his vision o! the 5u$re e Unity) He &ills and gets &illed in the na e o! God" in the na e o! God he de!ends his lord and his land since his (ea$ons are blessed and he is invested *ust as his lord is" and his country is the $lace !i#ed by God !or the con'uest o! heaven" the su$$ort" the base o! his ascension" and he ust de!end it in order to &ee$ God>s la( in the (orld" as long as the ene y does not de$rive hi o! God by snatching his land" ho e" te $le) His caste is the guardian o! sovereign $o(er in (hich the virtues are co bined" that (hen entirely !ollo(ed" lead an to the Edenic !ruition" restoring his eternal and original country to hi " (hose necessary starting $oint is this land) The &ing and the country are ade sacred by the radiant vision o! divine Glory since in loving it" the (arrior loves God" and in $rotecting it" he de!ends God>s $ossession) Note that the reali+ation by eans o! (arrior ascesis is al(ays indirect" (hile the $riestly ascesis is direct or !inal0 the !or er is acco $lished through the (orld o! Rhyth s" the latter in the 5ilence" the !or er re ains in duality" the latter reaching unity !ro non-duality) This
.1

di!!erence is essential and eli inates (hatever arbitrary reduction that (ould subvert the traditional order) The (arrior caste obeys its o(n la( that is *usti!ied only through a higher la( (hich" originating in the divine" e#tends it) In !act" i! the 9ri ordial Tradition is ta&en as the starting $oint" the castes are reduced to *ust one" that o! the 9riests" nor is it $ut there !or others because in this stage only the conte $lative (ay e#ists (hich e#cludes any action0 there is no caste in reality in the 9ri ordial Tradition in (hich human unity is reali+ed in its ost absolute e#$ression) The Oing here is the high $riest and one can s$ea& o! regality only in the sense o! cognitive absoluteness) /ut in successive traditional !or s" the distribution o! hu an $ossibilities is necessarily carried out" because (e are already in a greater state o! decadence and co $le#ity through (hich li!e assu es a internal and e#ternal double as$ect6 in this stage" the $riestly class assu es an absolute $osition that $uts it bac& in the 9ri ordial Tradition" that o! the %arriors is internal in res$ect to the $urely e#terior %or&ers but" considering the (hole tradition in its tri$le as$ect o! 5ilence" Rhyth " and ,or s (hich corres$ond to the 9riests" %arriors" and %or&ers" the second caste occu$ies an inter ediate $osition o! e'uilibriu bet(een the t(o e#tre es and serves to aintain the traditional unity because its attribute is $o(er) Re$resenting the traditional boundary circularly li&e a !orti!ied city" (e (ill say that the center" the Te $le" corres$onds to the $riestly caste" the $eri$hery" i)e)" the ra $arts" to the %arrior Maste" (hile the (or&ers re ain in the iddle) Monsidering such relationshi$" the %arrior caste occu$ies the ost dangerous $lace in the traditional de!ense" the one ost e#$osed and" i! one understands the value o! this de$iction in relation (ith (hat has been said" the %arriors are the lords o! Rhyth s and the art that is ost a$$ro$riate to the is Magic) %hoever is ca$able o! re!lection (ill understand (ithout di!!iculty ho(" this caste living in the $aro#ys o! action" ust necessarily be involved in the (ave o! hidden !orces that are unleashed es$ecially (hen the rhyth o! the active li!e is intense" so that the (arrior ascesis has as its $rinci$le goal the &no(ledge o! the (orld o! Rhyth s" o! the la(s that govern it" and the de!ense !ro the tra$s o! the !ield o! shado(s) That a$$ears ore clearly to those (ho consider (ith attention li!e and the
..

(or& o! the great con'uerors (here one easily sees ho( aterially in!initesi al ele ents have engendered inevitable i balances) %hat is true !or every an is doubly so !or the %arriors (ho live intensely in order to con!ront the ost terrible ene ies" those (ho are invisibly close to us and o! (hich the visible ene ies re$resent a ty$e o! aterial du$licate) 5$ea&ing o! this caste (e i $licitly asserted the necessity o! (ar" but not less i $licitly (e asserted the need that it is uni'uely entrusted to the true and $ro$er %arriors that they have the legiti ate use o! it) No( as one does not beco e a $riest" so one does not beco e a (arrior" and the conta ination o! castes has un!ortunately $roduced the current degradation since" (ith de ocratic leveling" introductions o! every ty$e have ta&en $lace" distorting the traditional order and engendering the !all o! a truly civil society) A return to nor ality (or&ed (ith discern ent" $rogression" and easure (ould $er it the restoration o! the sole and true hierarchy in the attributions o! caste con!or ed to the nature o! an" to his $ossibilities" and to the e!!ective develo$ ent o! his ore s$eci!ically $roductive activities) The (arrior is the ascetic o! the active li!e and hits disci$line is $urely interior0 (hoever cannot &ill hi sel! (ill never be able to &ill or" better said" in &illing he (ill $ro!ane li!e and death because his cause is not holy) No( a an &ills hi sel! by his o(n hand or (ith the sancti!ied ar in a (ay that the ene y is visible and close" other(ise a true assassination is acco $lished and not an act o! $uri!ication) I! (ar" as (e said" is *usti!ied only as the sy bol o! the Great %ar" it is inconceivable that the battle be not !ocused" !aith!ul" o$en" !rontal" because only by &no(ing onesel! can one do inate hi sel! and only in seeing his o(n ene y can he be sur$assed (ithout the battle and the carnage having the bestial character o! the battle and anony ous" unholy" and sacrilegious carnage) I! one is ca$able o! develo$ing all the as$ects o! the 'uestion (hen $laced in its true light" one understands that (ar ust be ade by (arriors and not by the entire de ocratically leveled $eo$le and violently carried bac& in great con!licts to the state o! savage des$eration0 it !ollo(s !ro it that (ar ust be nor ally conducted an to an and" in its ost ty$ical e#$ression" brought bac& to the $reli inary dis$ute" to the duel)
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%e said that the %arrior caste is !ounded on a dualistic base that the :atin ter duellum" the ancient !or o! bellum" e#$resses (ith $er!ect obviousness0 (ar is the e#$ression o! this !unda ental duality o! (hich love and hateEthe latter reducible" i! you re!lect on it (ell" to loveE re$resent t(o e#tre es0 in the event a traditional restoration is $roduced" (hich is di!!icult but not i $ossible" and (hich" in every (ay" only odern devirili+ation can gravely obstruct (ith its t(o ost ty$ical e#$ressions" $essi is and s&e$ticis " (ar should be led bac& to its !i#ed nor ali+ing !unction" i)e)" to e#ist $er anently !or the single caste o! the %arriors) The duel that so called civil society o! the %est" barbarous in reality" re$udiated (ith satanic thoughtlessness (hile they turn current con!licts into a hellish ga e o! achines that (or& the !oolish and ost ungodly destruction" (ould be the essential condition o! the return to nor ality in case it (as led bac& to its natural" s$ontaneous" i)e)" e!!ective" !or and not to that odern $arody that stands to the duel as the courtier stands to the &night) I! nor al ar s (ere only in the hands o! the %arriors" the duel (ould ta&e bac& its traditional value and (ould constitute the custo ary standard training o! the caste" develo$ing the sense o! honor that has no( !aded in the heart o! en) The duel (ith cold (ea$ons 2arma bianca4 is the ost noble" the $urest" the highest e#$ression o! the (arrior caste because it establishes a reci$rocity o! !orce" honor" and love in t(o en con!ronting each other" (ho are saved by &illing each other and sancti!y the selves by being &illed) One observes that duality re ains be!ore and a!ter0 be!ore li!e against li!e" a!ter li!e in the !ace o! death) And this duality is $recisely the $er anent indication o! the (arrior caste and is the basis o! its $ur$ose) %ar in a traditional society is the a $li!ication o! the duel" but other !actors intervene0 !a ily" country" lord) It should have led bac& to nor ality" li ited to the only caste that can do it (ithout involving entire $eo$les" (or&ing that chaos that co $ro ises the very e#istence o! a civili+ation) /rought bac& to clarity" the brutality o! the ancient (ars" although circu scribed and deli ited" should be" i! not $er anent at least !re'uent" giving that acceleration necessary to the rhyth o! li!e that a&es it dee$er and ore !ertile !or revelation) Modern (arsEand !or us" this I odernityJ lasts !or centuriesEare the
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$roducts o! the de ocratic degeneration that has leveled hu anity substituting !or the %arrior caste a !ictitious hierarchy in ti es o! $eace" even chaotic in ti es o! con!lict (hen every citi+en ust beco e (hat he never (as" i)e)" a soldier) The soldier obeys e#ternal disci$line (hile the (arrior obeys the inner0 the (arrior is al(ays a (arrior" the soldier can occasionally beco e a (arrior through !orce" not by choice or by natural inclination) /ut there is a ore i $ortant consideration) The %arrior is the re!usal o! senti entality and a ong the ancients it did not e#ist0 only odern degeneration has created through the onstrosity o! de ocratic con!licts the ro anticis o! (ar" because in these con!licts in (hich all the $eo$le $artici$ate" there are only ediocre (arriors" (hile the ass is constituted by a ty$e o! hu an gelatin that tre bles (ith $athetic oscillations at every t(isting that violates his nature) Instead" (ar reduced to lesser $ro$ortions" but (ith a ore intense and ore !re'uent rhyth " because it is entrusted only to en and not to achines" to %arriors and not to other castes" (ould be an indis$ensable ele ent o! a !ull and !ecund li!e i! led bac& to the traditional ty$e" i)e)" sancti!ied by the rectitude o! causes that (ould give rise to it) Its deli itation (ould constitute a $er anent and nor al base o! the activity to $araly+e by no eans all the $eo$le" but to intensi!y the rhyth o! the active li!e (ith a continual contribution o! strong and decisive re!le#es) 777 The return to nor ality restores the $eo$le>s strength established o! the %arrior caste (hich abides by love and (hose sacri!ice" di!!erent !ro that o! the 9riests" co $rises an ascent o! $sychic energies oriented in the direction o! heroic glori!ication) As action is subordinated to conte $lation" so the (arrior is subordinated to the $riest" (ithout ho(ever this subordination e'uali+ing or con!using the t(o do ains that are autono ous and se$arated and (hich constitute the s$iritual authority and te $oral $o(er) These t(o *urisdictions are as cleanly se$arated and distinct as eternity is !ro ti e" there!ore the t(o do ains are un ista&able through the i $ossibility or reducing the !irst to the second or o! e#tending the second to a&e it corres$ond to the !irst" since the eternal cannot be contained in the transient" nor can the transient cease to be such and to coincide (ith the eternal) This only
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consideration su!!ices to sho( that the te $oral regi ent is inde$endent o! the s$iritual (ithout ho(ever o$$osing it in any (ay" but rather in $arallel turning to itsel! u$ to (hat is the aintenance o! traditional unity that contains the both together and har oni+es the ) I! in the $ri itive $hase o! $er!ection" (ith li!e being only conte $lative" (e can ac&no(ledge a true unity o! develo$ ent oriented to(ard $urely s$iritual ends" this is not $ossible in the subse'uent traditional !or s (here action a$$ears i ediately ne#t to conte $lation" te $oral activity ne#t to the s$iritual" !ro (hich arises the se$aration o! the t(o do ains) /ut this se$aration is necessary !or the $urity o! the ends to (hich activity and conte $lation tend0 a !usion or an over$o(ering in $art by one o! these *urisdictions (ould constitute a true ano aly because it (ould con!use the divine (ith the hu an" the s$iritual (ith the te $oral" the sacred (ith the $ro!ane (ithout reaching any $ro!itable result) %hen (e s$o&e o! subordination (e eant it only hierarchically" i)e)" !ro the uni'ue" traditional $oint o! vie( that e braces and contains the conte $lative li!e and the active li!e0 in this sense one cannot esca$e anyone that the te $oral is subordinated to the s$iritual as and in the sa e easure that the hu an is subordinated to the divine !ro (hich it derives" and the e#istence and the *usti!ication o! e#istence) The 9riest consecrates the %arrior and arranges that his action returns to the traditional s$here" but in his s$here the %arrior is autono ous and he neither can nor ust collide (ith the 9riest since his activity does not o$$ose the s$iritual activity carried out in the boso o! the !irst caste) In a traditional society every dis$ute bet(een the te $oral and the s$iritual is resolved in the unity the enco $asses the 6 i!" in !act" there is con!lict" this ust uni'uely be ascribed to the te $orary deviation o! one or t(o do ains due to essentially individual" and there!ore uni $ortant" !actors) As long as the 9riest re ains $riest and the %arrior" (arrior" no con!lict is $ossible because each one o! the (ill understand he belongs to a s$here (hose activity is clearly se$arated and distinct0 this &no(ledge" this a(areness" ust guarantee the har ony bet(een the te $oral and
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the s$iritual) /ut (henever" through co $le# circu stances that are not al(ays easily discernible" a serious con!lict bet(een the t(o $o(ers ay ha$$en" it is necessary to co e bac& to the $rinci$les that sa!eguard traditional unity and then they (ill be resolved hierarchically in the seat o! $ure s$irituality to recti!y the deviations and annul the de!lections that can be $roduced by one side or the other" (ith leading the t(o castes and there!ore the t(o $o(ers each bac& to its o(n do ain) The eli ination o! the $urely individual !actors (ill $roduce the $lacation o! the dis$ute" because un!ortunately these (ill ta&e $lace only through the sur$assing o! certain $ersonalities (ho res$ectively brea& the la( and the nor (hich regulate activity and establish the li its o! the t(o castes) The relationshi$ bet(een the t(o $o(ers is very delicate and the develo$ ent o! Euro$e sho(s ho( o!ten the dis$utes bet(een the s$iritual and the te $oral have assu ed i ense $ro$ortions u$ to the $oint o! beco ing outright hostility) There is a reason !or all that0 the i $er!ect reali+ation o! the traditional unity" that ust be ascribed to the de!ection o! the $riestly class (hich can al(ays a&e its authority atter" (ith (ell understood s$iritual eans" $rovided they don>t distance the selves !ro sacred &no(ledge and in this" it only de ands the de!ense o! the highest values o! the s$irit) The te $oral cannot under ine and di inish the eternal" and there!ore the te $oral $o(er" in any (ay (hatsoever and by (hatever eans" (ill not be able to har the s$iritual authority (hich (ill al(ays &no( ho(" (hen it (ishes" to (ithdra( !ro the (orld and allo( it to deteriorate because it is de$rived o! divine hel$) Re!lect very attentively on that in order to understand (hat is ha$$ening in Euro$e and in the (orld) Nevertheless the bearers o! sacred &no(ledge ust at all cost aintain contact (ith traditional $rinci$les and undergo (hatever duress" sub it to any violation" in order to continue to save en by getting the bac& in touch (ith the eternal) The s$iritual authority asserts itsel! (ith 'uite other eans than those (ith (hich the te $oral $o(er asserts itsel! and (e thin& that" in case o! con!lict" through o$$ressive or destructive that is the deviation and the over$o(ering o! the te $oral $o(er" the s$iritual authority (ill al(ays have the u$$er hand" i! it obstinately re ains in its do ain and does not descend into o$en battle (ith the
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te $oral on the terrain o! activity $ro$erly assigned that is not absolutely o! its s$here) %e thin& instead that as uch as it (ill stay in its do ain" so uch ore e!!ective (ill its o(n (or& be because there!ore" as (as said (ith the greatest absoluteness" it assu es its authority !ro God and not !ro the (orld" and its strength" nourishing itsel! !ervently on the divine" (ill not be able to triu $h over hidden dangers" inco $rehensions" su$$ressions" and a$$arent colla$se) /ecause i! in addition the deviation o! the te $oral $o(er assu es such $ro$ortions by beco ing absolutely anti-traditional and sacrilegious and the %arriors" !orgetting the selves" insulting the $rinci$le o! love" (hich is the !oundation o! their e#istence" (ere e#ceeding their de$lorable actions" co $ressive o! every traditional s$irituality" &no( that nothing can touch" $ro!ane" and be ad itted to God>s Truth that is not God hi sel! and that also the ruin o! the (orld (ould leave $er$etually together the 5ilence or (here the divine ystery un!olds) /ut (e are convinced that the dis$ute bet(een the t(o $o(ers is al ost al(ays due to a re ote deviation in the very heart o! traditional unity and above all in the $riestly caste (hose e bers have o!ten !orgotten (hat is their only and great strength0 sanctity) %henever the s$iritual authority" (ithout any concession to the $ro!ane" ta&es u$ its true !unction" the aintenance o! God>s truth in the (orld !or its salvation" and the 9riests" (ho are its bearers" ay not !ail in their tas& (hich is conte $lation and not action" e!!ective reali+ing &no(ledge and not $ure e#ternal" literal science o! holy things" the traditional unity (ould har oniously include the t(o distinct $o(ers" but in $arallel tending to(ard a single end" the return o! an to God" through ti e" into eternity) The te $oral $o(er in !act" o! (hich the %arriors are the bearers" o!!ers as ter s the reali+ation o! the divine through ti e" in a concert o! all the !aculties tuned by their o(n e'uilibriu ) Until no(" in regard to this caste" (e have s$o&en o! (ar" but it is no( necessary to consider the $ositive as$ect o! (ar" i)e)" $eace) %ar is an i balance that $roduces a balance (hich in its turn is bro&en through the inter ittent character o! hu an a!!airs0 but i! one considers that in analogy (ith the s$irit (hose
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do ain is eternity" (ar a$$ears as a rene(al" a $uri!ication" radical e endation" !ollo(ed by the achieve ent o! a state o! absolute and $er anent $aci!ication that re$resents the !ruition o! beatitude) As uch as e'uilibriu is su$erior to dise'uilibriu " so $eace is su$erior to (ar o! (hich it is the cro(ning achieve ent) No consideration o! aesthetic order ay conta inate the vision o! the truth in the seat o! $ure s$irituality) The %arrior yearns !or $eace since his (ar is holy only i! it leads to a $er anent and de!initive $eace) %ar re$resents the ger inative su!!ering" and $eace" the !lo(er and the coronal !ruit) I! inter ittence is a ty$e o! destiny o! hu an and te $oral a!!airs" it ust never be considered as a cyclic la( on the $art o! the %arriors and the :eader" eaning to say by that" that each (ar ust be co $leted !or the end o! the dise'uilibriu and the reali+ation o! $eace) That inter ittence e#ists" but it does not a&e la(" this is the !oundation o! the right and healthy develo$ ent o! te $oral $o(er) I!" as (e said" (ar is in analogy (ith the Great %ar that re$resents the $er anent con'uest o! the divine" it ust tend to $eace and this ust be the true and holy goal o! the %arriors0 only a so!t and su$er!icial esthetic" ignorant o! the $ro!ound truths o! certain analogies and the sy bolic relationshi$ bet(een the te $oral and the eternal can consider (ar as the end in itsel!" a s$astic state" !ascinating !or its o(n ano aly6 only (hen true $eace is not reali+ed" can the nostalgia o! (ar be !elt" this very dubious senti ent o! order because it belongs to the $urely senti ental s$here) In order to $revent this ano aly" it (ould be necessary to avoid" above all else" the (ars that are not decisive" considering the as i $er!ect actions" true and $ro$er $er anent crises that contribute to the cru bling o! traditional societies) %hat has ha$$ened and is ha$$ening in Euro$e ust be considered under this light and then one (ill understand the gravity o! the current situation in (hich" through the con!usion o! castes" through consenting to an absolutely bestial de ocratic leveling" the detach ent o! the hu an !ro the divine ta&es $lace and there!ore the very end o! an is $re$ared) %hen (e s$ea& o! the end" (e ean the true and $ro$er end that is certainly not that o! the !lesh" as every $erson gi!ted (ith the
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ost ele entary good sense can co $rehend" but the s$iritual ruin" the colla$se o! those bridge that connect the (orld to the 5u$er(orld" o! (hich !ollo(s the instantaneous !or ation o! the hidden (ays that connect the earth to the dar&ness o! the Under(orld) I! hu anity does not (ant to beco e an i ense and sterile hell" it is necessary that it brings bac& the great traditional (ays by (hich only (ill ne( bases be !ound !or ne( develo$ ents) The %arriors ust $artici$ate (ith the 9riests !or the restoration o! order because these t(o castes are the bases o! traditional unity0 !ro their concordant action everything can be ade s ooth" the one being the bearers o! sacred &no(ledge" i)e)" o! (isdo " the other the *udges o! $o(er6 the one" i! you (ill" the club bearers" the others the !asces bearers) The har ony o! the s$iritual and the te $oral can rebalance the (orld against all $essi is s and s&e$ticis so acute and stu$idly brayers o! the current ti es6 in no ode (ill be reali+ed a $er anent arrange ent o! the (orld (ithout the coo$eration o! the s$iritual authority and the te $oral $o(er because the return to nor ality ust be e!!ectuated !ro above to belo(" !ro the higher to the lo(er" and not the other (ay around) ,or centuries the asses !lounder in bestial tu ults and (ill still !lounder as long as the 9riests and the %arriors $er it it0 that i! these t(o castes !eel the enor ous (eight o! their res$onsibility and have the a(areness o! their res$ective do ains and their true obligations" no one could $revent the restoration o! traditional unity" the ne( e'uilibriu that (ould reo$en the great $assage(ay to eternity !or the glory o! God in heaven and the $eace o! en on earth)

Translated by Cologero Salvo

5OURME0 GORNAHOOR)NET

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