The Reset Button

The second Core Value of the UAoS is “Perseverance in the face of opposition,” which comes from the Narrative of Ba’al. While we as Satanists face opposition from a predominantly Judeo-Christian religious society, at least in the Western world, we share an enemy with many of our detractors: the daily grind. In fact, the daily grind is probably the bigger enemy for most. Unless you are among the financially elite, there is probably a good chance that you work for a living. Whether you have a boss or are your own boss (which means all of your customers are your bosses), you probably owe something to a banking institution or maybe just need to eat every once in a while.

Some of you may be fortunate enough to do whatever the hell you want to do whenever you want to do it, but statistically this is not the case. You’ve got to be responsible, roll up your sleeves, and go about providing a needed good or service for society.

And that can be mentally and physically exhausting.

Even doing work that you love can be taxing on your mind and body. There was a time when nothing could provide greater joy to me than performing theater, but after each performance I barely had the energy to walk and talk. Then I became so accustomed to the run of a show that, once the show was over, I didn’t know what to do with all of my excess energy. I was practically bouncing off the walls.

I recommend that you find a way to rejuvenate yourself, to hit the reset button after the great, gray beast of everyday life has mauled you for showing up to the office.

The secret, I believe, to perseverance has more to do with healthfully maintaining your energy levels than tensing up to bare down on every challenge that you face. I’m not going to tell you how to do that, because that’s something you have to figure out on your own, but I do suggest that you think in terms of looking for ways to constantly hit the reset button when taking on a challenge.

Hail perseverance! Hail Satan!