Magic 501: Consequences
It is often said in vodou that accountability and responsibility are a fundamental part of being a vodouizan.
No one believes it until they run into consequences, which might as well be a statement of how ‘old’ or experienced their soul is.
A child is always surprised by consequences. A child believes that how it was is how it will always be, that there’s no really harsh consequences which can apply to them. A child thinks they can hide from consequence, avoid it, or somehow just get off because they are who they are/know who they know.
An teen knows that consequences are a part of life, as is change. They hate it, and are dragged along by the current reluctantly, kicking and whining the whole time. They get some benefit of change, but their resistance to it cheats them of deeper benefits and they make the same stupid mistakes over and over because they refuse to learn.
An adult can flow with change and understands that consequences are not so much cruel as a tool in learning. An adult will look at a situation, recognize the potential consequences, and opt not to experience the ones they don’t have to experience, but will acknowledge it when they’re experiencing consequences they earned. They will also spend little to no time resisting consequences they’ve earned, and will usually spend little to no time resisting change. They get the most benefit out of consequence and change, in part because it means that they avoid negative consequences and in part because they both learn to avoid the mistake and to avoid similar mistakes.
They’re paying attention.
I am spending a lot of time right now reminding people that all actions have consequences. This a part of the job of a mambo and a godparent—ensuring that actions have consequences and reminding people that there is a relationship between what they do and what happens to them. People do not get given a godparent because they start out adults. We get the job of raising adults out of children and teens in adult bodies.
If you are one of my godchildren, you should know I will get growth out of you one way or the other. The amount of discomfort that involves is entirely up to you.
