“The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing.”

“The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing.” – Stephen Covey

I was reminded of this quote yesterday during a consult when the client gave it to me as a summary of what I was trying to tell them in far too many words. The simple rule has been a useful guide during my career in magic because over the last 30 years there have been many times where the main thing has been set aside because other opportunities came up or offers were made that were kind of adjacent to the main thing, but led further away from it. Some examples:

In 1994 I joined the OTO to meet more magical people, which I did. As time went on the order started to push the religious angle more, and I have never had a particular interest in Crowley as a religious prophet or philosopher.  It was tempting to keep going along with it though. There is something about there simply being a next degree that makes you want to take it. This impulse is doubled if your social circle is doing it too. But the more I stayed in, the more I felt like my main thing was being set aside for someone else’s main thing.

In 1999 I headed off to Nepal with the intent of following in the footsteps of my mentor John Myrdhin Reynolds (Lama Vajranatha) and become a translator and Lama. I had also received encouragement from Chokyi Nyima to enter his Shedra that was literally across the street from where I was living. The main thing with me however has always been magic, and while either path would involve magic, it would not be the main thing.  Saying no to the Shedra was easy. Telling John, who I have known since my teens, that I would not be making yearly trips to Nepal and that I was going widen my focus again to include non-Tibetan magic was a lot harder, but it had to be done. Even though I had someone personally instructing me in the language (which I have zero gift for) and the ritual (which I DO have gift for), I felt like I was betraying the main thing if framed that entirely in Vajrayana.

Whatever it is that got you hooked: that is very likely the main thing. Try and keep it the main thing.

Were you interested in Spells, but soon found yourself secretary of a coven that does hardly any magic? Keep the main thing the main thing.

Did you want to study the psychic potential of the mind, but instead got involved in a new age cult? Keep the main thing the main thing.

Were hoping to speak with the spirits and learn the secrets of the universe, but instead speak with administrators and have learned the secret handshakes? Keep the main thing the main thing.

Thats it.

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