So you want a pact?
Welcome to pacts 101. Grab a cup, make yourself comfy, and listen to my advice before anything else.
Before we start, let’s talk about “permanence”. What do you think it means? I could tell you pacts are permanent, but that doesn’t mean much unless we use a more specific point of reference in contrast to impermanence, in order to define this “permanence” thing. Don’t you agree?
If you’ve been following me already, you probably saw me mention that I believe nothing in the world is fixed or permanent. I’m a Buddhist after all. But this is a statement we shouldn’t oversimplify, or take at face value. It’s a lot more complex than it seems, and there is a lot of nuance in it which people don’t notice at first sight.
Let’s start with a random example, which is a bit of a tangent, but it will make things easier for you: I bet you’ve heard that “tattoos are permanent”. When people say that, they’re not talking about absolute permanence (which doesn’t exist); what they mean is “this previously uninked skin now has ink, and it won’t naturally go back to not having any ink during the course of the person’s life”. But does it mean a tattoo will forever stay the same? No. Designs “bleed” and become blurry with time, inks fade, change colour and shape over time; browse any discussion of aging tattoos and you’ll learn that. Hence, there is no absolute permanence. Hell, if human beings were immortal, maybe we could reach an age when a tattoo we got, Idk, 300 years ago, would be completely gone. The thing is, we don’t live that long. But there is no permanence. There is just an illusion of permanence.
Even after death, we decompose. Still on the silly example of tattoos (which has little to do with the main topic here, but bear with me…), perhaps a lot of people in Antiquity had them, but we have no way of knowing because they’re long dead and their corpses have almost completely decomposed by now, leaving us with only bones. Even after death, we change. There is no such thing as permanence. Some might think, “what about mummies” — well, they changed over time as well. It was just slower than normal, but make no mistake, their skin tissue will eventually be gone no matter how well we endeavour to preserve it. Go see them while you can.
So from the practical examples above, we can extrapolate one important conclusion:
Permanence only exists as a temporary illusion perceived by us in relation to our lifespans.
Or in other words, for dummies: we only think permanence is a thing because we’re impatient. Different things have different lifecycles, and just because something outlives you, that doesn’t make it permanent; but the illusion you have of permanence still affects your life in a very real way, and is still worth acknowledging.
This may sound like pedantism, but it’s an important thing to keep in mind. So, keep the above conclusion in mind as you read this article, because it’s crucial for you to read certain things between the lines, which would be too risky for me to simply state here. (And therefore this goes without saying: don’t ask me to confirm or deny anything you read between the lines here. If I could, I’d have stated them in the first place. Duh).
On to the 3 important considerations before you take any decision:
Consideration #1: Usually, a pact will outlive you.
Pay attention to this title. Every word matters. “Usually” is not the same as “always”.
Before anything: I am writing for believers. I am not here to convert anyone. Come on, don’t be a hypocrite: this article is very unlikely to be curated by Medium. If you found it at all, you were looking for it. So OWN it, or I’ll make you own that choice of yours in a more humiliating way. My time is too precious to waste with idiotic dick measuring contests, so if you force me into one, I’ll expose you and put you back in your deserved place. Proceed with that on your own peril. As always, don’t try me. My followers know that; the word of advice (a generous one at that, if I may say so) is for the random trolls.
Where was I? Ah, yes. A pact will outlive you. This has a lot of uncomfortable implications, doesn’t it? And I’m not even talking about the practical ones. I’m talking about the ones that TRULY hurt; the ones that force you to confront that good old fear of the unknown. Let’s face it: the afterlife is a big scary unknown.
Some of you may be triggered already. There are two very common reactions to this topic, both borne out of fear (don’t get all ruffled up; I have that same fear as well. I’m not criticising you. We’re both human. Relax). One common reaction is that of disbelief, sometimes accompanied by a very lame attempt to hide the fear with a façade of smugness: “Whoa, hahaha, you’re crazy! You believe crazy things! How ridiculous! *insert bullying attempt here*”. To these people, I usually remain serious and agree with them. “Yes”. It’s enough. They don’t truly believe their words; They’re just afraid to believe mine. It works like a charm.
The second reaction is what I call the friendly one. It comes from caring people who wouldn’t hurt a fly, but who are still afraid in exactly the same way as the bully (because they’re human. We went through that already, sweetheart. Don’t shoot the messenger). Here, instead of smugness, the façade that helps them hide the fear is one of understanding: they jump head first into full-blown belief. They wholeheartedly believe there IS an afterlife (usually in a twee narrative of “judgement day” and happily-ever-afters). Again, I’m not judging. It’s very difficult to face a fear head-on. The rose-tinted glasses are very justifiable, been-there-done-that as well, sis — but they exist, so we must address them.
Both of the extremes above are unhealthy. Pay attention: I did not say invalid. I said UNHEALTHY. I wouldn’t in a million years judge them; all I’m saying is they’ll chip away at you. They’re a danger to you. Not to me. I’m indifferent myself.
I said what I said because, at the end of the day, the afterlife is a mystery. When you smugly say it doesn’t exist, you’re not being truthful. When you kindly say it exists (and it exists so very much, and omg it’s wonderful! And… You get the picture), sorry, but you’re not being truthful either. That’s because, in this case, any act of “knowing” is not truthful. We do NOT know. Truth is in the uncertainty. Truth is in the unknown. We try to make it “known”, because then it will stop being unknown, and stop being scary… But it’s in vain.
Don’t worry, I didn’t just come here to scare you. Unfortunately, I needed to make you face the painful realisation above. If there was no need, I wouldn’t. I’m not sadic.
I needed to say it, because a pact is a contract you’re potentially getting into. And it’s only fair that we read the fine print. Essentially, in most cases, you’re agreeing to go into it blind, because you only know the clauses for “part 1” (aka, your lifetime). You don’t know what comes next, or how, or when. You don’t know how many parts it can have. This is a normal part of getting into a pact, regardless of Who is on the other side.
And here is the most mind-blowing thing: perhaps even the OTHER party to your pact will go through changes beyond Their control with time, and will have to adapt the pact to that, and you’ll perceive it as a betrayal when really it’s not… And on and on it goes. Can you agree to that? You don’t know, because you’ll have changed as well. Nothing is set in stone.
“But Lucy, doesn’t that imply reincarnation?”
A lot of people assume I’m just “afraid to admit” I believe in reincarnation. It’s amusing. I do in fact, and I don’t hide this belief — I just refuse to make a blanket statement of it as if it was a certainty and not a simple belief.
Because let’s face it — truth is in the unknown. A belief is a simple belief. Who knows if it’s correct, or even so, if it’s the full picture for every person ever. I mean… I talk to a deceased Pictish king. Surely he did not reincarnate?
You see, the problem people have with me, and I with them (because I like to make things mutual, haha) is in a bit of a disagreement around the idea of faith. They think faith must be radical, dogmatic, cold and hard, all-or-nothing (oh, the heaviness! The weight! My shoulders hurt already! make it stop!). I think that’s bullshit. Faith is a lighthearted thing; it doesn’t need to be a competition. If you’re turning it into a competition, or using yours to undermine others, that’s childish. Stop. Get some help.
So, no, sorry to disappoint — you won’t ever see me be like “we reincarnate! Ugh! Get that into your head dumbass!”. Hahaha… I’m more like: “reincarnation? Aye, that sounds possible. What else is possible, I wonder?” I invite you to be light as a feather. Come dance, it’s beautiful up here. Leave that heavy baggage on the ground.
Anyway, to answer the initial question: yes; but no. We could reincarnate to keep paying for a pact; but maybe we also don’t, and continue on it in another way, and one thing doesn’t negate the other. We’re just too simple-minded to understand it all.
That’s why pacts are risky. You’re agreeing to something beyond your limited human capability of comprehension.
So… are pacts wrong? Nah, who said that? We deal with a lot of daily things beyond our comprehension, and that doesn’t stop us from trying. For starters, viruses. Does anyone fully know how viruses work, or a fool-proof way to handle them? No. We just boost our immune system, and trust it. That doesn’t always work; But we’re giving it our best shot. I think that’s beautiful.
Consideration #2: different entities will have different lifespans.
I’m using “entity” as a category for gods, spirits, angels, demons, fairies, people, and animals alike. Tradition goes that if it has blood (material or not), you can make a pact with it. But just ’cause you can, it doesn’t mean you necessarily should.
Some of these are considered “immortal”. Haha, I’m pretty sure Neanderthals and even earlier humans thought the same about entities that have already died. The meaning of death can also be open to interpretation, but I won’t go on other philosophical tangents here.
By the way, a necessary warning: I’m saying all this, ASSUMING you’ve done your due diligence. If you’re confused about discernment in spirituality, message me. My email is public. I will not get into this merit here because it’d totally derail the post, but it goes without saying: ensure whoever you’re talking to is legit, and not pretending to be somebody else. For heaven’s sake. This is like spirituality 101, it’s useful beyond pacts. Blind trust is naive. Unverified gnosis is naive. Skipping public confirmations (aka, things that aren’t just in your head but others can also see) is naive. The world can AND WILL deceive you, especially so when you’re navigating the realms “beyond”. You could pay for immature carefree attitudes with your dear life.
Back on topic: let’s first consider an example that is easy to understand because it involves entities with a material body: humans and animals. Who lives the longest? Well, with rare exceptions (like tortoises and certain kinds of whale), we tend to outlive animals by quite a few decades. I’ve never heard of a pact with an animal, because frankly they’re the “weaker” link, which tends to be the one that pursues the pact; and they simply don’t want it with us. It could be their lack of human intellect (a decision like that couldn’t come from instinct alone), or if they don’t lack it, for some other reason. Remember: pacts imply consent, because they have 2 sides. If something has 1 side, it’s not a pact. But let’s pretend for a second it happened. How would it play out? Usually, it’s the longest living being who bears the burden of keeping the pact going for as long as it needs to go — because the other party physically can’t. And that’d be us. So… would you accept that burden willy nilly? With great power comes great responsibility.
An entity “mightier” than us humans won’t even enter into it with any random plain John or Jane unless there is a good ulterior motive. What do YOU have to offer? Usually, it’s service, for a good while.
With the above in mind, however uncomfortable it might be to admit (I mean, you don’t just get into pacts with an entity you’re indifferent about; you’re bound to be very VERY partial about Them and admire Them a lot, and resist the truth that They too have less-than-perfect sides): who is to say these entities, with a longer lifespan than ours, won’t USE us through the pacts we agree to? We’re essentially animals to Them. Think about it, long and carefully.
I’m not saying this to criticise Anyone; quite on the contrary, I have a lot of respect for the entities I work with. I’m saying this in order to prevent you from having a romanticised idea of pacts. And no, that’s not patronising: it’s very, very easy to fool yourself into romanticising them. They bring us some really nice benefits; But we must still be realistic and down-to-earth. Nothing comes for cheap.
“Oh, okay, so I should go for an entity with a shorter lifespan and less power?”
…Like a demon or something, some would ask.
Well. I won’t encourage or discourage anyone; I’m a strong believer in allowing people to make their own choices (and mistakes), because not everyone learns through theory alone. Personally, I don’t like demons. It’s not even for a moral reason, it’s for practical reasons: I’m not interested in the stuff They offer.
I’m not interested in getting into a pact — which, let’s repeat, will outlive me — in order to get easier access to things that will NOT outlive me, if you know what I mean. Money, fame, influence… yeah they’re nice during one life, but we don’t take them with us beyond the grave. It’s just not my cup of tea. As a good Capricorn, I like assets, not liabilities.
I won’t judge people who perhaps disagree, though. Maybe they have their own reasons for getting into such pacts. Indirectly, some people’s legacies live on. Maybe it’s worth it. I personally don’t like that, however.
That being said, there are some very real disadvantages to pacts with entities like gods, who are usually “nobler” of spirit (interpret it as you will). Although They aren’t interested in the mundane (so don’t try it for money or fame… It won’t happen), and will instead enter into pacts with human beings offering us a change of fate/“karma” or whatever, in exchange for, ya know, more control over humanity (although it really isn’t malicious. They’re nobler indeed)… this could have unwanted side effects. For instance, when you work THAT CLOSELY with a god, you lose some of your humanity in the perception of your peers (fellow humans) and it becomes harder and harder to relate to their “lesser” day-to-day issues. You’re in real danger of getting ostracised or just silently excluded by humanity — not for being objectively “bad”, but because of a perceived lack of relatability. That’s of course not a consequence that would happen overnight; it’s just in the excess. So please only enter into these pacts with caution and moderation.
People sense things. We have a sixth sense for a reason. Perhaps some are more sensitive, but we all have that gut feeling to some extent. You could keep your pact with a deity top secret, and everyone will still perceive something “off” in your energy.
And as we saw earlier, we tend to fear that which we don’t fully understand. Even if it isn’t, in fact, evil at all.
Consideration #3: you could be born with a pact.
This is not unheard of, and it’s one of the reasons why I don’t rule out reincarnation from the list of “afterlife possibilities”.
This is also the reason why, nope, not at all, take that idea off your head: a pact with a fellow human or spirit is NOT better than the other alternatives. At least Someone who lives longer can remind you of it. What do you do if both parties are clueless?
Say what you will — if you haven’t literally been through that, you won’t understand it. I’ve debated myself on whether or not to include it here; in the end I decided for it, and I’ll be dealing with any naysaying trolls. It could be relatable for somebody, and if so, I’m glad to help.
If pacts outlive us, then it’s pretty obvious that you could have started your life without consenting to a pact “you” made before that. I quote “you” because it could have been a different version of you — in case of reincarnation or multiverse or whatever; or just a family relation, or who knows how many other possibilities. Anyhow, here you are, and you have a pact you don’t remember having agreed to. Now what?
Well, first of all, if that is the case, you won’t be in doubt. I’m not exploring faint possibilities; nothing about a pact is subtle or faint. It will be CLEAR AS DAY to you already. If not, you’re not one of these people (hey, it’s a very small minority I’m talking about. Don’t force-fit shoes that aren’t yours). And by clear as day, I mean you’ve seen signs that most people would consider unthinkable or surreal: you dream of this entity and their symbols often since child (aka, ever since BEFORE you knew Who it is. So, dear nerds who once heard of Thor and now obsess over Him: no, don’t be relating to this, you’re not who I mean). You get suddenly “lucky” (to a crazy extent…) whenever you visit landmarks associated with that entity; you feel drawn to the HARD WORK They expect of you, even before connecting the dots about that (like, for instance, a child of Apollo in real life is not the famous guy who won all the music contests as a kid; it’s the average-looking guy who out of nowhere started seeing through people and pursuing the truth at all costs, even to their own detriment socially. Ditto for some war gods. Duty comes before the good stuff). So if you’re one of these people, you know. You won’t need my article to tell you; perhaps the only new thing to you will be the fact it could be a full-blown pact, and not just natural affinity with this entity.
Can an old pact be undone?
I wish the definite answer was “yes”, but I won’t create a delusion for anyone. I have an urge to be truthful at all times, it’s stronger than I.
There are grounds for believing that, in virtue of change, because consent no longer exists for both parties, it’s fair to get the pact from the past undone. But this will depend on Who you’re talking to. Not every entity takes kindly to that. And if They say “no”, that’s your answer. So, don’t assume you can always undo it. As easily as one entity could be kind enough to step out of an old pact with you “because you no longer consent”… Another could argue that you initially agreed to put the burden of decision on Their hands because They live longer than you. And that’s also true. It’s very strong grounds for saying “no”.
If it can’t be undone, not all is lost. Perhaps you can amend it, add to it, or pursue a pact with Someone else for balance. It all depends on the reason why you wish you didn’t have a pact. And in the end of the day, this old pact will eventually expire — you just don’t know when.
Of course all the info here is presented in a theoretical, abstract way, because I refrain from teaching practical stuff in public — you never know who could misuse that. And besides, I don’t know everything. But whatever you decide, choose wisely. I wish you the best of luck.
