Far Away and Distant One – The Dalek as Black Brother

FAR AWAY AND DISTANT ONE -
THE DALEK AS BLACK BROTHER

By R. Jenkinson

The Daleks , a familiar sight on our television screens throughout the decades spanning the 1960s to 1980s as part of the popular series, Dr Who, have recently made an appearance in the new series starring Christopher Eccleston and Billy Piper (in an episode entitled simply Dalek).
My purpose here is to draw an obvious analogy between the ideas surrounding the Dalek concept and the type of occultist/esoteroist described by Crowley and others as a Black Brother (or Sister)- one who (put simply), has shut him/herself up(1), i.e. has failed the tests of initiation (and ultimately the tests of the Abyss) not in the obvious way of simple ineptititude or lack of ability in magick, but by particular spiritual/moral inadequacy (manifested as a choice), which prevents him or her from stepping beyond their own ego personality and realising the essential oneness of themselves and others (and, in fact, of all existence). But, I also want to suggest a way in which this Dalek personality can be redeemed.
Of course, the concept of the dark side was an obvious archetype, long before Jungian psychology even coined the term, and it is a common theme in much popular culture/science fiction (e.g. in the continuing Star Wars saga in which the Sith and Jedi obviously represent the two pillars of the Tree of Life, or Ying and Yang, and Darth Vadar, Daath or Daat in Kabalah) and to what extent, Terry Nation, himself (creator of the Daleks) possessed any kind of knowledge of occultisim or spiritual psychology is unclear. I believe, however, that the whole Dalek concept, particularly the ideas behind the recent Dr. Who episode by Robert Shearman,constitutes a remarkably good analogy for the entire Shut Up/Black Brother idea.
In the Dr Who story arc, the Daleks were supposed to be the remnants of the Kaled (an acronym of Dalek) people – an alien race mutated by centuries of nuclear war, as well as the genetic experiments of their creator, Davros (the greatest of the Kaled scientists) into an ameoba-like beings, devoid of all emotions (Although, in fact, the episode entitled, Genisis of the Dalek in which Davros was introduced, appeared after the name Dalek was coined. The word Dalek actually means, Far Away and Distant One). Furthermore, the Daleks are encased in metal armour and, in the new episode, Dalek at least, have the ability to raise shields and deflect incoming bullets etc.
Now this idea of a strong armour or protection, together with the theme of emotionlessness,( or rather of emotional protection), clearly chimes in with a number of obvious concepts, both in conventional and spiritual psychology. Also (specifically in Thelema), there is a link to be made here between this idea of armoured invulnerability and the Nietzchean or Sanine(2) ubermench or superman which influenced Crowley. Yet Hirsig,- amongst others, attested to there being something fundamentally weak about Crowley, just as the Dalek hides its vulnerability behind shields and armour (Crowley himself attests to this when he states that Magik, and the powers which accompany it, is all too often the recourse of weaklings seeking in Magick an escape from reality(3).
Also, this constant talk of, sealing auras, protection, banishing, one-pointedness and emotional control etc., (which all who are involved in the sphere of Magick can attest to) suggest that almost any feeling coming from outside (whatever that might mean)is some kind of contamination, again (it could be argued) suspiciously resemble the Dalek attitude.
Of course, I do not want to suggest that all practices involving emotional cleansing and protection are in error, far from it (and techniques of one pointedness a long respected and magickal history), only that when taken to excess (and when taken for the ultimate aim of magickal/mystical endeavour in the great work, which they surely are not) then danger looms and one must look for deeper problems/past pain and unresolved issues within the personality (which necessitate this fear of emotion) before further progress in the great work can be attempted.
This is all perfectly illustrated in the Dalek episode, when the eponoymous being, the last Dalek, is being held and tortured in the underground museum of an insane future collector of alian artefacts. The Dalek states to the Doctor’s new assistant, Rose, played by Billie Piper (when she shows it compassion), that she is the first person ever to have shown it kindness and, in fact, the creatures armour is shown as partially stripped away, exposing something of its inside to hurt (i.e. the karma of reaction, of setting out to gain control over others, encourages others to be threated in return and to attack us, whether psychomagickly or otherwise).
The Dalek uses Roses compassion against her, however, as (when she touches its armoured shell), it uses her DNA to regenerate itself, healing its armour and raising shields (in other words, it reinforces its ego by what is called in Magick a vampiric method). This would appear to indicate the idea of emotional non-attachment, yet the episode is not yet over.
The Dalek goes on to display its many powers – its genius, as the Doctor remarks – in absorbing vast amounts of information, opening doors, flying, deflecting bullets etc.- in other words; the ishatvan as they are known in the east, the legendary powers which come from the left hand path and distract from enlightenment which are the aim of those who have (as Crowley states) trampled love in the search for self-aggrandisement(4).
The Doctor describeds the Daleks as, the ultimate ethnic cleansers and again, analogies have been drawn here with Nietzschean ideas and with fascism – the Daleks exterminate all who oppose, psychologically threaten them, and from the last Daleks point of view it has good reason to do so ,for (as the torture scene attests), the Dalek reflects one who (like Crowley, and many who are attracted to magik) has been psychologically hurt or damaged by life.
Turning to the money-obsessed, millionaire collecter, however, the Doctor points out that the Dalek is more honest than you! i.e. the Dalek/Black Brother, who hates honestly is being truer to him or herself than those who use power, (magick), for mere material gain (low or results magick).
Soon, the Dalek realises that it is the last of its race (previous Dr Who episodes starring Jon Pertwee, had featured a cataclysmic battle between the Time Lords and Daleks and there were even, as in Dalek Wars and the Dalek Empire radio series, battles between different Dalek factions in a similar way to the manner in which different magickal factions, (e.g. the Caliphate and Typhonian OTO}, fight or squabble amongst themselves), Far Away And Distant from any other being – from being itself, in fact. It absorbs and uses many of the things around it, not only Rose’s compassion, but also knowledge, i.e. of the internet and the electrical power of the US electrical grid. As the Kabbalistic philosopher, Martin Buber states of the ego (cut off from self or God/being) the ego occupies himself with his my; my manner, my race, my works of genius and he sets himself apart from everything else and tries to possess as much as possible by means of experience and use. – Furthermore, he knows himself as subject, but this subject can only appropriate as much as he wants to, it will never gain any substance; it remains like a point, functional, that which experiences, that which uses, nothing more(5)
But the time of reckoning is coming for the Dalek, for its encounter with compassion has changed irrevocably what lies beneath its psychic armour. Just as in witchcraft, it is said that, if you want to bring something closer to you, then return what you have of it or combining two forces creates a third (in other words the law of attraction). Rose’s compassion, and the Dalek’s inner being have combined and created a new alchemical factor; for the Dalek is changing and mutating (and it will return Rose’s kindness).
I say inner self(unconsious) rather than higher self, for I believe that the Dalek concept reflects the mistaken belief of some adepts that the inner hidden thing beneath the armour (ego) is, in fact, the angel.
In some ways, this relates to the difference between the higher self, in terms of the soul (second triangle of the tree) as opposed to the unviersal spirit (the supernal triangle). The angel above the abyss, which the last Dalek is about to encounter. The mistaken belief above is, in fact, described by Micheal staley as, a reflection of the innate tendancy to cling to a cherished identity and in more personal terms, to seek refuge in the ghetto of individuality.(6)
Even to see the Dalek as one who has attained his higher self in Tipereth is, most likely in error. Though, from the point of view of the personality or persona (mask or ego) of the first triangle of the tree, Tipereth appears as Din (i.e. Geburah dominated) or judgment, Tipereth, in fact, represents a balance (between Geburah and hesed), just as Daath (and indeed Kether, itself) does higher up the tree and it also represents loving kindness.
Many who (like the Dalek), have suffered from various forms of physical of psychical damage in the past, leading to neuroses and complexes and destructive behaviour patterns- report that below their mask or personality, they actually feel that they consist of a kind of hurt or damaged creature; a tiny wounded thing, similar in fact to the remanent of the Kaled inside the Dalek’s armoured shell.
At the end of the Dr Who episode Dalek however, the Dalek finally opens itself up fully to reveal this hidden being. I am afraid, Rose Tyler, it says,- but what is it afraid of?
What you are afraid of is losing all your armour, your protection against being really hurt,(7) writes Robin Norwood (a therapist but also an esotherosist inspired by the works of the Theosphoist and Kabbalist, Alice Bailey) of the higher selfforming then emerging from behind its armour, in one of her famous self-help books.
But, in a sense, it is too late for the Dalek, he can no longer shut himself up as he did in his previous encounter with and I/Thou (as Buber would call it) relationship, an encounter, in fact, with being (his own higher self or God, the eternal Thou).
For the Dalek has reached the impasse of the initiation known as that of the abyss, the point of dissolution of the individual ego, and non-ego is surely not the same as non-attachment in the sense that is often meant, i.e. psychical armour (this is, in fact, the very mistake the Dalek makes- as Buber says, egos appear by setting themselves apart from other egos, persons appear by entering into relation with other persons(8). In other words self is dissolved not in negation, but in relationship.
The Dalek does not know what it is becoming, what it is changing into. In fact, it fears it is dying. Give me the order, give me the order to die, Rose Tyler, it says. However, as Buber said, if this recollection of ones falling off of the deactualised and the actual I (i.e. ego conscious and unconscious and higher self) were permitted to reach down to the roots that man calls despair and from which self-destruction and rebirth grows, this would be the beginning of the return,(9) i.e. the death of the ego and the beginning of personhood.
Likewise, Crowley writes, The path is beyond life and death, but it is also beyond love, but ye know not, for ye know not love.(10)
Therefore, the way is not the love of self (ego) or even of any higher self in the erroneous sense of a mere individual will, but rather it is the dissolution of that binding (prana) which holds the illusory self together and which cannot be permited to cross the barrier of the abyss, which allows only the unity reflected by the unshattered supernals.
The Dalek, like the Black Brother, knew power, but knew not love yet, through its relationship with Rose it came to know compassion, which allowed it to expose its fragmented and disunified emotions which it hid behind its armour (ego). It gave up its blood to the cup.
For Crowley, himself, who achieved great things in magik and mysticism actually said of the mistaken love of the great work as power, I, myself, was at first attracted to it in this way, just as in Shamanic cultures there is the concept of the wounded healer and in alchemy the notion of the philosopher’s stone emerging from dross. Thus, even the Black Brother can achieve anatma, the union of all phenomena which Crowley as (for at least part of his life) a Buddhist, knew was the true aim of the great work, rather than any limited self-hood.
Rose orders the Dalek to die, but this death is a rebirth, just as the mere grain of dust, freed of its armour, is re-enclosed in the pearl-like sphere of the Sephirah Binah (and ultimately Kether) the Dalek is enveloped in a shiney orb.
As Robin Norwood writes, our fear is that without borders (in our relationships with others and with the world) we will dissolve,(11)but the Dalek does just this.
Finally, it disappears into a single point, but not the flat and meaningless nodal point of non-relation, but the return, the singularity. The Dalek has crossed the abyss to Kether and Ayin Soph,- limitless.

(1) see Magick in theory and practice (A.Crowley,castle books,1991) ,p.192

(2)a Russian version of the sexual superman;hero of the novel by Artibashyev.

(3) see Magick,ibid,p11.

(4)Magick,ibid,p192

(5) I and Thou,(T&T Clark,1970),p.114.

(6) see the heart of Thelema on the web site of Grants OTO,-http://homepage.sunrise.ch/mysunrise/prkoneing/staley/staley4.htm

(7) Women who love too much(Arrow books ltd,1986)p.238.

(8) Buber, I and Thou ibid p.112.

(9) Ibid,p.110

(10)Magik,ibid,p.431.

(11) Robin Norwood(ibid),p224