Will and Whim

Do What Thou Wilt Shall be the Whole of the Law.
I had mentioned in an earlier post that Will is often contrasted with Whim. I would like to expand on that idea since it is one of the most prevalent misunderstandings about Thelema.
Almost every question I hear about Thelema is, "How does doing whatever you want qualify as a philosophy?" The answer to that, is that is doesn't. The Will in Thelema is the "true self" or the "higher self." It is the divine spark within you that must be nurtured, and strengthened. This is one part of Thelema that reminds me of esoteric Christianity in that, like a priest or nun, you must give up your earthly desires for the Will of God or the Divine Will. The "true Will" in Thelema is the same idea, you let go of your false ego and earthly desires to ready yourself to embody the divine, and to serve a higher purpose. The higher purpose is often enlightenment, or illumination, and by becoming enlightened and illuminated you will spread that light throughout the world.
 Whim is usually used to contrasted Will, because it is almost the opposite of it. Most of the time, it is your whim that dictates your actions, whether consciously or sub-consciously. The whim will serve the false ego, or the aspects of our self that crave gratification. The whim seeks distraction from the discontent of existence almost constantly. It is a device of the mind to convince ourselves our consciousness is the "end all" and "be all" of existence. But, eventually you will reach a point where the emptiness is never satisfied.
The Will encompasses the aspects of the higher self. When you do your Will, you do only the things that are of necessity to your existence, and things that will bring you closer to illumination, and you do nothing else. When you do your Will, there is no time to worry about what other people are doing, or thinking. There is no time to waste on fruitless endeavors, or distractions. This is no easy task, and I will admit to faltering on this all the time, but its reward is inner-peace, illumination, and wisdom. By seeking and doing your true Will, you will eventually become a more effective person, and one who is happier, and more fulfilled.
There are many books and essays on this subject, anyone who is interested in the idea is advised to read the articles of these links. They are to a website with a multitude of information regarding Thelema.

"Each person as a star with a Will"

 "The positive and negative aspects of the Will"

 There are also several quotes on this website that could elucidate the idea of "True Will."

Love is the Law, Love Under Will.