Magic Monday

[ecosophia]

It's getting on for midnight, so we can proceed with a new Magic Monday. Ask me anything about occultism and I'll do my best to answer it. With certain exceptions, any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer. Please note:  Any question received after then will not get an answer, and in fact will just be deleted. I've been getting an increasing number of people trying to post after these are closed, so will have to draw a harder line than before.) If you're in a hurry, or suspect you may be the 143,916th person to ask a question, please check out the very rough version 1.0 of The Magic Monday FAQ here. Also: I will not be putting through or answering any more questions about practicing magic around children. I've answered those in simple declarative sentences in the FAQ. If you read the FAQ and don't think your question has been answered, read it again. If that doesn't help, consider remedial reading classes; yes, it really is as simple and straightforward as the FAQ says. 

The image? I've decided to trace, as far as I can, my own occult lineage in photos. We're still tracing Juliet Ashley's end of the lineage. Three weeks ago I posted an image of her fourth teacher, Arthur Edward Waite, the Golden Dawn alumnus who passed onto her the rituals that became the foundation for the Fellowship of the Hermetic Rose. Waite, in turn, got his knowledge from the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Over the last two weeks I posted two of those founders, and here's the third, usually neglected figure in that lineage, Moina Mathers. She was the sister of the French philosopher Henri Bergson, author of Creative Evolution. A capable occultist as well as a talented artist, she wads the first person initiated into the Golden Dawn, became one of its leading members, married Samuel Mathers, and remained the head of one of the surviving branches of the Order until her death in 1928. She was an extremely influential figure in early 20th century occultism, and several other lines we'll be tracing lead back to her.

I've had several people ask about tipping me for answers here, and though I certainly don't require that I won't turn it down. You can use the link above to access my online tip jar:  PayPal for now, but that'll be replaced by a couple of other options shortly. If you're interested in political and economic astrology, or simply prefer to use a subscription service to support your favorite authors, you can find my Patreon page here and my SubscribeStar page here. 

 

I've also had quite a few people over the years ask me where they should buy my books, and here's the answer. Bookshop.org is an alternative online bookstore that supports local bookstores and authors, which a certain gargantuan corporation doesn't, and I now have a shop there, which you can check out here. Please consider patronizing it if you'd like to purchase any of my books online.

And don't forget to look up your Pangalactic New Age Soul Signature at CosmicOom.com. 

***This Magic Monday is now closed. See you next week!***

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I don't have a question, but I have two updates on things from prior Magic Mondays:

a) I was also the person who speculated about the possibility that new planets change the laws of physics on the material plane, and have collected a decent amount of evidence to suggest the possibility needs to be considered. One of the core reasons for stating this is the number of biological theories which emerged in the era when Ceres was a planet, and were quickly discredited afterwards. The usual narrative is that these were efforts to explain the world based on incomplete and inaccurate data that was subsequently determined to be false, but the primary evidence from the era suggests the possibility that the scientists, such as Lamarck, were not wrong, but observing a natural world that worked differently. Given the focus of Ceres on wilderness, it makes abundant sense that much of her effect would be in the natural world; and biology in particular among the sciences seemed to be describing a different world during the Romantic Era than before or after.

There was also “Romantic Chemistry” and “Romantic Medicine”, both of which shared the same temporal limits with the broader Romantic Movement, and both of which included claims of techniques and results which were, based on the thought of both before and after the era, as well as experiments and research done later, impossible.

Additionally, looking into the luminiferous aether reveals a weird pattern, whereby there was always some evidence for it, but it was never conclusive; there were always experiments which seemed to provide evidence for it, always others which seemed to refute it, and others which were inconclusive. Given that this is the exact pattern with Vulcan, it seems to suggest a link, and provide further evidence for the natural world changing with planets.

Finally, there's also the radical shifts in how the world was viewed when Uranus and Neptune were discovered, but determining whether or not these were shifts in how we saw the world, or the world itself is a challenge, while the evidence that some natural laws changed during the eras when Ceres was a planet, and when Vulcan was thought by some to exist provides a way to test these possibilities.

(Yes, I'm currently in the process of more research, and writing a book on this topic)

b) A while back, you suggested that metal music is Uranian, in response to someone else asking about certain Plutonian aspects of the genre. It's hit me, as a metal fan, that metal is both Uranian and Plutonian. Metal was born in the late 1960s, and until 2006 displayed all the hallmarks of a Plutonian Phenomena: an obsession with sex and violence; a division between the performances and recordings (such that very often they sound like different songs); an obsession with abstract work and a disregard for what worked; and the whole nine yards.

This started to change shortly after 2006, and now I think you're right metal is a Uranian phenomena, but I think it started out as a Plutonian one, and that a sizable fraction of the metal music from before it made this shift will be utterly incomprehensible to people in the near future. In fact, I think we can already see this happening, as a lot of people who enjoy the genre now look back at earlier metal music and simply cannot understand what they once saw in it; or people with strong Uranian influences, such as myself, get drawn to a genre that we once could not stand as it shifts towards a new planetary influence.

[ecosophia]

Thank you for both of these! I'll look forward to reading your book -- the entire subject of the astrology of planetary discovery and downgrading needs more research than I have time to give it.

Hermitix on Steiner and Weber, Celtic-Germanic Myth Comparisons

[jprussell]

Good Evening,

I hope everyone's week is off to a good start, and I offer my best wishes and blessings to anyone who would have them. I also offer my thanks to our host for this space and to everyone whose participation makes these weekly posts so interesting and lively.

To Share: After JMG's recent return to the Hermitix podcast (https://www.patreon.com/posts/druidry-with-73517125), I've been poking around the back catalog and rather enjoying it. For example, I've just wrapped up listening to every episode in the archive that focuses on Rudolf Steiner, and there was a two-parter with a modern Oswald Spengler scholar, I've listend to a couple on Nietzsche, and now I'm delving into those episodes that cover Jung. Of these, the one I'd draw the most attention to is "Steiner, Weber, and the Disenchantment of Modernity with Aaron French" (https://www.patreon.com/posts/steiner-weber-of-63883938), which argues that Steiner and Weber had more in common in how they viewed the "disenchantment of the world" (as referenced in the introduction to the Druidry Handbook, of course) than is commonly supposed, but that each had rather different solutions. This one's interesting for being an interview with a religious studies scholar of esoteric traditions who seems a bit skeptical about the reality of esoteric beliefs, but at least seems to take them seriously within the worldview of the folks he's writing about/discussing.

To Ask: For JMG or anyone else with thoughts: any recommendations of sources that specifically compare Celtic and Germanic mythology (as opposed to broader Indo-European comparative mythology that draws on both of those traditions along with all the others)? I've been using Will Parker's The Four Branches of the Mabinogi as one of the translations/commentaries I'm drawing on to meditate through the Mabinogion for the Dolmen Arch, and time and again I've been struck by elements with remarkable similarity between the Celtic antecedents to the Mabinogion and what I know from the Eddas and other Germanic sources. I think this would be an especially fruitful source of meditation themes for me, and any help on where to go (besides "check out the bibliography of Parker's Book!") would be much appreciated.

Thanks very much,
Jeff

Re: Hermitix on Steiner and Weber, Celtic-Germanic Myth Comparisons

[ecosophia]

It's not primarily about myth, but Michael J. Enright's Lady With A Mead Cup explores the extraordinary common ground between warband culture in Celtic and Germanic peoples, and touches on a lot of information relevant to your interest.

Prayer request

[(Anonymous)]

Hello all,

I am a regular reader/commenter and have been for a couple of years now (thank you JMG!)

I was hoping I could request prayers from the Magic Monday community.

I am currently pregnant and mid-way through the third trimester. I have planned on birthing at home under the care of a midwife-only birth center. However, they are constrained by many rules and regulations and will need to transfer my care to the local hospital if my baby doesn't turn into an 'optimal' birthing position in the next few weeks (head down). If I am transferred to the local hospital I will most likely be made to have a c-section and will be subject to a whole host of dangerous medical interventions. I suffered many years of medical trauma and nothing scares me more. It is well-known among midwives that the interventions cause more damage and trauma in the modern medical system than anything else.

I'm hoping for prayers to watch over my bub and I and for a healthy natural birth without intervention from the medical system.

Thank you in advance.

Re: Prayer request

[(Anonymous)]

My prayers are with you and your baby.

I went into labor 10 days before the due date,and then Sonkitten got stuck, so I ended up having a Caesarean. My theory is he was eager to get out into the world, then got close enough to the exit to see what all goes on out here, and tried to reverse course and get safely back inside. 😊. I mention it because we were both fine, and that was 43 years ago. Midwives and natural births were just beginning to catch on; the average person had access to neither. I had the “classical” vertical incision rather then the “bikini “ horizontal incision, because with the classical incision there’s a good possibility subsequent births can be non-surgical. My scar was about 8 inches long, though after 43 years it’s no longer visible. Sonkitten was born around 9 p.m. and the next day I was walking down the hall to the nursery. When you stand up the first time, a lot of blood will fall out; this is startling but normal, don’t let it bother you. There will be some bleeding for several days, nothing that kotexes can’t handle. Do NOT use tampons until you get the medical okay, as they can introduce infection. You’ll want help putting your shoes on for about a week. Good luck, and enjoy your new family member!

—Princess Cutekitten

[liamq]

JMG,

In classic Golden Dawn magic, is it normal or at least acceptable to treat each of the Divine Names as unique gods? Or is it almost always assumed those are literally various names and titles of the same divine being that Judaism or Christianity worship?

[ecosophia]

Exactly how to interpret the divine names is a complex matter. I know some people who treat them as names of the Christian or Jewish god, some people who treat them as formulae expressing potentialities of an impersonal reality, and some people who treat them as distinct beings. It all seems to work whichever you do, as long as you recognize that the names represent divine realities of some kind.

[(Anonymous)]

You mentioned before the suspicion the internet and computers generally linked to demonic entities, and I realized this could explain the odd data point that so many nuclear systems controlled by computers have run into glitches which almost resulted in launches. I'd always attributed it to random errors of various sorts, but it does look like something wanted a nuclear war...

[ecosophia]

That's a fascinating point and, I think, a valid one. It's interesting -- as well as comforting -- that every one of those glitches was stopped in time.

[violetcabra]

In the recent discussion on Cell Salts there's mention of the idea that the benefits of the Cell Salt protocol passing from one incarnation to the next. That I found striking, and made me wonder about what survives from life to life. Since you remember so many of your past lives, JMG, do you have a sense of what things tend to pass from life to life and what things tend to not pass from life to life? How would you define the difference between what endures between lives and what does not?

[ecosophia]

There's quite a bit of information in occult philosophy about what endures from life to life. The Individuality, to use Dion Fortune's term, starts out as a very simple center of consciousness and will overshadowed by a divine spark, which represents the guidance of the Solar Logos, the god of this solar system. Each incarnation, however, gives that once-simple center capacities for action and awareness. By the time an Individuality reaches the human level it's got a very complex assortment of possibilities and habits, which we can call its character, and that continues from life to life. So character endures. The rest doesn't endure until we finish evolving our mental sheaths into mental bodies, which also endure from life to life; after that, much more gets passed on.

[(Anonymous)]

A while back, someone speculated on the possibility that processed food was a Plutonian Phenomena, and you said it seemed plausible, but it's occurred to me that there's a very good reason to think it is: two of the most common additives, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and mono-sodium glutamate (MSG), both involve division. The most common sugar in most human diets, sucrose, is composed of two compounds linked together: glucose and fructose. HFCS, meanwhile, is composed of sucrose and fructose, but split apart.

MSG, meanwhile, is a modified form of glutamic acid, a common amino acid. MSG differs from glutamic acid by a single change: the replacement of a hydrogen atom with a sodium ion. For those who don't know technical chemistry terms, an atom in a molecule remains attached, while an ion won't: it will break into two charged particles when exposed to water. (This is why salt, for example, dissolves in water)

So, two of the most common food additives are both artificial and involve division; this is to say nothing of the broader sleaze and corruption of the industry, all of which screams Pluto to me.

[ecosophia]

That strikes me as a very plausible argument. Thank you for this!

Planetary talismans; planetary correspondences for driving lessons

[milkyway1]

Good morning JMG (and everybody else),

I hope you are going to have a wonderful and productive week - many thanks to you for providing this space, and to your wife for doing without you during these many hours! :-)

I have two things today, if I may, to JMG and to anybody else who would care to chime in:

1. Driving lessons

I‘ve been working out planetary correspondences for various aspects of driving lessons, for obtaining a driving permit and learning how to drive a car.

Some correspondences are easy to figure out (e.g. Jupiter for all things bureaucratic, Mercury for theoretical learning and the theoretical exam). However, I‘m stuck with two aspects - can‘t quite figure out which planet(s) would be relevant, and would appreciate your input:

(and unfortunately, Lilly etc didn‘t have the foresight to cover this in their correspondence tables… ;-) )

A. The actual process of learning how to drive a car. This is a complex thing with various levels involved (body memory, movements, reflexes, situational overview, experience, some theoretical knowledge, etc). Which planet(s) would correspond to that?

B. Not having to wear a mask during the theoretical and practical exams.

Background: As far as I‘m aware, over here masks aren‘t required by law anymore for driving exams. However, the company which is licensed to do the exams has decided that they require them. I think they are on shaky ground, legally, but getting into an argument with the person who will, minutes later, decide on whether you will get your driving license or will have to take more driving lessons and then try again, well, that doesn‘t seem like a smart move. ;-)

So I‘m considering planetary options. Would this also count as Jupiter‘s domain? Or any other options?

2. Planetary talismans

and in particular, their effects on other people.

Do you (or any of the readers who use planetary talismans) have any experience with the effect that planetary talismans might have on people who don‘t „own“ them, but are in regular contact, e.g. because they are also frequenting the room where a talisman is kept, or because they are close to the wearer for hours a day?

I‘m thinking about partner and kids, but this could also be about work colleagues in the same room in case a talisman is worn to work.

Have you experienced or heard of any effects?

And if yes, any idea how negative effects could be avoided? And in particular, how could or would one deal with afflicted planets in this case?

Milkyway

Re: Planetary talismans; planetary correspondences for driving lessons

[ecosophia]

1) Mercury governs operating tools and machines, and he also governs learning, so he's your best bet for the learning process. As for the mask business, yes, it's annoying, but think of it as having to follow other people's religious taboos when visiting them -- the Covid cult is basically an apocalyptic civil religion, so wearing the face diaper for the test would be a gracious act. (Full disclosure; I keep one in my pocket when outdoors and put it on when, and only when, somebody requests it, personally or via signage.)

2) Hmm! I've never encountered a discussion of that. Anyone else?

[(Anonymous)]

Hello and,
Many thanks to our knowledgeable host.

Can you please expand your opinion on remote viewing. Do you have any personal experience with it. What books would you recommend on the subject.

[ecosophia]

That's not something I have any experience with, nor is it something I've studied. Anyone else?

[(Anonymous)]

1. Where does the surreal humour in dreams come from? Last night I dreamed I was looking at a photo of a lot of military trucks parked or in convoy. The caption was a dodgy translation and included the words '...with a severalful of nuclear vehicles'. That phrase does so much violence to the English language that just thinking about it feels like I've seen the Yellow Sign and my mind is starting to unravel. (And the fact I felt so compelled to share it I did it first thing after breakfast, does suggest Hastur is calling me.) :)

2. Why are memories of dreams so fragile and easy to lose?

3. Are the sort of dreams you have an indicator of where you'll end up in the astral after you die?

[ecosophia]

Hmm. Today seems to be the day of people asking questions about things I haven't studied and don't know enough to answer! Dreamwork generally isn't something I've researched at all, and so I'll have to pass this one, too, to someone else who knows something about the subject.

General blessing candle magic

[sea_spray]

Hi JMG

1: Would I be correct that the sun would be the right planet to invoke for general blessings on someone? (that someone being my brother mentioned below)

My brother is struggling with mental health issues, he feels like he's never been able to get a dopamine reward for anything and is struggling with carrying on a bit because of having no reason to put any effort into anything.
2: He was diagnosed with a mild level of autism recently, do you think that could have anything to do with it?
He's thinking of experimenting a little with magic mushrooms in the hope of improving things. He's given his consent to me sending "good energy/Prayers" his way so I was thinking of some candle magic for blessings. I don't know what he needs but hope he finds it.

3: In other news I see that the updated edition of "A World Full of Gods" is available for pre-order finally!

Thanks
Sea Spray

Re: General blessing candle magic

[(Anonymous)]

Someone I know was diagnosed with a failed pituitary gland only when he collapsed, very late in life. Supplements were provided, and a whole lot of issues in his past life became clear. A story I heard on the radio about the many varied effects of testosterone described a guy who had a genetic disorder that led to a progressive loss of testosterone. He experienced total loss of will, as in not having a reason to get out of bed or do anything, not even to eat. Has your bro’s T-levels been checked? Has your bro been tested for pituitary levels? If not, then off to the doctor you go!

Affirmation Phrasing

[weilong]

It's that time of year again: time to think up a new affirmation.

I know not to use negative sentence constructions (e.g. "I am not afraid..."). What is your take on words like "fearless" that signify the absence of something? Are these okay for affirmations, or is it better to word it in an unambiguously positive way (e.g. "brave").

Re: Affirmation Phrasing

[ecosophia]

I strongly recommend the unambiguous positive. Saying "fearless" still keeps the focus on fear. "I am calm and focused in the presence of danger" might be a good choice, for example.

[(Anonymous)]

Hello JMG,
I listened with great interest to your recent podcast interview with Rudolf on the FHR. During that interview you also talked about the GD, and you said, if I understood correctly, that not all versions of it are so heavy on ritual and instruments.
You added that the FHR work (which I understand also has relatively less ritual) could still produce practical effects in your life. Is that true of the the GD as well? For a number of years I have done the LBRP and the MP Exercise every day, divination and meditation every day that I can, and planetary and planetary spirit invocations every day. For practical, domestic reasons, that's about the limit of what I can reasonably expect to do (ie no candles, incense, altars etc). By analogy with the FHR, could I still expect practical effects in my life, beyond simple spiritual development (perhaps with planetary charity from time to time) or do I need to add something? Grateful for your views. Thank you.

[ecosophia]

Good heavens, yes. The Victorian bric-a-brac in the classic Golden Dawn system is fun, and it has lessons to teach, but it's not essential at all. A competent GD mage can practice magic stark naked in an empty room and get good results. It's helpful to take up scrying, because you can do workings in imagined space while doing nothing on the material plane but sitting in a chair.

[(Anonymous)]

JMG,

1 - Do you think the weakening of Earth's magnetic field may be a factor in the increase in demons/black astral gunk? Or maybe a factor in why people are going so batshale crazy these days? I also wonder if the weakening magnetic field may be part of why everyone is so tired all the time. Kind of like Earth's magnetic immune system is compromised, and as part of her, we feel awful too.

2 - Does wool have any etheric insulation value, similar to glass beads in a weighted blanket?

[ecosophia]

1) The potential effects of the weakening magnetic field are a wild card; if anyone's researching it, I haven't heard of it, and yet we know (via Dr. Michael Persinger's work among others) that geomagnetic fields can have potent effects on human consciousness. Get me a grant and I promise you I'll launch a big research project on the subject. ;-)

2) Yes. Apollonius of Tyana used a woolen cloak to insulate himself from the surrounding energies while meditating.

[(Anonymous)]

A friend of mine died tragically a few years ago and recently I met their child, and all kinds of memories came flooding back about how my friend was a magically gifted person who became very fond of LSD and as far as I know never really followed up on her potential. It made me recall the story of how your past life ended and it seems possible that maybe something similar occurred here.

Long story short is that the younger person is in their 20s, likely magically gifted as well, and experimenting with DMT and Ketamine in a supposed clinical setting. According to the Secret Sun (yes I take with a grain of salt) there are updated MKULTRA experiments going on at the moment. I have a family member who was run through the mind grinder about the same time as Uncle Ted and it turned them into a paranoid narcissist, so I'm a bit concerned.

I started to tell the younger person a story via email about how their dead parent was magically gifted but they have not responded yet. Ideally I want to warn them to stay away from psychadellics and encourage them to seek out some sort of solid magical training, but I'm worried about crossing boundaries that would make them more likely to ignore the message and do the exact opposite (like I would have done at that age). They seem pretty smart though, at least a lot less clueless than I was back then.

Right now the plan is to package the message as short and neat as possible, leave out the conspiracy stuff, and throw a Hail Mary hoping it lands. I know interpersonal communication is not your strong suit, but from a karmic perspective how does this sound? Thanks

[ecosophia]

Seriously, interpersonal communication is not my strong suit. I have no idea how this will work, much less what kind of karma it will generate. Have you considered divination?

Laptops

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

Just an interesting data point. I've happened to have my laptop within the perimeter of the SoP circle I draw each day for the past few months, and it has lost all interest for me. I still use it for work and purchasing gifts online (I don't really buy much for myself), etc, but I don't feel drawn to mindlessly browse sites of no real value, or have the urge to use it for video games (I used to get that niggling feeling in the back of my head to play video games on it, and would sometimes, almost on auto-pilot, find myself downloading the gaming software back onto it, despite having deleted it on 3 occasions!)

So far, the laptop is still working fine as well! (I still need a functioning laptop, just not a distracting, time-wasting one)

Just thought this might be useful for any readers who are having trouble with their electronic devices!

Re: Laptops

[ecosophia]

This doesn't surprise me at all. Keep banishing!

Size of a crucible for spagyrics?

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG,

Thank you for your reply about spagyrics in an apartment two weeks ago. I am in the process of gathering the materials I will need for my first experiment, which involves calcinating 2 grams of Lemon Blam (Melissa officinalis).

I found a lab supplies store that sells a variety of porcelain cruicibles, with a lot of possible sizes. I tried asking around in alchemy forums but did not get an answer as to what is a good size for a beginner in spagyrics so I thought I'd ask you.

Re: Size of a crucible for spagyrics?

[(Anonymous)]

If you're working through Dubuis: I started with a ginormous 500ml crucible, which was more than large enough for the purpose (and quite heavy). I'd start with a slightly smaller one and get the lid with it. My ash didn't turn red/orange yet, and I believe it was because I didn't follow his advice to have a lid on. I've ordered a smaller crucible with a lid to begin that step.

Doubts about Fellowship Of The Hermetic Rose protection exercises

[(Anonymous)]

Hello Mr. Greer, it's an honor to speak with you. I would like to clear some doubts if possible.
I am Brazilian, 47 years old and I have studied several subjects over the years but in a superficial way. I think it's time to delve deeper in some way. I had contact last week with the material from the Fellowship Of The Hermetic Rose and would like to start practicing the exercises. Some questions arose regarding protection exercises.
In my culture, one of the religions we practice has strong influences from the African Diaspora (in this part we worship the Orixas) and Shamanism. We work daily with spirit guides (people who have already been incarnated) who help people in need, ancestors, power animals, natural magic, family members, etc.
I would like to know if the protection and banishment exercises also keep these types of spirits and entities away because I work with them in my house asking for protection, health, prosperity, etc.... When banishing I lose the interaction and protection of these spirits ? What happens to them? If I have a relationship of respect and adoration with these entities when I do the banish ritual, I don't know what the right word is but would I be kicking them out of the house?.
When I do the banishing ritual, how long does its effect last?
Best Regards,
Hyk.

Re: Doubts about Fellowship Of The Hermetic Rose protection exercises

[ecosophia]

Thanks for asking -- that's an important question. If you practice spiritism or follow one of the African Diaspora faiths, I recommend using the Judson exercise for your daily protective working. Abby Judson, who introduced it, was a spiritist medium and teacher, and she taught it to her students because she found that it improved their ability to work with their spirit guides. There's a description of the Judson exercise in Volume 1 of the FHR work, but you can find out more about it and download the original sources here.

The Sphere of Protection is also an option; my teacher John Gilbert, who created the current version of that ritual, worked with spirit guides as part of his practices. I don't recommend the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram for spiritists, since some spirits have difficulty with it, but the other two should be fine.

The effect of a ritual like the Judson exercise is to cleanse your aura of negative energies so that hostile forces and spirits can't affect you. It doesn't repel any spirit with whom you have a positive relationship.

Animal posession

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

Are demons able to posess non-human animals? I know you've said how our ability to contact the demonic realm only comes from mistakes made by the human race, possibly in Lemuria many millenia ago, but two things stand out from this:

1) if we reincarnate from animal bodies to human ones, then back again, do demons retain the ability to contact and affect us?

2) In the Bible, the demon(s) Legion is driven out into a herd of swine, who then drown themselves. There are other instances in holy books and general folk tales of animals becoming possessed as well.

The reason I thought of this was because I was listening to a podcast where someone's animals appeared to become possessed by a demonic entity residing on a farm. The pigs were the first, and worst affected, becoming seemingly consumed with a bloodthirsty fury overnight. After the animals were put down, toxicological and microbiological causes were ruled out.

Humans generally seem to be alarmingly similar to pigs in many ways (such as the fact we can accept their organs and blood as transplants, human flesh is supposed to taste like pork and we can get many more diseases from them than other cloven-hooved animals) The fact that several cultures explicitly prohibit pork consumption, and by proxy, keeping pigs (as pigs have little value aside from their meat), makes me think that there is some uncomfortable connection between humans and swine back in our genetic heritage, more so than just the practical measures of preventing animal-borne disease. (And therefore, eating pork is effectively a form of cannibalism)

A friend who worked on a pig farm said that pigs have disturbingly 'human' eyes, and apparently bear grudges and have a far more spiteful nature than all the other farm animals he's worked with, though I did comment to him that maybe that's just because they are intelligent enough to hate being on farms more than other farm animals...

Mr. Crow

Re: Animal posession

[ecosophia]

Yes, under some circumstances, animals can be obsessed or possessed by demonic entities, though it usually takes human beings meddling with demons to bring that about. Pigs are more vulnerable than other animals, and there may be an uncomfortable reason for that; there's some evidence that the boundaries between species are far less rigid than current biology likes to admit, and hybrids between very distantly related species are rare but they do happen. There's an interesting theory, stabilization theory, that accounts for sudden jumps in the evolutionary record by way of cross-species mating -- and the scientist who's proposed stabilization theory argues that there's good evidence that our species came into being from a mating between a female bonobo and a male pig...

Rainbows and unicorns

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

What is the occult significance of rainbows and unicorns?

They are *everywhere* at the moment, particularly in kid's toys, and particularly unicorns with rainbow manes and tails.

My main thoughts on rainbows are the Bifrost and Quetzacoatl, the rainbow serpent, both of which have alarming relevance to death and the afterlife.

In the UK, kids were encouraged to make rainbow posters and stick them in their windows during the lockdowns to somehow show support/gratitude for key workers, and the NHS staff now all have rainbow-coloyred lanyards.

And I'm not even going to get into the whole LGBT+ rainbow flags that are draped everywhere.

These sort of stickers, with basic pastel-coloured rainbows keep cropping up as well, particularly when I order stuff on Etsy:
https://stickersnorthwest.com/products/be-kind-rainbow-sticker

What I find particularly weird in those is that they leave out several colours as well, notably green, indigo and purple. That feels significant too - green is associated with Venus, indigo with Saturn and purple - I'm not sure which god, but it's a royal/spiritual-associated colour.

I know there's a huge amount of occult symbolism around unicorns as well, but what are the most important ones? When I search for any info, I just get a load of New Age junk.

The whole thing has a really creepy feel to it, especially the pushing it to children, and I don't like it.

Re: Rainbows and unicorns

[(Anonymous)]

There was that leftist meme from 2020/2021 when Trump lost of "now I can put up my Biden flag" with a picture of the American flag. I'm not sure that's the real "Biden" flag. And yeah, I've also thought a lot about how rainbows never seem to have seven colors anymore, about the significance of 6 vs. 7, etc. I think a lot of unicorn stuff may have gotten kicked off in the wake of the MLP renaissance (I'm old enough to remember the first incarnation of My Little Pony being some innocuous toy marketed toward girls, different times). I agree that it's creepy and being pushed pretty hard on kids. I'm also not going to touch the subject you don't want to touch. You mentioned and asked for occult angles, but I will point out that rainbows also figure prominently, positively and with seven colors/aspects in some key places in the Bible and that the enemy often works through inversion.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for this community and all the time and energy you put into these weekly posts. May this redound to your work and path. Please forgive the length of the background and question below.

I am a longtime, consistent folk theurgist and middling diviner. My mother-in-law, who knows vaguely of my interest in Tarot, was on a trip with the family and went to a "magic store" seemingly run by some legitimate operators (among the other things the family reported at the store, we learned later, was a "poppet," of which I had no previous experience but gives me the creeps). From said store my mother-in-law procured, for herself, a black opal, and as a gift to me, a "cheat sheet" for the Tarot (I'll take whatever help I can get).

Immediately upon touching said "sheet" I experienced a way of uncomfortable energy south of my solar plexus, and put it far from me. When my mother-in-law produced the stone, the cat of the home instantly began trying to knock it away and otherwise began acting strangely. My wife, who handled the stone and is not herself an operator in any way, later told me that she was made uncomfortable by it. Once we had retired to our abode with the "sheet," I performed a banishing ritual on it and put it to the side, and did a series of divinations on it. Below are the results.

Q. What is the nature of the rock my mother-in-law purchased?
Fool, Magician, World (Reversed)

Q.Should I make use of said "Tarot sheet"?
Tower, Priestess (Reversed), Chariot (R)

Q. What is the nature of said "sheet"?
Sun (Reversed), Strength, Moon

Q. Will it negatively impact regular divination?
Temperance (Reversed), Justice (Reversed), Magician (Reversed)

Q. Is the "sheet" itself cursed?
Temperance (Reversed), Wheel of Fortune (Reversed), Star (Reversed)

Q. Should I dispose of said "sheet"?
Temperance (Reversed), Fool (Reversed), Lovers

Q. Should I banish and otherwise retain it for a time?
Empress, The World, Priestess (Reversed)

My overall sense from this series of readings is confirming my initial feeling of unease, but also suggests that there's nothing inherent to the "sheet," a mass-produced commodity, that is necessarily malign, but more likely it is the weird "vibes" lingering in these products from the "magic store" that are interfering with the "vibes" of our dwelling (the recurrence of a reversed Temperance, read as disruption...?). My guess is that these will diminish with time and distance (and banishing), but I wanted a gut check on the reading. (The use of said "sheet" right now seems like a big honkin' no, so I am keeping it out of the main stay of the house for the time being.)

Thank you once again.

[ecosophia]

It's quite common for the staff in Pagan and occult shops to charge their products with magical influences to increase sales, and so cleansing products once you buy them is unfortunately often necessary. Try leaving the tarot sheet in direct sunlight for a few hours, and then sprinkle it lightly with water in which salt has been dissolved. (If you dip your fingers into the water and flick them at the sheet, this will usually do the trick without damaging the paper.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi John,

Thanks again for providing this excellent forum.

I have recently bought some some small, handmade copper items that I would like to fashion into totems and an amulet.

I have taken each in turn over the last few months and kept them close to me as I go about my business. How should one 'charge' or sacralise such a thing and what are the benefits of possessing a personal totem in your opinion?

Warm regards,
Dermotok

[ecosophia]

Since I'm an occultist and not an animist or a shaman, I can't help you with information on totems! In terms of charging an amulet, well, that depends on what kind of magic you know how to do.

Cold water and slo-mo Judson?

[(Anonymous)]

Anecdotal data point - Been experimenting with switching from warm mixed stream shower and turning off the hot tap completely (in one go) and then slowly rotating clockwise under the cold water stream.
Rotating slowly for two to three mins or so.

Did this for about 3 weeks and then noticed a slight pushback in terms of 'just skip that today' - a thought idea that seemed to have no origin (since I had been enjoying the experiment).

Thinking back on what I had been doing, this 'push-back' occurred once I started planning to include the head rather than just neck and body in the cold water.

This morning an interesting experience - warm shower about 5 mins, then as I was about to turn off the hot water, the idea of 'skipping that' surfaced. Paused a moment to try and figure what was going on, then decided 'No. Do it.'

Rotated slowly clockwise for about 60 secs and then thought to get my entire head under the shower and, once again, unexpected thought 'this is fine, you don't need to do that' is the closest I can put it.

A clear decision/act of will was required (i.e who is running this show [a la Invictus]?!)

"Do it!"

And I did - now this is the strange bit - standing with head under shower and rotating clockwise slowly I tried something I haven’t tried before – a strong visualisation of body and energy system being washed clean, the water carrying unwanted influence away. Suddenly I had a strong feeling of release and a distinct feeling of something being washed away with tingling down scalp and face like something was dissolving...dunno - don't have the words to describe it properly.
- neck and body 60secs
- head under shower (no rotation) 15secs
- start slow rotations as visualising cleanse/banish unwanted 'stuff'
- release feeling kicked in after three rotations

I began doing the rotation as a way to introduce the body gently to the cold water - each 360 clockwise rotation taking about 7 seconds to complete - but it now occurs to me that it could almost be a slo-mo variation of the Judson exercise but arms close rather than outstretched to remain in water stream.
I have not focussed on a 'banishing/cleansing' in such a way before (i.e. in a cold shower) - the experience was intense.

JMG and Commentariat - anyone else had any interesting stuff while experimenting with the cold water business?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,
[Earthworm]

Re: Cold water and slo-mo Judson?

[walt_f]

Interesting. I always start with my head, so for me the part where I feel reluctance just before the cold water arrives is the back of my shoulders, maybe just because that's usually the last part to get wet.

Three weeks in? Yes, this sounds familiar. You're getting accustomed enough that your perceptions range wider than the inevitable "wow I'm really doing this" and "just keep going" one tends to start out with. But besides that, it sounds like you had an accumulation of something that took a couple dozen showers for the cold water to dissolve and weaken. The feeling of cleansing is expected, but it might not always be so intense. (Another milestone you may soon pass, if you haven't already, is the first time you realize you're standing under a cold shower but thinking about something else entirely, like your to-do list or a conversation from the day before.)

Since you can shower cold for 2-3 minutes, have you considered washing in the cold water instead of switching over later? You can combine physical cleansing with visualizing the energy cleansing. Especially during a thorough final rinse. (If you're using bath products that don't seem to rinse clean with cold water, you can switch to others that do.)

I naturally rotate slowly (also clockwise) during my showers, but I never thought about that being for reasons besides distributing the water (first to get wet all over, then to wash various parts as they're facing away from the direct stream, and finally several times to rinse). I'll have to try rotating with intention and see whether it feels any different.

Remembering a forgotten password

[brenainn]

I have a Linux tablet, and I changed the password a few months ago, then promptly forgot the new password. As hard as I've tried, I can't seem to recall what it was. Is there any occult solution that I can use to pull this password out of my mind's "trash bin"?

Re: Remembering a forgotten password

[(Anonymous)]

Wow, I'm really trying hard to avoid work today... This may be more "black magic" than occult, but can you boot into single user mode (root access) and nuke and pave your password from there? And/or boot an install OS that sits in memory and use that to get at the stubborn password?

[(Anonymous)]

Sapienter Si Sincere,

Thank you very much for the prayer, lit candle, and advice. I'm going to order some small bowls for the salt today - I think it will help.

Things have been better this past week. My elderly dog is hanging in there! It's become very clear to me that I need to focus on clearing negativity from my mind and my life. I'm learning as fast as I can how to protect myself, and praying often. I need God's help to clean up this mess and His guidance to make better choices. Continued prayers for protection or healing are welcome if you have the time.

JMG or Sapienter,

A question about herbs: I've read that herbs like ceyenne pepper and black pepper have protective properties. Do those properties help if you are eating them rather than using them in an amulet?

Lilac lily-livered cheeseball

[ecosophia]

Yes, though they only protect you while they're in you -- the advantage to an amulet is that you don't digest and excrete it!