Magic Monday

[ecosophia]

It's getting toward 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 or comment 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 picture?  I'm working my way through photos of my lineage, focusing on the teachers whose work has influenced me and the teachers who influenced them in turn. Two weeks ago I started on the OBOD end of my lineage with past Chosen Chief Philip Carr-Gomm. During the time of his teacher, last week's honoree Ross Nichols, the remarkable Vera Chapman, shown here, was the Pendragon of the order. Chapman was one of the first women admitted into Oxford University -- the two big British universities kept women out until well into the 20th century -- and in her pre-Druid days was an influential member of the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift, the most interesting offshoot of the Woodcraft back-to-nature movement, which we'll talk about a little more next week. (That's the Kibbo Kift seal below on the right.) Later still, during her Druidical years, she also helped found the Tolkien Society and was an influential figure in Tolkien fandom until her death.

Buy Me A Coffee

Ko-Fi

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 either of the links above to access my online tip jar; Buymeacoffee is good for small tips, Ko-Fi is better for larger ones. (I used to use PayPal but they developed an allergy to free speech, so I've developed an allergy to them.) 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 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.

With that said, have at it!

***This Magic Monday is now closed -- as in, no further comments will be put through. (Ahem.) See you next week!***

Comments

[hungryghost108]

I don't know whether this really belongs here, but....

For years I've noticed that I feel much better outdoors than indoors. The difference is subtle but profound.

It's only a little bit of an exaggeration to say that I feel like a completely different person. Outside I am (relatively) clear and calm. Inside I operate more in a fugue state, sluggish both mentally and physically. This is true regardless of what building I'm in, which sucks because I spend the majority of my life inside one building or another. :)

Is there an occult explanation? Being inside cuts me off from some kind of nourishing energy? Malicious spirits prevalent inside most buildings? I feel like the former is more likely true than the latter, but I don't know.

More important, is there anything to be done about it?

(I've recently decided that when I die -- hopefully a couple decades off yet -- I really, really want it to be outside.)

Thanks.

Cultures as Organisms and Astral Contradictions

[jprussell]

Good Evening,

A very happy Sunday/Monday to everyone, and may your Spring/early Summer be treating you well.

To Share: And now, a second post on working through the big thoughts in Spengler's The Decline of the West: https://jpowellrussell.com/#understanding_spengler_s_decline_of_the_west_bit_2_culture_as_organism

To Ask: I've been reading (though not meditating my way through, so doing it wrong) The Occult Philosophy Workbook, and a question has stuck with me from the section describing the afterlife. You talk about how the time between this life and the next will be spent mostly on the bit of the Astral plane that you spent this life focusing on the most. At the top of the Astral plane is the realm of creativity, and at the bottom is bodily/animal passions. So, my question is "what of those who exercise their creativity on behalf of bodily passions?" As in, those who write erotica or draw pornographic comics, or those who come up with wildly creative meals - not folks who do "paint-by-numbers" formulaic stuff, but exercising actual creativity on behalf of "lower" passions.

As always, thanks very much to JMG and everyone else here for all that you do.

To any who will have them, I put forth my blessings and best wishes,
Jeff

[jenniferkobernik]

I recall reading in your Encyclopedia of Natural Magic that opals are considered bad luck (with the exception of black opal). Are they still bad luck for those whose birthstone is opal? My (very vague) understanding is that a person’s birthstone is generally lucky/beneficial for them, and I’m wondering if this negates or mitigates the generally negative qualities of the stone.

Werewolves

[(Anonymous)]

To share:I've been using werewolves as a topic for discursive meditation recently, and I've found four explanations for the stories and a bunch of questions:

The first two explanations are boring, but the other two are interesting:

• Fantasy

  Before the modern silver screen, there were tales told around the campfire. Doubtless at least some werewolf stories are simply that: stories.

• Rabies

  Bitten by a strangely-acting wolf? Start acting strange yourself a few days or weeks later? Violently strange? Congratulations! You've caught rabies and will be on your way to your next life shortly...

• Magic Illusion

  The stories where the monster is injured and the suspect then found to have the same injury, or a paw severed from the monster is later found to be a human hand, suggest that the monster is the person, disguised by some form of magic illusion. These are bipedal, anthropomorphic werewolves, since the illusion is hiding a human's body.

  This could be either a deliberate effort or the result of a curse.

• Astral Projection

  Assume humans can astral project in shapes other than their own. This would explain the quadrupedal werewolves, although I see no reason an anthropomorphic wolf-form could not be projected instead if desired.

  These seem to be the werewolves Levi was most interested in and are probably both the most dangerous and most culpable werewolves of legend. (I doubt astral projection can be forced by a curse.) Since physical barriers typically do not exist on other planes, this type of werewolf could easily enter a locked room, for example.

  This type could also plausibly kill by mauling victims on the astral or etheric planes. Levi reports that death-by-werewolf seemed to always involve suffocation, however, forensic medical science was considerably less advanced back then, so "suffocation" was a blanket category for deaths by unknown causes without observable injury, which is consistent with injuries occurring only to the subtle bodies.

  This could also explain the stories where the monster is seemingly invulnerable, yet the suspected werewolf turns up dead after the monster is struck, if striking a projection does not dissipate it but does harm its source on a subtle plane.

I also seem to recall an exchange on an imageboard where someone asked about using (I think) Golden Dawn techniques to become a werewolf and got an answer that it's possible but the effects are not physical - only sensitive individuals and some animals would be able to see it. A further comment noted that about the only end results that could be expected would be scaring dogs. The conversation implied a change to or linked to the physical body, so I suspect this to have been the "magic illusion" type.

To ask: (JMG and/or the commentariat)

1. Does the "magic illusion" scenario explain the association with night and particularly the full moon?
2. I seem to remember JMG previously answering a related question that daylight makes such illusions nearly impossible to maintain. Does moonlight make magical illusions stronger?
3. Is the "magic illusion" scenario consistent with fey involvement, especially as a curse?
4. Could a curse similar to the Irish "hungry grass" explain the stereotypical bad behavior attributed to werewolves?
5. Could the Irish "hungry grass" and the Amerind wendigo be related archetypes, or even two forms of the same archetype?
6. Is the imageboard conversation mentioned reasonably correct, blatantly wrong, or something else? Explain if possible? (Please note that I am not asking for advice on actually doing that.)
7. Anonymous famously does it for teh lulz. Does this suggest that imageboards generally carry fey influence of some type?
8. Werewolves are often reputed to be invulnerable except to silvered weapons. Interestingly, silver is also the most electrically conductive metal known. Assuming that the "invulnerable" werewolves are astral projections, this suggests an astral effect from a physical metal.
   1. Does silver have some unique interaction with the astral or etheric planes?
   2. Would copper and/or aluminum be expected to have similar effects to silver?
   3. Turing this around, most weapons back then would have been iron, which has a variety of unusual physical properties. Is iron uniquely not present on the astral or etheric planes?

Adding a working for clarity of perception in the world to the SOP

[sea_spray]

Hi JMG 

Seeing the various illusions at play in the world now I'm contemplating adding something to my nightly SOP to invoke clarity of sight and perception, both inner and outer, for myself and the world.

1 Would there be any ethical issues with this as I can't get consent from everyone in the world?

2 Would you have any comment's or cautions regarding this plan?

I also wonder if this would be something that other's on here may wish to take up. A certain magical virtue comes to mind so I shall say no more and go read my DMH to work out the precise details.

Thanks
Sea Spray

[(Anonymous)]

In geomancy, would questions about using a phone app fall into the second house? E.G., “will using this language app help me learn German? Will using this dating app help me find a partner?”

[(Anonymous)]

Good day JMG

Would you be so kind as to give the elevator talk on the occult implications of tattoos? Does this bind something to soul and is something to be avoided?
What about the holly man tattoos where people ask a lama for a piece of hair and have it mixed with ink for the tattoo?

Might have missed it but haven’t seen tattoos discussed.

[(Anonymous)]

1. For geomancy, would questions involving using a phone app fall into the fifth or third house? E.G., “will using this language app help me learn German? Will using this dating app help me find a lasting partner?”

2. For purely historical curiosity, when the Renaissance geomancers were asked questions like, “will this tick bite become a serious medical concern,” did perfection indicate “yes” and the lack of perfection (or perfected by square and opposition) mean “no?” Was reading your book’s section on Sixth House questions and was confused by the discussion on how seriousness of illnesses were determined. The hypothetical questions have to do with diagnosing if an issue occurs - for those questions, did the ancient geomancers see perfection as “yes, you have the condition,” and vice versa? Just want to clarify.

3. Without asking for anything too personal (I.e., natal chart information), how important has your North and South Node been in your spiritual path?

Ecosophia Prayer List Week of May 8

[tunesmyth]

Here are all of the requests for prayer that have recently appeared across the Ecosophia community. Please feel free to add any or all of the requests to your own prayers.

If I missed anybody, or if you would like to add a prayer request for yourself or anyone who has given you consent (or for whom a relevant person holds power of consent) to the list, please feel free to leave a comment below.

* * *
This week I would like to bring special attention to the following prayer requests.

KayeOh, who is scheduled for total replacement knee surgery on May 15, to have a good outcome to the surgery, and to heal quickly and completely in the aftermath.

Patricia Mathew's friend Al (Alison Kulp) is in the hospital with a nasty life-threatening MRSA infection; please play for her to be blessed, protected, and completely healed as soon as is possible. (Update here.)

Luke Dodson's friend B, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and is still in serious condition though she's already had surgery; for blessing, protection, healing, and a full return to health.

Lp9's request on behalf of their hometown, East Palestine Ohio, for the safety and welfare of their people and all living beings in the area. (Lp9 gives updates here and most recently here, and says "things are a bit... murky"), and the reasonable possibility seems to exist that this is an environmental disaster on par with the worst America has ever seen. At any rate, it is clearly having a devastating impact on the local area, and prayers are still warranted.

* * *
If there are any among you who might wish to join me in a bit of astrological timing, I pray each week for the health of all those with health problems on the list on the astrological hour of the Sun on Sundays, bearing in mind the Sun's rulerships of heart, brain, and vital energies. If this appeals to you, I invite you to join me.

Guidelines for how long prayer requests stay on the list, how to word requests, how to be added to the weekly email list, how to improve the chances of your prayer being answered, and several other common questions and issues, are now to be found at this link.

[(Anonymous)]

I was wondering if you knew what the implications of a catholic baptism are from an occult perspective?

[(Anonymous)]

I remember Dion Fortune saying there's a wish-fulfillment phase in the afterlife. It's amoral - so criminals get to experience committing the perfect crime. Do you agree this is part of the afterlife experience?

Spoiler Alert - Witch of Criswell

[(Anonymous)]

SPOILER ALERT for Witch of Criswell!

Good morning JMG, and everybody else,

I hope you‘re all having a good start into this week, and a good week ahead of you.

JMG, I had a very pleasant time with the Witch of Criswell, thanks for that! (After what you said about language in the .net blog, I was bracing for somewhat simpler language, so that was a nice surprise, too… ;-) ).

After reading, curious mind started to wonder about a few things…

1. To what extent would regular SOP practice help against the stuff Ariel is encountering?

2. And what about the red bags from the FAQ?

3. And to what extent would both help against/during the ghost enounter Ariel had earlier in her life?

I‘ve also been trying to sort out the magical systems used by different people in the book. I vaguely remember you mentioned something somewhere, but can‘t find that anymore - if this question has been answered elsewhere, I‘d appreciate a pointer. If not, here goes:

4. Aunt Clarice‘s magic comes from Hoodoo, right?
Suzanne‘s and Olive‘s, too? Or is that some other tradition or school?
And Dr. Moravec‘s, is that from something like the Golden Dawn?

Thanks as always for hosting this space, inviting everybody over, and patiently answering all the questions while we all sit around the campfire together. This is a truly special place.

Milkyway

Kundalini, and other meditations

[(Anonymous)]

Do you have knowledge of this topic? I am largely ignorant on the entire subject, so I can only attempt to describe what my father is experiencing currently. I hope to lay it out for you, if it would be fruitful, and hear your thoughts about the events.

Astrology report

[(Anonymous)]

Can anyone recommend a good 12 month personalized astrology report? I'm more interested in cold analysis rather than floofy psychobabble.

[(Anonymous)]

Again about the "integration of something into consciousness" and the question about what is "myself" or "mine": You answered on my comment on your werewolf-post "It’s never really entirely integrated, because it reaches down to deep prehuman levels the conscious mind cannot fathom" do you mean "never" in the sense of "during our existence as humans" or never in the sense of never ever?

If the latter was true wouldn't that imply that it's impossible to become fully self-conscious? Which maybe shouldn't be the case, because - "as above so below" - becoming fully self-conscious is the (proclaimed) distant destiny of the universe/solar system?

Which in turn led me to the question what counts as "myself" or - for that matter - as "mine". If I say that memories or "data" are never mine but are always common goods (so much for the privacy of "our" memories) then "myself" would become the/an "operator" of these data and individuality the way the operator reacts to certain stimuli. Then becoming fully self-conscious wouldn't need to integrate everything that's possibly not you but to become fully-conscious about the "code" of the operator, thus knowing everything about "you"?

I guess all of this falls under the category "our human brain is not made to grasp it all" but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try, right?

Greetings,
Nachtgurke

[(Anonymous)]

The period starting from when the sun enters the last third of Aries till it reaches five-ninths of Taurus is called "Agni Nakshatra" in Hindu Astrology. It lasts for eight-ninths of a solar month or approximately 24 days. This period is considered unfavorable for pretty much anything new - starting a business, beginning a long journey, buying or selling anything major, starting a project, getting married etc. The entire solar months of Cancer, Virgo and Sagittarius and Pisces are also considered unfavorable for the above activities.

Is there anything similar in the astrological traditions you practice?

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG and everyone,

Last Friday morning, my cat passed away after seemingly choking on something. After we got back from the vet, my wife told me that she had had a dream on Thursday night where she couldn't breathe but was helpless to rescue herself.

Is it possible this could have been some kind of premonition? If so, how could it be understood in Occult terms?

[thinking_turtle]

To everyone wondering what abbreviations like OBOD, MP and OSA mean, I compiled a list of abbreviations.

It seems like a good idea not to abbreviate Kindred of the Kibbo Kift :)

[(Anonymous)]

Due to my work and where I live, I occasionally find myself having to be in places that aren't known for being the safest, physically. I strongly believe that the best way to stay safe is to be alert, pay attention, and use common sense--but unfortunately random acts of violence do still happen sometimes even when you're being careful.

Do you have any recommendations for practices or rituals that can help reduce danger? I don't think my skills are refined enough yet to pull off a GD style invisibility ritual, especially not on demand.

Thanks as always for what you do here.

advertising and environmentalism

[(Anonymous)]

You have said before that advertising is a form of magic designed to change our consciousness. I have been thinking recently how advertising has been used to capture environmentalism and use it for corporate profit. Take the term “Save the Planet”, which is used to million times a day. For starters this phrase is a complete lie. Its not he planet which is fragile, it is our civilisation. The planet will survive anything we can throw at it.. Sure we’re causing a mass extinction, but he planet has had plenty for them before. In 20000 years you will barely notice what we have been here and all those lost species will be replaced. And 20000 years is a mere blink of the eye as far as nature is concerned.

What this phrase does is to separate us form nature and ti send us the subconscious message that saving the planet is a choice and that environmentalism is an act of charity. After al it is the planet that is in danger here, not our society. I’m alright Jack, I can go on consuming and if I’m feeling nice I might make a contribution to Green peace and recycle my rubbish. This phrase also helps to feed our faustian send of god like grandiosity. Hey we can destroy the planet or we can save it, aren’t we powerful.

8 Mage / Mercurial Men

[(Anonymous)]

Being just upriver from Louisville, and right across the river from Kentucky, the Derby is a big thing for many in these parts. I actually picked the winner this time, and am only a little sad I didn't have some money riding on the back of that horse... the horse was number 8 and its name was Mage.

Of course when I saw the horses named Reincarnate and Mage I knew I would be picking one of them as the winner, and I settled on Mage who wasn't a top choice. I was of course delighted Mage galloped into that spot.

--

And having finished The Twilight of Pluto over the weekend, I was thinking of the order of planets you put into the Tree of Life, and your comments about the potential of Mercury becoming the planet associated with manhood, as opposed to Mars. That made quite a lot of sense to me. Mars & Jupiter being paired as Geburah and Chesed, and Mercury & Venus as Hod & Netzach, is of course traditional correspondences. Yet thinking of these in terms of the interplay of the sexes and polarity, and the conversation over on your main blog from last week, gave me shall I say, something to meditate on!

Justin Patrick Moore / Sepia Anthropoid Toadstool

Peregrine planets

[(Anonymous)]

Good morning and happy Monday,
I've been trying to understand my natal chart, and I did finally figure out that I have exactly no planets either in their dignity or in their debilities. All signs but two are in the house they rule-I don't know if that's relevant either. Is this common, and does it have any particular meaning? I've checked books and the internet and haven't found much. Is there a way of resolving say moon squared with mercury like you would if you had Saturn in its detriment? Thanks as always.

[ultra_lotus]

Mr Greer,

Would you have any advice and direction pointing for someone wanting to learn how to send covert messages or communicate 'occultly' with another individual across long distances? Whether this be using some kind of magical methodology, telepathic means, concoction of 'meaningful events', or perhaps even just use of clever language and symbolism.

I have a recollection of you once mentioning there are these types of hidden communicative practices on one of the podcasts you've been interviewed for over the last few years. This could however be a mistaken memory on my part... so apologies if so.

Despite some initial efforts I have been unable to readily discover anything related to this from my usual sources. I had assumed it would be a common well known set of techniques and practices in the occult world available to access, but have so far found very little.

Should there be an official declaration of global war on the horizon and our declining ruling classes manage to take censorship to the next level, it would be theoretically rather valuable to communicate incognito to one's friends, networks, and allies; ideally without detection, and always for benefic means of course.

So what and where are the authentic methods/systems of occult communicative messaging that one can learn to use?

Thank you for all your continued great works.

[(Anonymous)]

Morning, JMG. Happy Magic Monday and I hope you’re doing well!

Bit of a dark subject matter in terms of my question today.

I was sexually abused as a child and the guy who did it is still at large. I’m not sure where he’s living now or even what name he’s going by, though I know his birth name. He has abused at least two other girls (now women) that I know of, but I haven’t got any contact information for them. I suspect there are and/or will be more victims then I know about.

I don’t want to do anything to him magically - I believe he’s more than capable of ruining his own life with his behaviour and eventually he’s going to reap what he’s sown. Last I heard a few years back his own parents didn’t want anything to do with him. In my mind it’s really just a question of how many more people he’ll hurt before he completely crashes and burns on his own.

What I’m interested in is the victims. I’m doing well - I have a good career I love, amazing friends, my good health, my sobriety. I have things like devotional polytheism, the FHR work, the Octagon Society work, and things of similar nature to help me sort everything and stay balanced and well adjusted despite everything. But not everyone has that and not everyone copes well (or at all) with abuse.

I started donating to a local charity that helps children exposed to sexual abuse, but I was also thinking I might want to do some sort of working to help his victims in particular, something along the lines of cleansing, healing, or protection. What I’m asking you about today is the ethics of that. As I said, I don’t have contact for the other known victims and I suspect there are others I don’t know about, so I can’t ask them for their permission. Am I ethically okay on this if I did a working naming all his victims generally, since that would include me and would count as magic on myself as well, or is this too grey an area?

I have done divination on the issue and basically was told “you could but the results may be unexpected though not necessarily unpleasant.” I’m a little close to the issue so I wanted a second opinion on whether I’m on the right track ethically and to see if you had any advice about it?

Thanks for everything,
J

[(Anonymous)]

Hi again, JMG, I hope a second question is okay today.

Have you ever seen the work of James Lindsay of New Discourses? I’ve seen his name come up on past MMs because his work has been getting closer and closer to conflating woke with western occultism. He’s no longer close, he’s point blank saying that woke = western occultism and that this current issue in society is basically coming from Hermeticists and occultists and that it’s all secret religions and mysticism and cults. Here is the link to episode one of a three part series on his podcast that discusses this:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5twc3XDicGt3aEYgLZpDaG?si=8M05UqYbQkW9trQ9Yr96ug

These are recordings of long form lectures that are about 2 hours a piece. He talks at length about how Marx was an occultist, among several other of the key philosophers that contributed towards the modern woke phenomenon.

I’m very interested to know if you have listened to this lecture, and if you have any thoughts about it? I would be really interested to hear your thoughts about it, though I understand if it’s not something you’re looking at right now (the lectures are long and densely packed).

James Lindsay as admittedly a somewhat niche online figure and a lot of people have never heard of him or his project, but he’s out giving lectures and and publishing books. As far as I know he has pretty good credibility with people who follow his work so I’m somewhat concerned about the possible implications if he convinces enough people woke = occultism.

I do think there are occultists among the woke and I also think there is a lot of magic in media and propaganda. Lindsay himself refers to spells being used in advertising and brings up more than once that occultism has been a serious thing around for ages but academics just won’t talk about it because they get made fun of. It’s a very interesting listen.

Best,
J