Magic Monday

[ecosophia]

Once again, it's technically Monday now -- past midnight Eastern time -- and here I am on Dreamwidth, so it's time for another Magic Monday.  Ask me anything about occultism and I'll do my best to answer it. Any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer, though it may be Tuesday sometime before I get to them all.

With that said, have at it!

***This Magic Monday is now closed to new questions -- as in, new questions posted from this point on will be fed to my pet black hole Fido. See you next Monday!***

Comments

[jenniferkobernik]

This may be kind of out of left field, but do you know of any magic that can be done using rattlesnake rattles? I'm decluttering the family home and found a boxful. I feel as if I shouldn't just throw them away, and it seems as if someone must have come up with something magical to do with them at some point, perhaps in Southern conjure?

Parapsychological research and magic

[pkervale]

Have you looked at parapsychology researcher Dean Radin's latest book "Real Magic"? Among other things (including the usual sparring with Skeptics) "Real Magic" contains some discussion of experimental results that could in theory be of interest to practitioners of magic. I'm curious whether you think formal experimental science can be useful to magicians.

For example, Radin's book discusses some random number generator (RNG) experiments that asked participants what techniques they used as they tried to influence the RNGs with their minds. The most successful techniques for RNG-influencing were, from most effective to least effective:

"resonance [i.e., feeling 'at one' with the RNG], ... asking entities (spirits or angels) for assistance, using emotion to help 'power' the will, one-pointed concentration, physical relaxation, visual imagery, and finally, talking to the RNG as though it was a sentient creature..."

Are results like these of interest to magicians? Are they boringly obvious? Are the research methods fundamentally flawed? Is experimental science inimical to magic?

[ecosophia]

Good heavens, yes. Rattlesnake rattles are used in traditional conjure to bring courage and luck; if you put it in a toby (a cloth bag containing magically effective ingredients), always put it in a little bottle or metal case first to keep it from fragmenting. Fiddlers and guitarists used to put one inside their instruments as a charm to help them win contests.

I don't know if any of the conjure supplies companies would be interested in buying a box of rattlesnake rattles from you, whether for cash or trade credit, but you might email around and see!

Re: Parapsychological research and magic

[ecosophia]

I haven't read it; I don't follow parapsychology much. I appreciate what the parapsychologists are doing -- trying to show that magic, and things like it, really do work in the real world -- but those of us who practice magic by and large aren't interested in that; we know that it works, and our main interest is in getting good at it.

Imagine, by way of comparison, that there was a well-organized, well-funded lobby that insisted that it's impossible to cook tasty, edible meals at home -- you've got to go to a restaurant instead. (This is the traditional attitude of religious professionals toward magic, for what it's worth.) Of course it would be useful for people to set out to prove that yes, in fact, it's possible to cook dinner at home -- but those who'd already figured that out would be more interested in finding old cookbooks and learning to use the recipes than they would be in continuing to prove something they already knew to be true.

[jenniferkobernik]

Excellent, thank you! Luck, courage, and potential income all have their own appeal, and I have a good friend who is a guitarist, so she might appreciate one as well.

[(Anonymous)]

I am working through the druid magic handbook but am frequently in circumstances where it would be socially inappropriate to do the SoP out loud. On those days, I practice silently or at a whisper, while imagining myself speaking and vibrating out loud.

Is this the best way to adapt to the need to be inaudible, or are there other useful tricks?

[ecosophia]

That's one way to do it. Another, which requires a little more practice, is called the Great Voice. To do this, when you would normally vibrate a word, imagine the vibration as intensely as possible, just as though you were actually making it; concentrate on feeling the familiar tingling or buzzing sensation you get when you vibrate a word. Once you learn the trick, you can get nearly the same effect in perfect silence as you'd get vibrating out loud.

Another approach is to do the working on the inner planes. Sit in a chair on the north side of the space, facing south, and imagine yourself standing up, going to the center of the space, and beginning the SoP. Imagine it all as clearly as possible -- the movements, the sounds, everything, as though you were doing the SoP physically, while your physical body remains silently in the chair. When you're finished, return to the chair. This is great training for pathworking and astral projection, too.

An ex-apprentice

[(Anonymous)]

I was apprentice/partner/room mate with a mentally unstable self-professed philosopher, alchemist, inventor, etc... Your assessment about learning one system well makes sense in light of his constant skimming and the results of his work. He sought to create his own system before mastering one. His practice seemed to be a hodgepodge of stuff from everywhere. He spent a large amount of his teens sleeping for extreme amounts of time and had a cosmology built out of that. He said most of his ideas came from his dreams though I often come across what seem to be influences.

He claimed he wanted to save to world and proceeded to do it by using everyone around him and then claiming they needed to adapt to him when they called him on his behavior. When you would ask him a question about something you didn't understand, he would start his spiel over verbatim instead of addressing the question. He hated being interrupted but did it all the time and would monologue you into submission. He would talk use rules of conflict resolution that only served him.

He had a lot of opportunities - loans, contacts, allies - but every group he formed seemed to implode or attract people actively trying to change its purpose which reminding me of your comments on Crowley. I found it difficult to detach because I wanted to be part of his work and associated with any spillover glory. Journey to the East by Herman Hesse makes sense here for me. I wanted to help publish his work as I was intrigued by the snippets I had read online that led us into relationship. He got me on a side project of his, I moved into his communal house to work on it, that was supposed to make us rich and lead the way to all other glories. I only did it because I wanted to publish the work and know everything that he knew. I was love-bombed / publicly shamed enough times that I was totally loyal.

Providence intervened in the way of a house fire that gave me the chance to move out of his house and create some distance. Down the line, I scanned his notes with his permission, he was worried about his life's work disappearing and wanted some redundancy and that created a new distance - I could read the work without having to talk with him. Yet now I'm not so sure because this is one the last links between us.

I read enough of his work to realize I didn't want any part of his mind. It was too disorganized. Too many diatribes, and unmarked figures. Too many asides and as the dates got more recent, a monomaniacal repetition of the project we were working on that had already burned half a dozen partners. And reading them made me think like him, but it was a lot easier to disassociate than to speak with him when he used "THE VOICE".

I said all this because you answered another post about Landmark that they may curse people who leave and he was an advocate of that organization. He sent it through the grapevine that he disapproved of my new profession, which I switched to largely out of frustration working with him and enjoy far more. His comments made me feel it was a good choice. I'm wondering if he used the mutual friend as an instrument. I'm wondering if he cursed me. I am still terrified to run into him or for him to meet my family and I can't explain why because he is not physically intimidating, but he scares me.

I've kept these files until recently, though I had no intention of ever reading them. Looking at them just made me angry. It took a long time to stop thinking through his eyes and to regain my confidence in my self. It took a long time to separate out what I liked what he said, and what I didn't, to fact check things I would just parrot without questioning. I didn't think I could ever be to taken like that and I learned the hard way. I'd like to believe it will never happen again. Only my wife, a couple of good friends and providence saved me.

Is there something I can do to rid myself of him for good beyond what I've done (deleting his work, ending the relationship, breaking contact)?
Will all the advice you gave regarding Landmark apply equally well to my circumstances?
Do you have any other comments about learning from someone inadequate to teach?

[(Anonymous)]

In previous posts you've dissected some of the far left's attempts at public evil magic. I was wondering what your analysis would be on one of the far-right's attempts at public evil magic, as well: namely, Ebola-chan, which has been going on for a few years: https://8ch.net/ebola/catalog.html , Nick Land's 2014 take: http://www.xenosystems.net/ebola-chan/ (you get a shout out here), PotP take: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/09/22/4chans-latest-terrible-prank-convincing-west-africans-that-ebola-doctors-actually-worship-the-disease/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a4188091b43a

In postmodern fashion, it's a working wrapped up in a joke meme disguised as a chain letter. The intention being a Linkola-esque cull of (african) humanity by means of Ebola by a. convincing Africans that there is a death cult of Ebola aid workers trying to spread Ebola, b. convincing the mainstream that it's all just a dumb racist joke, and c. feeding Ebola-chan sexual energy and focused intention.

Extremes

[ferngladefarm.blogspot.com.au]

Hi John Michael,

I was wondering if occult tradition has anything to say on the flight to extremes that goes on in today's society? I feel that there has to be some benefit for someone for such a mode of thought to take hold.

Chris

Coffee in Natural Magic

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG, thank you for another Magic Monday!

Having just read H.E. Jacob's visionary world history of coffee (Coffee: The Epic of a Commodity, Berlin 1934/New York 2015), back to back with Antony Wild's decidedly more cynical Coffee: A Dark History (London 2004), it seems to me that Coffea arabica has quite a number of features one would expect to find in a powerful magical plant: It spread explosively around the globe once discovered (by Sufi alchemists, no less), being closely involved in substantial social and geopolitical change along the way (even in the rise of global finance out of the 17th century London coffee houses); it was and is widely used for recreational, medical, and mind-altering purposes (obviously); and it has invariably triggered extremes of enthusiasm and suspicion, both politically and religiously motivated, wherever it appeared.

All the more surprising that I can't find its properties listed in any materia magica I have access to, not even in your very comprehensive Encyclopedia of Natural Magic. I wonder what the reason for this might be, and if there are indeed uses for coffee in natural magic, beyond coffee ground reading, that you know of? Any information would be very welcome.

Proper way to erect standing stones

[(Anonymous)]

What would be the proper way to erect standing stones? I am staying in a town this week that erected a stone circle to reflect the Celtic heritage of early families and to act as a bit of a tourist trap. To put it bluntly, they f***ed it up. The stones 'scream' at me when I get close. This has been noted by a number of other people I've asked about it. My guess is that they were hauled out of somewhere they were very happy to be, quite possibly with significance to indigenous traditions.

[casmen900]

Dear Mr. Greer,
In your book
The Art and Practice of Geomancy – Divination, Magic, and Earth Wisdom of the Renaissance
Please clarify my doubt:
- On page 217 there seems to be a contradiction
“Taphthartharath...but enemy to...Hasmodai.”
“Hasmodai...her friends are...Taphthartharath.”
Thank you.

Labyrinths

[(Anonymous)]

Hello!

Labyrinths seem to have been used across many cultures for millenia.

(1) What (if any) are the occult dimensions of their uses?

(2) Have they other uses besides meditative pathways?

(3) Have you used them and if yes to what effect?

Regards

Karim

The Myth of the Land

[(Anonymous)]

Hello JMG!

I'd like to apologise for last week's out of boundaries message. Lessons learned not only of following instructions, but of being conscious of the action being done while you're doing it, both indispensable for magical practice.

That said, here goes my question again.

While meditatimg it ocurred to me to try a ritual to receive from the Three Kindreds, Gods, Ancestors and Spirits, in dreams and visions, a myth of the land where I live, as a way to know their view and will regarding the work that needs to be done here.

Is there any precedence for this kind of work? Any suggestions and guidance? Thank you so much!

[packshaud]

I own the edition of Circles of Power published by Salamander and Sons, and the edition of The Caltic Golden Dawn published by Llewellyn. What was updated in the Aeon editions of these books?

If you had these two choices to describe the Welsh LL sound, which would be closer: the LL in Spanish (in dialects where it sounds like a forced L, not sort like the Y in the English word you) or the SH in sharp?

[(Anonymous)]

I'm almost three months into the daily practices and i've had my first transformative experience.

Perhaps one should call it healing instead, but the thing is i just came to understand and recognize some things about my past that now makes me feel in a quite diferent emotional landscape.

Its very surprising how the change of narrative, which has happened on her own, could be so liberating... and empowering. Now, i think i understand a little bit more what a change of consciousness accounts for.

The questions:
Since i'm 26 now, will this kind of "hard work" ahead of time, so to speak, make my Saturn return easier? My moon is conjunct Saturn in the 9th house, under aquarius.My childhood was indeed unhappy but,is this aspect likely to bring more suffering across my life?

2-Where i can find a guide of greco-Roman gods for the seasonal rituals of Druidry?

3-While meditating, do you think it's useful to explore a theme creating an image of the theme?

Many thanks JMG, for setting me on this magical path.

[(Anonymous)]

What results or benefits are possible from learning ritual magic? Does even asking this question indicate I'm not cut out for it? Should I just learn natural magic instead (faster results)? It's just that knowing my weaknesses, I doubt I could make the long commitment learning ritual magic requires. But perhaps, as with physical exercise, if I knew the benefits, I'd find the willpower. Thank you.

Quit smoking sigil?

[(Anonymous)]

I’ve a friend that wants to quit smoking and is willing to try some magic to help with the process. Would love to get some pointers and tips if you or any of the readers have them.

House and Geomancy

[(Anonymous)]

Hello!
I am beginning my studies in Geomancy and did a chart that got me insecure about what is the house of the question.
The question was “How can I better my tarot reading and effectively help those around me?”.
I was thinking it may be the 9th house, but I’m not sure… What do you think?
Also, do you think this may be an unfortunate phrased question for a Geomancy Chart? Since is so generic and broad.
Thank you so much!!
Alice.

Horoscopy

[(Anonymous)]

Can you recommend a book that teaches how to cast horoscopes by hand (and ideally one that doesn't require so much arithmetic for those who are mathematically impaired)?

[(Anonymous)]

Somewhat meta-: whom, and how often (last question was about 1 year ago, I think), would it be a good idea to ask about Nordic Golden Dawn development?

- aNeopuritan.

curses

[violetcabra]

For the past several months I've dreamt of sinister, malevolent figures in my dreams around the eld of the moon. Sometimes this is accompanied by horrible trains of thought that feel like they're originating from outside of me. The regularity of this is what has caught my attention; it is always the few days before the new moon, and as the moon starts to wax this sense of organized malevolence noticeably disperses, while still remaining as background noise. I should note here that I do daily banishings.

A few days ago I sensed this and put on a protective amulet as per The Encyclopedia of Natural Magic and the thoughts that had been in my head stopped, very much like in your Weird of Hali books. I thought about Dion Fortune in Sane Occultism, how you can only defeat a mage of lower initiation. One character from my dreams is a real life mage who I have good reason to believe may be more of an initiate than I.

Somehow, I began to think about the Will as something that is outside the realms of normal consciousness, something outside of myself, and with these thoughts I felt myself immediately fill with the power of Will, discipline etc, and the sense of organized malevolence having power over me stopped as well. With this influx, I felt that I had power over the curse and I prayed that my defensive actions wouldn't amplify any blowback that the people who may be cursing me may experience. While I'm angered by the possibility that someone may be trying to harm me, I wished that their curse may be dispersed as much as possible similar as per what Dion Fortune suggests in Psychic Self Defense. Given the sorts of experiences I had been having, I could imagine that the blowback from this spell would be truly nasty, and the people doing it, according to my dreams, used to be my friends. Even if they were to have betrayed me heinously, they would still have a certain fond place in my heart, and I would still wish them the best. That being said, I wouldn't ever want to see them again.

Unfortunately, later that day I was "coincidentally" bitten by a deer tick. I've been taking large amounts of specific herbs, but for the past two days I've been rather under the weather. Of course this could all be coincidental, but my hackles are raised, given that these coincidences have been so ongoing and regular. That being said, I feel that the curse, or the intrusive malevolence has been dispelled like clouds lifting to reveal a shining sun, and that my experience of Will was genuine, and indeed, worked to dispel hostile forces, at least temporarily.

This experience has been going on now for something like a year, and I've been conscious of it's pattern for 3 or 4 months and it has been altogether utterly weird and dismaying. Of course, there is likely some Karmic Culmination going on, but nonetheless, given the lunar aspect and sense of recurrence I think that there may be more than that. I'm well aware that this I may be deluding myself. I don't consider myself an experienced Mage, or hardly a Mage at all really, and am aware that I can be over-imaginative, unbalanced in many ways and even foolish. That being said, I feel that in this experience I did indeed connect with something larger than myself, or perhaps a larger part of myself, since I can easily recall the feeling of connection to what I am calling Will, and that force is balanced and much stronger than my usual grade of will.

To close this comment:

1) I present this as information that at least some of the magic coming from the left seems to be perhaps more effective than the Trump binding spell, but to be coinciding with its schedule.

2) If I may ask a very general question, do you have any thoughts or suggestions concerning this JMG? This all seems so uncanny to my normal modes of consciousness that I would enormously appreciate your perspective on what I'm describing. I think taking stock of your perspective as an experienced Mage could help me very much to organize these experiences constructively. Quite honestly I feel shaken in many ways by this course of events and want to face the situation in the healthiest manner possible.

Japanese Knives and Celtic Iron

[(Anonymous)]

My mother-in-law is Japanese, and she follows a tradition in which you should never give a knife as a gift, as it will sever the relationship. She suggested we had no knives or other sharp implements on our wedding registry, for instance.

I had an experience over the past year where a friend gave me a pocketknife for my birthday and within 6 months the relationship was basically over.

I believe your step-mother is Japanese. I wondered if you are familiar with this tradition and I am really curious if there is some kind of connection between it and the traditional Celtic use of sharp-iron to ward off faery glamour. It might just be a similar symbolism but it is intriguing to think about unrelated cultures independently discovering a magical mechanism.

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Mr. Greer,

I live in the high desert of Bend, Oregon and I'm starting to learn the Grove Ritual. My concern is this. We're heading into several months of high fire danger and I'm concerned about open flames in the forest around here. I've considered using just some unlit frankincense resin in the bowl representing air and I'm must not sure what to use in the bowl representing fire. I don't like the idea of a battery powered candle because of the waste involved. Would it be acceptable to just try to visualize the smoke of the incense in the air bowl and the flame in the fire bowl?

Sincerely,
Haassmasithiam