Magic Monday
Feb. 4th, 2024 11:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ecosophia
It's a few minutes before midnight, so we can launch into 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 1.1 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 field a lot of questions about my books these days, so I've decided to do little capsule summaries of them here, one per week. The book above on the left was my fifteenth published book, and it's the one book of mine that I've allowed to go out of print permanently. The publisher who brought out Monsters was interested in other books in the broad paranormal-weird stuff end of things, and the Atlantis legend was an obvious topic; unfortunately the result was rushed, and not really well thought out. Someday I want to do a proper book on the Atlantis legend, and more generally on the tradition that there were entire cycles of advanced civilization in the distant past -- but this is not that book, and I'm somewhat embarrassed by it.
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***This Magic Monday is now closed -- as in, no further comments will be put through. See you next week!***
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 05:06 am (UTC)What is really striking to me is that if I’m right, then ever since insulin was discovered in 1921, the medical establishment has gotten quite literally everything wrong. This effect has been too consistent to be a coincidence, and also way too consistent to be a result of intentional malice on the part of any human being or group of human beings. Further, many of the people involved in this bizarre story seem to have been genuinely interested in helping people, but seem to have been utterly unable to grasp the logical implications of the things they studied.
First, using insulin for Type II diabetes at all, since one of the key problems is excess insulin; then encouraging sugar, since using insulin without sugar risked the dangerous state of hypoglycemia; then an obsession with getting weight down, since it’s linked with a host of metabolic issues, without addressing the fact the excess insulin found in all cases of diabetes, whether by physiology or an attempt by the medical system to control blood sugar, causes weight gain, and that experts in metabolism showed clearly that attempting to starve yourself to control your weight is futile and makes many of the issues in diabetes worse; then attacking dietary fats, since heart disease is linked to higher cholesterol, fats in the diet were known to influence cholesterol levels in the short term, and fats are denser in calories than carbs which made them seem dangerous if controlling calories is important; then the push to increase fructose instead of glucose in the diet, because glucose directly increases blood sugar levels, while fructose has no direct effect on blood glucose levels.
A very large number of people seemed to get caught up in some sort of weird trance and pushed for something their own research clearly showed would be detrimental. In some cases, such as when Mark Hegstead was testifying before the McGovern Commission about his research showing carbohydrates increase insulin which reduces the flow of fats out of fat cells, and then shortly after told the commission dietary fats were the cause of weight gain because they were denser, scientists would present their research, and then immediately contradict their own research without the slightest hint of self-awareness. Do you have any ideas as to what could have caused this frankly disturbing inability many scientists displayed to see the implications of their own research?
It’s as if some sort of weird spell was cast over the majority of the medical community around when insulin was discovered, and ever since they have been utterly unable to see what is right in front of them....
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 05:07 am (UTC)Are you familiar with power of 8 intention groups by Lynne McTaggart - Basically a group of approximately 8 people hold a specific and directed intention together (usually related to healing) for approx 10m in meditation. Some remarkable effects have been documented (including healing of cancers etc). I have no doubt it works, but Lynne tries to explain it through a materialists paradigm which makes no sense when it's clearly more metaphysical. Do you have any thoughts on what might be at play here? (It seems similar to prayer to me, but it's not directed towards any diety)
Qs
Date: 2024-02-05 05:10 am (UTC)1) So I have been praying to St Micahel via his prayer card for the last 8 months. I also have a quarry stone from his shine at Mt gargano in Italy inside a hexagram case.
Last month or so, during one such prayer, I started feeling something in my hands where i held the card and the stone. At a point it got pretty heavy and I could almost feel it up my arms. I didn't know what to make of this.
Since then, this has happened more than once, including today. Sometimes the stone case get pretty hot too. My hands definitely feel like they're buzzing.
Question is: what is this / what is going on?
2) What are the best book(s) or articles to understand the energy body and the chakras well? A lot of unreliable content on the internet.
3) I want to cultivate and deepen my relationship with Saturn and ask for his help with my professional work and to inculcate wisdom, patience, knowledge of cause and effect and causality, and deep discipline into it. I know he is a stern deity so I wanted some advice on how to go about this.
I am primarily look to do planetary charity and general planetary invocations.
(I have a strongly dignified saturn as L10 but it squares my sun and pluto).
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 05:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 05:19 am (UTC)2) I wasn't familiar with that version, but my teacher John Gilbert used to run something similar called the Intentional Prayer Network. His system was that everyone who joined the network could submit a prayer request, and five people they didn't know would pray for them; each person who joined was also given the prayer requests of five other people, and the rule was that you should spend at least one minute a day praying for each of those people. It also had some remarkable results.
As for how it works, that's quite simple. An intention held with clear focus in the mind will tend to shape the universe in accordance with itself, provided that the energy of the intention isn't drained away by personal emotions. That's the basis of one kind of magic.
Astral Chatter and Mental Silence
Date: 2024-02-05 05:21 am (UTC)Dearest JMG and Winifred
This comment is in delayed response to last week Magic Monday as I too am in the throes of caring for my declining 93 year-old Dad, and not always able to get to my studies in a timely manner.
However, as I diligently attempt to catch up, I am always rewarded with insights, gems of wisdom and practical advice from JMG and this amazing commentariat.
So, in reference to observations and comments about astral plane and nearing death: thank you thank you thank you. And I would like to add my thoughts as follows while observing my father’s recent behaviors ( no dementia but heart failure, cancers, diminishing energy, home hospice). These behaviors are nighttime conversations with invisible people ( not distressful), his talking both day and night rehashing events of the day while half-asleep, a physical proclivity for grabbing and moving invisible objects with his hands, and mercifully, dropping into a deep sleep throughout the day where he almost cannot be roused.
Though I’ve not read the book in a while, I do recall from DF The Machinery of the Mind her explanation of separation of mind states describing them as “sieves”. As I understood her, the waking, dreaming and deep dream memory states in healthy minds are separated by various meshes of “meshed sieves”, allowing the right amount to penetrate each, keeping us functionally tethered to being awake in the material-etheric plane, when dreaming in the astral, and deep-sleeping for mental rest and renewal. ( Of course all these planes/ states operate in tandem but need to functionally operate at particular degrees together.)
My theory is that diminishing brain health (as with the diminishing health of all the organs) results in these “sieves” becoming compromised severely. The mesh sizes (staying with the metaphor) of the sieves loose their appropriate and optimum function, leading to a “bleed” into the mind states.
And of course, this is a natural bodily death process, yet, even though my father is a devout Catholic, he is (for many reasons) resisting his passing (a blessing and a curse situation in my opinion.)
Anyway, it’s rather fascinating (albeit EXHAUSTING) to watch the various planes in action as they make their way into separation and withdrawal from the physical form and absorption into the Soul.
Thank you again!
Jill C
Re: Qs
Date: 2024-02-05 05:22 am (UTC)2) I have yet to see a book I can recommend wholeheartedly. It's a field full of discords.
3) Cast a divination, first of all, to see if this is a good idea for you.
Re: Astral Chatter and Mental Silence
Date: 2024-02-05 05:23 am (UTC)Changing conciousness for what purpose
Date: 2024-02-05 05:27 am (UTC)I didn't see a question in the faq addressing the purpose of changing conciousness through occultism.
Some think the universe is composed of conciousness and that all forces and matter expand from that concious fabric. Is that your view? If so, is then the purpose of occultism to change the material world via the conciousness that underlies it?
If not, what is your view of a concious universe and the purpose of changing conciousness through occultism?
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 05:35 am (UTC)If you cant help me where do I go and who do I talk to?
MOE Healer Attunement; Blessings offer; Bridge of Love energy centers
Date: 2024-02-05 05:40 am (UTC)Thanks to everybody who participated in the MOE Master attunement yesterday, and congrats to any newly minted MOE Master Healers! :-)
1. I'm going to offer an MOE Healer attunement next, on Sunday Feb 18th. More infos here:
https://thehiddenthings.com/moe-healer-attunement-2024-02
2. I also offer weekly blessings. These are open to everybody, i.e. not only for MOE practitioners:
https://thehiddenthings.com/categories/weekly-blessings
(I want to practice my blessing skills, so you'd do me a favour in signing up... :-) )
3. The Bridge of Love uses some rather distinct energy centers. I wonder if you've ever seen a reference to them anywhere else, maybe during your research for the Five Rites?
JMG, thank you very much for hosting Magic Monday today!
Milkyway
Geomancy on dual citizenship
Date: 2024-02-05 05:53 am (UTC)While I am a US Citizen, I live in Canada and have the opportunity to become a Canadian Citizen (dual citizenship). I did a geomantic house chart on the question, "Will becoming a Canadian Citizen help me in my future life path?"
Mothers: Albus, Puer, Rubeus, Puer.
Querent - House I Quesited - House VII
Here's a link to an image of the chart:
https://amissio.net/gen/house/4b/2b.svg
Looks like a 'yes' to me, positive figures in I and VII (Albus, Laetitia) with Albus moving to XI for favorable aspect with VII, and company of houses between Laetitia VII and Acquisitio VIII under Jupiter.
Questions:
1) Do you or any of my fellow readers have any other observations on this chart, or a different interpretation?
2) There is a citizenship oath that involves pledging allegiance to "King Charles the Third, King of Canada, his heirs and successors..." I don't see this as much different from the US Pledge of "Allegiance to the Flag" that I did throughout gradeschool--
What are the implications, generally, of taking an oath of this kind?
My thanks in advance to you and my fellow readers for any observations you can give!
--Polkadot Mumbling Spider
Atlantis (Your Book) et al
Date: 2024-02-05 05:55 am (UTC)That's one of your titles that got by me, that said, here's a question: What do you think of such anomalous
phenomena as items of Gold jewelry (chain) found in Coal deposits, and Human footprints in natural stone for
example. Coal, Oil formation, etc. began long before we believe humankind and Atlantis could possibly have existed.
But... that doesn't change the fact stuff like this really has been found?
Thought Layers
Date: 2024-02-05 05:58 am (UTC)Thank You
Carnot Analogy
Mahjong divination
Date: 2024-02-05 06:08 am (UTC)I was also thinking of ordering a vintage set from Japan to have tiles with more character than something made recently. But I also thought such tiles may have some unwanted subtle influences adhering to them given the high likelihood they were used in yakuza-operated gambling parlors. What's your perspective? Thanks.
Re: Astral Chatter and Mental Silence
Date: 2024-02-05 06:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 06:29 am (UTC)Several months ago the observation was made that the the schools of psychology of the 20th century correspond with the outer planets. Namely, Pluto with Freud, Neptune with Jung, and Uranus with Alder.
Therefore, with its brief moment of planethood, what is Erisian psychology? And for that matter, what is Cereian psychology? With the category shuffling that took place, there should have been a school of psychology dealing with Cereian themes in the early 19th century, which promptly occulted itself once Ceres was downgraded, and is now having a small revival, alongside whatever Erisian psychology happens to be.
The other observation I want to make note of is the effect of iron as an etheric barrier, displayed by the way railroad tracks divide the landscape bottling up the etheric in a miasmic way as summed by expressions like "the wrong side of the tracks". The direct comparison should be to rivers and canals, which also divide the landscape by the flow of its waters.
Etherically, how do water barriers and iron barriers differ in action?
everything
Date: 2024-02-05 06:34 am (UTC)I have worldview reflections and am curious how common/how far our paradigms diverge.
I've read quite a few occult books, mythology books, philosophical books and so on and so forth and I have to admit that the more I read the less I sometimes know how magic works :D
Are spirits needed for magic? An animist will say yes, an energy model person will say no.
Are tools needed for magic or just useful props? That also depends, according to most of what I've read the tools are only to focus the will of the magician but by themselves are just a prop. On the other hand, a hole in the ground can be dug with the hands but also with the help of machines.
In Dion's definition of magic, magic is the art and science of influencing consciousness. I assume it is not about human consciousness. If we take a hermetic view of reality where the World is God experiencing itself, then magic is the art of influencing reality (of course, without a fireball, unless someone has succeeded, then great)
But actually how does magic work? In natural magic we take things with the right correspondence, combine them in the right way and it works, in ceremonial magic we use a trained imagination and use what I would call life force at a time when it is just forming.
In all of this we have European grimoire traditions with a European heavily animistic outlook (where either angels or other spirits are summoned) and the occasional use of herbs. In Islamic countries we had absurdly good astrological magic in the form of Picatrix and further east we had more energetic Taoist systems.
So in my ultimate question is:
Are these simply different ways to practice magic and each is equally good? Is it that there are simply different ways to practice magic just as science has its divisions like biology or physics?
SoP Divine Names Question
Date: 2024-02-05 06:42 am (UTC)In the original posting here on dreamwidth regarding the Sphere of Protection you gave a set of Judeo-Christian divine names to use in each of the directions. Tetragrammaton for air, Elohim for fire and so on.
Is there a reason that this set of names was not included in the SoP as described in the GSF book?
Thank you as always for this space.
Frank
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 06:44 am (UTC)Dear JMG, This is gnat. You suggested I bring over here a question I had originally posted to last week's "Deindustrial Warfare" thread. Quoting from the original comment:
"Is it possible for powerful egregores to conflict to the “death”? If so, what would happen, and what might it look like to us humans (who supposedly birthed them to begin with, if I understand the concept), and what would you expect to see on the higher planes? I think it was in the last open post someone asked if there might be some sort of demonic force afoot. And you responded — if I understood correctly — that you see/sense no evidence of that."
As luck would have it, this past weekend, I found the following link to a new Tucker Carlson interview with the evolutionary biologist Brett Weinstein. I think it is pertinent. He recently went on an exploratory mission to the Darien Gap in southern Panama, on intuition, to take a closer look at the "migration" flow from there to the US southern border. What he found there should disturb all of us. I hope you might take the time to watch. If you have limited time, you might watch a few minutes around the 14-minute mark, where he describes his surprise encounter with perhaps hundreds of Chinese government personnel, in their own camp, posing as migrants. After that you might skip to around the 40 minute mark, where he says "And it reminded me of how many things in our society had their purpose inverted...universities now make people stupider...Something has taken over our system and it has become sick."
So, that is what I am talking about, as well. Why use physical weapons when you can convince your enemy to, effectively, jab himself to death -- and his own children as well? You said it isn't a "conspiracy". And you also said, if I remember correctly, that you don't see anything astrological to explain all this, so many years later. Even in a societal collapse, why are so many common people going mad?
In preparation for this question, I did some reading about the intersection of the Roman religion with the emerging Christian religion, especially around the time of the Emperor Trajan. I was disappointed that I didn't see more of a lesson there for our times. (Although the martyrdom of Ignatius, calmly, in his faith, inviting the jaws of the lion, reminded me a bit of Trump and his travails).
So what is going on here, in your opinion? It is not simple incompetence of the managerial class. I've normally got a pretty good ability to navigate by intuition and to manifest. I did enjoy your post https://www.ecosophia.net/a-primer-of-magical-combat/. However, these days all I keep getting is an overwhelming sense of the diabolic. And to think I didn't use to believe in demons! It's possible you've previously posted on this and I missed it. I'd appreciate any light you can bring to the greater topic.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 07:02 am (UTC)I hope you are well and that everyone is having a great week.
1. What were the precursors of the so-called Christian Kabbalah? We always talk about Pico Della Mirandola and Ficino. Someone before them?
2. Can Catholic or Orthodox Saints be part of an occult/esoteric path?! I ask because I always think of the devotion of these entities as associated with official churches and not with a Kabbalistic path, for example.
3. Would the power or effectiveness of a saint be connected to the number of devotees he has?
4.Finally, a curious story: my 7-year-old niece is a devotee of Father Christmas, a toy she received a few years ago with the typical, commercial figure of Father Christmas (not the Catholic saint). After she started this devotion she has been receiving gifts from friends and relatives, raffles at school... My question: could Father Christmas have turned into an artificial server over time?
And thank you very much for your generosity!
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 07:24 am (UTC)How does one catch oneself falling into this behavior pattern?
The general work is clear (become more aware, meditate, journal, do inner work including work on your own issues, etc etc) - but do you, or does anybody else, also have any specific, actionable advice to catch oneself doing this? Or is there nothing to do but follow the general path of self-awareness and hope that it'll extent to such patterns someday?
Milkyway
Ecosophia Prayer List
Date: 2024-02-05 07:27 am (UTC)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.May John Michael Greer's wife Sara, who is recovering from a serious illness, recover fully and be restored to health.
May Erika's partner James remain cancer free, and make a full return to robust health.
Tyler A's wife Monika's pregnancy is high risk; may Mother and child be blessed with good health and a smooth delivery.
May the surgery for Yuccaglauca's mother Monica's malignant mass be safe, successful, and conclusive of the matter.
May Frank Rudolf Hartman of Altadena California (picture), who is receiving chemotherapy, be completely cured of the lymphoma that is afflicting him, and may he return to full health.
May Audrey's nephew Jon, who is now in a wheelchair due to ALS, have peace and comfort during this difficult time, and be healed of his condition to the greatest degree possible.
May Just Another Green Rage Monster's father, who is dealing with Stage 4 Lymphoma, and mother, who is primary caregiver, be blessed, protected and healed.
May Kyle's friend Amanda, who though in her early thirties is undergoing various difficult treatments for brain cancer, make a full recovery; and may her body and spirit heal with grace.
Lp9's hometown, East Palestine, Ohio, for the safety and welfare of their people, animals and all living beings in and around East Palestine, and to improve the natural environment there to the benefit of all.
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 to be found at the Ecosophia Prayer List FAQ.
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.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 07:47 am (UTC)1. Have you had any reason to reassess your caution about doing Stages 2 and 3 of the Five Rites practices alongside the Middle Pillar and the other exercises you mentioned in your book?
2. What is the function of the energy centre at the base of the skull/top of spine?
3. What do you think about using non-specific and open-ended magical intentions like 'I receive that which I most need' or 'Heal that which most needs healing' if you're not sure enough about your most pressing needs to hone down a discrete and specific one?
Thanks for Magic Mondays
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-05 07:52 am (UTC)I have a few questions about communicating with spirits by pathworking aka 'scrying in spirit vision'.
Well first, is there evidence of the existence of the technique prior to the Golden Dawn or is it purely a Golden Dawn invention? I don't mean Hindu and Buddhist tattwas, but rather scrying on the spirit vision plane communicating with spirits.
Secondly, how soon do you recommend we start with pathworking? If I want to communicate with Raphael, the supercelestial angel ruler of Mercury and the sephirot of Tipharath, how soon should I attempt for best results? Of course, daily meditation is recommended for best results which is what I do, however there is always a doubt that the pathworking might have just been me communicating with my own brain.