Magic Monday
Aug. 18th, 2024 11:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ecosophia
Midnight is here, and so it's time to launch a new Magic Monday. Ask me anything about occultism, and 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. 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. And further: I've decided that questions about getting goodies from spirits are also permanently off topic here. The point of occultism is to develop your own capacities, not to try to bully or wheedle other beings into doing things for you. I've discussed this in a post on my blog.
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 was my fortieth published book, and the product of an investigation that's still ongoing. I happened to notice back in the early 1990s, as a result of voracious reading in odd books, that a surprising number of temple traditions around the world are connected to legends about increased agricultural fertility. I know, that's supposed to be mere superstition -- but it's funny how often "mere superstition" turns into evidence that the ancients knew more than it's fashionable for modern intellectuals to admit. That launched a quest that resulted in this book. I've come to theorize that woven into the design and use of certain specific kinds of temples is a lost folk technology that boosts agricultural productivity. I've collected physical evidence (including controlled double-blind studies) that there are energies known to science that could have been concentrated and put to use with resonating chambers of stone, designed according to specific geometries, filled with volatile organic compounds, and activated with sound waves. What's more, it's a technology that could be rediscovered and put to work to help plants thrive now.
This book was my first progress report on that investigation. It's about to go out of print -- Llewellyn, the original publisher, still has a few copies left on sale, which you can get here -- but there'll be another edition in due time, and probably a further book not too long after that, as I'm continuing to find relevant data. Yes, there are also other people busy with this; the prospect of a working model, so that the details of the technology can be tested in real world conditions, may not be far off.
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***This Magic Monday is now closed, and no further comments will be put through. See you next week!***
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 10:00 am (UTC)1. I have noticed that you have authored some new books under the Golden Fellowship, books of occultism that self-initiate the reader into a specific branch of occult mysteries. I wish to know whether this is a significant detour from the traditional Hermetic Kabbalistic system of the 4 elements, planets, zodiacs and sephirots. So far I have not seen the same symbolism and teachings prevalent in the Hermetic Kabbalah. Are these two traditions compatible or should I ignore those books if I am interested in the regular plain old Kabbalah?
2.How does one communicate with a saint in spirit vision? Saints don’t map up on the Kircher Tree of Life as they do not belong to any planet, or sephirot. People have always worked with them through simple spellwork like Hoodoo or merely prayers. Would you say that Malkuth or Mercury (planet of communication) is a safe bet to interact with saints via spirit vision?
3. Similar to saints there is another group of spirits who don’t map at all anywhere on the Tree I am interested in. These are the genii of the hours in Levi’s book (can’t remember which) but you can find them in Liber 777. Crowley organized them under the signs of the zodiac without providing an explanation or a source. How would one interact with them via spirit vision?
Brain Tingles
Date: 2024-08-19 10:27 am (UTC)So this may be a bit of an odd one,
As long as I can remember I've had "brain tingles" when I've met certain people, this isn't an everyday thing, so I don't feel it's a case of some type of first impressions. It may only happen a couple of times a year at most, though often less.
I don't necessarily need to converse with the person as there has been occasions where it's happened passing by someone in the street. When it's happened with someone who I've then made aquaintance with or formed a friendship it doesn't continue, it a one and done kind of thing.
It's occured more when meeting practicing psychics of various kinds, though this isnt always the case either..
My wife has previously suggested it could be something like the feeling people attach to listening to ASMR, but having tried it a couple of times it isn't anything like that. It certainly seems to be attached to being in the presence of someone for the first time.
It feels like a tingling sensation that radiates out in waves from the top of my cranium and flows around and down my brain to the base of the skull. The sensation is pleasant and typically lasts about 5-10 seconds.
I wondered if there is an occult explanation for this. I imagine that there is, but so far have been unable to get a clear answer and would appreciate if someone more knowledgeable has one.
Thanks,
Kind regards.
Rob
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 10:42 am (UTC)Does the Tarot have applications besides divination and meditation? I think I recall you describing it at one point as a sort of Swiss Army knife of high magic.
Heathen Golden Dawn
Date: 2024-08-19 11:29 am (UTC)The Heathen LBRP/MP you posted here were my first real foray into occultism, and I practiced them for a few years before drifting into other spiritual directions for a while. In part because the full course took so many years to arrive, but to be clear I'm not complaining, since I know complications happen in life and that you have many projects on your plate. Still, now that the book is finally done, I had to get a copy. (And if Mr. Hill aka. Gullindagan happens to be reading here, thank you for all your work and dedication in making this.)
Right now I'm at a crossroads for deciding which path to pursue, and I decided to try the Heathen LRP again a few times for old times' sake after reading through the book. While I still have a lot of affection and respect for the Norse gods, I never expected to return to Heathenry as my primary path, but I experienced a very powerful response to the ritual and subsequent meditation, something I feel I probably shouldn't ignore. So now I'm thinking I might at least commit to working through the Thrall grade and seeing where it goes from there. Which brings me to my more specific questions:
1) Have there been any plans for an organized Order of the Heathen Golden Dawn, along the lines of the DOGD? Or alternately, is there any interest here in such a thing?
2) Apropos the Merlin's Wheel discussion, I've also been thinking about what a Heathen adaptation would look like. Maybe based on Egil's saga, since he's such an archetypal Heathen, and it follows his whole life cycle? But I know there's quite a few seasoned and knowledgeable Heathens here who might have better suggestions. (Maybe some purists would say it doesn't make sense for a Heathen tradition to work with the eight festivals to begin with, but I think it's a very elegant structure and such a big part of modern Pagan culture there's a case to be made for it. And anyone who can accept a Germanic-GD mixture to begin with shouldn't be that much of a purist, right? :P)
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 11:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 11:56 am (UTC)I am the guy who fell in love with another woman at his own wedding and has been struggling with his feelings ever since.
Over the past few weeks, I have tried to follow your advice and have been searching for the reasons behind this situation.
One thought that crossed my mind, though it's probably not the most likely explanation, is that this whole situation might be related to the new house we bought before the wedding. The house previously belonged to a couple who separated very unhappily and with a lot of anger, and are now embroiled in a court battle.
1) Is it possible for a house to be cursed or otherwise tainted etherically or astrally, causing this misfortune to befall us?
2) You often suggest keeping a journal. Could you perhaps elaborate on this? Should one actively reflect on their life, or just dryly record what happens in their daily life?
Thank you!
Red bag amulet
Date: 2024-08-19 12:47 pm (UTC)I found something that might be of interest to you and readers of this blog. I’ve been doing a bit of Italian cooking lately and watching a Calabrian cook and her husband on YouTube. One of her newer videos is not about cooking, but Calabrian and wider Italian folk magic traditions and superstitions.
In the beginning of the video they are speaking about good luck amulets and charms and they pull out a red felt bag filled with salt.m that is used there for good luck and protection. I was pretty surprised, it looks exactly like the red bag amulet described here and in North American hoodoo practice as a mojo bag.
Here’s the link to the video for those interested (JMG I know that you are not), the relevant part starts at 2:20.
https://youtu.be/skBUUtuJn7g?si=MRCnttGyhAP5cs0I
This got me going on a research rabbit hole to see if this was common in Italy and I couldn’t find anything at all, so I reached out to an academic who studies these things who is from Southern Italy. She reached out to multiple others and it seems that this practice is only done in Calabria. Not sure if this arose on its own, or was imported from another source but I thought it was fascinating, and might be of interest to those here that like to do research on these things as I do.
Best,
Dean
Undruidly words; Blessing offer
Date: 2024-08-19 12:51 pm (UTC)Hope you had a good weekend (or at least better than the last!). :-)
Your ban for „undruidly“ words on your sites, is that a personal preference/choice, or is there indeed some underlying reason in druidry in particular not to use swear words?
And for everybody: I‘ll be performing a formal blessing ceremony again this Wednesday and would appreciate signups, as this helps me to practice:
https://thehiddenthings.com/weekly-blessings-33
JMG, thanks for hosting this space, and my blessings to you if you‘ll have them,
Milkyway
Getting to Know Elen and Heseus
Date: 2024-08-19 01:08 pm (UTC)We were walking to a natural arch and met some locals on the way who also told us about a hidden natural arch that was off trail, and that he was an "arch hunter" going to see as many of the arches in his state as he could. This resonated with me strongly and he gave me some information I could follow up on. He was what someone from the coasts might call a hill billy (to me a term of no offense). He had bright bright blue eyes and I could tell he was very attuned to the land.
Anyway, afterwards I had some synchronicities, around the topic of "psychic questing" and some articles about Elen from people in that community. This has led me to start including Elen of the Ways in my devotions. I found in a book of paintings by Stuart Littlejohn a wonderful painting of her to use as a focus. It can be seen about halfway down this gallery of his here:
https://www.stuartlittlejohn.com/gallery-two-1
I am finding the Welsh deities to be enigmatic. But I also started developing a closer relationship with Heseus after another experience in Kentucky, on my aunt & uncles land about an hour south of here. Next to an ancient oak tree of course (after my cousin gave me a turtle shell she had found -and the presence of Heseus seemed very close).
Still working on getting a sense of Hu, though Sulis is a bit closer. Ced too, I experienced as a vision of a cornucopia or thanksgiving table spread. Celi remains very enigmantic.
Just thought I'd share these experiences.
John, do you have any tips or sources beyond further readings of the Mabinogion?
Justin Patrick Moore /|\ /|\ /|\
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 01:15 pm (UTC)A couple of weeks ago another commenter referred to Gregory Shaw's book Hellenic Tantra, which I ended up reading (thanks to whoever posted about that book; it's been very fruitful to read!). A question arose:
Shaw discusses how divine names are both the same as, and not the same as, their names, and goes on to discuss how, from the point of view of some Neoplatonists, these names can't be translated because of this - you can't translate or change the name of divine beings because the utterance of that name, in its original language, partly IS the divine being.
I'm still working on understanding this and I hope I haven't garbled Shaw's point, but it makes me wonder whether the shifting of language through history has meant the utterance of the names of older deities aren't actually referring to those beings. For example, Osiris in Latin was Osiride, and I'm not sure what His original Egyptian name would have been.
If this is a valid point, what effect would this have on prayer, for example, or vibrating divine names in the SOP?
Many thanks!
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 01:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 01:29 pm (UTC)There are many systems of occult training out there, many of them worthwhile, yet, the way I understand it, a student should pick one and stick with it to completion, a commitment that can take years to fulfill. Can you give any advice on:
a) Choosing a system that is "right for you"?
b) Dealing with doubting whether you made the right choice?
Question
Date: 2024-08-19 01:52 pm (UTC)1) I saw someone tweet about a math prodigy that could "taste numbers". It made me wonder what math actually was. Are mathematical objects "real" and "external" in some type of way? Do we get their glimpses on the mental plane? Are they one of the "forms" objects or archetypical? In that sense are we discovering them rather than creating them?
1B) How do they relate to physical and mental objects in that case?
I would be keen to know about the nature of math in the occult as well as philosophically.
2) I wanted to ask about the psychological inflation during kundalini awakenings that sometimes causes people to identify themselves as major historical figures (Lincoln etc), capable of impossible feats, having a mission etc.
It seems to do with the kundalini rising to the head particularly.
What exactly is going on? Are these archetypical images from the collective unconscious? Deeply buried subjective desires etc? It seems to go away once the K settles, but some people lose their minds.
3) If learning a language is L5 in horary, would asking what software, book, or coaching help to use be L5 too, or L9?
What Could Happen?
Date: 2024-08-19 01:52 pm (UTC)As always, thanks for your comments.
Slavic Deities on Wikipedia
Date: 2024-08-19 02:29 pm (UTC)Recently, I found myself looking at pages on Wikipedia about Slavic deities, such as the entry about Veles. It is a few years since I last browsed these pages, and I was surprised how much longer they have become, and how much more information there is now. I didn't used to consult them because there just wasn't much to see.
I had understood that there simply was not much known from primary sources about Slavic ancient beliefs and practices, yet the current entries seemed to answer certain questions about these gods I had had for a very long time. I have been wondering if the writer, or the authors of books cited in the footnotes, may have been somewhat fanciful and inventive. Or have genuine historical sources been translated for the first time?
Is there anyone from the community reading (Professor Mathiesen, perhaps) who can attest to the accuracy or otherwise of the current content?
Thank you.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:21 pm (UTC)I'm currently working through the Gnostic lessons with the goal of becoming a Universal Nun. I've just finished reading Underhill's _Practical Mysticism_ and have a few questions.
1. What is the difference (in terms of end result) between doing intensive work with the ToL and pursuing a mystical path of union with the Divine? Are the concepts of "piercing the veil," Enlightenment, and Divine union all referring to the same thing? Or are these different experiences, perhaps on different planes?
2. I seem to recall you saying something in the past about never giving up control of your will. If that's the case, what do you think of the seemingly universal idea within mysticism that Divine union requires dying to the self and surrendering your will to God?
3. And I have a general question about divination. For yes/no questions, does an upright card always signify a "yes" and a reversed card a "no"? Or could a reversed card be a yes with qualifications? For example, I recently asked the SGO whether I should pursue a certain path and got reversed 29 (Dodecahedron), which I thought might mean that pursuing that path would require inner change and growth, rather than saying I shouldn't pursue it at all. I've always seen divination as being generally instructive rather than proscriptive, but I don't want to pursue something because I've convinced myself it's OK when the oracle is trying to tell me not to. In your opinion, how much can divination be approached with this kind of nuance?
Thanks for sharing your wisdom,
KT
Re: Axe & Plough, PIE Religion, "Spook Central," 4 More All Father Drafts, and Q on Checking Divinat
Date: 2024-08-19 03:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:38 pm (UTC)Stonehenge megalith came from Scotland, not Wales, ‘jaw-dropping’ study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/14/stonehenge-megalith-came-from-scotland-not-wales-jaw-dropping-study-finds
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:40 pm (UTC)i meant to add this article as well:
Two ancient North American structures crumble as tribes forewarn impending doom: ‘Bad omen’
https://nypost.com/2024/08/09/world-news/ancient-pyramids-collapse-in-mexico-in-what-tribe-calls-bad-omen/
Re: Getting to Know Elen and Heseus
Date: 2024-08-19 03:41 pm (UTC)Celi is enigmatic. Nobody ever sees him; you just hear a soft piping, like a flute, played on high places.
As for tips, as I noted to Open_Space, there really is frack-all information about the Druid Revival deities. In a way, that's an advantage, since it forces us to approach them directly, rather than through a haze of book-knowledge.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:42 pm (UTC)So, yes, I do think some houses carry an unfortunate energy or fate pattern.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-19 03:48 pm (UTC)