Magic Monday

[ecosophia]

Midnight is upon us and so it's time to launch a new Magic Monday. Ask me anything about occultism, and with certain exceptions noted below, any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer. Please note:  Any question or comment received after that point will not get an answer, and in fact will not be put through.  If you're in a hurry, or suspect you may be the 341,928th person to ask a question, please check out the very rough version 1.3 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.  This is my eightieth published book, though it's also one of my first! Many years ago, not long after I became an initiate in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), I started collecting scraps of data on the 22 emblems that are included in the degree ceremonies, and self-published a little staplebound booklet about them. A couple of years ago, I was contacted by some other Odd Fellows who were trying to increase interest in our old (and yes, rather odd) initiatory order and asked to permit a reprint. That saw print earlier this year. It's a specialized title, mostly of interest to those who are members or or interested in Odd Fellowship, but it has some fascinating stuff in it. If you'd like a copy,  you can get it here in the US and from your favorite online retailer elsewhere. 

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 and no further comments will be put through. See you next week!***

Comments

Gratitude

[vitranc]

I would like to say a few words of deep gratitude to all the ecosophians who participated in the gift giving to JMG last Magic Monday. Not only did it make for one thunderbolt of a gift for our favourite archdruid. But as some of you started stating your intentions in that thread, you also gave me personally a tremendous gift.

Occult themes have been tabo in our relationship ever since the start. Well; in the days after the last Magic Monday, leading to my departure for Great Britain. We had an apparition late in the evening as we were going to sleep. My partner noticed it first and commented on it, a sudden pleasant smell, incense. I reassured her and she went to sleep. I took some precautions and then sensed my way around. I got an intuition it came on behalf of someone.
Next morning we discussed it and I explained her her first “ghost” as she later described it. And days later I went to Glastonbury.
As I came back I discussed my trip with my partner, and I was prepared to omit a lot of it, but somehow she never showed any discomfort. So I asked her why she was taking it so remarkably well and she answered, that after that “pleasant ghost” she has no problem with it, it is good. And it has been a part of our daily conversations ever since. In her words: “I can be for you what Steffen is for Regine”

So words of thanks; you have healed a great rift in our relationship; there are none sufficient.
Thank you.

John you have the best commentariat on the internet.
(And I am profoundly grateful for the mercy of you not seeing my face right about now)

Thank you,
V

Re: Gratitude

[ecosophia]

Good heavens. I'm delighted to hear this -- and yes, I really do have the best commentariat on the internet.

Psychic vampirism recovery/healing

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Mr. Greer,

I am writing to ask you how to recover from an episode of psychic vampirism. My story is a bit odd to say the least, and I'm not sure if you'll believe me, but this period in my life I went through years ago has made what seems to be an indelible mark on my health from which I've never fully recovered.

It all started when I met a family friend who was very much a fundamentalist Christian, or apparently so. He had been a minister and teacher before in different churches and schools in the fairly distant past by that time. At some point, he introduced me to the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" along with speaking in tongues and such. A lot of things started happening after that.

My anxiety levels went up, my sleep went to hell, and I had a couple of extremely unusual dreams, unlike any I've had before or since. In both dreams, there was no set of events that actually happened, except for the characters staring at me. The first dream had a vampire staring at me with large unblinking eyes. The second dream had a small creature with wrinkled grey skin and cold blue eyes staring at me and jittering a bit. Both of these nightmares were unnerving at the least, but at the time I had become a Christian and chalked both episodes up to the devil.

Later on, the man confessed to being a hypnotist. I didn't put two and two together at the time because I was still a minor and really didn't know that much. He mentioned hypnotizing some students as a playful diversion when he was a public school teacher, putting them in trance, and making them lie rigid between two desks and so on. I remember saying you had to know you were being hypnotized to be hypnotized, and he said, "No you don't."

Much later on, after I had gotten away from his influence, I read a book on the history of hypnosis written by some French author, I forget who off the top of my head. The author listed some of the signs of trance induction, like twitching eyelids or tingling sensations in the body, or a feeling of heat in the eyes, and so on. And all of a sudden I was struck: the signs he listed were exactly the same as the signs I was told were signs of "God's anointing" and things I could feel while I was under the power of God. This apparent baptism in the holy spirit was actually the creation of a trance state masquerading as a religious experience. In other words, he masked the hypnotic education as a form of religious education. It was the same process, just under a different name.

Another odd thing happened too while we were talking on the phone one night, incidentally about the devil and the kinds of things he did. I heard to my left a cold high laugh out of nowhere, and it scared me to pieces. It lasted for maybe 3 seconds and I fled the room for the evening. I had rebuked the voice whatever it was, and the man laughed through the phone when he heard me do that.

I haven't had any auditory or other hallucinations since that moment, so I don't think I'm schizophrenic. I think it was really an episode of having come into contact with a bad character. Several years after I got away from him, I also figured out he had dropped a bunch of suggestions like "Mary had a little lamb, the lamb became a sheep, the sheep became a Charismatic and died from lack of sleep." And so on. It became clear to me that in our hours and hours of conversation on the phone, he had slipped in all kinds of suggestions to try to fuck me up.

I think the two dreams I had were really my subconscious mind trying to warn me about that guy now, but I had no idea of that possibility when I was a kid.

Do you have any advice for understanding my experience better than I have, or what I might do to improve my health and wellbeing? It's been quite a while since it happened, but I still feel not so great on a regular basis. The man in question died a few years ago of a heart attack, so he is long gone in the physical sense at least. I have tried some magic and meditation, as well as self-hypnosis. I'm helped a bit by the first two, but the last experiment didn't do much.

Thank you.

Re: Psychic vampirism recovery/healing

[ecosophia]

First, you've described a kind of spiritual malpractice that's embarrassingly common these days. I encourage you to find and read a copy of Dion Fortune's book Magical Self-Defence, which covers such things in quite a bit of detail.

Second, I don't recommend self-hypnosis at all for someone who's been through the kind of experience you've undergone. You need to strengthen the boundaries between conscious and subconscious minds, not erode them further!

Third, I recommend a daily banishing ritual of some kind, such as the Sphere of Protection or the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, as essential magical hygiene for everyone these days, and especially those who have had encounters with nasty magic, as you have.

Polarity and the Etheric Body

[(Anonymous)]

It has been mentioned in previous Magic Mondays that those with a significant number of intimate partners might get their etheric body into a state where it is full of holes or otherwise weakened because it has been mingled with and subsequently pulled away from many other etheric bodies. Will having a significant number of different polarity ritual partners using workings similar to those in your book on polarity magic pose a similar risk to the etheric body given those rituals also involve a shared current of etheric energy? If not, what is the difference?

Re: Polarity and the Etheric Body

[ecosophia]

There are significant differences between modes of etheric interaction that involve physical contact and those that don't. The etheric body itself only extends an inch or so beyond your material body, and so it has to be touching another body to mingle with that body to any degree. Doing etheric polarity with with six feet of space and an altar in between the participants, by contrast, doesn't mingle the bodies as such -- it simply creates a flow of etheric energy, of the sort that goes on naturally (for example) any time you stand in sunlight or bathe in cool or cold water. Thus it's much easier on the system, even if many different partners are involved.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG and happy birthday!

I'm glad you had a good time in England. I have a practical herbalism query for you (as I make my tinctures for the CGD Bardic initiation). Two I did yesterday (Sunday) went fine (though the chamomile ash didn't get that grey) but due to a mishap I didn't have enough lemon balm and my local Melissa stockist was out when I called in earlier today, so I'll have to order it. The macerated Melissa residue is currently with its filter paper in a sealed plastic bag inside a sealed glass jar in a cupboard.

1. Can I still use the residue?

2. If so, am I storing it correctly?

3. And is there a time limit beyond which I should macerate another batch of Melissa?

In a TSW note, divinations I did prior said I'd need to "redo the herbs" but the ones on the day would be fine. I had no idea what that meant until it did!

With gratitude from Sydney for your generous time and wisdom.

[ecosophia]

I would recommend calcining the residue as soon as possible; it can be stored indefinitely once it's been reduced to ash, but before then it can mold or otherwise sour, which spoils it. Then macerate more in a separate batch, and combine the calcined ashes from the two batches.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG, can you think of a ritual method or framework that would be suited to transmuting anger toward a public figure to vitalize that figure's supporters? I was thinking of how Donald Trump has had immense negativity directed at him by opinion leaders but his supporters seem to have drawn strength from the attacks on him. At this point it seems as if all the energy invested in him by his enemies has fueled a positive image for him. Do you see a magical method for supporters of a heavily-maligned cause such as his to drive this conversion of negative energy into positive or is it something only the person directly in the focus of the anger, like Trump himself, can perform?

[ecosophia]

I don't know of a ritual way to do it at all. The comparable practice I've worked out is meditative, not ritual, and I've never been able to communicate how it works -- it's simply that, after years of meditation, I could feel just how to "lean into" hostile magical force so that it stops being harmful and becomes something I can use. My guess is that Trump, with his New Thought background, figured out the same thing, and more recently seems to have figured out how to channel the excess energy toward his followers so that they can use it.

Harassment by a Stalker

[(Anonymous)]

Some months ago I moved to a new town in a neighboring state. For associated reasons the past two or three years have been extraordinarily difficult and over-the-top stressful, and have concluded with a personal tragedy.

But it seems the powers have decided that I haven’t got troubles enough. Over the past six months it has developed that I have a stalker who nastily harasses me whenever I go into the center of this small town and he happens to be there.

It plays out like this. I am walking down the street past all the cute little shops - I am fortunate to live in quite a charming town - and suddenly, without warning, from a couple of feet behind me a voice screams:

KILL YOURSELF PERVERT!

This has happened several times. The latest encounter was a couple of evenings ago; he didn’t scream, but he followed me a short way down the block, saying nasty things. Basically he’s stalking me.

It’s a homeless guy. The police tell me he has a history of doing this to older white men for no discernible reason.

But I suspect he’s not only mentally ill - this seems incontrovertible - but also may have a touch of psychism. For indeed I am gay. I think he picks up on that, and the gist of his verbal harassment suggests that he is motivated by a mentality akin to that of the Fred Phelps school of religion (“all f*gs must die”).

The police have told me his name, and I’ll soon be filing a restraining order. But will that be enough? This character is a real nutter and I don’t feel safe with him around.

Another factor may be that I have been practicing a good deal of magic lately. The Middle Pillar and the Rose Cross are my daily practice, and I often invoke a (benefic) planet on appropriate days as well. I don’t know but I suspect that to a deranged person with some degree of psychism this may constitute an irresistible provocation.

I really don’t want to saddle myself with a lot of magical chores, but I feel it might be a good idea to protect myself in any way I can. I’m open to constructive suggestions.

Also, at the suggestion of the police I’ll probably soon be getting some pepper spray to carry on me.

Re: Harassment by a Stalker

[ecosophia]

First of all, please accept my condolences for the personal tragedy as well as the rest of it. What a horrible thing to have to go through.

In terms of practical steps, if you're used to the Middle Pillar exercise, one good option is to pick up a copy of Israel Regardie's short book The Art of True Healing if you don't already have it -- it's also included in his anthology Foundations of Practical Magic -- and begin using the special working he adds to the Middle Pillar for practical purposes, as described there. Invoke Saturn/Binah with the intention of binding the guy so he cannot harass you any further. Do this every day as part of your regular practice. I've had very remarkable results from such workings, and that (plus pepper spray and a restraining order) will likely be quite adequate.

possible ill outcomes of prayer

[kallianeira]

Hello all,

Thanks JMG for your ever generous sharing of knowledge and wisdom on MMs.

Since my partner died last month, my parents have been praying the Rosary every night for both of us. I don't know how it is going with him but for me life could be smoother. I keep encountering mundane obstacles which seem worse than one might expect. What I need to sort out legally and in regards to his remains is not going smoothly. My house is too cold - the fire no longer lights - even the coffee machine has stopped working. I am worn out and despondent from having to try so hard with everything yet making no progress.

Although I no longer go to church I didn't think the prayers could hurt. Now I wonder whether they are inadvertently bringing me ill fortune.
Not consciously antagonistic to the Christian pantheon and in fact I pray to some of them myself.

What do you think?

Re: possible ill outcomes of prayer

[ecosophia]

Is it possible that your parents are praying for you to return to their faith? In that context, prayer can sometimes function as evil magic -- a kind of spiritual bullying.

[gnosticlombe]

For anyone working through the Modern Order of Essenes material, I will be offering Apprentice attunements for the remainder of the month if anyone interested in receiving one.

Please feel free to reach out and we can arrange a mutually available time, and don’t hesitate to reach with any other questions related to the MOE as well.

Druid Magic handbook

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,
I have been working on the DMH for years now. I was doing well and got up to the Three Cauldrons ritual a few years ago. I got stuck at that point because it just seemed overwhelming to change the SOP after I had been doing for years.

A few months ago, I took the study of the DMH up again and did the Three Cauldrons and it was easy. I am working on the Rising Dragons now which I study while meditating. I plan to perform the full Rising Dragons on the Summer Solstice. I should be finished the book in no time.

I already have two other courses of study when I have finished all the work for the Druid Apprentice degree.

I know you once wrote that not finishing was the usual result of studying the DMH and it has been a long, hard slog but very worthwhile.

Maxine

Re: Druid Magic handbook

[ecosophia]

It's quite common for people to stop, as you did, when for some reason they feel a need to work on some particular practice for longer than the book requires. I'm glad to hear that you're having good results now.

Ecosophia Prayer List update

[tunesmyth]

Hi everyone, before I get to the normal prayer list announcement below, I'd like to announce that I just made some rather drastic trims of the prayer list, removing anything older than 3 months (as per the prayer list rules) except for special cases where there was a special arrangement for length made at the time of the request. I'm going to leave a list of entries that I trimmed in a comment under this one; to anyone who wants their prayer re-upped, I welcome it.

_____________
At this link is the full list of all of the requests for prayer that have recently appeared at ecosophia.net and ecosophia.dreamwidth.org, as well as in the comments of the prayer list posts. 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 and/or in the comments at the current prayer list post.

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

May Pierre and Julie conceive a healthy baby together. May the conception, pregnancy, birth, and recovery all be healthy and smooth for baby and for Julie.

May Viktoria have a safe and healthy pregnancy, and may the baby be born safe, healthy and blessed.

May SLClaire's honorary daughter Beth, who is undergoing dialysis for kidney disease, be blessed, and may her kidneys be restored to full functioning.

May 1Wanderer's partner Cathy, who has bravely fought against cancer to the stage of remission, now be relieved of the unpleasant and painful side-effects from the follow-up hormonal treatment, together with the stress that this imposes on both parties; may she quickly be able to resume a normal life, and the cancer not return.

May Kallianeira's partner Patrick, who passed away on May 7th, be blessed and aided in his soul's onward journey. And may Kallianeira be soothed and strengthened to successfully cope in the face of this sudden loss.

May Viktoria have a safe and healthy pregnancy, and may the baby be born safe, healthy and blessed. May Marko have the strength, wisdom and balance to face the challenges set before him. (picture)

May Linda from the Quest Bookshop of the Theosophical (Society, who has developed a turbo cancer, be blessed and have a speedy and full recovery from cancer.

May Corey Benton, whose throat tumor has grown around an artery and won't be treated surgically, and who is now able to be at home from the hospital, be healed of throat cancer.
(Healing work is also welcome. Note: Healing Hands should be fine, but if offering energy work which could potentially conflict with another, please first leave a note in comments or write to randomactsofkarmasc to double check that it's safe)

May David Spangler (the esoteric teacher), who has been responding well to chemotherapy for his bladder cancer, be blessed, healed, and filled with positive energy such that he makes a full recovery.

May Giulia (Julia) in the Eastern suburbs of Cleveland Ohio be quickly healed of recurring seizures and paralysis of her left side and other neurological problems associated with a cyst on the right side of her brain and with surgery and drugs to treat it, if providence would have it, and if not, may her soul move on from this world and find peace with a minimum of further suffering for her and her family and friends.

May Liz and her baby be blessed and healthy during pregnancy, and may her husband Jay (sdi) have the grace and good humor to support his family even through times of stress and ill health.

May Debra Roberts, who has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, be blessed and healed to the extent that providence allows. Healing work is also welcome.

May Jack H's father John, whose aortic dissection is considered inoperable and likely fatal by his current doctors, be healed, and make a physical recovery to the full extent that providence allows, and be able to enjoy more time together with his loved ones.

May Frank R. Hartman, who lost his house in the Altadena fire, and all who have been affected by the larger conflagration be blessed and healed.

May Open Space's friend's mother
Judith be blessed and healed for a complete recovery from cancer.

* * *
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.

Re: Ecosophia Prayer List update

[tunesmyth]

The following prayers have just been excised en-masse from the prayer list as I don't believe I've received any updates on them within the past three months. If you'd like yours back up, just say the word. Updates on how you are going are also welcome.

________________

•May Other Dave's father Michael Orwig, who passed away on 2/24, make his transition to his soul's next destination with comfort and grace; may his wife Allyn and the rest of his family be blessed and supported in this difficult time. (2/27)

•May Bill Rice (Will1000) in southern California continue to be blessed and healed of his back injury, and may he quickly recover full health and movement. (2/27)

•May Jim G. in Ohio, who is struggling with atrial fibrillation, be blessed and healed to the extent that providence allows. (2/19)

•May Peter Evans in California, whose colon cancer has been responding well to treatment, be completely healed with ease, and make a rapid and total recovery. (2/19)

•May Debra Roberts, who has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, be blessed and healed to the extent that providence allows. Healing work is also welcome. (2/17)

•May Karen, who has now come home from hospital and her bout with RSV, quickly recover and be restored to full health. (2/13)

•May Jack H's father John, whose aortic dissection is considered inoperable and likely fatal by his current doctors, be healed, and make a physical recovery to the full extent that providence allows, and be able to enjoy more time together with his loved ones. (2/10)

•May Goats and Roses' son A, who had a serious concussion weeks ago and is still suffering from the effects, regain normal healthy brain function, and rebuild his physical strength back to normal, and regain his zest for life. And may Goats and Roses be granted strength and effectiveness in finding solutions to the medical and caregiving matters that need to be addressed, and the grief and strain of the situation. (2/10)

•May Kevin’s sister Cynthia be cured of the hallucinations and delusions that have afflicted her, and freed from emotional distress. May she be safely healed of the physical condition that has provoked her emotions; and may she be healed of the spiritual condition that brings her to be so unsettled by it. May she come to feel calm and secure in her physical body, regardless of its level of health. (1/30)

•May NeptunesDolphins's son succeed in receiving SSI/DI benefits, and get the help, legal or otherwise, to attain it. May he be blessed and receive the help he needs to keep good spiritual and mental health. (1/25)

•May NeptunesDolphins's husband's feet remain healthy; may the open wound on his foot heal quickly, and may the situation resolve quickly without any complication.

•May Matt, who is currently struggling with MS related fatigue, be blessed and healed such that he returns to full energy; and may he be enlightened as to the best way to manage his own situation to best bring about this healing. (1/23)

•May Brother Kornhoer's son's sleep apnea and associated kidney issues be resolved in a way that benefits all involved, as soon as possible. (1/23)

•May Brother Kornhoer's daughter, who is struggling with depression, be blessed and strengthened with mental clarity and peace, and may her therapy be effective. (1/23)


•May Sub's Wife's major surgery in early January have gone smoothly and successfully, and may she recover with ease back to full health. (1/11)

•May David/Trubrujah's 5 year old nephew Jayce, who is back home after chemotherapy for his leukemia, be healed quickly and fully, and may he, and mother Amanda, and their family find be aided with physical, mental, and emotional strength while they deal with this new life altering situation. (update1/11)

•May Mindwinds's dad Clem, who in the midst of a struggle back to normal after a head injury has been told he shows signs of congestive heart failure, be blessed, healed, and encouraged. (1/7)

•May Christian's cervical spine surgery on 1/14 have been successful, and may he heal completely and with speed; and may the bad feelings and headaches plaguing him be lifted. (1/7)

•May FJay and her newborn baby be blessed, and may her postpartum period be restful and full of love and support. May her older child feel surrounded by her love as he adapts to life as a big brother and may her marriage be strengthened during this time. (12/24/2024)

•May Jon's neighbor Eric overcome his difficulties with alcohol and may his cirrhotic liver be healed. (12/13/2024)

•May Peter Van Erp's friend Kate Bowden's husband Russ Hobson and his family be enveloped with love as he follows his path forward with the glioblastoma (brain cancer) which has afflicted him. (12/11/2024)

•May Kyle's friend Amanda, who though in her early thirties just passed away from brain cancer, make her transition through the afterlife process with grace and peace. (12/11/2024)

•May baby Gigi, continue to gain weight and strength, and continue to heal from a possible medication overdose which her mother Elena received during pregnancy, and may Elena be blessed and healed from the continuing random tremors which ensued; may Gigi's big brother Francis continue to be in excellent health and be blessed. (12/6/2024)

•May Scotlyn's friend Fiona, who has been in hospital since early October with what is a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, be blessed and healed, and encouraged in ways that help her to maintain a positive mental and spiritual outlook. (11/25/2024)

•May all living things who have suffered as a consequence of Hurricanes Helene and Milton be blessed, comforted, and healed. (10/15/2024)

•May Falling Tree Woman's son's girlfriend's mother Bridget in Devon UK, who is now in a rehab facility following a life-threatening fall from a horse some months ago, be blessed and healed and returned to full health. (9/30/2024)

•May K from Canada be blessed and supported in their spiritual development, and in making advancements in their life, including finding a pleasant place to live. (2/19)

•May Dominique be filled with hope to get our of her negative mental and physical rut for herself and for her family and may she be filled with love and joy and get on with life and get the willpower to change. (2/14)

•May Lp9's hometown, East Palestine, Ohio, be protected and blessed in the safety and welfare of their people, animals and all living beings in and around East Palestine; may the natural environment there improve to the benefit of all. The reasonable possibility exists that this is an environmental disaster on par with the worst America has ever seen. (Lp9 gives updates here, here, here, here, and most recently, here.) (9/2/2024)

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Mr. Greer,

Welcome back, and thank you for this forum.
I was wondering if one’s life can be more blessed if you find a deity that resonates better (for lack of a more suitable term) with an individual? I left Christianity behind many years ago and ever since I started praying to a new deity my life has been much more blessed. I found a new amazing job, my health improved and I have an overall better outlook on life. Things just seem to be going more smoothly for me ever since I've started praying to the new deity.
I was curious if you've heard of this sort of occurrence happening to anyone else?

[ecosophia]

Good heavens, yes. It's very common. This is why people pray to deities -- good things happen when you establish a mutually congenial relationship with one.

Glastonbury report; folk magic question

[milkyway1]

Good morning! :-)

1. To everybody: I wrote a report about the Glastonbury convention, which can be downloaded from my site:

https://thehiddenthings.com/glastonbury-convention-2025

2. Are you (or anybody else) aware of any folk magic involving (animal) bones under/at the bottom of a house, e.g. in the basement, in/under the foundation, or under the threshold? Maybe for protective use, but could also be for other purposes?

Thanks for hosting MM again! :-)

Milkyway

Re: Glastonbury report; folk magic question

[milkyway1]

3. A second, unrelated question, if I may:

Are there any deities, saints, ... related to household and appliance maintenance/repair? I.e. to keeping machines, tools, and house installments like plumbing etc in working order, or getting them working again if they should break?

[thinking_turtle]

To share, for those who wonder what W4E, OPO, or OP mean, a list of abbreviations used on Ecopsophia. There's also a list of book capsules so far.

To ask, I noticed a new abbreviation "NDE" in this comment. What could it mean?

[ecosophia]

It stands for Near-Death Experience.

[(Anonymous)]

You have written about imbalances in the Golden Dawn system on this blog. What curriculum do you recommend for someone who wants to go the traditional GD route? Do you still recommend your books Learning Ritual Magic, Paths of Wisdom, and Circles of Power for that? What type of people do well with that set of practices? Is the Fellowship of the Hermetic Rose similar to these books? Can you give me some clarity as to what these different systems do and who would be suited for some of them? I’m trying to figure out what might be a good set of practices for me, but confused as to what the aim and results of these different curriculum are. What is the difference between a traditional GD path vs Octagon Society/Hermetic Rose work vs The Golden Section Work?

I’m sorry for the flurry of questions, but you have published so many books.

[ecosophia]

It's entirely possible to do classic GD-style magic and occultism without going gaga, but it's usually necessary to avoid the initiation rituals -- not that many people, in particular, seem to be able to go through the Adeptus Minor ritual without suffering from spectacular ego inflation. It's worth noting that Dion Fortune replaced the GD rituals with a different set of initiations, and her tradition hasn't had anything like the same problems with swollen-headed egomaniacs as the classic GD and its offshoots.

As for all these different paths, they all aim at the same end goal -- the awakening of your Individuality or true, immortal self, the real you that's hidden behind the mask of your temporary personality -- but they do it by different means. The classic GD mostly works by way of ritual magic, which can be a faster path but is also usually a riskier one. The others work mostly by way of meditation, which can be slower but is more reliable.

Thank you & question on spirits

[scottyc]

I would like to thank JMG and everyone involved in organizing the Glastonbury tour and conference. The tour was quite interesting and it was good to meet and be amongst many Ecosophians.

Question to JMG. At the abbey you mentioned the spirits of many monks were still around and it would be possible to communicate with them. I'm trying to translate that into Dion Fortune's Through the Gates of Death (disentanglement of the soul from the etheric double and then the final break of the soul from its attachment then on through the different astral stages) which I take that the soul moving on from the material is a relatively quick process; or, if I remember my Elihpas Levi correctly (most "communications" with the dead are actually impressions in the astral light, one's imagination and even though necromancy is possible, it is ill advised).


My thought is at the Abbey any monk's spirit would be more than a very strong impression left in the astral light? I'm wondering if some monk's decided to remain behind in some way, delaying their final journey, in order to help keep the site holy?

Re: Thank you & question on spirits

[ecosophia]

Not all spirits reincarnate. Those who have finished their time in material incarnation, which is basically the prenatal state of the soul, sometimes choose to remain in contact with the material world, especially to help maintain a spiritual tradition. Since monasteries routinely attract people who are nearly finished with incarnation, and just need a life of intensive spiritual practice to do the work, an old, well-populated monastery like Glastonbury Abbey would have quite a collection of souls who finished their time in material incarnation but have strong ties to the place, as the setting where they finally achieved the "second birth" into spiritual awareness. It's from among these, as I understand it, that the "Company of Avelon" was formed.

[(Anonymous)]

Good morning JMG,

No questions today; just glad to have you back!

:)

[ecosophia]

Thank you.

[katylina]

Hi archdruid i've got two questions
1what are the magical properties of pine and spruce?
2 the elemental prayers from the way of the four elements are taken from Eliphas Levi, no? I've found some polish translations of them, to save myself trouble of translating them, but they don't match exactly the text given in consecrations of elemental tools, should i stick with the text given in way of the four elements?

[ecosophia]

1) The material I learned studying European magical lore doesn't mention either of these. Unless somebody has another source, you'll have to experiment and find out.

2) The elemental prayers are ancient Greek in origin, and were used by the Neoplatonists almost two thousand years ago. Please do use the text in The Way of the Four Elements -- that way you'll benefit from the shared egregor that's built up around those prayers as traditionally worded.

Stonehenge vs Avenbury

[(Anonymous)]

Question to all: has anyone visited both Stonehenge and Avebury and noticed any difference between the two sites?

Some quotes below but I remember JMG saying that in Avebury there was a long ago change in which the barrow was sealed up and worship changed from that of the dead or maybe better to say the source of power moved away from the dead and to the sun with the introduction of the stones.

In Dion Fortune's terrific introduction to Glastonbury she compares Stonehenge with Avebury.

She didn't like Stonehenge: "The soul of the place reeks of primitive man, his blood-sacrifices and his dark fears. On every hand lie the barrows of his burying and the tumuli of his sacrifices" and "The grey stone scan never forget - the blood has sunk too deep into them".


"Very different is Avebury, the great sun-temple of its glory. Here an invisible sun, formed by the magic of the priests, shines ever into the hearts of men. Here is healing and joy, and a wisdom which is not of age".


My recent experience was of visiting Stonehenge prior to Glastonbury and then Avebury. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for me to "feel" anything of a place though at Stonehenge, we had a pleasant walk back from the stone circle to the visitor's center across the fields with mounds nearby.

I found my irritations growing while in Glastonbury and then onwards to other areas. Usual irritations when modern life intrudes such as news or in heavy tourist zones. On our way back east we stopped in Avebury. I wish we could have spent more time there but did make most of a circuit around the henge. I did feel relieved and more positive after this quick visit and I would love to return and spend longer on site one day.

Re: Stonehenge vs Avenbury

[ecosophia]

I've been to both sites several times, and the energies of the two sites are very different. Stonehenge is brooding and withdrawn -- there's a tradition in some British occult circles that it was deliberately wrecked at the end of its period of use to shut down its energies, which had turned destructive due to certain rites worked there. Avebury is more open, and also more balanced -- it once had two complete stone circles within a third, like this:

Keep in mind that they were built at two very different times. Avebury was begun relatively early in the history of henge monuments, and it echoes the spirit of an expansive and optimistic time, when the old earth-centered cult of the long barrows (by then grown decadent) had been overthrown and replaced by a worship of the gods and goddesses of the sky. Stonehenge is very late in the same age -- the last and most spectacular product of the age of henges -- and it rose while the culture of Neolithic Britain was hurtling toward the disasters that overwhelmed it in turn.

Oracular Burnout

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG, I wanted to ask you about something peculiar I observed while divining in the past. I had been practicing the tarot and got pretty good. Then I fell into a rote habit of asking how my job would go in the next couple days. The draws I got for these queries started out good, but quickly deteriorated and became incoherent, and then my draws in general became incoherent and I stopped reading tarot. A while later I tried again and my draws were once again on the money, but I've avoided any more of such rote readings.

Do you have any thoughts on the cause of this? Were my repetitive queries damaging my connection with the oracle? I'm gravitating toward queries that feel unique and interesting; if I divine I want something significant to ask.

Re: Oracular Burnout

[ecosophia]

When you get bored, so does the oracle!

Solstice ritual for the normies

[(Anonymous)]

What druidical-type ritual, if any, could you recommend for the non-druid laity this coming winter/summer solstice?

Re: Solstice ritual for the normies

[ecosophia]

Have a picnic or something. Ritual is a fairly subtle and powerful mental technology; if you want to use it, you'll need to learn about it and practice it in advance.

[anonymoose_canadian]

a) Is there a reason The Blood of the Earth is not on your Bookshop page?

b) Do you know if anyone has looked at how endurance exercise interacts with occult practices? I know there's some of how strength exercise interacts with spiritual practices in the old Physical Culture Movement; but I find endurance exercise works better for me, and there are some very substantial differences between endurance and strength exercise on the biological level; enough that I suspect these would interact with subtle practices in very different ways.

[ecosophia]

1) It's not available to distributors in the book trade -- only via the publisher and the Big Slimy River.

2) Not that I know of. Please keep careful records of your experiences so that others can benefit from what you learn!

Shinto Resources

[michele7]

For anyone interested in Shinto, here are some resources.

Grooving with Kami written by a female Shinto priest. Her writings are lovely.
https://toukyo.substack.com

Shin Mei Spiritual Centre in Canada with a female Shinto Priest. I make a small monthly donation and received Ofuda and other Shinto "goodies". Every month there is a Zoom meeting for members on Shinto topics. Last week's discussion was on Ma or the space between things.
https://matsuri.ca

David Chart who lives in Japan writes a blog titled Mimusubi-Reflections on Shinto.
https://www.mimusubi.com

JMG, thank you for letting me share!

Re: Shinto Resources

[ecosophia]

Thank you for this. I'm delighted to hear that Rev. Ann Evans is still keeping up the good work; my late wife and I were parishioners of the Tsubaki shrine in Washington state while that existed, and were sorry to hear that it closed. I suppose it's too much to hope that somebody will open a branch shrine somewhere in New England...

German crystal working book

[emily07]

Sorry for being late:
The book I mentioned is from

Michael Gienger, Lexikon der Heilsteine (6. Auflage 2004) Verlag Neue Erde and typically lists:
Name, Synonyme, Handelsbezeichnungen
Genese, Vorkommen
Kristallsystem, Erscheinungsbild, Farbe
Mineralklasse, Chemismus
Bestimmungsmerkmale,
Verwechslung und Unterscheidung
Fälschungen
Verwendung und Handel
Heilwirkung, Indikationen
Anwendung

Hopefully something good for you,
best wishes,
Emily07

Modern Order of Essenes Healing Hands

[kylec]

Glad to be back at it! I'm offering healing hands again this week. Please reply with your name an requests, or PM me if you're interested. If you don't know what healing hands are, or have question, don't hesitate to ask. And in the event there is a Magic Monday interruption in the future an I'm unable to post the offer, you can always PM me a request.

Re: Modern Order of Essenes Healing Hands

[vitranc]

Hi Kylec,
I would welcome some healing energy.
Thank you,
V

Warts

[kylec]

What's an effective folk magic remedy for warts that I can perform on myself? I had one crop up on my finger. There are lots of testimonials online about grannies or weird uncles in the Appalachians or Ozarks, and I picked an agreeable method, tried it, and got nothing. Maybe some of these require another person, or they require a skill in wart removal, or just some belief in the charisma of the healer, but I would like to keep trying.

And if anyone besides JMG has self-healed a wart successfully, I'm all ears.

Re: Warts

[ecosophia]

That's not something I've looked into. Anyone else?