Magic Monday
Aug. 31st, 2025 10:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ecosophia
It's almost midnight, 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've finished the sequence of my published books; while I decide what I want to do next, I have some memes to share.)
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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: 2025-09-01 04:06 am (UTC)1. When performing the R+C ritual in the HGD tradition, should the result of the tracings look more like a cube or a sphere? The related diagram in Circle of Powers appears to be showing a cube but I wanted to confirm with you.
2. a) On the topic of evocation, I have no ethical objection to sending out a call to invite/evoke a spirit or to banish one that is behaving in an aggressive or unruly manner. That said, I am less comfortable with the idea of forcefully commanding a spirit to appear and to obey me, as I would prefer to cultivate courteous and respectful relations, which brings me to the evocation chapter in CoP.
After a few failed repeated attempts at evoking a spirit, the operator is directed to switch to using their magic sword and to assert their authority by using a more forceful conjuration. Would this not be disrespectful to the presumably much older and more powerful intelligences and spirits? If a spirit fails to appear after several attempts at summoning, is that not a sign that they simply do not wish to appear at that time and would not appreciate being badgered and browbeaten? On one hand, I wish to follow the instructions exactly as given (as you so often recommend), yet I would feel iffy doing this. Perhaps I just need to get over myself. Any guidance to offer, JMG?
b) In the same chapter, I very much appreciate you going in depth about maintaining proper safety protocols when summoning and interacting with spirits. I did wonder about the protective circle however. If both the operator and the magic mirror are enclosed within the circle, then how is the circle's boundary protecting the operator? At least with a Trithemius table of practice (just an example off the top of my head) the circle and triangle separate the operator from the scrying surface, which I understand. Could you please help me understand how the circle of protection works?
c) Finally, and still on the topic of evocation, have you ever heard of the 360 Spirits/Genii of the Earthbelt Zone? If so, do you have any thoughts to share about them?
I have more questions but I've decided to hold them off until next week. Thank you for your time, JMG, and for your contributions to the continuation of occult teachings. Please enjoy the rest of your day.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:18 am (UTC)2) Keep in mind that I wrote Circles of Power thirty years ago, and no longer agree with everything I accepted from the occult tradition at that time. I don't do evocations these days -- if I want to interact with a spirit, I use scrying to go to the spirit's own realm. The material in that book was based on the traditional advice in the GD tradition, which I followed at that time -- but one does learn a few things with practice.
3) It's symbolic in nature, of course. A spirit isn't actually hindered by a physical line drawn on the floor or painted on a sheet of canvas; the circle helps the operative mage enter into the state of consciousness that is the real protection.
4) I've encountered Franz Bardon's discussions of them, but haven't worked with them myself.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:33 am (UTC)Speaking of foolish and stereotypical – You might have noticed items in the news this week where Democrats acted or spoke as if they were playing the bad guys in a hyper-violent action film written by an ‘80s vintage and equally cartoony evangelical minister. Umm… is this the flailing that naturally follows regime change, or is something occult and malign afoot?
And, speaking of black magic, a co-worker has turned out to be an energy thief. He seems to be picking up free any-energy-is-good treatments by being so certain of his own magnificence that anyone he manages to corner is left furious and shaking since the social contract prohibits giving him a well-deserved thrashing. My observation is that, in terms of energy, he is stealing the gas sitting in mower cans for his car. I’ve moved to another department and used some cut-off treatments to be rid of him, but the normies stuck with him continue to report his capacity to infuriate while pooh-poohing my suggestions of bad magical or psychic behavior. So – is there anything to be done besides flake off? I strongly suspect an attack would only energize the offender, while the fellows who complain to me can’t even follow the no bear feedin’ sign.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:38 am (UTC)a) Am I correct to think that even if your visions are true, if I feel this way about anywhere on Earth, I probably am a human soul?
b) Do you have any idea what could be driving this wild difference I'm feeling between here and literally everywhere else I've ever been?
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:49 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:51 am (UTC)2) What you contemplate, you imitate. The Democrats have contemplated evil so long and so passionately -- hatred, after all, is a powerful form of contemplation -- that a good many of them have become what they once loathed.
3) You've already explained to your coworkers what the situation is and what they need to do about it. If they choose to ignore that, clearly they're getting something out of the situation, and you don't have the right to force them to be less stupid.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:52 am (UTC)2) Possibly you lived there in your last life; possibly you'll live there for much of this life; or possibly both. I've had a similar sense of recognition when moving to certain places where I lived for many years.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:56 am (UTC)I had a very similar experience when moving from the Midwest to Southern California.
I think that different places have different 'energy', which agrees with some people but not others.
Congratulations on leaping out of your own personal sludge pit, and best of luck to you moving forward!
- Cicada Grove
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 04:56 am (UTC)Very Strange Christian
Date: 2025-09-01 05:06 am (UTC)I apologize for not replying to you last week. Didn't quite make it under the temporal limbo wire :D
(Here is that thread (and a fascinating one it is, too):
https://ecosophia.dreamwidth.org/338828.html?thread=56746636#cmt56746636
and the sub-thread with Kallianeira's comment:
https://ecosophia.dreamwidth.org/338828.html?thread=56794252#cmt56794252 )
Well, I never dreamed in 17 billion years that I would ever declare as a Christian. All I'd heard about it was media portrayals, snippets of things mega-preachers said, and what I call the "Christianity Narrative". My parents were not Christian and had no use for it. However, my longstanding friend of 22 years, and former martial arts teacher, one day announced he was doing a Bible study. Intrigued, I poked my nose in. I hadn't even known he was Christian till that day-- after 22 years! He turns out to be a "Bible nerd", and as a nerd myself, that suited me just fine.
By the way, many thanks to commentors here back in 2022 who put me onto the Michael Heiser podcast. I wound up getting Heiser's book "The Unseen Realm", and giving a copy to my new study buddy, who also found it quite intriguing. As you can see, I still read the blogs here and I still collect JMG's books. Ironically, JMG was another influence who started me on this path. He gave advice to a reader in early 2022 or late 2021 to read the Bible starting at Acts 1. For probably-metaphysically-induced reasons, it sounded like a good idea to me, so I started reading it too. Like my martial arts teacher, JMG is a trusted source and I trusted him not to guide us into a tome of toxic sludge.
Between what my study buddy has been showing me since early 2022, an awesome study Bible my stepsister gave me in 2007, and some really helpful comments by the commentariat here, I have realized that I am a creature the likes of which has not been seen in 2,000 years-- an adult Pagan who converted to Christianity. In New Testament times the converted pagans were Greeks and Romans (who have had a massive influence on Christianity as it is practiced today, by the way); I on the other hand started out in Wicca in the '90's, dabbled in some other spiritualities after that, and eventually settled on being a solitary Deist.
What's marvelous is that I have been, and am, engaged in a vigorous conversation with YHWH and Jesus. Very occasionally I have heard what I call "the clear quiet voice". Usually, their* side of the communication is songs on the radio-- Christian pop music stations are enormously helpful for this. I'll have a thought-- not even spoken aloud-- and a song comes on which is an answer. It's way beyond coincidence. A newbie would find it eerie, but I just take it in stride now. Sometimes also there is a dream, or a snippet of dream, or something in the material world will do something perfectly reasonable-looking-- but which you don't usually see happen. I'm not sure if this kind of rich spiritual conversation is common among Christians, or not.
You speak of "the mainstream presentations" of Christianity, and yeah, that's a thing. A lot of Christians (I don't know the percentage though) don't seem to get past what's taught in Sunday school. So I tread softly with other Christians; mostly I don't want to upset them and make them sad.
* Speaking of which, I have learned that 98% of Christians believe in the Triune Godhead, or Trinity, which says that YHWH, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all aspects of the same united God. Said Christians can be very, very tetchy about statements which even slightly seem to contradict that. If any such Christians are reading this comment, I apologize for any offense. I have noticed multiple verses where Jesus talks about himself and his Father as if they are separate beings. My study buddy firmly believes that they are not a united Trinity. However, I am still learning and studying-- this and a number of other issues. I will say that when They talk to me and interact with me, there are different "tenors" or "tones" to the communications, which seem like they are from different individuals. Oh, and I got bawled out by an angel once, so that was a third tone. :D
- Cicada Grove
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 05:45 am (UTC)I have noticed during meditation (I recently increased my time to 25 minutes) that there seems to be also the notion of a "failure", as in, muscular failure: the point where your arms cannot push any more for example. I don't know if the phrase translates well into english but that is what it means. Anyhow, several years ago when I started I noticed that after a while there was increased clarity (very welcome) and increased psychism too (cool, but not always welcome) almost as if a window opened up. This, however, is a different feeling. I have done longer sessions before because there are good sessions once in a while, but by increasing the daily time I feel that by the last minutes, I am close to that point where you have exerted the force you could fathom and I have to mentally push it a little bit. So far the effects seem to be a little the same as with the muscles, it takes time to rest up and recharge but I feel I can push it a little further afterwards. My question is, do the mental sheath/astral body used in meditation also work like the physical body, where it becomes stronger when taken a little further at a time? Or could those last minutes be telling me it might be a little too much?
My other question is, I have a friend who is a public figure and he is dealing with a lot of bad press at the moment, a smear campaign. I was wondering if Mercury is a good correspondence for helping him turn things around, given that he governs communication, and also, sneaking out of prying eyes. The reason for me doubting is because I think he also governs lies, and we don't want more of that. The Sun, perhaps?
TSW eventually?
Date: 2025-09-01 05:54 am (UTC)Several months ago, before the Glastonbury event, I started an SOP ritual aimed at tackling a specific, somewhat neurotic issue I've dealt with much of my adult life that's been the source of a lot of unhappiness. I kept the ritual up for a decent time, then let it go feeling ambivalent that it had done much. It was my first go at a focused ritual of that sort.
Fast forward to now, I've been busy working on scrying the 7 gates, having largely forgotten about the above. But on Friday I had an experience that struck me as this previous ritual finally coming to fruition, in its own time. Several factors, some circumstantial and some from my own efforts towards other goals, seemed to have combined to produce the inner freedom I wanted but wasn't currently trying to create at all: the neurotic problem smashed, destroyed, essentially. There was a sense of having gotten beyond it, of having healed naturally because my attention was finally elsewhere for long enough.
Is this typical of how rituals can manifest?
If so I think I now get what it means to aim directly at your goal, and let reality take care of the means.
Thank you
JH
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 05:55 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 05:55 am (UTC)2 - Sad. I will follow your advice on point three.
3 - Ah, my sister the shrink pointed out my co-workers have a social connection with me in griping about the tribe's outcast - that's a something. Judging from the friendly reactions of working dogs since I've been fumbling through on The Dolmen Arch, I'm giving off a good vibe, so... I suspect the two-legged folk are picking up what I'm shedding.
Geomancy Book Update
Date: 2025-09-01 05:56 am (UTC)Any chance you'll release (yet) another geomancy book updated with what you've learned in the years since The Art and Practice of Geomancy released? (If you've already done this and I've missed it, my apologies!)
So far I know of three major differences you've mentioned either here or on the main blog (two because you were replying to me):
If you use a House Chart, the Court (Judge and Witnesses) are an overview of general conditions, not the answer to the question. If the chart perfects, the answer is "yes" and if it doesn't, the answer is "no."
Favorable aspects are not enough to perfect the chart.
Figures and houses in company cannot be used to perfect the chart.
Best affirmations are about your identity?
Date: 2025-09-01 06:52 am (UTC)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWkR-tifY-U
Basically, this guy is a entrepreneur. He said for one year, he did cold plunges in the morning, meditated, visualized and affirmed his goals like a lot of advice out there says. He visualized logging in to see a certain amount of money in his account. He would have annual goals, break them down into quarterly, monthly, daily goals. It didn't work, he didn't achieve his goals.
Then he realized a few things:
- being obsessed with your goals creates attachment to the goals, you reaffirm your existing state of reality
- you should treat your goals like ordering something online. once you set the order, you don't keep refreshing the page.
- focus on your inputs, develop your craft
- if you do affirmations, don't even think about $X dollar amount or whatever, phrase them in terms of what beliefs someone earning that much would have. If you want to earn $10K a month, one belief might be "I'm the kind of person who maintains focus and eliminates distractions", and not just repeat that in the mirror, but live according to that belief
Do you think it's good advice? Is there a place for this kind of specific "I earn X amount", "I do X" kind of affirmations or the identity affirmations are much more useful?
the soul swarm implication
Date: 2025-09-01 06:55 am (UTC)- these souls choose hate the barbaric autocratic world in the East in order not to reincarnate there in case the West goes through a population decline;
- could migration and sustainment of migration by certain political figures be caused by the swarm, I mean if the western countries have negative population growth it make sense for those in the swarm to reincarnate in other countries and the try to get back to the Western "liberal, progressive" countries. And people in political position that are unconsciously sustaining these people from the swarm to get back;
- once the West fails and the 'autocratic' (as they see it) wins all these souls will be in disarray should we then expect some apocalyptic suicidal cults;
- Europe looks to me like prime example for the study of this phenomenon;
Do you think that this swarm of souls settled mainly in the European culture, with it's colonialist exploitative, model, etc?
If we put this soul swarm model in depopulation models like deagel.com etc, even Peak oil, it makes sense, do you think there are people in the swarm in their occult circle that feel this "quickening", thus their closing the lines around singularity, AI, mRNA therapies, etc, the depopulation movies etc?
One thing that is very rare before 6000 years ago is cancer. Could it be that cancer come from the interactions of these two worlds? I was always intrigued by the esoterical source of cancer.
I am curious what other implications can spawn from this.
It seems to be working
Date: 2025-09-01 06:58 am (UTC)About three months ago I expressed a suspicion that my much-beleaguered sister might be suffering from attacks by spiritual entities. You suggested that I try regularly performing the Rose Cross ritual (my own adapted version) on her behalf, and also that I invoke certain deities by their Orphic hymns.
This I have done. And it seems to be working. During the last two visits, one yesterday and another two weeks before, she showed no signs of her former mental disturbances. There were no manifestations of persecution by enemies in the woodwork or otherwise hidden in the building, no morbid ideations of her presence causing floods, fires, earthquakes or other catastrophes, nor any other disturbing conceptions. She simply talked, unexcitedly, about matters at hand. It was quite a relief.
This does not mean that all is well with her. She is more physically disabled than ever. She stares into empty space, blank and listless. But at least she is not being tormented by malignant entities, not at any rate as far as I can tell. (And she does still seem to like being read to, which I have often done for her before.)
I mean to keep it up. I have no intention of stopping these rituals in the foreseeable future. I’ve discussed what I’m doing nowhere but here, and I think I’ll keep it that way.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 07:18 am (UTC)I hope you're feeling less cranky (unless it's a suitable mood). I have a follow-up from a query last week re an unsettling incident at tai chi by a woman following me around and her comment (not to me) that she feels strong spiritual strength from me when she's next to me (I misstated this as "draws" strength last week). I looked at the fascinating Dion Fortune book you recommended and performed her sword chop/burn the stump exercise, but wonder why did you think she's a vampire rather than parasitic with a few New Age buzzwords thrown in?
I'm giving the lessons a miss for the foreseeable future - CGD reading of what would happen if I went back was an unsavoury LW Mab RW Coch J Carchar (erm, no). She spooks me!
With thanks for your valuable time and wisdom. I'm enjoying Leyel's Magic of Herbs.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 07:41 am (UTC)Thank you for this succinct reminder.
SDPM (not the OP)
The Way of the Secret Temple
Date: 2025-09-01 09:27 am (UTC)Does the practices in your book The Way of the Secret Temple cross over in anyway with temple technologies?
Thanks!
The Grail Ceremony
Date: 2025-09-01 09:32 am (UTC)I just finished your book: the Grail Ceremony. Very interesting and convincing arguments were presented and the book requires reading it over again actually.
A naive question: what would be the aim of this ceremony? Surely, it can't be just to gain admission to a secret society.
Regards and thanks
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 10:16 am (UTC)1) An astrologer looked at my natal chart and said I am most suited for careers ruled by Venus. But with the current economic situation and the long descent, Venus careers are not exactly favored. I know much depends on local circumstances and my past experience, but generally, is it better to ignore the natal chart indications and find something that makes more sense given the current situation or follow the astrological inclinations anyway?
2) I received Revisioning the Tree of Life in the mail this weekend. This looks like a really worthwhile program of study! It looks like your expansion of John Gilbert’s teachings connects well with his other two books and takes them much further. Could the completion of the RTOL work fulfill the requirements of the UGC curriculum?
Thank you!
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-01 11:02 am (UTC)This morning, while doing the MP, I noticed my card for Regulus on my altar. I thought this would be a perfect week for attempting a Regulus talisman consecration. I have several days free and I will be alone. Would you believe that after my exercise, I found that Regulus was culminating with an applying, waxing moon in a trine today? That's just amazing.
These communications don't come as thoughts, they come as a sudden hunch, out of nowhere. Almost like, Hmmmm, I should check this out. I wonder how other people perceive communications.
Salt
Date: 2025-09-01 11:24 am (UTC)There have been several comments about salt deficiencies in the last few weeks. Two days ago, I felt a little light-headed and confused, as I sometimes do, and got the impression that I should eat something. As I'd had breakfast shortly before, I realised that it couldn't be a need for sugar and remembered the salt posts. I ate some salt crystals from my altar bowl and started looking up symptoms of salt deficiency. Most of them seem to apply, so I've decided to try snacking on salt whenever I feel any of them for a few days and seeing what happens. So far, I've had a lot less cravings for junk food.
1) Does the altar salt serve any purpose in the GSF system other than being used in the lodge opening? In other words, is it safe to eat as long as the bowl stays roughly half full?
2) There's been some discussion on why salt has gotten the reputation it nowadays has. You proposed some connection to practitioners of evil magic not being able to eat salt. I have two related but different hypothesis:
2.1) The visiting sixth plane souls might not be able to stand much salt either. If they're really as disgusted by life on earth as their various religions indicate, perhaps they have a poor relationship with Calas, i.e. salt? (I know you explicitly point out in the GSF book that Calas is alchemical salt, not table salt, but I'm operating under the assumption that the alchemists had a reason to call their salt salt).
2.2) Putting on my tinfoil hat, I'd argue that certain parts of modern life expose people to demonic influence (internet pornography comes to mind, but also social media or, nowadays, the technology that must not be named¹). If this is in some way intentional, depriving people of salt might serve to reduce their defences.
—David P.
1: Is that a rule here too? Your montly open post disclaimer seems to imply that you don't want LLMs discussed on any of your forums but unless I'm blind, you don't state that anywhere here.