Magic Monday
Feb. 15th, 2026 10:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ecosophia
It's getting on for 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!***
Ecosophia Prayer List
Date: 2026-02-16 05:06 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, selected from the fuller list.
May Dustin, a relative of Brenainn, be healed of a recently discovered heart condition.
May 1Wanderers's partner Cathy, whose cancer has returned, be given the physical and mental strength to fight it, and tolerate the treatment, and may she enjoy a full and permanent recovery.
May Jule from Iserlohn, Germany, who is experiencing complications in her pregnancy due to an influenza infection, recover and have a pleasant pregnancy and birth.
May Larry Mulford, who has entered hospice after a year battling with pancreatic cancer, pass in the smoothest possible manner, and may his wife be enveloped in our love.
May Marko have the strength to seize the opportunities.
May Luke Z and his house, whose furnace has problems that can't be fixed until after the current severe weather ends, be blessed and kept safe until the cold subside.
May Pierre's young daughter, Athena, be healed from her fatigue and its root causes in ways that are easy, natural, and as holistic as possible.
May Bob Ralston (aka Rasty Bob), who is in hospice care in Buckeye AZ, and who just lost his wife Leslie Fish, be blessed and find relief from his pain and discomfort; may Bob's heart remain strong.
May Leslie Fish, wife of Bob Ralston, who passed away in early December, be blessed and make a peaceful transition to her next existence.
May Corey Benton, who passed away on 12/10, be blessed and make a peaceful transition to his next destination.
May Satoko L in Kyoto, who is recovering at home after weeks of hospitalization for Acute Hepatitis while in a state of immunodeficiency, continue to heal quickly and safely, and return to full vitality.
May 5 year old Max be blessed and protected during his parents' contentious divorce; may events work out in a manner most conducive to Max's healthy development over the long term.
May Lydia G. of Geauga County, Ohio heal and recover from prolonged health issues.
May both Monika and the child she is pregnant with both be blessed with good health and a safe delivery.
May Mary's sister have her auto-immune conditions sent into remission, may her eyes remain healthy, and may she heal in body, mind, and spirit.
May the abcess in JRuss's left armpit heal quickly.
May Brother Kornhoer's son Travis's left ureter be restored to full function, may his body have the strength to fight off infections, may his kidneys strengthen, and may his empty nose syndrome abate, so that he may have a full and healthy life ahead of him.
May HippieVikings's baby HV, who was born safely but has had some breathing concerns, be filled with good health and strength.
May Trubujah's best friend Pat's teenage daughter Devin, who has a mysterious condition which doctors are so far baffled by necessitating that she remain in a wheelchair, be healed of her condition; may the underlying cause come to light so that treatment may begin.
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.
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.
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
Date: 2026-02-16 05:08 am (UTC)Strong Emotions during DA Course
Date: 2026-02-16 05:09 am (UTC)There were some triggers, but they weren't beyond what I usually encounter, and the emotion felt kind of uncharacteristically strong for me. It was ferocious anger one night followed by a sad, sulky mood for two days. Many of the sensations were surprisingly physical: I felt fatigued and listless. My decision-making was off. You have said anger is a secondary emotion, and I suppose what the dominant feeling was one of sorrow or grief, without a clear cause.
Is this a known phenomenon in DA work or similar? If so, what is it? Some possibilities I came up with in meditation are:
1) The personality trying to reassert itself
2) Previously unacknowledged sorrow or grief that comes up during the DA work
3) As part of acknowledging the personality, one builds a greater sensitivity to its moods. Then the next stage is working to balance with it.
I have to admit some failure at using the DA techniques to offset it. I suppose part of me felt a need to just let it run its course, and observe it. I'm back to my normal self today, though.
Still not sure what I've learned from it, other than I am capable of more emotion than I knew. Or rather, capable of that level of sorrow with an unclear cause.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 05:12 am (UTC)Statements seem to range from just casual dropping of words to conjuring up a dedicated cult of elites...
Wonder if you have a take on this?
Assuming you even want to go there, totally understand if not, freaking me out, for sure
Re: Ecosophia Prayer List
Date: 2026-02-16 05:13 am (UTC)Many thanks.
Re: Strong Emotions during DA Course
Date: 2026-02-16 05:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 05:24 am (UTC)On a related idea – Does the hymn, “To be a Pilgrim,” by Bunyan have any known connection to the Druid Revival besides thematic similarity? A YouTube video of Ameila singing that hymn tripped my wait-a-minute circuit and sent me down great big rabbit hole.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 05:25 am (UTC)Second, we are in the early stages of a major revival of traditional religion in the US and the western world more generally, and seeing Satanists under every damp rock is a common habit of Christians who feel threatened. The lurid and horrible material in the Epstein files is convenient as a justification for that, and it also makes a good weapon to turn public opinion further against the failing elite classes, so, yeah, it's getting a lot of air time.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 05:28 am (UTC)2) No connection that I know of, but there's certainly thematic similarity.
Re: Strong Emotions during DA Course
Date: 2026-02-16 05:29 am (UTC)Not cut out for magic?
Date: 2026-02-16 05:40 am (UTC)I have been performing neophyte ritual practice for eight months now which has been pretty smooth actually. No abrupt life changes, no sudden psychic overwhelm, I have not experienced anything paranormal or supernatural in that I’ve not heard voices or seen half-human, half-goat creatures or been attacked by demons.
I know this probably sounds a little naive but does that mean I’m doing something wrong? Not going hard enough?
I guess I’m revealing my assumption here that once I start doing the rituals I would attract attention from astral entities, as that’s what I’ve heard from people who started the LBRP and middle pillar ritual.
But does that necessarily say anything about me as an occultist? Does that make me inept or inadequate? Does that mean perhaps I am not very talented at this due to lack of psychic perception? Or perhaps my senses are dull, like a “squib” in Harry Potter terms (I apologize for the reference lol).
Are there any such indicators that are actually valid?
Hoodoo Jar of Salt and Bent Nails
Date: 2026-02-16 06:11 am (UTC)For those who missed it:
https://ecosophia.dreamwidth.org/358770.html?thread=59185778#cmt59185778
In answer to another commenter who asked how this works, you wrote:
"Permit me to explain. ;-)
"The jar consists of a glass jar filled with coarse salt with several small nails buried in it. The nails should be iron or steel -- white metal, not yellow metal -- and they should be bent in the middle, which you can do with two pairs of pliers. Unless you live in very damp conditions, it's best if the lid stays off.
"As for what it does, recall that the etheric plane, the plane of life force, is metaphorically "next to" the material plane, and so these two planes influence each other easily. In the modern world, because next to nobody practices even basic etheric hygiene, most of our environments are squalid and filthy on the etheric level, full of decaying etheric patterns. There's also the far from minor point that many kinds of evil magic work on the denser levels of the etheric plane and produce nasty patterns of their own.
"That's where the jar comes in. Sharp pointed iron or steel causes dense etheric patterns to collapse and discharge the life force in them. Salt crystals absorb unwanted etheric energy. The jar works like a gentle etheric vacuum cleaner, scooping up etheric dust and grime and storing it in the salt. You'll know it's time to change the salt when it gets discolored; you'll know it's time to replace the nails when they rust. The more squalid your etheric environment, the faster this will happen. "
# # # # # # # #
My questions are:
Which size jar would be ideal? I used a jam jar, left the top open, and tucked it on a shelf behind some picture frames. It seems to be working well, however: Does its effectiveness change if the jar is set behind something, in a drawer, set down low or placed up high?
Thank you.
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 08:03 am (UTC)a) I have most of the material plane work done for moving far away from them. I will be making the move towards the end of March, and I will not give any of them my contact information, so very shortly I will likely interact with them for the last time (at least, in this incarnation). Once I finish moving, I’ll give myself a few months to sort out my life after such a major life change and to do what healing I can with the simple expedient of getting space, and then I plan to work through the Octagon Society. I also intend to continue to turn to the planetary gods and ask for their help and guidance: they have all been remarkably kind and understanding towards me, even the ones I was worried would not be when I picked up praying to the planets.
This is pretty clearly a case of magic, because I am trying to change my consciousness, according to a will to be less damaged, so I think this followup question fits here: do you have any other suggestions for how to go about healing from my abuse?
My spiritual practices are the LBRP, R+C, and MP from the Hermetic Golden Dawn, some meditation, and prayers/planetary charity to the planets.
b) I sincerely hope I can avoiding ever seeing any of them ever again; and while in this incarnation, I think it’s doable, I also want to think about future incarnations. Do you have any suggestions for how to clear away as much of the karmic ties I have with them as possible?
c) I’ve taken to worshiping the planets, and see the hallmarks of their help with how things have been coming together for me being able to escape. Subject to divination, do you see any concerns with offering a round of planetary charity to each of the planets in turn, in order to say “thank you” for their help?
Regarding guardian angels
Date: 2026-02-16 08:04 am (UTC)There have been a number of times where I happened to avoid situations that might have caused me emotional distress and embarrassment or actual physical harm.
In one instance, I was suddenly very sleepy in public, and so wasn't able to act clumsily as a result of seeing someone I was afraid of and wished to avoid.
In another instance, I suddenly became preoccupied with a thought that prevented me from immediately driving into an intersection when the traffic light turned green; as a result, I was able to avoid being T-boned by someone who drove through a red light.
I'm certain that at one point, I simply attributed stuff like this to pure luck, but it's happened enough times that I believe my guardian angel was protecting me.
My questions:
1. Am I mistaken that my guardian angel was involved?
2. Currently, whenever something like this happens, I say a quick short prayer, thanking both God and my guardian angel. For a formerly-lapsed Roman Catholic who is still in the process of (re-)learning, would you happen to know second-hand of anything else I should be doing to give thanks? Also, is thanking my guardian angel unnecessary, since from my perspective it is God's deputy?
3. On what planes do guardian angels operate?
Thank you,
-E.
Re: Ecosophia Prayer List
Date: 2026-02-16 08:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 08:25 am (UTC)* I feel that I am at the point of attempting the higher genius invocatiom from your circles of power book. I prefer the more deliberate, stable and gradual approach - which will no doubt in olve many repetitions over an extended period of time. However, will I 'know' when contact has been made and/or when it has been stabilised and I can move on? I'm assuming the answer is yes, but I also just dont know what to expect because the entire peocess seems so ineffable and its spoken of so wildly differently.
2) I was listening to a podcast from a famous occultist who was espousing the 'it's all in your head' cosmology. This seems to have switched over fairly recently after a couple of decades of him believing the entities to be real and external. This isnt the first time Ive seen the switch in famous and experienced occultists. Do you know what might lead someone to swap theie cosmology so many decades into their practice?
I haven't got anywhere else to say this.
Date: 2026-02-16 08:29 am (UTC)I have an ongoing relationship with Minerva (lots of crafted offerings) and today I think she made a mildly critical comment about my work habits, which I'm trying to improve. My emotional freak-out was what surprised me: "OMG, the god who talks to me in my head is being MEAN to me!!"
Eventually I settled down, thanked her for the feedback and am trying to make sense of the comment but ... it was deeply unnerving.
How do I tell a god's voice apart from my own neuroses?
Thank you for your time, and for providing a space to ask questions like this.
Meditation and Divination Questions
Date: 2026-02-16 08:43 am (UTC)1. In discursive meditation I sometimes feel "stuck", as in, nothing comes up for the theme. I then just try to "stare" at the theme in my mind and hope this changes. Is there something else to be done, or is this just a normal meditation experiance?
Sometimes the entire sitting is like this and I feel like I missed the entire thing.
2. Have you ever got hot during meditation? Lately I would be overwhelmed with a "fire" sansation in some sessions.
This is normally temporary, and passes. Is this a trick my mind plays on me to get me to lose concentration?
3. I got some SGO readings where the first card in the reading (using the GSF method where it represents myself) shows Squaring of the Circle reversed. I understand what this means for a situation or result, but struggle to interpert what it means when I'm "impossible". Could you please give me a hint?
Have a good day.
Houses in Mundane Astrology
Date: 2026-02-16 09:04 am (UTC)I hope you are settling in nicely in your new digs in the belly of the beast 😉. What a time to be there!
Firstly it does seem like we are in Satanic Panic 2.0. I'm sure it will be/is being monetized in various ways (and grifts). I'm definitely not saying that a lot of crud isn't being exposed, but are we really surprised by any of it?
And what is going to be reformed? Or will it just be a big outrage festival?
Maybe this is just my natal Saturn in Aries cynicism! Hey, I'd love to see some genuine reform!
I reckon I'm going through my second Saturn return about now? Born Dec 68? Would that be about right?
Anyway what I would like to discuss, is that you are probably one of the few mundane astrologers who actually take note of house placements.
In natal astrology, there is much more recognition, but for some reason when it switches to mundane, the people I watch discussing it become much more generalised.
It's not that there isn't value to what is said, it's just that if the house placements are so important, why aren't they discussed more?
Have you encountered this?
One thing I did note on your delineation of the conjunction is about the house Aries is in and how it is affected. Very interesting! (Apologies if I get the technical terms wrong but I think you understand what I'm on about.)
No-one else that I have watched has mentioned this.
With regards to the influence or lack of, of Pluto, would you think it possible that people are mixing it up with the actual influence of something that you have mentioned many times, of the presence of Uranus in its 'fall' in Taurus? You have often said this is a very malefic influence.
All the best,
Helen in Oz
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 09:50 am (UTC)- Sidaway
(no subject)
Date: 2026-02-16 10:47 am (UTC)1) When I do the LIRP, my hands get warm. Sometimes slightly warm, sometimes uncomfortably hot. Is that supposed to happen?
2) I tend to meditate in front of an altar on which there are several bowls I use for drink offerings. These are never filled when I do the LBRP beforehand but I wonder whether I'm breaking etiquette by doing so. I know you can't actually banish Gods but would it be considered rude to banish around an altar?
3) You may or may not be interested in hearing this but I did try to contact the German egregore last week, explaining some of my problems and asking for help in developing a healthy patriotism. Much to my dismay, it responded with an image of Wehrmacht soldiers marching. When I said that I don't consider that healthy, we just moved from WWII to WWI. An improvement over the Nazis, I suppose, but still not really what I was hoping for.
Maybe I just misphrased my problem but I tried to get there by a couple of different tacks and every time, we got back to military prowess, largely in relation to WWII (maybe I should've asked how that worked out but it didn't occur to me at the time). It seemed to genuinely not understand me and patiently repeated the same images over and over again, as though I was just a little slow. It seemed to be saying something along the lines of "Yes, I know you want to talk about patriotism. Look, soldiers, that's patriotism. See?"
Interestingly enough, I've had similarly robotic conversations with real people, usually about politics. They usually leave me frustrated and slightly exhausted; this time was similar, though much worse. My mood cratered for the day and I had to take a nap in the afternoon, which seemed to have nothing to do with a genuine need for sleep.
I get the sense that it offered and would actually have been able to help me feel good about these aspects of our past, which makes me more than a little uncomfortable. It didn't seem too bothered when I declined, though.
On a slightly more positive note, unlike the Canadian of a few Magic Mondays past, I wasn't threatened at any point. It didn't seem to object to me being here, feeling about my country the way I currently do, but also offered to help me leave of its own accord. This has been such a worrisome experience that I'm genuinely considering it. Realistically though, I don't know of a place where I'd definitely be better off, so maybe staying in the place that's "mine" and where I thus have a right to effect what little change I can and complain about what I can't is the right tradeoff.
4) At least it seemed to offer it of its own accord. Maybe I was already unconsciously preparing to ask the question and it noticed. I assume that egregores can do that, living largely in the unconscious themselves?
—David P.
Occult Ethics
Date: 2026-02-16 11:10 am (UTC)Have you ever though of writing a book on occult ethics? I know you've talked in the past on the concept of virtue and your posts and writing (not just the occult ones) are full of examples on topics that could come under the umbrella of ethics (from Mystery Teachings all the way to the raspberry jam principle...)
The modern occult scene will certainly benefit of something like this!
All the best,
Manuel
SOP and crazy times...
Date: 2026-02-16 11:18 am (UTC)AJ Gentile / The Why Files
Date: 2026-02-16 01:04 pm (UTC)My questions are;
1. Have you ever heard of AJ Gentile?
2. Is there any connection between Thoth and Saturn?
Re: Strong Emotions during DA Course
Date: 2026-02-16 01:36 pm (UTC)There have been some issues in my household, but we are also dealing with grief from a parent who passed away this past autumn (in law for me), and a very close family friend who passed away this past January. I've known that person 22 years, but my partner has known him for 46 years. It all got ramped up this past weekend. It felt like the coming conjunction is a part of it... but I also had dreams about healing and magic yesterday morning before the heavy emotions came along in my partner.
Wishing everyone who will have them peace and blessings.
Mauve Oscillating Lobster Flaneur