Magic Monday

[ecosophia]

It's a little before 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 meme? I've finished the sequence of my published books; while I decide what I want to do next, I have some memes to share. Besides, this one's such a perfect summary of certain points I've been trying to make in recent posts over on the blog...)

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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! 

Comments

[pointwithinacircle]

I am really enjoying “The Great Arcanum” so thanks for that. I have already ordered a copy of The translation of Levi’s work by you and Mitituk. So nice by the way that it is printed on decent paper. Too many big box bookstores buy the digital rights and then print the books on what is essentially newspaper. (end book rant). It did bring up a curious question though (since you mentioned reading the original in French). Words change over time. Is there a French to English dictionary that would be closer the definitions that were used in the 1850’s?

[ecosophia]

If you go to archive.org and enter this search string:

(french-english dictionary) AND date:[1800-01-01 TO 1900-12-31]

You'll have your pick of several hundred of them.

Just beginning CDG - space constrained

[(Anonymous)]

Hello sir,

I have just begun the Ovate grade in CDG, and have started practicing in a room that doubles as my office (I am limited on space in my home).

It being my office, I have a standing desk and a computer monitor in there. I drape a sheet of linen over the monitor while practicing, but I am wondering if it is necessary to go a step further and put it in the closet while practicing, though this would be sort of a pain.

My question - do you have an opinion on the influence of electronics on occult rituals and / or mixing a working office space with a ritual practice space? How would you suggest I navigate this?

Re: Just beginning CDG - space constrained

[ecosophia]

For years I practiced in the same room I used as a study for writing, with a computer in place. I never had any trouble with it. You'll be fine.

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Mr Greer,

I really enjoyed the series of posts you did on Name Numerology. I have been wondering if you have any resources for looking up the numerological significance of re-occurring numbers? I, for example, keep seeing the number 26 pop up - and I was wondering what is might mean?

Thanks as always

[ecosophia]

Most numerology focuses on single digit numbers, or doubled numbers such as 11 and 22. In standard numerology, 26 has the same meaning as 8. There are other forms of number mysticism that get into multidigit numbers -- if you want to get into that, do some research into gematria, which converts numbers into Hebrew words and vice versa. (In gematria, for example, 26 is the number of YHVH, the most important Jewish name of God. Interestingly, if you give English letters a value based on their order in the alphabet -- A=1, B=2 and so on all the way to Z=26, GOD adds to 26: G=7, O=15, D=4.)

[gnosticlombe]

Thank you to our host for all the time and effort in running this space, and answering so many interesting questions (and filtering out the tedious or rule-breaking ones!)

After discovering Bishop Gilbert was also the holder of a parampara yoga lineage and doing some digging on my own, JMG was able to point me towards a very nicely produced pdf of what is (sadly) the only currently known lesson in what he called "gnostic yoga."

I've made a copy available at my website here: https://modernorderofessenes.com/assets/Power-Meditation-BDrUiAo9.pdf for any who would be interested in reading or saving and rehosting elsewhere. I'd also encourage anyone interested in learning about the MOE and receiving the activations to contact me (here or through the linked website) or one of the other Master Teachers who are here regularly for guidance on this wonderful path.

Wishing everyone here a pleasant week,
Matthew Didymus

[ecosophia]

Thank you for this. I'm sorry to say that I didn't have the chance to learn everything that John had to teach, and his kriya yoga work is one of the things I didn't study. It'll be interesting to see over time if someone with a kriya yoga background can reconstruct it.

Crows

[vitranc]

Hi JMG,

1.) Some weeks ago I finally got the latest Arial Moravec mystery novel and a very polite struggle ensued between me and my partner for the first dips reading rights. I elected to delay my comments until she finished the book. I am happy to report, that I found the book overall pleasantly predictable, but applaud the nuance of the details on the case. I especially liked the resolution with its gray morality.(I do hope I have obscured the plot points enough) The thing that worried me is, that I thought some of the sojourns in the magical side of death, or conversations on an Italian bench will a bit to much for my partner, who is not at all into this occult stuff. But I am happy to report, that my worries turned out to be misplaced, most of the nuance flew right past her, and the story was enjoyable. BUT the effect is again present. The images are there and allow us to talk about the unseen with the conversational language of Ariel. "You know, like in the story." W are able to talk about the gods in this way! Color me stupefied. Plus I overheard her talking with her cousin about the books, recommending them further.
2.) Is there any lore on talking with crows? Or any advice? I perceive a delightful Saruman potential for mundane application in daily life.

Best regards,
V

Re: Crows

[ecosophia]

1) Delighted to hear it. Fiction can make some remarkable conversations possible.

2) If there is, I don't happen to know it. As usual with my fiction, a lot of the details show up unannounced.

[rhydlyd]

In The Sea Priestess, what’s up with the discussion of human sacrifice and the “accidental” death of the mooncalf? My grandfather’s construction company, a large one, was well-known for building churches, but in the modern manner – without death or injury or so much as bothering to add red dye to the mortar around the cornerstones. Naturally, I wonder what the widespread lack of religious practice in the building industry is doing to the built landscape. Does the lack of prayers and rites at groundbreakings and cornerstone layings have a quantifiable impact? And the fact that the US has 1000+ deaths in the construction industry, 22% of all on-the-job fatalities, makes me wonder if the buildings are claiming what they aren’t being given. Perhaps you and the commentariat might suggest some possibilities and avenues for inquiry.
Many thanks!
Pallid Greasy Ouroboros
PS - Computer issues at my end may have caused me to possibly multi-post this reply. Apologies if so.

[ecosophia]

1) The rites of human sacrifice are a vile distortion of something far older and more sacred. There was a time millennia ago when members of certain families would go voluntarily into the long barrows that were the only permanent structures anyone built, pass from life to a state beyond death, and act as guardian spirits for a time, before someone else did the same thing and they went on to another life. Later, it stopped being willing; later still, the same rites were twisted out of shape to create guardian spirits for buildings. It was one of several twisted remnants of the old lore. Fortune knew quite a bit about such things.

2) Very much so. The Freemasons have a rite of cornerstone laying that involves putting corn, wine, and oil as an offering, and it has very good results, but not many people ask them for that any more. If I ever have the chance to have a building made, the Masons are going to get an invite to do that.