The Last Magic Monday...

[ecosophia]

 ...until February, that is. 

It's a little shy of midnight, so here we go with a new Magic Monday. The picture is of Alexandra David-Neel, French occultist, Theosophist, Buddhist, professional opera singer, explorer, adventurer, and first-rate author, whose actual exploits make those of fictional characters like Indiana Jones look lame, and who almost made her 101st birthday. Ladies, if you want a role model, you could do worse. 

Ask me anything about occultism and I'll do my best to answer it. Any question received by midnight Monday Eastern time will get an answer. If you're in a hurry, or suspect you may be the 143,916th person to ask a question, please check out the very rough version 1.0 of The Magic Monday FAQ here.

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 the button below to access my online tip jar. 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.

With that said, have at it!

***This Magic Monday is now closed -- and yes, this means you. See you the first Monday in February!***

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG
Apologies in advance for length.
I got a copy of The Art & Practice of Geomancy just before discovering your upcoming publication of The Sacred Geometry Oracle (which I have pre-ordered as it particularly resonates); but, given I have some pressing questions right now, thought it made sense to try using the A&PofG rather than wait for the SGO

Background: Trying to decide what to do next to earn a living

A current project on the go but not sure how much longer it will continue, and two potential projects to either replace or develop alongside the existing project, I am trying to get an insight into what to work on and plan for.

Using shield chart and trying to formulate yes/no questions as a start point to exploring possibilities (i.e. that the first set of 4 divinations is a broad picture to guide subsequent questions).
Not sure if questions are focussed enough or need more thought.

Four divinations (4 questions) were done one following the other over a 2 hr period. They are interconnected questions with an underlying 'feeling' that it is necessary to move to action in short order.
Question 1 asks about existing project
Question 2 asks about potential project A
Question 3 asks about potential project B
Question 4 asks about alternative projects

Divination 1 - (Project X - the existing project)
Question 1: Will [X] continue to provide enough work to support us for the next 12 months?

Judge: Amissio
LW: Cauda draconis
RW: Rubeus
N1: Aquisitio
N2: Tristitia
N3: Laetitia
N4: Conjunctio
D1: Fortuna major
D2: Puella
D3: Via
D4: Carcer
M1: Caput draconis
M2: Albus
M3: Cauda draconis
M4: Via

First feeling is that this is plainly a 'no' answer.

If that is correct, then are there any subtleties in the reading that might help interpret?

If Cauda draconis is 'ending/completion' and Amissio is 'loss', what might Rubeus as right witness signify?

Is the way of points relevant here? From Judge Amissio to LW Cauda Draconis to N3 Laetitia to D2 Puella

I attempted to establish a useful mind state and connection and ask the question neutrally.
The feeling is that this confirms that 'current stage' is coming to a close. Gut feeling is that the work is nearly done and it is time to move on, which is fine, but it does add a certain 'interest' to getting moving on something else!

Divination 2 - (Project A – a potential to supercede project X)
Question 2: Will [A] be a successful business to support us?

Judge: Fortuna minor
LW: Cauda draconis
RW: Rubeus

N1: Amissio
N2: Laetitia
N3: Amissio
N4: Rubius

D1: Conjunction
D2: Fortuna majority
D3: Rubeus
D4: Populus

M1: Rubeus
M2: Cauda draconis
M3: Laetitia
M4: Populus

This one has me puzzled – on page 63 in the divinatory meaning for Fortuna minor it says 'favourable whenever you want to proceed quickly' which would tie in with the need to do something as an existing project looks to wrap up; then, Cauda draconis showing as left witness shows [p.60] as 'it is favourable in any situation where something is coming to an end' [existing project X from divination 1?], but unfavourable for most other questions'.

Right witnesses Rubeus (1st divination) and Albus (2nd divintation) have me wondering what I am bringing to this party!

If I have it correct, the way of points on this:
Fortuna minor to Cauda draconis to Amissio to Fortuna minor

Do you think the reading might suggest that decisive and intent action will work in favour because of the question's relation to first divination of something ending, or is it suggesting the idea is a lemon [or success but only short-lived]?

Of course, the literal answers to the specific questions might overlook the fact that a combination of projects might work… and short-lived success is not necessarily a failure, just a way-marker!

Give me another year or so and I might start getting a handle on this!

Any thoughts or pointers on what I am missing much appreciated.

Thank you,

Earthworm

[ecosophia]

With regard to the first divination, Rubeus as the right witness pretty consistently means that you're not being entirely honest with yourself about the question. It can mean that you already know the answer, or that you aren't asking the thing you actually want to know, or some other evasion or prevarication, but you need to work that out and be honest with yourself before you proceed.

With regard to both, Cauda Draconis as the left witness tells you that neither option is going to work out for long. (in the second, btw, I assume you mean Albus for the RW rather than Rubeus.)

You may need to approach the entire issue from a broader perspective.

[(Anonymous)]

I picked up the SoP a little while ago, and found it worked well. After a week with the opening and closing, I added air, and felt a good response. Then water, then, a week ago Tuesday, fire. I found as I added the elements the intensity of the ritual increased, and the minor headache I got became a permanent feature, and I found myself feeling tired and weaker. On Thursday I stopped, and felt better, although I now feel gross: roughly the same as if I stopped showering, in a weird way. I think it's astral crud, but I could be wrong.

1) Am I correct to think that the intensity of the SoP goes up dramatically as I add elements in?

2) I think this means my astral/etheric bodies are too weak for the full ritual. I seem to have healed completely, and thus my plan is to resume the opening/closing tomorrow, and stick with that until the end of January, and then add the elements in. Does this plan sound like a good one to you?

3) I've given myself a break from workouts (physical/SoP), plenty of rest, lots of water, and plenty of sunlight so as to help my etheric body heal, but I'm not sure how to help my astral body if I should injure my subtle bodies again. Do you have advice on that, or is it just a matter of giving it time to heal?

[ecosophia]

1) Yes, very much so. You may have just, in effect, sprained your energy body.

2) Yes, and take your time with the elements. There's no need to hurry.

3) The most important thing is plenty of sleep. When you sleep, your conscious mind gets out of the way and the subtle body can repair itself.

Some questions and data points

[kimberlysteele]

In this picture
Hu Gadarn is depicted with what looks like an oar in his left hand. What is in his right hand? Is it a small plow? Some kind of musical instrument?

In the Orphic hymns as translated by Thomas Taylor, Taylor indicates the pronunciation of the name Proserpine as rhyming with vine, for instance: “Prolific, venerable, Nurse divine, thy daughter loving, holy Proserpine”. Was he wrong? I always thought Proserpine was pronounced “Pra-sir-PEE-nay” or “Pra-sir-PEE-nuh”.

For the TSW files: 2019 has been the best year of my life. I strongly believe my chipper mood, sanguine outlook, and especially lately, my good fortune are owed to doing the Sphere of Protection (slightly modified AODA style with the Druid pantheon) once a day without fail for the last two years. 2019 began for me with my favorite aunt dying, and of course this wasn’t a happy event, however, I was able to rescue her two cats which I believe helped her move on to her future existences. After she passed away, it came down to a question of her cats either being rescued by someone or dying of freezing/dehydration in an abandoned house. It was my daily Druid practices that gave me the necessary guts and detachment from the normal, materialistic grind to go in there and get them. The cats are now happily living with my parents and can’t get enough of being petted, pampered, and spoiled. They will live out the rest of their lives in luxury and comfort. My aunt’s spirit thanked me many times over and the experience has brought me much closer to both my patron gods and other gods.

The year also brought me some uncanny successes in fields I had all but given up upon. Every time I made a small act of sacrifice or act of kindness, monetary or otherwise, it seemed to be returned to me by a factor of exponents. This is still ongoing.

Recently, my friend’s mother passed away and once again, because of my SoP, meditations, and Druidry in general, I was able to be a comforting and helpful presence. I wasn’t confused or upset like most people in this culture are when they’re around death, and I think this helped both my friend and his mom.

In short, JMG, I owe you a great deal for re-introducing me to occultism and beyond it, religion. I will always be grateful that you helped me to get through my own thick, formerly atheist skull these past few years. Thank you with all my heart.

Re: Some questions and data points

[ecosophia]

1) It's a plough. Hu Gadarn in legend is (a) the one who led the Welsh from Deffrobani in the distant east to Britain by boat, and (b) the first person to plow the soil of Britain. That's more than an agricultural myth, of course; the draft animals he yoked to pull the plow were the Two Calves of the Spotted Cow, that latter being the starry heavens; his plowing is the precession of the equinoxes, with the two equinoxes being the calves in question.

2) Ah, I see you haven't yet encountered the execrable British pronunciation of Latin. "Proserpine" rhyming with "mine" belongs to the same abuse of Latin as "Caesar" rhyming with "squeezer."

3) You're most welcome and thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

I joined the AODA a few years ago, but never finished the first degree. Now, however, something in me has whispered that becoming a bishop in the Gnostic Celtic Church is something I should do.

I have almost no prior spiritual practice, and my one attempt fizzled out, but now want to pursue this. I'm well aware it'll be a lot of hard work, and it'll take me many years, but I've already mapped out what I need to do first.

1) How can I tell what this voice is?

2) Is it a reasonable goal to set to become a bishop in the Gnostic Celtic Church by the end of the decade that's about to start? If not, what would be a reasonable time frame?

[ecosophia]

1) Have you asked it?

2) You can do it in ten years, but you're going to have to work very hard to do it. Finishing the First Degree is your first task. If you can get that done promptly, you have a shot at it.

[(Anonymous)]

I've been looking into something a little odd: I find that hot water soothes and settles my etheric body. It seems to be the case no matter what else is mixed with it, if anything: tea, soup, hot toddy, or just plain hot water. Interestingly, coffee doesn't have this effect, but I think there's something in the coffee which alters it, as cold coffee disturbs my etheric body.

A) Do you know why hot water would have this effect?

B) Do you know ways to put this to use? The only one I can come up with is to drink hot water or tea right before meditation, but there must be others.

C) Are there things you think I should look into with regards to this effect?

[ecosophia]

A) Everybody's etheric body has its quirks. Yours likes hot water.

B) Have you noticed if you get the same effect from washing with it, or applying it externally in some other way?

C) Keep detailed notes and figure out what you can do with it.

[(Anonymous)]

I found John Beckett's writings fairly good, but he seems to have lost track of the spiritual, and become far too political lately. His writings also display an interesting take, one in particular which does not match your descriptions of things. One of which is this:

"Remember that the story of the demons has been written by their enemies. Don’t believe everything the Catholics and the Evangelicals say about them. But as with the Fair Folk, there is wisdom in the stories our ancestors told about demons. They are persons who do their own things for their own reasons, and serving you isn’t very high on their list of priorities."

What do you make of it? Am I correct to think your take on demons is very different from his?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2019/12/paganism-in-the-2020s-what-to-expect-in-the-next-decade.html

[ecosophia]

Beckett is a former student of mine. We did not part on good terms, but I make it a habit not to get into quarrels where that bond exists or once existed, so I'd encourage you to read both of us and make up your own mind.

[(Anonymous)]

I've been looking into the history of ideas, and I find it quite odd how often something will suddenly appear in multiple places, or be invented by two different people in short succession. What I find interesting is that this seems far more likely with abstract ideas, and so I'm wondering if this is evidence of changes on the mental plane. Does this sound plausible to you?

[ecosophia]

That's at least worth meditating on!

[(Anonymous)]

What do you think of the claim the Dalai Lama is an incarnation of Avalokiteśvara? Do you think that sort of thing happens?

[ecosophia]

It's at least possible. Does he act like an incarnation of Avalokitesvara?

Incorporeal-accessible Games?

[(Anonymous)]

Bit of an off the wall question for JMG and Commentariat:

I've been interacting with a friendly spirit of a playful persuasion as of late. It has an interest in playing games such as chess, and I've been trying to, for instance, make a move and then pray to the spirit asking what move it wants to make. Unfortunately, we're running up against the issue that in prayer ease of communication is proportionate to the parties' openness to each other, and a competitive game by necessity introduces friction between the players. Not only is it a problem that I have to break my focus on my moves to open myself to receive the spirit's next move, but when I get in a bind I start finding myself thinking "they couldn't have really meant that move [because then the spirit would win ;) ]" which is naturally frustrating to all involved.

It occurs to me that divination is, from a certain point of view, a means to allow immaterial forces to communicate by material means, which got me wondering:

1) Have you come across any competitive or cooperative games which were intentionally designed to facilitate incorporeal players?

2) Have you heard of any instances of a divination system being used to allow an incorporeal entity to play an off-the-shelf game?

3) You've mentioned before that different divination systems have different personalities. If you were to design a game involving incorporeal players of good faith, is there an existing divination system you would think would be suited to providing the link to the incorporeal player?

4) I seem to recall the problem with Ouija boards is that they in essence lack magical security and could see a similar potential for problems here. If I were to homebrew an incorporeally-accessible game, would ensuring the space is banished before and after every play session and requiring each player to be willing, of good faith, and named (preferably with titles) be enough to ensure proper spiritual hygiene?
4b) Are there any other spiritual health and safety considerations?
4c) Can you think of any other general ritual considerations that might be good to keep in mind? For instance, I could see a need to isolate the material player from the oracle to give the incorporeal player a fair chance and multiple incorporeal players need to be isolated from each other.

Re: Incorporeal-accessible Games?

[ecosophia]

1) The Golden Dawn game of Enochian chess is specifically set up for that.

2) Not off hand, but someone's probably done it.

3) That depends so much on the details of what you want to do that there's no single answer for it.

4a) It would probably be better to do it in a space that's not just banished, but opened by a more extensive opening ritual -- you can find one of those in most of my books on magic.

4b) Check the results closely against what actually happens to see if it's telling the truth.

4c) You can't isolate incorporeal players from each other -- they exist on a plane of being you can't control. This is one of those situations where an "as if" approach works perfectly well.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

If we break down the famous quote of Eliphas Levi "To know. To dare. To will. To be silent." into its components, do they have the following elemental correspondences?
* To know - air
* To dare - water
* To will - fire
* To be silent - earth

If so, does their ordering have any significance in the practice of magic?

[ecosophia]

Meditating on the proper elemental attributions to that saying is a common exercise in some magical orders. Meditating on how to apply it is another. It sounds to me as though you've made a good start. Keep at it!

Moon void of course

[(Anonymous)]

In the process of studying lunar days to time my magical operations, I’ve come across the Void of Course periods. Websites I’ve referred to indicate that anything started during a period in which the moon the void of course will yield no results.

I had not yet come across the concept, I was wondering whether it is a concept only present in Vedic astrology, and what considerations should be taken of it in timing of magical operations such as ceremonial magic operations?

Re: Moon void of course

[ecosophia]

Okay, void of course Moons are one of the two grand bugbears of modern popular astrology -- the other is of course Mercury retrogrades. It's not just Vedic, but it's an indication in certain branches of astrology that has been blown vastly out of proportion.

For the benefit of other readers, I'll mention that the moon is void of course when it has completed its last major aspect with a planet before it passes into another sign. In horary astrology, it's an important indicator: it means that nothing will come of the question for which the chart is cast. In some branches of electional astrology, including those that govern Renaissance-style astrological magic, the same thing applies. Ceremonial magic of the Golden Dawn variety, as far as I can tell, isn't affected by it at all, and neither are most other magical practices.

[(Anonymous)]

Hey JMG,

I hope you have a productive and refreshing break this coming month!

I was thinking about breath timing during the SoP and particularly while drawing the symbols. I sort of intuitively began breathing in fully just before drawing the symbols in their respective forms. Likewise, during the invocation, I breathe in fully through my nose alone, whereas during the banishing portion, I breath in through my nose and out through my mouth (I have heard many times that mouth breathing releases energy, which is what I was intending—releasing all of the unbalanced aspects of the element, etc.).

Are there standard breathing patterns (in or out at certain points) for ritual work of this kind? Any suggestions you have?

Secondly, I’ve seen you mention occasionally the danger of starting ritual work and then quitting, mentioning opening up inner planes and then being helpless.

What, roughly, is the turning point? What does this opening entail, such that now things have changed so fundamentally that magical work is essential for the person? When you speak of opening up the inner planes (I believe that was your verbiage, but I may be slightly off), what precisely is that referring to experientiallly?

Thank you as always!
David

[ecosophia]

1) There isn't any specific teaching along these lines for the SoP, and the rules for other rituals tend to be pretty idiosyncratic. Experiment and let other people know what results you get.

2) There isn't really a turning point -- it's more a matter of how much trouble you're willing to tolerate. As you practice magic, you become more aware of the inner planes, and your aura "lights up," making beings on the inner planes more aware of you. It's like turning a dial, not like throwing a switch, so a little practice will bring you a little more to the attention of such beings, and a lot of practice will make you noticeable to a lot of such beings. Leaving yourself without the protection of a banishing ritual at that latter point is probably not a good idea.

[(Anonymous)]

Just under a decade ago, a small manufacturing business I had started in the UK, finally crashed and burned after several years of struggle on my part trying to keep it going. There were many reasons for this, but although it was largely due to my own mistakes one contributing factor was the substantial number of regulations and record keeping requirements that I had to obey. The time and money spent dealing with this could have been put to better use trying to keep things going.

Business failures are always painful and one of the aspects I found especially hard to deal with was the impact on the many people who depended on me or those to whom the business owed money. I did what I could to protect them but in the end it was little enough. There have been worse events in my life but this is high, very high, on that short list.

I mentioned this in the Ecosophia blog and you suggested I write an article on what it was like dealing with the regulatory aspects of running a business in the UK. As it happens - the last decade has been a pretty transformative one for me on an interior level - based on many of the things you have written in that period. I take your comment very seriously. Writing on almost any subject that I have an opinion on is not a problem but this is one that not only hurts but still has some real potential to damage me and mine.

Finally, this is occurring just as I'm about to take the final step of embedding myself in a particular part of the country for the long term and concentrating on non-professional matters.

So I did a geomantic divination. I've been making divinations of this nature for a couple of years but about three months ago started doing them regularly after a gap in practice. I've had some success at this (which is personality shattering news all by itself I might add but it really has been a decade of change).

I did a house chart on the question:

"Shall I write about my experience starting and running a small business?"

I got:

1. Populus
2. Carcer
3. Via
4. Amissio
5. Caput Draconis
6. Albus
7. Fortuna Major
8. Caput Draconis
9. Carcer
10. Aquisto
11. Aquisito
12. Rubeus

My assumption, and I have some doubt about this, is that the writing of an article in a 9th house matter on the grounds that any writing is an art form. It's not done with the intention of making a profit so not a 2nd house matter which would have been my choice I I were doing this in the hope of writing a best seller.

Populus is certainly me in this instance, passive, undoubtedly a mixture of motivations, and subject to forces outside of myself. The chart itself does perfect by the unfavourable Carcer in 2 and 9.

So I've ended up with a chart that perfects by conjunction with an unusually unfavourable figure. I understand that Carcer represents both restriction and stability but I'm too close to the problem to really draw a conclusion.

Is it "Don't touch this with a barge pole - you will be jailed", I know that's catastrophising but that's my state of mind at the moment. As I said, this event is up there on that short list.

An alternative interpretation is "Do this, it's really going to hurt and there will be be an immediate loss (possibly of guilt), but in the long term you will gain some good fortune and profit and there will be some kind of stability". That's based on a glance at the cardinals as well.

So the bottom line is: Perfection by unfavourable figures?

I've not calculated the witnesses or judge as it's a house chart and if you have a moment I'd appreciate a view on doing that for house charts as well. I've seen you comment that this is not typically done, but I've also seen house charts where this has been done and the three figures placed in the middle.

Andy

[ecosophia]

No, writing is a third house matter, and the chart does not perfect. Oh well. You shouldn't write the essay.

Perfection by a very unfavorable figure, btw, generally amounts to "you can do this, but you'll be sorry you did." So it amounts to the same thing either way.

As for the judge and witnesses, I've found that they tend to confuse the matter in house charts more than they help, so I leave them off. Other people have different opinions, and your mileage may vary.

AA

[(Anonymous)]

Do you see any occult dimension in 12-step-programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, and if yes, would you recommend for or against it?

Re: AA

[ecosophia]

What I know of 12-step programs -- I've never been involved in one -- suggests to me that their core is Protestant religious thought, not occultism. I know some people who've gotten good results from them and others who found them a complete waste of time, so I don't have a recommendation either way.

SOP in German

[bendithfawr]

Hi JMG and everyone,

I started posting the beginning of my German version of the SOP as described in the "Druid Magic Handbook" a while ago. Some pauses and restarts due to life interruptions later I finally got to the seventh gate and would like to post my complete version:

---

Erstes Tor

Beim Maifalken im Morgenwind und dem großen Namen HU rufe ich die Luft, ihre Götter, ihre Geister und ihre Kräfte. Ich bitte die Luft um ihren Segen.
Ich danke der Luft für ihre Gaben.
Und mit Hilfe der Luft banne ich in und um mir alle ihre unausgewogenen Aspekte. Ich verbanne sie weit weg von mir.


Zweites Tor

Beim weißen Hirschen im Sommerlicht und dem großen Namen SUL (gesprochen: SÜL) rufe ich das Feuer, seine Götter, seine Geister und seine Kräfte. Ich bitte das Feuer um seinen Segen.
Ich danke dem Feuer für seine Gaben.
Und mit Hilfe des Feuers banne ich in und um mir alle seine unausgewogenen Aspekte. Ich verbanne sie weit weg von mir.


Drittes Tor

Beim weisen Lachs im heiligen Teich und dem großen Namen ESUS (gesprochen: ESÜS) rufe ich das Wasser, seine Götter, seine Geister und seine Kräfte. Ich bitte das Wasser um seinen Segen.
Ich danke dem Wasser für seine Gaben.
Und mit Hilfe des Wassers banne ich in und um mir alle seine unausgewogenen Aspekte. Ich verbanne sie weit weg von mir.

Viertes Tor

Beim großen Bären, der die Sternenhimmel bewacht, und dem großen Namen ELEN rufe ich die Erde, ihre Götter, ihre Geister und ihre Kräfte. Ich bitte die Erde um ihren Segen.
Ich danke der Erde für ihre Gaben.
Und mit Hilfe der Erde banne ich in und um mir alle ihre unausgewogenen Aspekte. Ich verbanne sie weit weg von mir.

Fünftes Tor

Beim leuchtenden Herzen der Mutter Erde und dem großen Namen KED rufe ich den Geist in der Tiefe, seine Götter, seine Geister und seine Kräfte. Ich bitte den Geist in der Tiefe um seinen Segen.
Ich danke dem Geist in der Tiefe für seine Gaben.

Sechstes Tor

Bei der Sonne in ihrer Herrlichkeit, Quelle des Lichts, und dem großen Namen KELI rufe ich den Geist in der Höhe, seine Götter, seine Geister und seine Kräfte. Ich bitte den Geist in der Höhe um seinen Segen.
Ich danke dem Geist in der Höhe für seine Gaben.

Siebtes Tor

Bei den sechs Mächten hier gerufen und hier versammelt und dem Großen Wort AWEN (gesprochen: AUEN) rufe ich den Geist in mir. Mögen sich das Universum in mir und das Universum um mir im Gleichgewicht befinden.

---

I already incorporated some feedback from the first posts (thanks Anna from Vienna and the others!) and would love to hear more opinions.

Re: SOP in German

[ecosophia]

Excellent! Many thanks for this.

BTW, you can certainly add the umlauts to the divine names and spell Auen with a U. That kind of adjustment for linguistic conditions is standard.

Misc Qs on SOP Risks, Forbidden Knowledge, Etheric Sex..

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG

1. You’ve said in previous MMs etc that it can be unsafe to give up ritual magic if your inner senses have been awakened through training and you are sensitive to spirits and unseen world around you. However, presumably it’s relatively safe if you are NOT trained and can’t perceive anything more than the physical world (I know you can still get lucky or unlucky and have encounters with the occult - it exists whether you perceive it or not - but presumably the chances are much much lower if you are not sensitive).

My question is - will taking up the SOP open my senses (eventually) so that I am on the path to having to do ritual magic to stay safe? Or is that relatively safe in terms of “staying at my current level”? I have started discursive meditation and I want to take up the SOP now but I have young kids in the house (I’ll take the precautions re kids in your FAQ of course) and a time-consuming career and I really don’t want to get into full blown magic studies for a few more years (it’s definitely on the list for when the kids are older/out of the house). So I am actually not that keen to have my inner senses fully awakened for now - would it be okay to start the SOP now or should I drop it for a few years and stick with the meditation only? As in, what’s the risk level of doing the SOP?

2. Presumably if you’re naturally psychic or sensitive (not me, I have the sensitivity of a lump of stone), then you are in the same position as someone who has trained his awareness - ie, at that point you should probably learn some ritual magic for your own protection?

3. On a different note, you’ve said here and in your book Monsters that some kinds of magical knowledge are so dangerous and nasty that it is better that they are forgotten and you don’t give details of how they are done (such as the “technical methods for constructing an etheric revenant” which you mention in Monsters).

There have recently been some questions and comments in the MM about how some knowledge has been obtained from spirits directly (think it was the Japanese banishing ritual thing) and (unconnected) there was a link to a website where a bunch of dangerous amateurs were summoning demons.

Putting all those together - am I correct in guessing that even if dangerous magical knowledge like the above is lost, it could in theory be regained (or just created in the first place), by summoning various nasty entities and making unpleasant deals for the knowledge? Would the knowledge just appear fully fledged in your head?

I’m reading Dion Fortune’s Magical Battle of Britain letters right now and in one she says something about opening books in a library (in the tower they created by visualization for their great WW2 working) during an astral vision and something about how you can read a few words or symbols and gain knowledge but that the actual knowledge gained will make its way to you in the material world or something like that? Is that the same kind of thing?

For that matter, presumably the same thing applies to positive magic? You could have very beneficial knowledge and magic placed directly into your head?

4. I have recently been reading Dion Fortune’s books on recommendation from here (first occult books I’ve read other than yours!), in particular The Magical Battle of Britain and Psychic Self-Defence and they’re very interesting. Her level-headedness and clear-thinking shines very strongly through her writing and it’s very readable too.

In one place in Psychic Self-Defence she make a throwaway comment with no explanation - something about how cancer is likely to be a disease/problem of the etheric body and not the physical? Is there a lot of writing on this subject? I assume that means there are avenues to treat cancer using occult methods to heal the etheric body? They must have been extensively investigated? I would also guess that many of the spontaneous and miraculous cancer cures you hear about have to do with somehow (unknowingly) fixing etheric problems?

5. I know it’s almost a meme to say smartphone radiation is implicated in causing cancer, but could there be a link between smartphones affecting the etheric body? And that is the link that then causes cancer? Perhaps that is why no scientific proof of smartphones/cancer can be found? There IS a causative link but just not in the material world?

6. Apropos of the recent discussion re porn etc. My wife and I had an unusual experience recently. We both woke up around the same time in the morning having both just had sexual dreams (in my case, a full on wet dream). We were in the same bed, but the kids were in bed with us so no physical contact. I can’t remember what I dreamt about (I never remember dreams) but my wife says she wasn’t dreaming about me. But the simultaneous timing is strange (and while I sometimes have wet dreams if I am travelling and having seen my wife in weeks etc, I can’t remember the last time I had one only a week or ten days after the last time we had sex - just before the kids’ vacation began).

Is it possible that this could be some kind of etheric interaction? Or likely to just be a coincidence? I wouldn’t normally think twice about it but I did just read Dion Fortune’s Psychic Self-Defence..

Re: Misc Qs on SOP Risks, Forbidden Knowledge, Etheric Sex..

[(Anonymous)]

Not JMG, so take my comments as those of the fellow traveler that I am, but I've had enough overlap with enough of your questions that it strikes me as almost synchronistic!

1) I wondered the same thing all the time before I started a regular practice, but I am one of those folks who was literally forced into learning how to protect myself magically, via an experience with the Old Hag. (See some of my story in my separate post farther down.)

2) I'll be granite if you'll be feldspar! I always tell my more intuitive friends, and my wife, that my magical training is just to get me caught up with their natural abilities. (But it is at least starting to work!)

3) Monsters is one of my favorite books, and I'm really looking forward to reading The Magical Battle of Britain.

4) Just as an aside, I'm currently being treated for a nasty case of "prostatitis," even though geomantic divination very clearly and specifically said "not prostatitis, it's cancer." (It also clearly said I'd be able to whip it, hence the lack of panic in my voice...) But I do find it interesting that these troubles have come to a head since I started a daily practice, and that I have more trouble visualizing the violet Yesod sphere in the genital area, and directing the vibration there, than any of the others. I would have no trouble at all buying cancer as an etheric phenomenon, considering my past.

5) I have a smart-phone-shaped numb patch on the outside of my right thigh, exactly where I used to carry the thing in my side pocket. It flares up still, periodically, even though I have gotten rid of the Android altogether. IMO, smartphones are bad news...

6) The woman I mentioned doing a cut-and-clear spell on in my post below has actually broken into our dreams (mine and my wife's) a few times, and in two cases she was somehow ABLE TO GET INTO MY WIFE'S BODY! Talk about waking up in a hurry, heart pounding in my throat...

Anyway, cheers.
Tripp

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG,

In various magical books there are confusing attributions about some psychic centers. Especially between navel and genital centers and between heart and solar plexus centers. What is the difference between navel and genital centers? And between heart and solar plexus centers?

[ecosophia]

There are 360 energy centers in the human subtle body, and each system of magic chooses some subset of them to work with. When you see two books, one of which assigns (say) Tiphareth to the heart center while the other assigns it to the solar plexus center, that's not accidental -- they're working with different energies in that part of the system. As for the differences, what a fine theme for meditation! (Seriously, you'll learn much more by paying attention to the way these centers manifest in yourself than you'll ever get by reading something somebody writes about it.)

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG,

1. I am about to start meditating on the Wheel of Life described in the DMH, including the differences between it and the Tree of Life. I have had no exposure to the Tree of Life before starting learning magic through the DMH, so in order to find out some of the background between the two, I found this old article you wrote on the AODA site: http://aoda.org/publications/articles-on-druidry/treeoflife/

However, it looks like there are some differences in the correspondences between the Spheres, Stations and planets between the article and the DMH. For example, the article describes a correspondence between Samhuinn and Binah, and Binah to Saturn. The DMH however has a table in it which shows a correspondence between Samhuinn and the Moon, and so I am also not sure if the Binah-Samhuinn correspondence therefore still holds.

Obviously I'm going to do some meditating to explore correspondences, but I'm wondering whether to use that article as a starting point or to ignore it due to these differences?

2. Is it unwise to do the grove ceremony more than once per week? If so, why is that?

Thank you once again, and have a good break!

[ecosophia]

1) Don't use the article; it's a different approach. The correspondences in the DMH are the ones to use.

2) Not that I know of. Try it and see what results you get.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

I would like to learn about esoteric philosophy and practices of Taoism, but my prior background is in the Western esoteric tradition. I wonder whether Taoism is compatible with the Western occult philosophy. If there is any major difference between them that makes them incompatible, what are those? If not, do you know any good resource which provides correspondences between Taoist terms and their Western counterparts?

[ecosophia]

In my experience, they're not very compatible, and the incompatibility is a matter of the subtle energies they work with; too many people I know of (myself included) have tried to mix elements of both systems (for example, qigong with Western magic) and ended up getting physically ill. If you want to take up Taoism, by all means, but do two things:

1) Drop your Western esoteric practices.

2) Get a qualified teacher -- Taoist esotericism isn't something you can learn effectively from books.

[(Anonymous)]

Hello JMG,

I have a somewhat esoteric query about a particular rock group. Would you be able to have a quick listen to the piece of music below (I apologise if it isn't to your taste):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9bH6R3gj0I

The singer is well known to have been an occultist, and I have long suspected these lyrics, and possibly even the vocals, have been channelled. Do you think this is possible, or am I letting my imagination get ahead of me? The odd mix of profundity and gibberish in this group's lyrics are very redolent of channelled communications, and if you are familiar with their history, the idea that there are disembodied spirits embedded in their music seems to be far from unlikely.

[ecosophia]

I don't do videos, you know, and I've said so often enough that I'm going to be just a little grumpy about it. If you want to post the name of the group and the titles of some of the songs that you think have magically inspired lyrics, I'll have a look.

[geostrophi]

Dear JMG,
I am kind of bummed that there will be no more Magic Monday until February: I have come to really look forward to reading through the Q&A here every week. Thank you for these Magic Mondays, and I will be looking forward to the next one in February.
I have a few questions:
1. When doing the SoP version that you have detailed here, I don't get much of a sensation when I imagine sphere of light in my third eye center. But when I draw the light down to my womb center I feel a more intense feeling, a tingling, similar to what I get when I am on a tall height somewhere looking down. I'm not sure what to make of this difference. Could it be that my third eye center has had more previous work/exercise, so I don't feel it as much, or is it that I have more potential somehow in my womb center? Or is there some other consideration that might relate to it?
2.I have read quite a few posts about feeling fatigue after doing the SoP, and your comments on ways to recover, and what comes to mind is are there ways to enhance recovery (physical analigy: lifting weights and then taking an ice bath) besides geting plenty of sleep? Specifically, since color breathing can strengthen the aura, would it be useful to do a fourfold breath practice with a healing color,like green perhaps, to give a bit more energy and resilience to the SoP?

[ecosophia]

1) Different people respond differently to the charging of the centers. Don't worry about it; just keep on doing the practice and let things balance out.

2) I'd encourage you to try it and see what results you get.

[(Anonymous)]

Hello Archdruid,

Is there such a thing as "Grand Unified Theory of Magic" which can explain the inner mechanism of all the variety of magical practices around the world?

I think Neoplatonism is a good candidate, but I don't have enough knowledge and experience to give a definitive statement about this.

[robertmathiesen]

I am inclined to think, after many decades studying magic with an eye to that very question, that no self-consistent "grand unified theory of magic" can possibly be constructed. The differences between, say, the magical traditions in the Graeco-Roman world (and its cultural descendants), on the one hand, and the magical practices of, say the Australian Indigenous population, or the shamanic practices of the various Northern Eurasian peoples, or the practices of the various Native American tribes, or the enormous variety of magical practices found in Africa, are simply too great, and rest on too divergent foundations in the experiences of the peoples in question.

One of the reasons that "grand unified theories" of things in the material world can be constructed, is that the material world appears to exhibit internal self-consistency. But the material world looks like a very small, limited and impoverished creation when compared to the very rich immaterial worlds that some people can glimpse faintly when one or another of their immaterial senses wake up briefly. I suspect the logical self-consistency of the material world is one of the severe limitations deliberately built into its design as a safety meassure.

Magic seems to me, after long reflection, not to be a non-sentient "thing" which can be mastered, but some odd sort of thoroughly sentient, immaterial, living being whom one must court. And, just as among us humans, so too with magic, no one method of courtship will work on every person one might desire, nor will it work equally well in everyone's hands. One's own personal strategy of mundane courtship must be devised with one eye on who and what one actually is, and the other eye on the character, desires and proclivities of the person one wishes to court. So it is, too, with magic ... at least, that's how it seems to me.

Magic to help selling an apartment

[(Anonymous)]

Dear JMG,

Thanks so much for hosting these MMs, I'm going to miss them very much in January. I find them really helpful and learn a lot from them, even when I don't ask anything.

My question today is about anything that I can do, considering just very basic natural magic knowledge for selling my husband's apartment. I know I have his permission to do anything that would help, but it is in his name (he had it before we got married). If it would be more effective that he does it, I think he's willing to do it as well.

It has been a difficult decision to get to, but we need to do it. The context is obviously the RE market here (Europe) is harsh and competitive. Obviously and as per your advice elsewhere, we have done everything in the real world to help this sale ( recently decorated, cleaned, etc ). Any advice is appreciated.

I have personally done you suggested money spell before, and Orphic Hymns to Venus with the right candle and on the correct hour and day...so, was considering doing Orphic Hymns to Mercury with an orange candle to help with the sale or should it be planetary charity instead?

Re: Magic to help selling an apartment

[ecosophia]

You can do both, you know. Both are effective ways to get the planetary energy to work with you rather than against you, and I find that combining them gets very good results.

As for Magic Mondays, did you start reading them when I first began them? If not, you can always go back and catch up. ;-)

Talismans for pregnant wife

[(Anonymous)]

Hello JMG

My wife is currently pregnant. As she is prone to receiving the evil eye/malefic intent from a few jealous women around her (one of them is potentially into a form of witchcraft), would it be beneficial for her to procure an Algol talisman from Chris Warnock for protection? Could having such a talisman cause any issues for the baby?

Thanks for your assistance,

AJ

Re: Talismans for pregnant wife

[ecosophia]

That's not an energy I'd want around an unborn child! I suggest instead making a witch bottle -- put sharp pins, nails, bits of broken glass, and the like in a glass bottle, then fill it with your wife's urine and hide it in your basement or the crawlspace under your house -- if nothing else, under your sink way in back -- and leave it. That's a classic way to mess with noxious witchcraft, and it doesn't involve bringing in a potentially dangerous stellar spirit.

Clarification on a long-told story

[(Anonymous)]

Almost two years ago, over at Ecosophia, I told my story about getting hagged on a dark night in January of '18. Our conversation was moving along nicely until I tossed out a comment about the smell of this demon/spirit, how it was nasty, bloody-metallic, absolutely alien, and VINEGARY.

Well you dropped the thread like a hot potato leaving me wondering what I had said wrong. Not long after that I started picking up on your advice to leave a bowl of vinegar out in the bedroom to PREVENT non-physical entities like the Old Hag from condensing. Ah, that's why...

How could my perception of that nasty smell have been so wrong? I wondered. Well, turns out it wasn't. My current magical training is really helping me with my memory and enriching my understanding of HOW things like this work. And this is a good example.

Our cabin reeked of vinegar, and no mistake, because there were 2 full carboys of apple cider fermenting in the corner by the wood stove. I had never had one go off before, turn to vinegar, but for some reason both of these - all 10 gallons - had done just that.

And the vinegar smell was late in the sequence. I smelled the bloody-metallic nasty alien smell first and then the vinegar smell slowly REPLACED it as the Hag dissipated. I can only assume that a friendly entity drew the vinegar vapors out of the carboys as a weapon against the Hag. My wife thinks it was our "brownie" friend, and it is interesting that that whole story occured just a few months before this happened, and we do seem to have passed a major test of good faith with it. But if the cider spoilage was intentional, a preparation for this event, we would be talking about a being who exists outside of time I think. And wouldn't a house fay be constrained in time by its etheric body?

Talking about this with my very Baptist parents over Christmas, they immediately twisted it to an attempt by God to get my attention. From my perspective, though, He missed a world-class chance of doing just that by using roundabout magical methods to accomplish what for a Supreme Deity might require the equivalent of snapping his fingers. Buzz! Wrong answer! At least for the God-trying-to-get-my-attention argument.

(I've since discovered through geomantic divination that the Hag was summoned and sent to attack me by one of the 2 people I hate in this world. A solid cut-and-clear working has now thoroughly severed that connection.)

Anyway, it's great to be able to get at the magical logic behind something like this. All of this was so utterly foreign when I started. That's all your doing, btw. Your books, your blogs, your community, it's all absolutely priceless.

Thank you for this.
Tripp

Re: Clarification on a long-told story

[ecosophia]

Hmm! I remember the conversation dimly, but I don't think I dropped it because of the reference to a vinegar smell -- it was more that I was way too busy. Still, your explanation makes perfect sense.