Magic Monday

[ecosophia]

It's getting on for midnight as I type this, so here we go with a new Magic Monday. This week's classic of Western occultism, since I've been indulging in Ross Nichols' poetry of late, is The Cosmic Shape, published in 1946, which contains his brilliant essay "An Examination of Creative Myth," which discusses the need for nature-myth and ritual as a counterbalance to the artificialities of modern life, and his related Arthurisn poem-cycle "The Cosmic Legend," as well as other poems of his and his fellow poet James Kirkup. He clearly discussed these ideas with his good friend Gerald Gardner; those ideas ended up playing a central role in the creation of Wicca as well as the transformations of 20th-century Druidry. Here's a bit from "The Cosmic Legend": 

I have made my ceremonies; the crisis
comes. None may reproduce, no water flow,
until the sword is from its sheath pulled.
Only I, the medicine-man Gawain, instructing 
at midnight Galahad, the pure one of 
spring -- only I can save you, faithless 
with the fallen leaf. I prove to you,
O my dead people, once again that
I alone am your strength.

In the first ray beating touching on the centre altar-stone
to the eye prepared at vigil-end, the vessel of the sun,
cup and heart, to Galahad. 

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With that said, have at it!

***This Magic Monday is now closed -- and yes, this means you.  See you next week!*** 

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Comments

[ecosophia]

1) I haven't seen anything exploring this. Have fun!

2) Some people experience this at first. Try doing the exercise 15 minutes before you do other practices, so you can get that out of the way.

3) Use the craziness as an opportunity to train your mind. When you encounter it, spend a moment thinking about why it's crazy. Once you've learned the Tree of Life, identify which sphere it represents in an unbalanced form. Once you know your way around the planets and the elements, identify it that way as well. Treat the craziness as a worthy opponent, one who can challenge you.

4) All of these are superb themes for meditation! Or, for that matter, for ordinary reflection. Nothing that you've suggested seems at all out of line; I'd encourage you to keep exploring all of this, and see where it takes you.

5) Yes and yes.

[(Anonymous)]

1) Well, I'll be back in a few months to report what I've learned! Even if I'm wrong, getting a conversation going will be very helpful.

2) That's what I came up with as well. Nice to know I'm doing it right! ;)

3) Thank you.

[(Anonymous)]

3) That's probably good advice in general, right? Considering our societies are always crazy these days....

5) It also occurs to me this could be a good discipline to cut down on porn: "It'll feel good, but then five minutes in ice cold water.... No, it's not worth it"

[ecosophia]

3) Why, yes. Josephin Peladan wrote an entire book on the subject, and one of these days I'm going to do the same thing.

[booklover1973]

Regarding point Nr. 3, maybe there is biophobia involved, among other things. The interesting thing is, that fear of the Coronavirus is more pronounced in the more 'leftist', 'progressive' circles than among the political 'right', with the curious exception of Sweden.

[tunesmyth]

I’m very much looking forward to this book, that sounds very enlightening and useful indeed.

In the meantime it’s really good advice... “Treat the craziness as a worthy opponent, one who can challenge you” is a great way to approach any of these mass-identity consuming ideologies. Both because it keeps you dealing in a respectful way with others, and helps you keep your own balance in the face of inanities and insanities.