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Tag: Universe
Let’s Talk Witch – Your Altar, Of Course
Your Altar, Of Course
They say that home is where the heart is–if so, then a Witch’s home is her altar. That is where your most precious tools live: athame, god and goddess candles, incense, crystals … whatever you use to connect with the gods in your most private rituals.
Your altar is where you go when you are most troubled and in need of help. It is where you go in your greatest moments of joy to give thanks.
You stand at your altar to summon what you want and banish what you don’t, to ask for help and to ask for answers.
What better definition of home could you have?
So tend your altar carefully. Find items that you will treasure, and set them lovingly in their places. You don’t need a lot. One candle or six (god and goddess and the four quarters)-it’s your choice. That one perfect leaf, feather, or rock. As long as it means something to you, your altar is where it belongs.
And your altar is where you belong, too. It is the one place where you can truly be you, with nothing hidden or held back. Laugh, cry, howl, or simply be silent… it’s all good.
So go to your altar often, even if only for a minute or two at a time, and check in with yourself, the gods, and the universe. Ground back to the earth and to your truest self. And don’t forget to dust on occasion, either.
Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft
Deborah Blake
Your Personal Daily Tarot Card for November 10th is The Hanged Man
Your Personal Daily Tarot Card
The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man is the most enigmatic card of the Tarot. Even Tarot giants like Waite, Crowley and Levi had trouble deciphering The Hanged Man’s true meaning. Generally The Hanged Man is thought to represent the value of surrender and selfless acts. The Hanged Man embodies the notion that sometimes to lose is to win. Unlike the aggressive Chariot, The Hanged Man creates his fate through inaction and accepts his fortune passively, without resistance. He does not struggle to control the path his life takes, but rather allows events to sweep him where they will, even if he is called upon to sacrifice himself. He is so at ease with the Fate the Universe chose for him that even hanging upside down from a tree does not ruffle his inner peace.
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for July 23rd is The Universe
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today
The Universe
Like The Sun, The Universe brings good blessings. The Universe appears where all is in balance. It allows you to act effectively not only as an individual but as a member of a group too. The Universe promises contentment, fulfillment and completeness to those under its influence. It doesn’t guarantee there will not be moments of strife or discord in your life, but it does indicate that your trials and tribulations will be overcome; that ultimately you will know inner-peace and contentment. The Universe suggests you have found or will find your place in the scheme of things—that place where all is as it should be.
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for July 1 is The Universe
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today
The Universe
Like The Sun, The Universe brings good blessings. The Universe appears where all is in balance. It allows you to act effectively not only as an individual but as a member of a group too. The Universe promises contentment, fulfillment and completeness to those under its influence. It doesn’t guarantee there will not be moments of strife or discord in your life, but it does indicate that your trials and tribulations will be overcome; that ultimately you will know inner-peace and contentment. The Universe suggests you have found or will find your place in the scheme of things—that place where all is as it should be.
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for June 24th is The Universe
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today
The Universe
Like The Sun, The Universe brings good blessings. The Universe appears where all is in balance. It allows you to act effectively not only as an individual but as a member of a group too. The Universe promises contentment, fulfillment and completeness to those under its influence. It doesn’t guarantee there will not be moments of strife or discord in your life, but it does indicate that your trials and tribulations will be overcome; that ultimately you will know inner-peace and contentment. The Universe suggests you have found or will find your place in the scheme of things—that place where all is as it should be.
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for June 15th is The Universe
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today
The Universe
Like The Sun, The Universe brings good blessings. The Universe appears where all is in balance. It allows you to act effectively not only as an individual but as a member of a group too. The Universe promises contentment, fulfillment and completeness to those under its influence. It doesn’t guarantee there will not be moments of strife or discord in your life, but it does indicate that your trials and tribulations will be overcome; that ultimately you will know inner-peace and contentment. The Universe suggests you have found or will find your place in the scheme of things—that place where all is as it should be.
Spell Ingredients: Add a Large Dose of Reality
Spell Ingredients: Add a Large Dose of Reality
Author: Solonius
The first ingredient for any spell: A large dose of reality…. I mean, really, what do you expect? If all spells worked, wouldn’t humanity universally believe in witchcraft and magic and use it wholeheartedly? And to that extent wouldn’t worthy practitioners be a desired commodity? It is imperative for practitioners to separate their wishful and whimsical fantasies from serious study, contemplation, experimentation and application.
I believe that in order to further understand and define the super-natural, you first have to develop and have a thorough understanding of the natural. Any study of the Craft requires a greater amount of study into the realm of Laws of Nature and the Laws of Physics. After all, how can you define what is extra-ordinary, if you don’t even know the extent of what is ordinary?
The Laws of Physics are many, and the typical high-school student mostly understands the important ones. Opposites attract (by and large this only works for ions, kids, not people) , for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, for any change in state the by-product or causation is heat, etc. How can better knowing these things help us in a greater understanding of our spell work? Because all these things deal with Energy, and what is the Universe constructed of? Anyone…? Yes, Energy. And what does spell work deal with, when you boil it all down (pun intended) ? That’s right, Energy! Or more accurately, the transfer of energy. This is the First Insight that any practitioner should grasp. EVERYTHING is energy.
The Second Insight that we should understand, because it deals with both types of laws, is that Nature abhors a vacuum. That can be observed as simply as watching a balloon deflate. What do you discover with these phenomena? That Nature seeks a balance. This holds true for the Laws of Life and the Laws of Physics. The Universe naturally seeks equilibrium. Whether this is between hot/cold, high pressure/low pressure, too many predators and not enough prey, the Law stays the same. In the end, Nature will follow its Laws. You do know, though, that there is a defined and empirical Order to Things. You might not understand it fully, but you can be assured that an order exists by observing the smallest things in nature. This is crucial: Be observant to Nature and learn from it. Nature, in all its complexity, is still a system of doing things the easiest and least energy wasting way. Contemplate that reality for a while.
Where does this energy come from? Good question. Is it physical energy, which means connected to our current plane of existence? If that is so, then you would not be able to contain it for the energy you are talking about on the physical plane is electrical in nature, and you would become walking atom bombs if you gathered the energy required to perform some spells. So it can’t be a physical energy type.
Is it spiritual energy (which obviously means it is energy collected from higher levels of existence) that you are able to gather and use? The usual consensus is “Yes, it is.” This leads to the next set of questions. Can energy from higher levels of existence cause effects on a lower level of existence? How can if affect the energy in a lower existence, if the two existences are not on the same sphere? Can the physical things you do on a lower plane of existence affect what happens on a higher plane of existence? Is your mentality the only link between what you perceive as the physical plane and planes above what you can perceive with your physical senses? What is the extent of ‘Reality’, does it encompass ALL spheres of existence as ONE reality? Nature abhors a vacuum, so if As Above – So Below is a Law of Nature, does this mean that the energies of a higher plane seek a balance with the energies of a lower plane?
It is said that in the higher planes all things are possible if you only imagine it so. I further postulate that you must not only imagine it so, it must become your perceived REALITY. You must learn to tap into the energies of the higher planes, and effect permanent changes there, before any changes can happen in the physical plane. I’ve often said that there is an ocean of difference between Understanding and Knowing. Understanding is intellectual; it is accepting truth without necessarily going through all the motions to prove it. Knowing is visceral; it deals more with proof from the physical senses perceiving something as true. Ergo, to make a change here, you have to Know that you have made a change in higher realms first.
I postulate the reason for this is the hypothesis of ‘trickle down economics’ if you’d like. What does this mean? It means that in order to build a hut on the physical plane, you must first build a mansion in the higher planes. More complexly, Nature (meaning all planes of existence) seeks a balance. Nature also does things the absolute least energy-wasting way. I perceive that Nature does not easily permit energy to flow across planes of existence, even if they are in the same ‘Reality’. With As Above – So Below, you can see through a simple diagram of two superimposed triangles (one point up, the other point down) that the equilibrium point is above here and now (the bottom point) , yet below the ultimate expression (the top point) . As you move down from the ultimate expression (the open V) , less and less energy is transferred. Therefore you must have a firm and knowing conviction of what you wish to accomplish and see a clear and precise picture of it occurring, before you can hope to realize it happening.
Ironically, you should also have a wonderfully developed sense of imagination up to the point of believing in what seems impossible. Only with an active imagination can you build that mansion up to the point of actualization in the higher planes. This seems contradictory, but I don’t feel that it is. Without a firm mental picture of what you require to exist, can you hope to achieve your goal? You have to build that mansion brick by brick, through much mental exactness and conviction. This requires a great deal of imagination as well as focus. The constructed mansion should then remain in that higher plane once you have completed it. It’s there; there is no doubt of its existence in your mind. Every time you visit the higher realms your mansion is there, gleaming with its glory. Make it Reality. Does this mean that a mansion will magically appear here and now for you in the material plane? Probably not, but the single minded effort it took to imagine it as reality in the higher plane, could translate into the required motivation and focus to achieve it in the here and now. Here is something else to consider: owning the mansion is secondary to the method of achieving it.
I’ve used the visualization of a mansion to put a face to a concept. However, it holds true for any endeavor. What you wish to have happen is secondary to HOW you achieve its happening. You build the mental picture (higher plane reality) while simultaneously going through with the steps required to achieve the same results. This multiple avenue approach enlists all your faculties to achieve what your desire is. The greater the amount of energies enlisted to achieve your desire, the more energy the universe aligns with the outcome. Remember: the method of how you achieve your goal is primary to the goal itself.
As an example: There is a twice-weekly fervent prayer on many lips throughout the land: “Please let me win the lottery!” However, if you never go out to purchase a lottery ticket, the effort placed into your prayer was wasted, wasn’t it? The same occurs with your Craft. Creating a spell to achieve the end result is short sighted. You still have to do the work to realize your goal. There really are no shortcuts. I don’t mean using some elaborate spell either. I mean elaborate mental visualization, coupled with following a plan to achieve the goal. Each reinforces the other, making the possibility of achievement vastly greater. Ground that visualization into what Laws Nature has already demonstrated. This lends conviction and credibility to the achievement of the goal.
What would be the required steps to achieve that goal without using any Craft? Incorporate those steps into the visualization with your spell. Bypass any flights of fantasy; they require too much energy to maintain. After all is it easier for your mind to accept flying to work on a broomstick, or driving your car? Your mind will default to what it Knows is possible, and will automatically call B.S. to what is not. Even a child imagining flying around the house on a broomstick Knows that they are just pretending. So why kid yourself? The more reality you incorporate into your Craft, the greater the results you will receive.
*On a side note: I don’t think of the planes of Reality as floors in a skyscraper, nor are they in some cardinal Direction. They don’t exist as pages in a book, where you can turn a page and have a new reality. I think of it as a condensing of energy from zero (conversely the most dense) to the ultimate amount of energy. They are all concurrent and here and now, superimposed upon what we can only perceive as the physical plane due to the limitations of our senses. This energy is limitless to infinity. For infinity is provable as far as we have observed. Outside the edge of the growing globe of galaxies expanding outward, is vacuum. Forever. You could hypothetically travel so far away that this entire globe of expanding physical energy seems like nothing more than a single spec of brilliant light. However, the theory of infinity breaks down if you require a starting point. As Above – So Below… Infinity must go in BOTH ‘directions’ forever, or the concept breaks down.
I thank you for your time in reading this. I hope it gave you some food for contemplation, and in some way helps you with more success on your path.
Regards,
Solonius
THE LAWS OF MAGIC
THE LAWS OF MAGIC
The Laws of Magic are not legislative laws, but, like those of physics or
musical harmony, are actually fairly practical observations that have been
accumulated over thousands of years. These laws describe the way magic seems to behave. Most of these laws will make sense to you (I hope), and even the more
obscure ones should make some sense to you, but if they don’t, ignore them, or
send me some e-mail, and I will try to explain.
The LAW OF KNOWLEDGE: This is probably the most widely used law, and probably encompasses all the others in some way. The basis of this law is that
understanding brings control. The more that is known about a subject, the
easier it is to exercise control over it. Knowledge is power.
The LAW OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE: An obvious derivative of the LAW OF KNOWLEDGE, this law carries additional connotations, as a mage who does not have knowledge of himself does not have knowledge (and therefore control) of his own magic. This law is one of the reason’s “evil” mages are very rare – a dedication to “evil for evil’s sake” is usually do to a lack of introspection and awareness of oneself. It is difficult to do harm to others when you understand fully what that kind of harm would do to you. Know thyself.
The LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT: A simple scientific understanding – if exactly the same actions are done under exactly the same conditions, they will be associated with exactly the same results. Magicians have at least as much belief in cause and effect as modern physicists do, they just realize that a good ritual, like a good theatrical performance or a good bread recipe, isn’t always predictable. In truth, a spell involves so many variables, that controlling or even
understanding them all is impossible. The key to magical success is learning
which variables are the most important, and how to keep them constant. Control
over the variables is icing on the cake.
The LAW OF SYNCHRONICITY: Two or more events happening at the same
time are likely to have more in common than the merely temporal. Very few events ever happen in isolation from other events. There is no such thing as a mere coincidence.
The LAW OF ASSOCIATION: If any two pattern have elements in common, the patterns interact “through” those common elements, and control of one pattern facilitates control of the other(s) depending (among other factors) upon the number of common elements involved. This is a very important law, up there with the LAW OF KNOWLEDGE.
The LAW OF SIMILARITY: Having an accurate physical or mental represent-tion of something facilitates control over it. This one is fairly obvious in it’s usage
– having a model, picture, or other representation of your target (like a voodoo
doll) gives you power to effect the target. Look alikes are alike.
The LAW OF CONTAGION: Objects or beings in physical contact with each other continue to interact after separation. Everyone you have ever touched has a magical link with you, though it is probably pretty weak unless the contact was
intense and/or prolonged or repeated frequently. Magical power is contagious.
Naturally, having a part of someone’s body (nails, hair, spit, etc.) gives the
best contagion link.
The LAW OF NAMES: Knowing the complete and TRUE name of an object, being, or process gives one complete control over it. This works because a name is a definition (yes, even “Harold”, “Marie”, “Kunte”, and “Jasmine” were at one
time) as well as a contagion link, and an association (if you call something the
same name over and over, that name becomes associated with the thing). This
also works, because knowing the complete and true name of something or someone means that you have achieved a complete understanding of it’s or their nature. This is why, in most pre-industrial cultures, people are given “secret names”, as well as “public names”, and why the sharing of a secret name is such an act of trust – because the secret name is considered to be very close to, if not
identical with, the person’s true name.
The LAW OF WORDS OF POWER: There exist certain words that are able to alter the internal and external realities of those uttering them, and the power may rest in the very sounds of the words as much as their meanings. Many of such words are names, though the meanings may have been lost or forgotten. Very many magical tools require words to be inscribed upon them and/or said over them during their construction and/or use.
The LAW OF PERSONIFICATION: Any phenomenon may be considered to be
alive and to have a personality – that is, to “be” an entity or being. Anything
can be a person. Most weather mages personify the winds and the clouds, for
example, and thus find focusing their magic on the atmosphere much easier to do.
The LAW OF INVOCATION: It is possible to establish internal communication with entities from either inside or outside oneself, said entities seeming to be
inside of oneself during the communication process.
The LAW OF EVOCATION: It is possible to establish external communication with entities from either inside or outside oneself, said entities seeming to be
outside oneself during the communication process.
The LAW OF IDENTIFICATION: It is possible through maximum association between elements of oneself and those of another being to actually become that being, to the point of sharing it’s knowledge and wielding it’s power. This is the law that controls most lengthy or permanent possession phenomena.
The LAW OF PERSONAL UNIVERSES: Every sentient being lives in and quite possibly creates a unique universe which can never be 100% identical to that lived in by another. So called “reality” is in fact a matter of consensus opinions. This law is nowhere near as obvious as the other laws in it’s applications, but if
you can figure some out, you can use it.
The LAW OF INFINITE UNIVERSES: The total number of universes into which all possible combinations of existing phenomena could be organized is infinite.
Anything is possible, though some things are more probable than others. You
might consider this to refer to the “alternate probability worlds” of science
fiction, but it also has a much wider application.
The LAW OF PRAGMATISM: If a pattern of belief or behavior enables a being to
survive and to accomplish chosen goals, then that belief or behavior is “true”
or “real” or “sensible”. If it works, it’s true. Another rather obscure law,
but it does have some very useful applications.
The LAW OF TRUE FALSEHOODS: It is possible for a concept or act to violate the truth patterns of a given personal universe and still be “true”, provided that
it “works” in a specific situation. If it’s a paradox, it’s still probably
true. This law is basically useless, except to justify use of the above three
laws without screwing things up in your version of the real world.
The LAW OF SYNTHESIS: The synthesis of two or more “opposing” patterns of data will produce a new pattern that will be truer than either of the first two were. That is, it will be applicable to more levels of reality, and this new pattern
may not be a compromise, but may be something rather new indeed.
The LAW OF POLARITY: Any pattern of data can be split into (at least) two
“opposing” characteristics, and each will contain the essence of the other
within itself.
The LAW OF OPPOSITES: A sub-law of POLARITY. The “opposite” of a pattern
contains information about that pattern, by providing information on what the
pattern is not. Thus, control over a pattern’s opposite (or close to it’s
opposite) facilitates control over the pattern itself. (Note that this one I
alone take the blame for, as it is my own extension of POLARITY and SIMILARITY)
The LAW OF DYNAMIC BALANCE: To survive, let alone to become powerful, one must keep every aspect of one’s universe in a state of dynamic balance with every other aspect. Extremism is dangerous, as the extreme being becomes so
associated with the extreme aspect, that they lose the ability to avoid that
aspect at all. This is another reason “evil” mages are rare, as continuous
association with pain or death will cause a mage pain or death, ending the
mage’s ability to continue actively with “evil”. This is also why “good” mages,
especially healers, tend to live a long time.
The LAW OF PERVERSITY: Sometimes known as Murphy’s Law. If anything can go wrong, it will, and in the most annoying manner possible. Magical associations sometimes operate in the reverse of what was desired, and meaningful coincidences are just as likely to be unpleasant as pleasant. Even if nothing can go wrong, some element of the universe may change so that things will go wrong anyway. Whether we like it or not, the gods (or fates, or what have you) do have a sense of humor. Emotionally healthy mages have less problems with this law than others do, as the mages own subconscious mind is probably a major perpetrator of this law.
The LAW OF UNITY: Every phenomena in existence is linked directly or indirectly to every other one, past, present, or future. Perceived separations between phenomena are based on incomplete sensing and/or understanding.
Let’s Talk Witch – Sanctifying the Temple of the Body
Let’s Talk Witch – Sanctifying the Temple of the Body
Of all the spaces that surround us, of all the blessings we send out into the world, of all the things we honor and consider sacred, it is often our own bodies that are most in need of honor and celebration. Considered by many to be the vehicle through which our soul experiences the physical world, our bodies are indeed worthy of recognition as the spiritual temples they are. Too frequently we focus on our perceived physical imperfections, forget the miracle of the body’s ability to heal itself when we are ailing, or take for grannted the fragile balance our bodies need to sustain us, instead choosing to abuse ourselves with excess, deprive ourselves of adequate sleep or nourishing food, and engage in other physically and psychologically damaging behaviors.
For women especially, how we carry ourselves and think about our body is incredibly emotionally charged. We are constantly being bombarded with messages telling us how we are suppose to look and what we are supposed to wear. Women’s bodies have been objectified by a culture that has also programmed us to believe they are objects of sin and shame. Reclaiming the sacred nature of our physical form is a service both to our selves and to our sisters—it is a rejection of the old paradigm and a reframing of how women think about themselves on their own terms.
There is a Hermetic Axiom that states: “As above, so below. As within, so without.” One treatment and reverence for our body both reflects upon, and is a reflection of, the spirit that dwells within. How can you bring a sense of the sacred to your physical self? Perhaps you can incorporate a daily routine of self-anointing with oils you have blessed for this purpose and chosen to consciously eat wholesome foods to power your body-temple. Indulge in sacred spa days and pamper yourself with a luxurious bath scented with herbs and flowers that stimulate the essence of the Divine within. Wear colors and styles that reflect your personality and make you feel beautiful, rather than feeling like a slave to the trends of fashion. Adorn yourself with stones and symbolic jewelry that serve as reminders of your holy nature. And, perhaps most importantly, support other women in cultivating a sense of the self as sacred: discourage self-deprecating remarks, do not engage in disempowering body behaviors, and praise your sisters and brothers as the beautiful and perfect being they are.
While it’s useful and beneficial to create a physical sacred space, such as a hearth or garden, creating sacred space within yourself may be the best thing you can do for your spirit.
Excerpt from:
Making Space Sacred Author Jhenah Telyndru Llewellyn’s 2012 Witches CompanionLet’s Talk Witch – Energy, It’s Everywhere!
Let’s Talk Witch – Energy, It’s Everywhere!
Energy is flowing all around us. Magick spells and rituals, when done with the proper concentration, allow us to harness that energy to attract what we desire.
There are three main sources of energy in the Universe. It’s important to know what kinds of energy we are talking about when we start to cast spells.
The first kind is personal energy. This is our own personal life force. We take in energy from the Sun, Water and food, and we release it through exercise, movement, and even as we exhale.
The second type of energy is Earth energy. This is the energy from our planet. Each natural element has its own power which can be used in magick: Earth, trees, stones, wind, fire, and crystal are some examples of Earth energy.
The third, most powerful type of energy is Divine power. This is the energy that makes up the entire Universe. This is higher power energy, life–whatever you want to call it. It’s the Universal power source, and it’s what we tap into when we perform magick.
Remembering and Reconnecting
Remembering and Reconnecting
Author: RuneWolf
I do consider my religion – Wicca – and my particular practice of it, to be Earth-based. Such a statement might seem absurdly obvious on the surface, but it is, I think, important to state it in this fashion. Wicca has within it elements of Ceremonial Magic, and it has been my personal experience that it is quite possible to become obsessed with and lost in the liturgical and ritual forms, to the extent that what one ends up practicing has, in fact, more in common with CM than with Wicca.
Now, don’t misunderstand me: We need ritualists and liturgists who can preserve the outer forms of our religion, and re-invent them as time goes by, so that we neither lose our traditional roots nor become mired in them. The creation, preservation and cultivation of ritual and liturgy are important, but I’m not talking about that here. I am talking about an unhealthy balance where an individual or group over-focuses on those outer forms, often to the detriment of the inner energies. So it is important, I think, that we remind ourselves, individually and collectively, that our religion IS Earth-based, and that, in my personal tradition at least, re-connecting with the Earth and Her cycles is one of the central concepts and objectives.
But then, what is this whole “re-connect with the Earth” thing, anyway? Sounds like a bunch of neo-Hippie, tree-hugging, New Age bushwa, doesn’t it?
Oh, contraire…
Western thought seems to enjoy lampooning and belittling whatever it doesn’t like or cannot understand, as if by satirizing something, it is made harmless and non-threatening. (This, oddly enough, is a very Celtic concept. Bards of Old Eire were feared for their power to debilitate a powerful leader by the use of satire.) Culturally, we will even go so far as to transform an inherently neutral or positive label – New Age, for instance – into a synonym for something wacky and outlandish. So those outsiders – or insiders, for that matter – who roll their eyes when they say or hear “re-connect with the Earth” obviously haven’t bothered to fully consider what that means.
We aren’t talking about sticking our feet into the ground and putting out roots. What we are talking about is simply becoming fully aware of – and experiencing as fully as possible – our relationship to the biosphere. For the most part, citizens of modern technological nations have fallen out of that awareness and experience. Some would argue that, without this awareness and experience, we as a species are doomed, because nothing short of these will prevent us from terminally fouling our nest. In more immediate and individual terms, however, I believe that a fuller awareness and experience of our relationship to the biosphere and, by extension, the Universe itself, is mandatory for true physical, mental and spiritual health. This is, as I understand it, the primary thrust of Taoist philosophy and religion, and is certainly a primary objective in my practice of Wicca.
Wicca, as I have said, is my religion. My spirituality, however, is Witchcraft. Some would not agree with this dichotomization, but then, as mother used to say, that’s why they make vanilla and chocolate. I make the distinction because I define those terms differently. Wicca is my religion – it is something I joined, a community that has a unique identity, and to be part of that community I am obliged, to a greater or lesser degree, to conform to the community template. I, personally, believe that there are certain things that I must agree to, that I must practice, that I must believe and that I must espouse, in order to be Wiccan. While there is certainly a great deal of individual latitude, I nonetheless believe that were I to deviate too far from the “community template” of Wicca, I would no longer be practicing Wicca. In the practice of certain martial arts, students are given a great deal of latitude to improvise and personalize the art. However, at a certain point, if that improvisation and personalization goes too far, that individual is no longer practicing that particular art, but something unique unto themselves that they have created there from. This is not a judgment on the art itself nor on what the individual has created from it; it is simply a statement of fact.
So it is, I believe, with the practice of Wicca, or any religion, for that matter. (But then, these are only my beliefs, and have no power beyond the tip of my nose.)
Witchcraft, on the other hand, I define as that body of techniques that enables the practitioner (Witch) to live in harmony with the rhythms of Life. “Life” here may be seen as synonymous with All That Is: an individual’s life-path, the greater community of Humankind, the biosphere and the Universe – in short, Everything. And those rhythms include the “bad” as well as the “good.” By this definition, Wicca is just another “technique” in my practice of Witchcraft, something which helps me to attune to the rhythms of Life. And this is, for me, as it should be: religion should always be the servant of spirituality. When that formula is inverted, we are left with dictatorial religious institutions.
When one truly seeks a deeper, fuller understanding of our connection to and place in the Universe, one cannot help but develop, I believe, a concern for the welfare of the “natural” world, i.e. the biosphere. Even if one were a staunch “scientific Pagan,” I don’t believe one could overlook the necessity of preserving an uncontaminated environment in order to ensure the survival of Humankind. And if one looks beyond mere survival, then we must recognize the necessity of preserving the beauty of unsullied nature as an adjunct to the mental, emotional and spiritual health of humanity.
Those of us who believe this face grave obstacles today. We are now ruled by an administration that is obviously bent on furthering the cause of “Big Business” – which has always been the destructive exploitation of the Earth for profit – at the expense of the environment. More and more, corporations are freed of the restrictions imposed on them by former, relatively saner, regimes. More and more, they are free to “rape and pillage” as they see fit, regardless of the destruction they cause. Nor can we simply blame “Western thought” for these travesties, as the policies of China in modern Tibet relieve the West of sole responsibility in the rape of the planet and the destruction of her children.
At times, it seems overwhelming, and it may well be an effort doomed to failure, although such failure will certainly doom humanity to eventual extinction. But we must try, each in her or his own way. I myself am not much of a “joiner,” and taking care of what little land is “mine” takes up most of my time. So you won’t see me at many demonstrations or protests. But what I lack in “discretionary time” I make up for in “disposable income,” and I can and do support the environmental cause with my monetary contributions. In the end, only money can defeat Big Money, so I don’t feel that this is merely a token gesture to assuage my conscience. And I do take an active, if geographically limited, part: there is a nature trail in the community near my home, which I avail myself of at every opportunity. As one might imagine, this trail is subject to all kinds of littering, not only from walkers but from nearby homeowners. When I walk, I always carry a trash bag, and I clean up what I can. When someone creates a mess too big for me, I make sure the community association knows about it, as there are strict rules regarding such abuse. I don’t know that my actions have ever led to the censure or fining of a guilty homeowner, but it hasn’t been for lack of trying.
Tattle tale? Snitch? Ratfink? You’re damn right.
And then there are the “little” things that all of us can do: proper soil management on our property; avoiding fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides; using “low impact” products; driving fuel-efficient autos; using mass transit when possible; recycling. It is gratifying to see that, in our neighborhood at least, we have a very high percentage of participation in the recycling effort. But then, these things should be “no brainers” for everyone, Pagan or not, in my opinion.
Perhaps the biggest difference between me and my neighbors is that, when I recycle or pick up litter, I see it as a sacrament, an acknowledgment that I AM RESPONSIBLE; not for the whole shebang, but for what I, as an individual, can do. I’ve always subscribed to the belief that “a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.” On any given day, I can’t solve all of the world’s environmental problems. But I can do something, even if it’s only picking up one piece of litter. No action occurs in a vacuum; every action has consequences, and resonates along the Web of Wyrd.
Despite the odds, none of us are totally powerless; we can always do something. And sometimes, in the wee dark hours of the morning, that’s all we have to hold onto.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Author: Grey Ghost
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” … caught that old lyric as we were walking thru the mall. While the song is more in line with the winter season, I was always fond of the sentiment around the first of September when the kids would go back to school some twenty-five years ago. We in the Witch/Pagan community should be profoundly singing that lyric as Samhain approaches.
As the eve of all hallows is upon us, reflect upon the past year. The veil between Malkuth and Spheres of the spiritual realm grows thin, allowing contact made easier with those who are no longer of the flesh. Sing the praises of those past glories and rejoice upon the “good moments” spent with those now incarnate. The time is now!
Perhaps the most difficult subject to discuss is the process of passing from this reality of the body to the true nature of spiritual existence. Plainly evident from concerns spent here is the underlying preoccupation that our younger members have with the material world. They have not made the discovery that this physical world is of much less importance than their true inner nature as spiritual beings. They seem to value peer acceptance above spiritual advancement.
They appear to value a feel good spell or enchantment more than accumulation of Prana or life force. And lastly, they speak little of transferring psychic energy to heal others. While living with the reality of physical world has needs, the true power of the Witch needs to explore the spiritual realms if we are complete or even contemplate the great work.
Enough of the soap box … my purpose in this writing is to remind you that this is the most wonderful time of the year for the Witch in all of us. This is the time to celebrate the past year and plan for the next year. Now is the time to prepare ourselves for the turn of wheel, celebrating the life force around us.
One of the chief methods of focusing our inner power is the art of visualizing. Many books and speakers talk of this in a manner of fact way as if everyone can visualize without further lessons. So I will speak to especially our younger members of a simple approach to basic visualization.
Peoples all over the world of many differing religious views have known for a long time that the love of the Lord and Lady was more than asking and receiving material things. The Pagan community then must come to realize the grace and love of our Lady are the really only important gifts that She can bestow upon us.
We must first learn to manipulate the forces and forms of the Pentagram, to understand the energies and powers of the universe. Once understood, we can begin the quest to understand ourselves. By quieting our minds and subduing the unimportant thoughts, we train our minds to be fit containers to be used to hold the wisdom and love of our Lady. Only through these cleansing rituals can we become prepared.
The visualization: gaze now upon the pentagram. You must be able to see the pent alpha in our mind. When you open your eyes, the pentagram will remain momentarily in mid air. This will take practice and patience; it does not happen over night. Once you can hold the pentagram for at least thirty seconds after you open you eyes, you will be ready for the nest step.
Any visualized symbol can be use to project your personal energy. Forming the pentagram should be practiced and practiced until proficient before using this method in creation of the circle. To form a pentagram, we start by seeing the pentagram by using retinal retention (scientific term) .
This is not the same as projecting the energy and visualizing the pentagram. Using a pentagram or pentacle, look at the object with much intensity and focus under a bright light. Close your eyes tightly and you will “see” an after image or retinal retention of the pentagram in your minds eye. A bright image against the dark of having your eyes shut. This exercise creates an image that will be similar to the one you will create through visualization.
Exercise 2: This exercise will allow you, with practice, to create an image like the one you “saw” in the previous example, without looking at an example of the pentagram. By creating the image in your mind along, you are imbuing it with your personal energy.
Look at a candle, white in a dark room; then close your eyes. The bright spot of light will be seen by the mind’s eye after your eyes are shut. (Retinal retention again) Relax for a few minutes until the retinal retained image of the candle is gone. Then close your eyes, relax and let a white point of light appear. Think about it and your mind will do it.
You may need to think of the candlelight to make it appear. Do not look at a bright light to create the point of light, which is retinal retention and not creation of power. Once you can form the dot of pure white light with your mind, move the dot to create a line. Repeat this exercise until when you open your eyes, a retained image of the line remains in the air in front of you in the darkened room.
Exercise 3: close your eyes and form a line with your mind. Now form another line, whose head starts where the first line ends. Continue this process until you can form a pentagram. Once you have practiced enough to form a pentagram, open your eyes and “see” the retained image in the air.
Exercise 4: Close your eyes again and form a pentagram and then draw a circle around it forming a pentacle. Practice until you can do this with ease; then open your eyes and “see” the completed pentacle in the air.
Once you achieve this level of concentration, you start the whole process over; only this time you do it with your eyes open in a darkened room. After forming the pentagram with your eyes open, light the room and retain the image in the air.
You will need to visualize, that is create the pentagram in the air without first visualizing it with your eyes closed. This again will take practice. It is sometimes easier to do one arm at a time. Some also find it easier to begin with an all white pentagram. When performing this ritual you need to sit or lay in a relaxed, comfortable position, but not so relaxed that you fall asleep. To avoid falling asleep, you might find that it is best to perform this ritual in the morning when fully awake. Once that you can hold the pentacle for a full thirty seconds in the air, with your eyes open and in color, then are you ready to proceed to the next step. Do not proceed until you have mastered the basics.
Enter your meditative state, control breathing. Prana in, air out; Prana in, air out. Establish your pentagram in the air, in color. Start your mantra while holding the image of the pentagram. Now draw a white circle around the pentagram, just touching it at the tips. You now have the Pentacle. Look deeply at the center and clear your mind of all but the mantra.
You will now under go the “A … Ha”. Sometimes it happens the first time. Others take many times for it to occur. Eventually it happens to all who perform this ritual religiously. What you see inside the Pentacle is completely yours. I will not introduce preconceived ideas of what you will find, but I know in my heart of hearts that you will not be disappointed. This is the first stage of Illuminati. You will need to practice this for sometime to become proficient enough to proceed further. As a guide, I suggest that you be able to “see” what is inside of the formed Pentacle for at least a minute before you continue.
This, my young friends, is the basic of visualization. To be able to manipulate the mind and control your physical world with you inner spiritual being is our goal of these exercises. You must be proficient with the basics before you are able to perform the more advanced magicks.
Daily OM for Thursday, Oct. 17th – Universal Messages
Universal Messages
Signs
The universe is always offering us signs to help us, we just need to slow down and pay attention.
The universe can often relay messages to us through signs. Often, we are too busy to stop and consider what may or may not be a sign. We may ask the universe for guidance, yet fail to recognize the sign it sends us in response. Learning the subtle language of signs can help you interpret the guidance the universe sends your way. We all have been blessed with a connection that allows the universe to communicate directly with us. To be able to understand the information relayed over that connection, however, it is necessary that we learn to pay attention and know what to look for.
To see and correctly interpret a sign, you must open your heart and mind to the universe and invite its guidance into your life. Many of us are blind to the signs we receive because we expect angels or our spirit guides to speak to us in a booming voice and tell us exactly what we need to hear. But signs are usually of this earth and therefore easier to encounter. A song lodged in your mind or a number that seems to pop up everywhere you look after you’ve asked the universe for guidance can both be signs. Signs may come through the animal world, from strangers, or jump out of a book in the form of an insightful passage. A sign may be a direct answer to one of your questions. Other signs may point you in the right direction, warn of impending difficulties, or show you a different way. If you want the universe to send you a sign, tell it that you are ready and willing to accept its guidance.
Not everything you hear or see will be a sign. If you are receptive and patient, however, the signs you receive will become easier to recognize. It is important to listen to your intuition. A sign can mean many things to different people, and only you can decipher a sign’s meaning is for you. As you practice reading the signs and following their guidance, the universe will send more of them your way.
Spell Ingredients: Add a Large Dose of Reality
Spell Ingredients: Add a Large Dose of Reality
Author: Solonius
The first ingredient for any spell: A large dose of reality…. I mean, really, what do you expect? If all spells worked, wouldn’t humanity universally believe in witchcraft and magic and use it wholeheartedly? And to that extent wouldn’t worthy practitioners be a desired commodity? It is imperative for practitioners to separate their wishful and whimsical fantasies from serious study, contemplation, experimentation and application.
I believe that in order to further understand and define the super-natural, you first have to develop and have a thorough understanding of the natural. Any study of the Craft requires a greater amount of study into the realm of Laws of Nature and the Laws of Physics. After all, how can you define what is extra-ordinary, if you don’t even know the extent of what is ordinary?
The Laws of Physics are many, and the typical high-school student mostly understands the important ones. Opposites attract (by and large this only works for ions, kids, not people) , for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, for any change in state the by-product or causation is heat, etc. How can better knowing these things help us in a greater understanding of our spell work? Because all these things deal with Energy, and what is the Universe constructed of? Anyone…? Yes, Energy. And what does spell work deal with, when you boil it all down (pun intended) ? That’s right, Energy! Or more accurately, the transfer of energy. This is the First Insight that any practitioner should grasp. EVERYTHING is energy.
The Second Insight that we should understand, because it deals with both types of laws, is that Nature abhors a vacuum. That can be observed as simply as watching a balloon deflate. What do you discover with these phenomena? That Nature seeks a balance. This holds true for the Laws of Life and the Laws of Physics. The Universe naturally seeks equilibrium. Whether this is between hot/cold, high pressure/low pressure, too many predators and not enough prey, the Law stays the same. In the end, Nature will follow its Laws. You do know, though, that there is a defined and empirical Order to Things. You might not understand it fully, but you can be assured that an order exists by observing the smallest things in nature. This is crucial: Be observant to Nature and learn from it. Nature, in all its complexity, is still a system of doing things the easiest and least energy wasting way. Contemplate that reality for a while.
Where does this energy come from? Good question. Is it physical energy, which means connected to our current plane of existence? If that is so, then you would not be able to contain it for the energy you are talking about on the physical plane is electrical in nature, and you would become walking atom bombs if you gathered the energy required to perform some spells. So it can’t be a physical energy type.
Is it spiritual energy (which obviously means it is energy collected from higher levels of existence) that you are able to gather and use? The usual consensus is “Yes, it is.” This leads to the next set of questions. Can energy from higher levels of existence cause effects on a lower level of existence? How can if affect the energy in a lower existence, if the two existences are not on the same sphere? Can the physical things you do on a lower plane of existence affect what happens on a higher plane of existence? Is your mentality the only link between what you perceive as the physical plane and planes above what you can perceive with your physical senses? What is the extent of ‘Reality’, does it encompass ALL spheres of existence as ONE reality? Nature abhors a vacuum, so if As Above – So Below is a Law of Nature, does this mean that the energies of a higher plane seek a balance with the energies of a lower plane?
It is said that in the higher planes all things are possible if you only imagine it so. I further postulate that you must not only imagine it so, it must become your perceived REALITY. You must learn to tap into the energies of the higher planes, and effect permanent changes there, before any changes can happen in the physical plane. I’ve often said that there is an ocean of difference between Understanding and Knowing. Understanding is intellectual; it is accepting truth without necessarily going through all the motions to prove it. Knowing is visceral; it deals more with proof from the physical senses perceiving something as true. Ergo, to make a change here, you have to Know that you have made a change in higher realms first.
I postulate the reason for this is the hypothesis of ‘trickle down economics’ if you’d like. What does this mean? It means that in order to build a hut on the physical plane, you must first build a mansion in the higher planes. More complexly, Nature (meaning all planes of existence) seeks a balance. Nature also does things the absolute least energy-wasting way. I perceive that Nature does not easily permit energy to flow across planes of existence, even if they are in the same ‘Reality’. With As Above – So Below, you can see through a simple diagram of two superimposed triangles (one point up, the other point down) that the equilibrium point is above here and now (the bottom point) , yet below the ultimate expression (the top point) . As you move down from the ultimate expression (the open V) , less and less energy is transferred. Therefore you must have a firm and knowing conviction of what you wish to accomplish and see a clear and precise picture of it occurring, before you can hope to realize it happening.
Ironically, you should also have a wonderfully developed sense of imagination up to the point of believing in what seems impossible. Only with an active imagination can you build that mansion up to the point of actualization in the higher planes. This seems contradictory, but I don’t feel that it is. Without a firm mental picture of what you require to exist, can you hope to achieve your goal? You have to build that mansion brick by brick, through much mental exactness and conviction. This requires a great deal of imagination as well as focus. The constructed mansion should then remain in that higher plane once you have completed it. It’s there; there is no doubt of its existence in your mind. Every time you visit the higher realms your mansion is there, gleaming with its glory. Make it Reality. Does this mean that a mansion will magically appear here and now for you in the material plane? Probably not, but the single minded effort it took to imagine it as reality in the higher plane, could translate into the required motivation and focus to achieve it in the here and now. Here is something else to consider: owning the mansion is secondary to the method of achieving it.
I’ve used the visualization of a mansion to put a face to a concept. However, it holds true for any endeavor. What you wish to have happen is secondary to HOW you achieve its happening. You build the mental picture (higher plane reality) while simultaneously going through with the steps required to achieve the same results. This multiple avenue approach enlists all your faculties to achieve what your desire is. The greater the amount of energies enlisted to achieve your desire, the more energy the universe aligns with the outcome. Remember: the method of how you achieve your goal is primary to the goal itself.
As an example: There is a twice-weekly fervent prayer on many lips throughout the land: “Please let me win the lottery!” However, if you never go out to purchase a lottery ticket, the effort placed into your prayer was wasted, wasn’t it? The same occurs with your Craft. Creating a spell to achieve the end result is short sighted. You still have to do the work to realize your goal. There really are no shortcuts. I don’t mean using some elaborate spell either. I mean elaborate mental visualization, coupled with following a plan to achieve the goal. Each reinforces the other, making the possibility of achievement vastly greater. Ground that visualization into what Laws Nature has already demonstrated. This lends conviction and credibility to the achievement of the goal.
What would be the required steps to achieve that goal without using any Craft? Incorporate those steps into the visualization with your spell. Bypass any flights of fantasy; they require too much energy to maintain. After all is it easier for your mind to accept flying to work on a broomstick, or driving your car? Your mind will default to what it Knows is possible, and will automatically call B.S. to what is not. Even a child imagining flying around the house on a broomstick Knows that they are just pretending. So why kid yourself? The more reality you incorporate into your Craft, the greater the results you will receive.
*On a side note: I don’t think of the planes of Reality as floors in a skyscraper, nor are they in some cardinal Direction. They don’t exist as pages in a book, where you can turn a page and have a new reality. I think of it as a condensing of energy from zero (conversely the most dense) to the ultimate amount of energy. They are all concurrent and here and now, superimposed upon what we can only perceive as the physical plane due to the limitations of our senses. This energy is limitless to infinity. For infinity is provable as far as we have observed. Outside the edge of the growing globe of galaxies expanding outward, is vacuum. Forever. You could hypothetically travel so far away that this entire globe of expanding physical energy seems like nothing more than a single spec of brilliant light. However, the theory of infinity breaks down if you require a starting point. As Above – So Below… Infinity must go in BOTH ‘directions’ forever, or the concept breaks down.
I thank you for your time in reading this. I hope it gave you some food for contemplation, and in some way helps you with more success on your path.
Daily OM for October 15th – Surrender Box
Surrender Box
A Place for Worries and Fears
A surrender box is a tool to let go of our burdens so the universe can take care of them for us.
There are times when our minds become too full. Our to-do lists, worries, plans, and dreams may be so crowded together in our heads that we don’t have room to think. We may believe that we are somehow taking care of our desires and concerns by keeping them at the forefront of our minds. In maintaining our mental hold on every detail, however, we may actually delay the realization of our dreams and the resolution of our worries because we won’t let them go. At times such as these, we may want to use a surrender box.
A surrender box allows us to let go of our worries and desires so the universe can take care of them for us. We write down what we want or need to happen and then place the note into a box. By writing and placing our thoughts in the box, we are taking action and letting the universe know we need help and are willing to surrender our feelings. We give ourselves permission to not concern ourselves with that problem any longer and trust that the universe is taking care of it. You may even want to decorate your box and place it in a special place. Your surrender box is a sacred container for your worries. Not only do you free up space in your mind by letting go of our worries and desires and dropping them into your surrender box, but you are giving your burden over to a higher power. Once we drop our worries and desires into the surrender box, we free our minds so we can be fully present in each moment.
Surrendering our worries and concerns and placing them in the hands of the universe doesn’t mean that we’ve given up or have been defeated. Instead, we are releasing the realization of our desires and the resolution of our worries and no longer concerning ourselves with their outcomes. It’s always fun to go back and pull the slips of paper out of the box once your requests have been granted. And it’s amazing how quickly problems go away and dreams come true when we finally let go and allow a higher power to help us.
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Oct. 13th is The Universe
Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today
The Universe
Like The Sun, The Universe brings good blessings. The Universe appears where all is in balance. It allows you to act effectively not only as an individual but as a member of a group too. The Universe promises contentment, fulfillment and completeness to those under its influence. It doesn’t guarantee there will not be moments of strife or discord in your life, but it does indicate that your trials and tribulations will be overcome; that ultimately you will know inner-peace and contentment. The Universe suggests you have found or will find your place in the scheme of things—that place where all is as it should be.
What is the Magickal Self?
What is the Magickal Self?
Author: Robin Fennelly
The building of the magickal personality brings us to something else; each one of us has the actor within him or her. As Shakespeare put it, so beautifully and poetically:
All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
and one man in his time plays many parts.”
The Magickal Self acts as the interface and point of transition from the mundane world to the spiritual realms. It is you, in your higher form of vibration that will more closely match the rhythms of the other worlds you are transiting. It is the trained you that as you progress along the Path also grows and expands to encompass more of knowledge and experience you have gained and reflect it back so that it may be recognizable and usable in your magickal workings.
The form your Magickal Self takes will vary in accord with your energetic changes as you move forward in your work and study. For some, they see themselves in a physical shape and form, although it will not resemble their physical coloring, build or stature at all. For others, this form may more easily take a geometric shape that holds the more highly refined state of their energy. In either case, as the physical form is densest in matter that shape will most likely not be the form taken as there is the need for a more refined energy within the astral realms. Whatever form this Magickal Self may take it is recognizable by you because it still remains your consciousness; just in its spiritual form such as:
Younger Self, Talking Self, and Higher Self
In The Feri Tradition: Sticky One, Shining Body, and Sacred Dove
Hebrew/Qabalistic: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida
Generically in the Metaphysical Paths: Lower Self, Middle Self, Higher Self and Spiritually Evolved Self.
For our purposes we will be working with the three designations of Lower Self, Middle Self, Higher SELF and The Spiritual (or Evolved) SELF.
Lower/Physical Self: I Have
The Lower Self (Lower Mental) is our primal instinctual nature. This is the physical body we inhabit and the conscious self that responds and reacts to stimuli in the physical world through our senses and tactile abilities. This is our place of foundation and the place from which we concretely and tangibly build the world around ourselves. The Lower or physical self obeys the laws of time and because of its density in energy the laws of space and its place within it as well.
Middle/Emotional Self: I Want (to Become)
The Middle self more closely relates to the subconscious mind. The place of dreams and aspirations; of emotions and feelings. We Feel rather than thinking our way through this world. This is the first place of desire and the catalyst that yearns to become more than we are and can experience in the physical self. The Lower Self says “I Have or possess this” and the subconscious feeds it the “want and desire” that enlivens and creates connection to what we have acquired.
Higher/Mental SELF: I Will Become
The Higher Mental self is the super or Higher conscious self. It knows the results of the subconscious desire working upon the conscious mind and has transcended to a place of “knowing it will be”. This Higher Self has developed a state of “awareness” and from that awareness evolves the Higher Will. It is not the will of baser ego, but instead the Will to create, to manifest to exist. This is the part of Self that is not confined by the bounds of linear time and space.
The Spiritual SELF (The Divine Spark) : I AM
The Spiritual SELF is the continued contact and communication with the impulse of the Divine. There is no longer a need to Have or possess. There is no desire for anything for it is all and at once formed and formless. It is the realization that there is no separateness, only union and synthesis from which all other states of form emanate. It is the Divine Spark that is contained within us all and moves with us as we pass from lifetime to lifetime.
The way in which these parts of self interact when creating and calling forth the Magickal Self are multifold. Each is dependent and interdependent upon the other for forming, coalescing and finally birthing that magickal being that is inherent within us all. The subconscious generates the desire to shape and form the appropriate interface that will allow for movement and access to the higher planes. The conscious self, having been stimulated by the subconscious begins the work of creating the shape and image that magickal form will take.
If you have a firmly established Magickal Persona, this process usually occurs at the point of putting on your ritual grab, a sacred amulet or ring. It intensifies and builds in substance as you enter sacred space. And, once the circle is cast, the quarters called and the energy of the ritual space changes its vibration and intensity the Magickal Self comes forth more fully to begin the work at hand. As the conscious self seeks the contact of the Higher consciousness (Higher Mental) this form begins to interact with the energies and planes that are being accessed in the ritual.
If you are just beginning the process, every ritual, every magickal working that is done with focus and intent will strengthen and bring into greater substance that Magickal Self. In those rare moments, when all the parts of self are in alignment and balance with each other the consciousness rises to a place of opening to the Spiritual SELF, sometimes called the Holy Guardian Angel. This of course, is the ultimate goal and is not something easily attained. This contact usually comes through the subconscious mind rather than the conscious waking mind; and can be likened to a brief flash of brilliant light where you are completely at one with the Universe, its mysteries and its source. These moments are quite rare and even with diligent practice towards that end they occur in their own way in their own time (often lifetimes) , if at all.
So what is the importance of knowing about these various selves? And, what does that have to do with a Magickal Self?
Use this analogy and think on what it truly means: As we develop our Magickal Self the physical being becomes something like a cocoon. Time passes and the affects of weather and all manner of outer influence go unnoticed by what is being transmuted within. Eventually, and at just the precise moment in time there is movement within the cocoon- from which the “lightness and grace” of an ephemeral butterfly (or the Magickal SELF) emerges, a completely different form from its original with access to different sets of skill and understanding of other worlds. Its world is different from that of its former state as a caterpillar. It is through a similar state of metamorphosis that each time the call to the Magickal Self is issued the potential for a more enlivened and more refined state of being is held. And as we move through these new worlds, we are as the butterfly, transformed and empowered to soar towards our Divine nature.
Footnotes:
Online Course: A Year and A Day on the Wiccan Path. R.Fennelly
Lord of Lights: The Path of Initiation in the Western Mysteries. W. E. Butler
Quote by William Shakespeare
Daily OM for February 17th – Find Your Soul Purpose through the Akashics
Find Your Soul Purpose through the Akashics
From Find Your Soul Purpose through the Akashics On-Line Course
by Teri Uktena
The Akashics is a name derived from the Sanskrit word Akasha and it refers to the base substance of the universe. This is the substance by which the Universe is made and that retains a record of all that has ever occurred to everything that has ever existed. Scientists in various fields are beginning to find evidence that confirms the existence of Akasha and are beginning to see it as a ‘field’ as omni present as gravity and he electro-magnetic field. It is currently discussed in the various scientific communities as the ‘in-formation’ field that underlies everything and is the force that holds all things together.
Long before the scientific method gave to learn about our world, indigenous cultures on every continent knew of its existence.
Medicine elders, mystics, shamans, gurus, druids, and all types of holy people spent a great deal of their time and resources attempting to reach it consciously, to channel the information and energy they experience there, and to bring back the wisdom that they have acquired through their travels. Each in their own way have done so, bringing healing, insight and a better life to all who have known them, read or heard about them.
While science currently sees the Akashics as a field of information to be studied, people experience the Akashics as a place, a multifaceted realm that can be traveled to and explored. In that ream is the Library where the records of all things are kept including each individual’s personal Soul Book. This book is the history of everything your soul has ever done and the plans for it during this lifetime. This book can be read in order to receive further understanding of who you are today and the purposes and goals your soul has set for you. There are also books for businesses, geographical places, buildings, and much, much more.
In the Akashics reside souls which are not currently experiencing embodied life, spirits which work within the Akashics and guides which aid people in their embodied lives. It is a place where you can be introduced consciously to the guides who are assigned to help you throughout your life or for specific projects or the time periods and interact with them. You may communicate with them directly and learn how they can communicate with you.
In the past 100 years, as our world has moved closer to a new age, more and more people have begun to experience heightened awareness of the connectedness of all things, the earth, politics, and personal interactions. More have felt a calling to seek out ways in which to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Many talented people have found that they can reach the Akashics and ‘read’ the information there in order to help others, the most renowned of which being . Hundreds have become readers and have helped thousands to learn more about themselves and how to be their best and highest selves.
Now in the Twenty-First Century the Akashics are no longer for the few, but are open to everyone who seeks to find the answers to their questions and to act on what they find. In fact, what most people don’t know is that they have always been open to everyone. Every living human being accesses the Akashics naturally while they are sleeping. Those dreams that seem just a bit more real and coherent than the others, where you are talking to someone you know but don’t recognize their face, that’s the Akashics. You were there. That dream where you are your happiest in that special place where the world is perfect? That’s you in the Akashics. That dream where you wake up having figured out the answer to that nagging question magically out of now where? Yep, that’s the Akashics too. You’re a natural. You’re in.
This is in part because of your soul. Many people have taken in the message that our souls are some mystical ‘thing’ that is important but separate from our physical selves and daily lives, when the reality is quite different. Our souls give us life and make us unique. Our bodies, our emotions, our intellect are all manifestations of our soul in relationship with the world around us and all other things. We are in an ongoing conversation with ‘all that is’ and this is reflected in how we live in the world. However, souls are not small things that hover in our chests or hide at the base of our skulls or live in a nebulous cloud throughout our bodies. Each individual soul is very large and only a small portion of each soul resides in a person. The remainder of the soul remains on the spiritual plane that includes the Akashics.
Imagine if you will a rubber band being stretched in your hands. One part is in your left hand and the other is in your right. If you look at only one hand you could perceive that the rubber band resides only there. But if you look at both you can see that it is all connected and if you move your hands closer together the rubber band relaxes and you are able to easily see that it is one thing. Souls are much like this. When you are in conscious connection with the Akashics your soul moves toward wholeness and you are able receive the benefits of that which can and do include wisdom, healing, empowerment, and knowledge, among others.
There are a multitude of experiences that one can have in the Akashics, too many to number here. The purpose of this class is specifically for you to learn how to access the Akashics in order to read your own Soul book. You will also meet your own guides or those guides who wish to work with you during this process. Reading your Soul book will give you the ability to learn why you are here, what the meaning of your life has been so far, what challenges you are here to work through, what expectations you have for yourself, what are your gifts and abilities, what you are to learn, and who you wanted to become. Among many, many other things! As many questions as you
can imagine, there are responses and support in your Soul book.
There are some things that the Akashics are not. They are not a means to see your future. Because each individual has free will, the future cannot be determined. We have the right to choose each action that we take and this makes the future a woven fabric which we are actively weaving each day of our lives, in each moment. Nothing is pre-determined conclusively.
Also, your guides and your Soul book will almost never give ‘yes’ or ‘no’, ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. As the purpose of your life is to make choices, make mistakes, learn and grow and most of all experience life, the Akashics and your guides will never state definitively what you should choose. Aggravating as it is, they will only lay out the options and opportunities and help you see the end results each choice might bring.
The Akashics is not a place to try and influence others. Unless you have permission from the other person you will not be allowed to see anyone else’s book or to leave them messages or interact with them.
The Akashics is a place for personal growth and healing which can help you understand a relationship, for instance, or a tendency you have for picking a specific type of partner, but it will not aid you in interfering directly in the choices you have made or in the choices or lives of others.
So, with all of that said, it’s time now to prepare for your own personal adventure in working with the Akashics. Firstly, there are a variety of ways in which people interpret their experiences in the Akashics. No way is better than any other and each is geared to give you the best experience that matches your unique style and gifts.
• Some people tend towards visual imagery and so will see images like still photos, either black or white or color, or they will experience information as if they are seeing a movie play before them. Sometimes they will feel like they are in the movie or in a video game.
• Others are strongest at hearing. They will hear information, but have no pictures to go with the sound. Most often they hear voices, ambient sounds while seeing random colors or some kind of holding pattern.
• And still others are more tactile and so they receive physical sensations or emotions while receiving information directly into their memories. During or after being in the Akashics a partner can ask them pertinent questions such as what their book looked like, what room they were in, or who they interacted with and they will be able to tell you, although their experience of the event was purely tactile.
The first step to traveling to the Akashics is learning how you perceive in the Akashic realm. To do this, let’s go through a simple meditation.
Make sure that you have paper and a pen or pencil ready, as you will want to write down your results.
Beginning Meditation
Find a place where you will not be disturbed.
Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor making sure that you do not have either your legs or arms crossed.
Take three deep breaths to calm yourself.
Close your eyes.
Feel your body relaxing from the center of your being outward, through your chest, through your arms to your hands, up your back, through your neck and jaw. Relax your face, relax your eyes. Let the relaxation radiate through your pelvis and down your legs until it reaches the very tips of your toes.
Now that you are relaxed imagine you see a doorway in front of you. Move through that doorway into a room. The room is pleasant and open. At the other end of the room is something sitting, waiting patiently. Move forward and you will see that it is an animal. It is loving and patient and there only for you. Walk up to the animal, touch it gently if you wish, acknowledge it and let it acknowledge you.
When you are ready, you will see that the animal is sitting in front of another doorway. Open the door and follow your animal through it. Look all around you. See that you are in the most beautiful, loving, wonderful place you can imagine. A place where you feel your best and where everything is perfect and just for you. Look at everything around you. See all the colors; hear all the sounds as they float around you. Feel what it is like to be in this space. Feel it in your body and let your mind know that you are there.
At your feet there is an object. It is specifically for you. Pick it up and hold it. Feel it in your hand. Look at it closely. Note the color, shape, and weight of it. Hold it to your chest and know that it is specifically for you and that it has great meaning for you. It will always be there when you need it and you can come back to this place at any time.
Place the object back on the ground. Take one last look around you at everything and let a feeling of peace and contentment settle over you.
Turn and follow your animal back through the doorway. You are now back in your room. Thank your animal for journeying with you. They will always be there when you need them and you can come to the room at any time you wish. Walk back through the room to the further door and back to your body.
Take three deep breaths and as you breathe begin to wiggle your toes and your fingers. Take note of the sounds in the room around you.
Open your eyes.
After the meditation
How you experience this meditation is most likely how you will experience the Akashics. If you were able to see then you will see in the Akashics. If you were able to hear but not see clearly or at all then that will be our experience and more than likely you will want to work with a guide to have them read your book to you or request that the book be and audio book in your case. The information can be provided in any form. If you had tactile sensations then while writing notes about the experience you should note that you are ‘remembering’ quite a bit more than you noted while you were having the experience.
Trust that what you are writing down is true. For those who are tactile it is sometimes helpful to have a partner during and after the visit that can ask probing questions. This will help you assimilate the information more in real time and can help provide more insight into what you are experiencing.
I recommend working with this meditation daily throughout this week.
Journal your experiences to see your progress. Each meditation will be unique and provide you insights into yourself and the world around you.
The Daily OM
The Laws of Magic
The Laws of Magic
[Excerpted from _Authentic_Thaumaturgy_ by P.E.I Bonewits]
The Laws of Magic are not legislative laws, but, like those of
physics or musical harmony, are actually fairly practical
observations that have been accumulated over thousands of years.
These laws describe the way magic seems to behave. Most of these
laws will make sense to you (I hope), and even the more obscure
ones should make some sense to you, but if they don’t, ignore
them, or send me some e-mail, and I will try to explain.
The LAW OF KNOWLEDGE: This is probably the most widely used law,
and probably encompasses all the others in some way. The basis of
this law is that understanding brings control. The more that is
known about a subject, the easier it is to excercise control over
it. Knowledge is power.
The LAW OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE: An obvious derivative of the LAW OF
KNOWLEDGE, this law carries additional connotations, as a mage who
does not have knowledge of himself does not have knowledge (and
therefore control) of his own magic. This law is one of the
reason’s “evil” mages are very rare – a dedication to “evil for
evil’s sake” is usually do to a lack of introspection and
awareness of oneself. It is difficult to do harm to others when
you understand fully what that kind of harm would do to you. Know
thyself.
The LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT: A simple scientific understanding –
if exactly the same actions are done under exactly the same
conditions, they will be associated with exactly the same results.
Magicians have at least as much belief in cause and effect as
modern physicists do, they just realize that a good ritual, like a
good theatrical performance or a good bread recipe, isn’t always
predictable. In truth, a spell involves so many variables, that
controlling or even understanding them all is impossible. The key
to magical success is learning which variables are the most
important, and how to keep them constant. Control over the
variables is icing on the cake.
The LAW OF SYNCHRONICITY: Two or more events happening at the same
time are likely to have more in common than the merely temporal.
Very few events ever happen in isolation from other events. There
is no such thing as a mere coincidence.
The LAW OF ASSOCIATION: If any two pattern have elements in
common, the patterns interact “through” those common elements, and
control of one pattern facilitates control of the other(s)
depending (among other factors) upon the number of ccommon
elements involved. This is a very important law, up there with
the LAW OF KNOWLEDGE.
The LAW OF SIMILARITY: Having an accurate physical or mental
representation of something facilitates control over it. This one
is fairly obvious in it’s usage – having a model, picture, or
other representation of your target (like a voodoo doll) gives you
power to effect the target. Look alikes are alike.
The LAW OF CONTAGION: Objects or beings in physical contact with
each other continue to interact after separation. Everyone you
have ever touched has a magical link with you, though it is
probably pretty weak unless the contact was intense and/or
prolonged or repeated frequently. Magical power is contagious.
Naturally, having a part of someone’s body (nails, hair, spit,
etc.) gives the best contagion link.
The LAW OF NAMES: Knowing the complete and TRUE name of an object,
being, or process gives one complete control over it. This works
because a name is a definition (yes, even “Harold”, “Marie”,
“Kunte”, and “Jasmine” were at one time) as well as a contagion
link, and an association (if you call something the same name over
and over, that name becomes associated with the thing). This also
works, because knowing the complete and true name of something or
someone means that you have achieved a complete understanding of
it’s or their nature. This is why, in most pre-industrial
cultures, people are given “secret names”, as well as “public
names”, and why the sharing of a secret name is such an act of
trust – because the secret name is considered to be very close to,
if not identical with, the person’s true name.
The LAW OF WORDS OF POWER: There exist certain words that are able
to alter the internal and external realities of those uttering
them, and the power may rest in the very sounds of the words as
much as their meanings. Many of such words are names, though the
meanings may have been lost or forgotten. Very many magical tools
require words to be inscribed upon them and/or said over them
during their construction and/or use.
The LAW OF PERSONIFICATION: Any phenomenon may be considered to be
alive and to have a personality – that is, to “be” an entity or
being. Anything can be a person. Most weather mages personify
the winds and the clouds, for example, and thus find focussing
their magic on the atmosphere much easier to do.
The LAW OF INVOCATION: It is possible to establish internal
communication with entities from either inside or outside oneself,
said entities seeming to be inside of oneself during the
communication process.
The LAW OF EVOCATION: It is possible to establish external
communication with entities from either inside or outside oneself,
said entities seeming to be outside oneself during the
communication process.
The LAW OF IDENTIFICATION: It is possible through maximum
association between elements of oneself and those of another being
to actually become that being, to the point of sharing it’s
knowledge and wielding it’s power. This is the law that controls
most lengthy or permanent possession phenomena.
The LAW OF PERSONAL UNIVERSES: Every sentient being lives in and
quite possibly creates a unique universe which can never be 100%
identical to that lived in by another. So called “reality” is in
fact a matter of consensus opinions. This law is nowhere near as
obvious as the other laws in it’s applications, but if you can
figure some out, you can use it.
The LAW OF INFINITE UNIVERSES: The total number of universes into
which all possible combinations of existing phenomena could be
organized is infinite. Anything is possible, though some things
are more probable than others. You might consider this to refer
to the “alternate probability worlds” of science fiction, but it
also has a much wider application.
The LAW OF PRAGMATISM: If a pattern of belief or behavior enables
a being to survive and to accomplish chosen goals, then that
belief or behavior is “true” or “real” or “sensible”. If it
works, it’s true. Another rather obscure law, but it does have
some very useful applications.
The LAW OF TRUE FALSEHOODS: It is possible for a concept or act to
violate the truth patterns of a given personal universe and still
be “true”, provided that it “works” in a specific situation. If
it’s a paradox, it’s still probably true. This law is basically
useless, except to justify use of the above three laws without
screwing things up in your version of the real world.
The LAW OF SYNTHESIS: The synthesis of two or more “opposing”
patterns of data will produce a new pattern that will be truer
than either of the first two were. That is, it will be applicable
to more levels of reality, and this new pattern may not be a
compromise, but may be something rather new indeed.
The LAW OF POLARITY: Any pattern of data can be split into (at
least) two “opposing” characteristics, and each will contain the
essence of the other within itself.
The LAW OF OPPOSITES: A sub-law of POLARITY. The “opposite” of a
pattern contains information about that pattern, by providing
information on what the pattern is not. Thus, control over a
pattern’s opposite (or close to it’s opposite) facilitates control
over the pattern itself. (Note that this one I alone take the
blame for, as it is my own extension of POLARITY and SIMILARITY)
The LAW OF DYNAMIC BALANCE: To survive, let alone to become
powerful, one must keep every aspect of one’s universe in a state
of dynamic balance with every other aspect. Extremism is
dangerous, as the extreme being becomes so associated with the
extreme aspect, that they lose the ability to avoid that aspect at
all. This is another reason “evil” mages are rare, as continuous
association with pain or death will cause a mage pain or death,
ending the mage’s ability to continue actively with “evil”. This
is also why “good” mages, especially healers, tend to live a long
time.
The LAW OF PERVERSITY: Sometimes known as Murphy’s Law. If
anything can go wrong, it will, and in the most annoying manner
possible. Magical associations sometimes operate in the reverse
of what was desired, and meaningful coincidences are just as
likely to be unpleasant as pleasant. Even if nothing can go
wrong, some element of the universe may change so that things will
go wrong anyway. Whether we like it or not, the gods (or fates,
or what have you) do have a sense of humor. Emotionally healthy
mages have less problems with this law than others do, as the
mages own subconscious mind is probably a major perpetrator of
this law.
The LAW OF UNITY: Every phenomena in existance is linked directly
or indirectly to every other one, past, present, or future.
Perceived seperations between phenomena are based on incomplete
sensing and/or understanding.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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