I discuss my thoughts on occult community drama and how to deal with it. Most importantly I share what you should really focus on and why that is more important than getting into arguments with people about what you do with your spiritual practice.
The top 5 non-occult books every occultist should read
I like to read a lot of books on a wide variety of topics because of how they inspire my thinking and magical practice. For this post, I thought I would share 5 books I would recommend any occultist read because of how those books will change your perspective on magic and life. Reading each of these books has influenced my practice of magic and changed my life for the better.
Defining Reality by Edward Schiappa (Affiliate link)
Why I recommend it: This book explores the power of definitions and words from a rhetorical perspective. If you want to understand how people use words and the different meanings that can be associated with words, then this is the book to read. It’s a bit academic, but its worth it because you come away with a deeper appreciation of definitions and how they are used to define and construct our perception and experience of reality.
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson (Affiliate link)
Why I recommend it: This book is full of good ideas and practices that can help you reframe your approach to life. What I really like about is how it teaches you to apply a slow, but steady process to achieving what you want. While magic can help you make some short cuts, having this kind of attitude and approach can go a long way toward helping you achieve anything you want.
Welcome to Your World by Sarah Williams Goldhagen (Affiliate link)
Why I recommend it: This book invites you to look at the spaces you live and work in a new way that helps you appreciate the aesthetic power of your space as well as recognize how you can design it. It helped me take a different to constructing ritual space that has enhanced my magical work significantly.
Opening the Energy Gates of your Body by Bruce Frantzis (Affiliate link)
Why I recommend it: If you want an introduction to Qi Gong, this book is a good place to start. The author introduces you to standing qi gong practices and explains in detail how to do the practice. The book really opens your ideas to your physiology and how even just standing can have an effect on your qi. Its good for your help and helps you develop your internal energy and awareness.
Essentialism by Greg McKeown (Affiliate link)
Why I recommend it: The philosophy of essentialism teaches you how to cut out the trivial distractions of your life and focus in on what’s essential and vital for you to do. This book helped me immensely when it came to figuring out the next steps of my life, but you can apply its methodology to magical working by creating minimalist magical workings. Whenever I start to lose focus, I turn to the practices of this book to get me back on track.
My experiences with fasting and cleanses
I share my experiences with fasting and cleanses and talk about the benefits of doing it, but also explain why its important to take good care of yourself and make sure you're doing these activities for the right reasons.
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Book Reviews 12-2-2020
Book Review: Symmetry by Marcus Du Sautoy (Affiliate link)
This is a fascinating exploration of the mathematic of symmetry as well as the history of the people coming up with the math. The author’s stories are fascinating and it also helps me appreciate how integral math is to our lives. What I liked about this book is that I came away with a better understanding of a mathematicians journey to solve a problem. It a year long journey that’s quite intriguing.
Book Review: The Creativity Code by Marcus Du Sautoy (Affiliate link)
The creativity code explores algorithms and how technology is being used to impact creativity, art, and innovation with AI. The author explores AI algorithms in music, writing, art, science and mathematics and shows how algorithms are impacting these disciplines as well as the human response to AIs. It’s a fascinating read that explores how the evolution of technology is impacting our lives, but what I find most intriguing is the possibility of how human creativity can evolve as a result.
Case Study: Creating the Elemental Balancing Ritual
I created the Elemental Balancing Ritual in 2004 and I have used it ever since then as a year-long (or more) magical working dedicated to an element that I work with during that year, as a means of both doing internal work and aligning myself with the elemental energy I’m working with. Elements I’ve worked with include earth, fire, and water, but also include emptiness, love, movement, still, and creativity. This year I’m working with the elements of Connection and Truth, which is the first time I’ve worked with two elements, but there’s a reason for it, because of the spirits I’m working with.
My definition of an elemental energy and/or spirit differs from the conventional definition which only recognize 5 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit in the West and Earth, Water, Wood, Metal, and Fire in the East. I’m not basing my definition of elements solely on a seasonal perspective or from the perspective of what constitutes the Earth in a primal sense of the word. Instead I consider elements to be primal forces that move us and are mediated by us. For emptiness, as an element is something most people grapple with at some point in their lives and it is something that can move a person to take actions to try and fill that emptiness or come to peace with it.
Gratitude and its Role in Wealth Magic
I discuss the importance of gratitude and how it can enhance your wealth magic work and share a gratitude working I do each day that helps me appreciate wealth in all the forms it shows up in my life.
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Elemental Balancing Ritual Connection and Truth Month 1
10-21-2020 Today I switched over to the elements of connection and truth. I don’t normally do two elements but these go hand in hand, because they are the forces that the archangel Suvuviel mediates and he’s one of the two spirits I’ll be working closely this year. The other spirit is She Who Watches. They both made themselves known to me in different ways, with some hard truths coming out, but later healing connection occurring. It’s not the way I imagined my birthday or the start of a new element going, but that’s kind of the point of this work. If you want balance, you necessarily have to open yourself to how that balance will show up in ways you don’t expect or plan for.
I’m glad for the switch though and I’m glad that I’m doing this work now, when I especially need to do it. It will continue to carry me forward on this journey of life and learning I’m on. I wouldn’t have it any other way, because this is the work I need to be doing that calls and speaks to and through me.
Case Study: An Experiment with Modifying an existing Magical Working
Photo by Josh Sorenson from Pexels
In last week’s article I shared my perspective on when it’s best to start experimenting with magic. This week I thought I would share an example of an ongoing experiment I’m doing with an existing magical working that I’ve modified extensively. The working in question is the Sphere of Art. I first learned about this working through Robert Stewarts books entitled The Sphere of Art. Before we get into the ongoing work, let me provide a bit of history around what I’ve done with this working.
In October of 2017 I decided to do the Sphere of Art working. The first task I undertook involved memorizing the chants for the sphere of art so I could call in the relevant spirits and energies for setting up the basic Sphere of Art. This memorization took approximately 6 months to accomplish. The benefit of it is that conditioned my mind and body to receive and connect with the spirits and energies embodied by the sphere. The original chants were for the four directions of East, South, West, and North with appropriate correspondences derived for each direction, but after I memorized those chants I made my first modification.
My first modification was to create chants that represented the underworld, the stellar cosmos, and the final point, a point of fixed manifestation that binds all the forces together. These chants were not arbitrarily added to the Sphere of Art, but rather were included because of careful research I did with both the source texts and supplementary texts that indicated that these chants and the corresponding connections with spirits and energies would fit into the Sphere of Art work. So I came up with and memorized the chants and found that indeed there is a fit with the existing material.
Once I memorized all the chants I was ready for the next phase of work which involved gathering together alchemical materials and prepping them to be worked with in the Sphere of Art. In this case I opted to work with homeopathic materials, which I ordered and then stored in 10 glass vials. I also collect spring water and Vodka to be used in 10 additional glass vials. This was all part of the original working, but I also modified the working by creating sacred art for the planetary/elemental energies being worked with, as well as the archangels being worked with.
In October 2018 I started doing the Sphere of Art work, which involved not only the recitation of the chants but also working with the alchemical substances, specifically charging first the dry and then the wet materials for a specific cycle of time. I did this work over the course of two months. A the end of those two months the charging was done.
At this point I modified the working again. Over the course of the next 10 months, I mediated and worked with the alchemical substances, archangels and corresponding planetary/elemental energies for each alchemical substance. For example, in the first month, I worked with dry and wet substances of Carbon, as well as with the underworld energy of Earth and the archangel Sandalaphon. This work involved creating the sphere of art each day, and then taking the substances of the month and meditating with them in order to mediate their energies into the ritual space. I also put up the sacred art in appropriate locations around the ritual space. The purpose of this work was to create a permanent rarified ritual space where the energies and spirits are continually mediated by the space itself, and by the sphere of art work.
In October of 2019 I concluded that work, but continued on with working with the Sphere of Art, specifically in relationship to cultivating a deep and abiding relationship with the elemental energy of creativity. From October 2019 to October 2020 I worked with this element via the Sphere of Art and found that this, along with the previous years’ work set me up with enough creative ideas and work to last the rest of my life. I currently have at least 50 projects to work on, in terms of books alone, with more ideas waiting in the wings.
During this time I also focused on utilizing the Sphere of Art to enhance practical magical workings, specifically around wealth generation, with the goal being to get me back to full time self-employment. I have found that the SOA does amplify workings done within it because you are setting up a very specific space and time with what you want in that space/time and nothing else, until you do the magical work and release it into the universe.
Current work: I am still doing the Sphere of Art everyday, though I did take a month hiatus in late August/early September due to life events. In the last half year or so I’ve also begun learning a lot more qi gong, specifically nei gong work that involves cultivating the internal qi of the body and marrying it to the external forces one chooses to work with. I do find that the Sphere of Art is uniquely suited to this work because it provides the external environment and mediation of forces that can be worked with, but I’m also finding its necessary to first build up one’s internal stores, which is what the main focus of my current work is. I do anticipate as I get more practice I’ll be able to fruitfully join the practices together to enhance my connection with the relevant energies and spirits, while also working with the internal energies I’m cultivating.
All of this work has been carefully done in stages, with any modifications only being done after ensuring necessary precautions have been taken. Overall the work has been beneficial and life changing. I anticipate that this will continue to be life long work that continually changes and develops because of the continued mediation and refinements of the connections being worked with. I share this case study as an example of long term experimentation and what thought/practice must go into such work.
Why magic isn't meant to be prescriptive
I discuss why magic isn’t meant to be prescriptive, but often is treated that way because of how it is written about. I also discuss how to take a more descriptive approach to writing about magic and what the benefits of such can be for people who are learning about magic.
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When should you experiment with magic?
One of the questions that pops up from time to time in my inbox or on social media is the question of when someone should start experimenting with magic. In other words, when can you step off the beaten path and start exploring and experimenting and trying things out that don’t fit within conventional occultism. This is a good question to ask because when you experiment with magic that’s when you begin to really make what you practice your own work.
My answer may surprise many of you, but I didn’t start experimenting with magic until I had practiced magic for two years, and even my initial experiments were very low key. It really wasn’t until I had put in a good five years that I really began to experiment with magic. The reason why is simple: I didn’t know enough about magic to know what questions to ask or what experiments to come up with. The only way I get to the point that I could experiment with magic was to actually read the books, do the exercises in them and pay close attention to the resultant experiences. I also didn’t have teachers to talk with and was self-teaching myself magic, so that too contributed to me simultaneously taking my time, but also asking questions.
Magical Experiments Podcast: Spirit Relationships with Bill Duvendack
Bill Duvendack and I discuss how to build relationships with spirits and discuss the commodification of magic and why its important to create the right type of connection with spirits.
To learn more about Bill visit: http://www.418ascendant.com or subscribe to his youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfP7dWvhhyvGo0Aa2PLAnXA
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Algorithms and magic
I recently finished reading The Creativity Code by Marcus Du Sautoy (Affiliate link). What really fascinated me about this book was the in depth exploration of algorithms, which essentially are code that is used to predict behavior. A basic example of this can include visiting a website and then later seeing an ad for that site on your Facebook. When you visit a site, if that site has a Facebook pixel, then when you are on Facebook, you get ads from that site because by visiting that site you’ve indicated interest in what is on that site. Amazon employs algorithms on its site for similar purposes, using your behavior to predict what you are likely to buy.
You’re probably wondering what if anything this has to do with magic. Reading that book and learning more about algorithms got me to thinking about how you might design a magical working to be self-improving or to be behavior based, depending on what you or the focus of the magical working did. In general I treat my magical workings like programming code, because I don’t see a magical working as just a strict execution of the working, but rather as an organic, evolving working that can change, depending on the variables that come into play. Applying an algorithmic perspective could take this even further.
Current projects I'm working on
I share some of the current projects I'm working on magically and where I am with them.
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Why I do magic when life is good
I share why it’s useful to do magic when life is good to continue to build off what is working in your life and why a strategic approach to magical workings can help you achieve long term success and happiness with your magic.
Learn more about strategic magic: https://magical-experiments.teachable.com/p/strategic-magic/
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How non-occult books inspire my magical practice
In today’s video I share how non-occult books inspire my magical practice and explain why non-occult disciplines and practices can help you develop creative approaches to magical work that expand how you understand and practice magic.
Elemental Balancing Ritual Creativity Month 24
9-22-2020 This is the last month I’m working with creativity as an element. When I look back over the last couple years, overall, I’m happy with the work I’ve done and how it changed my relationship with creativity. I think my biggest takeaway though was learned in the last couple months. I need to protect my creativity and I need to protect who and what helps protect my creativity. My creativity is what feeds my soul, but its also my livelihood and to let anything get in the way of that is to disrespect a fundamental part of myself that must be taken care of, so it can do the work its called to do.
9-23-2020 I’ve been processing some emotions the last couple days over recent events and how I feel toward certain people. And it’s helped re-reading The Slight Edge, where the author talks about the power of time and how the real power of time is the gradual changes that occur. They aren’t dramatic or loud, but they happen gradually, and if you apply the slight edge to time in a positive way, you make those changes work for you.
For me that slow gradual work is found in trying to find forgiveness in my heart for myself and other people as I slowly detangle and unwind from the recent drama of life. And its also found in coming to grips with my accountability for my actions and choices. The Slight Edge reminds me that it’s all a matter of time and that these moments will inevitably pass to new ones and what will be found in those moments will in part be informed by the work being done now.
Social Media Sigil Technique
Picture courtesy of Pexels
In my recent interview with Soviet Mercedes, one of the topics we ended up talking about was a social media sigil technique based off using hashtags. Soviet Mercedes inspired this idea for me, because of how she uses hashtags on her FB posts, especially one in particular: #meetmeatthebank. I’ve recently started adding this hashtag to my daily gratitude posts as well as any other posts oriented around wealth magic.
This particular hashtag embodies the concept of wealth magic, because the bank, in one form or another, is where your wealth goes. Whether it’s a physical bank, or a metaphorical one or the bank of your body and the health you have, to meet at the bank is to also meet in the place of your wealth. It’s also where you show your receipts, because those receipts validate what you bring to the bank and what in turn the bank provides you. Note: This is my interpretation of #Meetmeatthebank and not necessarily how Soviet Mercedes would define it.
I decided to start using #meetmeathebank because I like how Soviet Mercedes uses it. The usage of it, as a way of calling out specific topics and concepts appealed to me from a magical perspective because of how you could associate a specific meaning and/or working with the hashtag and use the hashtag to spread that meaning to other people reading posts and/or using the tag themselves. My use of the aforementioned tag has been done, partially out of respect for Soviet Mercedes and her message, and partially because I think its a potent wealth magic working. To meet at the bank is to celebrate and also amplify one’s wealth. Every time I use that hashtag I am evoking the wealth magic stored in that hashtag.
This same approach could be applied to other hashtags. You could deliberately come up with a specific hashtag that represents a specific result you want to manifest, and then start using it with your posts. If other people use it, the viral component of the hashtag is unleashed to spread the meaning and magic embedded in the hashtag. Of course, the way other people use that hashtag may also influence and effect the sigil, because they are bringing their own meanings into the sigil, but you could also build in specific filters so that your original meaning/working isn’t tampered with, even as other people use the hashtag.
This is also a good example of how technology can be co-opted into a magical working. Hashtags are used in social media in order to connect content together and show that there is a relationship between that content. If I click on a given hashtag, on a social media site, I am to see other posts by other users who are using that hashtag. The hashtag serves to create a network that is oriented around the manifestation of a specific result and/or concept. As such, a social media sigil working could be used as a group working wherein the initial members of the group set up the sigil and fire it. As other people either comment on, like or share the content as well as use the hashtag for their own reasons, this spreads the magical working further, creating a path of least resistance for the manifestation of the result, because it becomes embedded in the language and consciousness of the people interacting with the hashtag.
I’ve only recently started using #meetmeatthebank with my gratitude and related wealth magic posts, but I’ve already noticed how simply starting the day out with gratitude brings some wealth to the bank for me and inspires my writing and other related activities that help me generate even further wealth, in its various forms, for me. The creative use of the hashtag is a conscious reminder of the results I’m seeking, and it becomes embedded in the audience that interacts with the posts that have that hashtag. You can apply a similar approach to the hashtags you use in various mediums as a way of spreading a viral meme around the desired result you want to turn into reality.
Explore related entries in the Library
Magical Experiments Podcast: Money Magic and Working with Spirits with Soviet Mercedes
In this episode of the magical experiments podcast I interview Soviet Mercedes about Money Magic, Showing the receipts, and how to work with spirits. We also come up with an on the spot magical experiment!
To learn more about Soviet Mercedes and the classes she teaches visit The Hag School at https://www.thehagschool.com/
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Why none of us are special
I comment on the need to be special and how the desire for recognition can get in the way of your magical work.
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How to recognize when you are deluding yourself
One of the problems a magician inevitably encounters is the problem where they buy into their own press release and delude themselves about their magical practice, and who they are, because of that practice. This isn’t a problem limited to just occultists either, but regardless of who you are and what you’re doing in life, spiritually or otherwise, there is that moment where delusion strikes, where you get up in the ego or in reading too much into a situation, or making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Why does this happen? It’s part of the human condition, and its something which happens for a variety of reasons. Maybe you pulled off an amazing feat of magic, or conversely maybe your life isn’t going that great and you need to find some explanation that saves face. Or maybe you think you’ve got the answers, when really you don’t have those answers. Certainly everything I’ve shared above applies to me at some point in my own journey.