Lately I’ve been watching the 2004 remake of Battlestar Galatica. I’m really enjoying re-watching the series because of the different themes that are interwoven into the story. Yes there’s the SF theme of space battles, but there’s also the exploration of mystical and spiritual themes, such as some of the characters interacting with spirits. However what really interested me about the show was the Hybrid character that pilots the basestars and how they live in a state of being that can be described as non-linear. When they tell the ship to jump, I think of that as having some potential to be worked with in terms of space/time magic.
Elemental Balancing Ritual Connection and Truth Month 3
12-22-2020 Today I started integrating the Sphere of Art work with the Qi gong work I’m doing. I did the sphere of art ritual and then worked with the alchemical substances for the underworld. Then I did the qi gong work and followed up with meditation, where I also mediated the alchemical substances for the underworld. It was an interesting experience because this time I felt the underworld energies mesh with the qi I had cultivated during the qi gong work. There didn’t seem to be any conflict with the connection of the energies, but of course I’ll test this carefully.
I’ve been reading the 48 laws of Power and what strikes me about this book is that I learned these laws from my dad. I doubt he ever read the book, but so far the laws discussed fit his behavior. He knew how to create an air of mystery, when to keep his mouth shut, but also when to make a scene. He was a cypher and I learned a lot of this from observing him. Of course I’ve also learned some of these laws just from my own experiences, but its fascinating to read this book and recognize my missteps (where I didn’t execute the laws successfully) as well as my successes with those same laws. I’m only part way through the book but it is quite illuminating, especially when you are already putting some of those laws in to action.
Magical Experiments podcast: Experimenting with Ancient Magic
In this episode Alison Chicosky talk about her magical work with Greek Papyri and pentacles. We discuss how to experiment and reconstruct ancient magical workings as well as how spirits can help with this kind of work.
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How to recognize Humanocentric limitations in our spiritual work
The other day, in the magical experiments Facebook group, a really good question was asked about what people consider a deity to be, versus what a spirit being is. One of the respondents noted that non-physical entities really don’t care about labels attached to them, and that the labels are mainly used for the convenience of humans, as a way of providing context and categorization for them. when working with spirits. The person went on to note that such categorizations are subjective. I agreed with the person’s response to the question, because in a very real sense the categorizations that occur with spirits are rooted in a humanocentric perspective.
A humanocentric perspective is a perspective rooted in the human experience. It brings with it set expectations around how spirits are encountered and worked with. For example, one such expectation is the expectation that a spirit will appear before a person in a form that makes sense to the person and speak in a language that the person understands. Such an expectation is based around the human need to control and label the experiences we have as much as possible.
Goals vs Experiential Data in Magical Workings
Have you ever done a magical working and had experiences that went counter to the established goals and progress you were going for in that working?
Today I explain why its important to pay attention to the experiential data and how that data is different from the goals we might establish in magical working. I also discuss how that data can still be used to help us meet our goals in our magical workings.
Spirit relationships and the magic of writing with Stephanie Connolly
In this interview Stephanie and I discuss how spirit relationships based on respect and how to work with spirits. We also discuss writing about magic and what goes into writing a book, and how books speak to us.
Learn more about stephanie and her books at http://sjreisner.com
Learn more about Demonolatry at http://www.demonolatry.org
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How to create and sustain a consistent meditation practice
One of the questions I get asked is how to create and sustain a consistent meditation practice. It’s a good question to ask, because it can be a challenge to make time to meditate, especially when you’re working a full time job, have kids, and other responsibilities that can eat up your time. And maybe you have none of those things. Maybe your challenge is simply around the act of meditating and you struggle to make any progress with meditating. Regardless of what the reason is, it doesn’t have to be hard to develop a consistent meditation practice.
The first thing that needs to be realized is that there’s no idealized state of being that says your meditating. A lot of people get caught up in the idea that they have to empty their minds in order to successfully meditate. While a state of no-mind is one example of a state of meditation, you can also be meditating in other states of mind. For example, I regularly do Taoist meditation, which among other things includes the dissolving of internal tensions and blockages. Sometimes thoughts and emotions come up during that process and then I’m working through them in meditation. That is still a viable state of meditation.
How to let go of expectations around results
I explore how to recognize and let go of expectations around results and how to be present with the actual transformations and changes that occur with your magical work.
The difference between visualization and experiential embodiment
One of the problems I see occasionally in occult literature and conversation is that a given term will be used to try and describe a wide range of experiences that may not fit that term. For example the term visualization is sometimes used to describe sensory experiences that aren’t visually based. It’s a convenient term because its meant to describe an experience you’re having, but the problem is that the focus on the visual and on the sense of sight influences the understanding of that term.
If I use the word visualization to describe a magical working, what I’m typically describing is an experience where the visual component of the experience takes priority. For example, if I’m doing a pathworking, I might visualize specific imagery that is used to create the environment I’m going to work in. Visualization has become a more prevalent technique, in part, because of visual media and the role it plays in our everyday lives.
The Role of Research in Magical Experimentation
One of the perceptions I find fascinating in regards to magical experimentation is the perception that there’s little to no research involved in the choice to experiment with magic. It’s an erroneous perception, but it can be forgiven because most of the time when people think of research in magic, they likely think of it in relationship to the attempt to replicate older magical workings. Certainly that is valid research and a lot of it goes on, when people are trying to either reconstruct older magical workings or learn more about the magic of antiquity.
But magical experimentation involves a fair amount of research as well. The majority of my magical experiments aren’t ones I come up with off the top of my head. They come about because I’ve gotten curious about a topic and decided to do some research in order to answer questions I have. From that research, magical experiments arise because I want to put the research into practical implementation.
The role of compassion in magic
Does compassion have a place in magical work? I explore this question and how compassion informs my approach to magical work and how I interact with other people, as well as my internal work.
Elemental Balancing Ritual Connection and Truth Month 2
11-23-2020 One of the skills I’m practicing now, from The Happiness Trap is recognized when I’m hooked on a story I’m telling myself. By recognizing that I’m caught in the story, I can then step back and unhook myself from it and refocus on what really matters. It’s proving helpful in terms of recognizing the internal stories I tell myself and diffusing them. It’s also helping me be more productive again, because I’m not letting those stories dictate my day and take over my energy.
11-25-2020 One of the realizations I’m continuing to work through is the realization around expectations that I impose on myself as well as the ones imposed on me in the fast. I tend to push myself very hard, because that was always the expectation put on me. Over the last few months I’ve been trying to work less and relax more. Today I talked with Kat about some of my fears around the expectations I’ve put on myself and it really helped to unpack those further and acknowledge those are really just stories I’m telling myself that don’t serve me. I can be more productive by actually doing less.
What's the hardest part of magical work?
I answer a question I was asked about what the hardest part of magical work is and share the why behind my particular answer. I also discuss why I still think its the most essential aspect of magical work.
My Encounter with She Who Watches
A few years ago my partner and I decided to go on a spiritual pilgrimage and explore the Confluence Trail project monuments, which are Native American art installations at parks in Washington and Oregon that call attention to the indigenous tribes and how they were impacted by the Lewis and Clark expedition. While we were on this pilgrimage to learn more about the history of the land we live in, I ended up encountering the spirit of the Columbia river, She Who Watches and since then have had a connection with that spirit that is solely based on a mutual recognition of each other, and in my case a recognition that I am fundamentally rooted to the Columbia river area.
Even before I went on this pilgrimage I felt a connection to the Columbia river. When I first moved to the West coast and traveled through PDX, I felt a sense of connection. I thought initially it was to Portland, but I eventually realized it wasn’t. Within a year I moved down to Portland and while I like living here, I found myself drawn to explore the Columbia valley gorge. There was something about it that drew me in.
How to deal with occult community drama
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.
Learn how magic works: https://magical-experiments.teachable.com/p/home
Get free e-books: http://www.magicalexperiments.com/free-books
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