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now this is meant to be a good tarot system for the witch, called the witches tarot cards, i doubt they will be ideal for every witch really but probably might be of interest to some witches they do have a slight look of the rider waite tarot though, but most tarot decks do i guess.
but if you are looking for a deck that seems to have been crafted for witches the the witches tarot might be the way to go.
i have found some reviews from aeclectic.net website that help shed some light on these cards.
Witches Tarot
A Pagan/Witch-friendly deck, the Witches Tarot has substitutions such as Pan for the Devil, and the Seeker as the Hermit. Knowledge of the Qabbalah would help interpretation, as each of the major arcana correspond to a place on the tree of life. The cards are painted and borderless.
See card images of the Witches Tarot
By Martin Cannon depicting a stunningly beautiful, dark-haired, naked, young woman, sensuously, and dreamily engaging a lick from a tiger - it's a powerful, and memorable image.
The Hanged Man was another card that froze me in mid-shuffle. The card depicts a defined, muscular older man (why he isnt naked too...?) with a bushy full head of grey hair, and beard placed upside down on a wooden cross with rune symbols lined up on each side of his head. This image is representative of Odin hanging on the Yggdrasil Tree. The colours in this card are simply beautiful, featuring vibrant red half disks, one below Odin's head, and one up at his feet, and in between these brilliant red disks, is a dark, star speckled, indigo sky. I could name many other cards that gave me pause, such as, the Horned One, representing the Devil Card, or the Death card, but it would take me pages and pages to go through them all.
This is the first deck I've seen which depicts the people cards as all the same except for their clothing and associated objects. The Cups Court cards are holding cups, the Swords Court cards, swords, etc. and their clothing is representative of the climate and lifestyle they are depicted living in.
The accompanying text is well written, easy to understand; a remarkable accomplishment in light of the complex concepts presented. Certainly no one could say this was a lightweight or superficial investigation into these traditions, yet I found the book well organized, easy to comprehend, and down to earth. The order in which the Majors are presented follows the Tree of Life rather than the numbers on the Majors themselves which take some adjustment, but I doubt there was a better way to relate the two, since the Majors are obvious in their order placement due to the numbers on the cards themselves. I recommend this set to all serious students who are especially interested in understanding the Tarot through the lens of these two traditions.
Kathleen Meadows com, M.A, is a Certified Tarot Grand Master with 20 years reading and teaching the Tarot from a feminist perspective.
Review by Sharpchick
I was initially drawn to this deck by the stunning use of color in the artwork, which is crisp and clean. As I took my first look at the deck, I could tell it was one that would be easy to read intuitively, without the LWB or the companion book, also by Ellen Cannon Reed, as the imagery on each and every card is quite evocative.
This is not a Rider-Waite clone, and in my opinion, not a deck for a beginning reader. Those who have used RWS style decks extensively will find this deck quite different, as it combines tarot imagery with pagan and Qabalistic symbolism. Most of the Minor Arcana cards (along with a few of the Majors) are interpreted very differently from Rider-Waite style decks. I do not think one would need to be a master of the Qabala to read with the deck, although some basic knowledge of the Tree of Life would add to the reader's full use of the deck.
As with many pagan styled decks, the element of air is associated with Wands and fire is associated with Swords. The Devil has been replaced by The Horned One (the masculine force of deity) and The Seeker has taken the place of The Hermit.
The biggest challenge for me personally, and one of the only drawbacks to the deck I have identified in my limited use is interpretation of the Courts. Court cards in this deck have no interpretation that stands on its own instead, they are used to modify the card immediately after the Court card. For me, that means laying a spread face up something I do not like to do. I prefer to lay a spread with all cards face down, and turn them over one at a time, forming an initial impression of the spread as a whole, then going back to interpret each card in sequence. Still, this is certainly not a fatal flaw, and in time, I'm sure the Witches Tarot will number among my favorites of my modest collection.
The deck I own has borders, while the initial release of the deck was with borderless cards, which, in my opinion, would make the eye-catching art even more stunning.
Review by Bonnie Cehovet
This deck came to me through my participation with an on-line tarot list. The deck was presented as having Pagan origins and Qabala oriented -- I have a Pagan background and am in the process of getting deeper into the Qabala -- perfect fit!
Reed presents the Qabala in a very interesting manner -- concentrating on the Paths, rather than the Spheres (which she presented in her book, "The Witches Qabala"), and presenting them in reverse order, so that you work your way "up" the Tree of Life. At the end of the book she presents guided meditations for each path, which appealed to me, having worked with meditation, visualization, crystals etc., from the beginning of my Tarot experience.
One thought that I had concerning this deck was how to present it to my clients. (I allow my clients to choose from among several decks for their readings.) The back of "The Witches Tarot" is black, with a silver Pentagram inside a silver circle. I thought that this might be "off-putting" to some people. Then I read a comment from another reader, whose complaint was that you "knew" when a card was reversed because of the placement of the Pentagram, which is slightly to the top of the card. I laughed -- I had missed this completely! I no longer had any concerns about presenting this deck.
The meanings of the cards, especially the major arcana, are very similar to the traditional meanings. And they are presented in a very interesting manner in the accompanying book -- descriptions of the Waite, Golden Dawn and Witches Tarot cards are given, followed by upright and reversed interpretations for the Witches Tarot.
The illustrations themselves are done in a beautiful, muted color format. There is some nudity, but it is presented in context. In the Nine of Cups we see a very modern woman, dressed in blue, sitting before a table. On the table are nine cards, face up, with cups on them. For some reason I see me as a reader in her.
In the Wheel of Fortune (The Cycle of Life) is presented by showing the stages of life from babyhood to the aged crone. Again, I see myself and my life in this card.
I highly recommend this deck for anyone wanting to understand the Qabala better, whether you have a Pagan background or not.
Bonnie Cehovet web is Certified Tarot Grand Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has had articles appear in the 2004 and 2005 Llewellyn Tarot Reader.
Suggested ebooks:
Peter Henry Emerson - Welsh Fairy Tales And Other Stories
Alice Bailey - Initiation Human And Solar
Aleister Crowley - The Zodiac And The Tarot
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A Native American Traditional Pow Wow
Greetings of the Equinox!
It has come to our attention that one or more people within the Golden Dawn community still misunderstand the reasons for the Alpha Omega launching our International Golden Dawn Pow Wow peace initiative. We actually have been quite transparent with our motivations since the beginning.
At the Pow Wow, let's just get together to break bread, share magic, good times and discuss how to best improve relationships and heal old wounds in our Golden Dawn community. We do not need to agree about everything, as there is plenty of room for diversity in our community.
Obtaining any sort of "peer recognition" at Pow Wow is not a priority of the Alpha Omega. We already have recognition as a Traditionalist Golden Dawn Order from the Secret Chiefs of the Third Order, who are the source of origin of the original Golden Dawn.
The Pow Wow is not about negotiating any sort of treaties or establishing any sort of formal relationships. Pow Wow is about breaking bread together, doing Magic together, and celebrating the wonderful things we all have in common in our diverse Golden Dawn community.
With this International Golden Dawn Pow Wow peace initiative, the Alpha Omega leads the attempt in to heal the polarization that has plagued our Golden Dawn community for two decades, and has severely harmed the reputation of the entire Golden Dawn tradition.
As we proved last year with the International Conclave of Golden Dawn Adepti, we are even willing to share supplemental Golden Dawn teachings from our Secret Chiefs with those who are interested in the community.
There have been questions raised about the formal fraternal relations of the Alpha Omega with other initiatic orders and groups. This is unsprprising, considering that the mission of the Alpha Omega is somewhat unique in our community.
What is this mission of the Alpha Omega? In simplest terms:
"We Make Magicians"
Regarding the relationship of the Alpha Omega with the greater esoteric community, clearly some clarification is in order. The Alpha Omega has long established relationships, as well as formal "Amities" with a broad spectrum of Traditionalist Initiatic Orders and Groups.
In the Golden Dawn and Rosicruican communities, we are in formal Amity, for example, with the August Order of the Mystic Rose, as well as with numerous occulted Goldlen Dawn and Rosicrucian orders.
Despite misunderstandings, there exist a wealth of Traditionalist Golden Dawn and Rosicrucian orders, although most of these prefer both their existence and work shrouded in secrecy, as has historically been the case in the Golden Dawn and Rosicruican traditions. As we have clarified in the past, the Alpha Omega is by no means the only Traditionalist Golden Dawn order. Come to the Pow Wow, and you might even meet some of the others!
These formal Amities established by the Alpha Omega are not limited to the Golden Dawn community. They additionally include Traditional Initiatic Orders and Groups in both the Pagan and Rosicrucian communities. This is natural, as we see the initiatic mission of the Alpha Omega not only to serve the Golden Dawn community, but the Rosicruican and the Pagan communities as well.
In the Pagan community, we have established formal "amity" with the Order of the Gnostic Star, as well as numerous "British Traditional Witchcraft" covens and "Traditional Pagan" Clans in Italy.
I hope this helps clarify our reasons for inviting not just our members, but the Golden Dawn community to the International Golden Dawn Pow Wow in March, 2013.
It will be a historic event you won't want to miss.
"See you at the Pow Wow!"
BY GOLDEN DAWN IMPERATOR DAVID GRIFFIN
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Some of you will know that the Order which I represent in Scandinavia, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn(R), announced a peace initiative at the Vernal Equinox of 2009 - which has become known as the "olive branch" of David Griffin - and invited all parties to follow suit.
The HOGD/AO long ago came to realize that the kind of internet circus, which all of the major Golden Dawn Orders has been involved in since the middle 1990's, destroys nothing but the overall reputation of the Golden Dawn, not only as a physical body but also as an idea and as a tradition.
I know for a fact, from personal experience, that serious students are frightened away from a golden opportunity of spiritual growth because of this constant mud slinging between factions.
Our peace offering in 2009 was ignored and the attacks on our order and its leaders continued on the Internet. Still determined to foster brotherhood and harmony in the Golden Dawn community, we tried again last Spring. We invited Adepts from the entire Golden Dawn community to our International Conclave of Golden Dawn Adepti in March, 2012. As rumors surfaced of Adepts threatened by Golden Dawn leaders with expulsion if they attended, the attacks on the internet once again greatly intensified.
I know for a fact that all of these peace efforts have been sincere. These are not just empty words. The HOGD/AO has launched peace initiative upon peace initiative to foster peace and harmony in the Golden Dawn community. Recently, we even announced an International Golden Dawn Pow Wow and have again invited the entire Golden Dawn community, this time even the outer order.
The result of this sincere invitation has been intensified attacks upon the reputation of our order and its leaders on the Internet, coupled with the reappearance of defamatory anonymous blogs published by blog trolls. We have seen this all before, over and over, and numerous leaders of the recon GD community have linked to the "anonymous" blogs, so there is little doubt who is really behind them.
In the past, we as a community had to get used to anonymous defamation websites, but the saddest part of the Witch Hunt against the HOGD/AO spilled over to the blogosphere, which I refer to as the "Blog Trolls". So, naive as I am and against better judgement, I thought that I could perhaps reason with one of these guys (why do we always presume that these persons are male?) and embarked on, what I initially though was, a serious debate. I tried to reason with the guy telling him that what he did on his blog was counterproductive towards the entire Golden Dawn community, but to no avail.
I have learnt a hard lesson: Don't deal with anonymous blog trolls, don't feed them with more fuel. I did and I deeply regret that I even gave him serious attention. So now I admonish you all, who are serious in creating peace in the Golden Dawn community.
Anonymous trolls are a blight on the entire Golden Dawn. Those who attack the Alpha Omega using anonymous blog trolls think that they are harming only our order with all of the vile defamation in the anonymous blogs. They are severely mistaken. Anonymous attack blogs are severely harming the reputation of the ENTIRE Golden Dawn, both as an idea and as a tradition.
You can not reason with Anonymous Blog Trolls. They exist solely to poison and destroy the Golden Dawn by spreading misrepresentations, lies, and defamations. If you try to reason with blog trolls, they just keep repeating the same defamation talking points over and over, because they are engaging in propaganda rather than any legitimate discourse. I have tried to reason with them in the past. Based on that experience, I give you the following advice:
DON'T FEED THE BLOG TROLLS!
The sad truth is that the sincere Pow Wow peace offer (March 29-April 9, 2013) from our order to all other Golden Dawn orders, has so far been met with nothing but renewed defamation campaigns, and even with the reappearance of the anonymous blogs that have so harmed the reputation of the entire Golden Dawn in the past. This sadly gives the impression that there is no real interest in any peace from any other Golden Dawn Order today except the HOGD/AO.
But my sincere hope is that others are also interested in true peace and harmony in the Golden Dawn together with a Golden Dawn free of the internet circus that has nearly already destroyed the reputation of the Golden Dawn over the past 20 years.
Perhaps I am being naive again, but I still believe in the Golden Dawn. I hope I can find my way back into even to my original naiveness, in my belief that everything, including the Golden Dawn, is progressing to integration or "Gold".
I believe in a Golden Dawn where all recognize one another as brothers and sisters.
I believe in a Golden Dawn free of anonymous blog trolls spewing hatred across the internet.
I believe in a Golden Dawn community that sets a spiritual example for the rest or the esoteric community, instead of making itself look pathetic because of hatred spread by blog trolls.
Or am I a fool to believe in a future and Invisible Golden Dawn Fraternity "made without hands"?
BY GUEST BLOGGER SINCERUS RENATUS
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This is the DVD cover with striking photographs and a 'special' message from Geert Wilders, who came to America with an urgent and terrifying warning: "Islam is on verge of conquering the West" and I guess almost everyone of us have seen his documentary entitled 'Fitna'. Well Mr Wilders, if it is true as you claimed Islam is a terrorist religion, I certain that you are not living and freely spread your message to the world while you knew the fact that estimated 5 million Muslims living in the United States and 1.2 billion Muslims in the world!
If it is true that Sept. 11 were typical of the faith, and Islam truly inspired and justified such violence, its growth and the increasing presence of Muslims in both Europe and the U.S. would be a terrifying prospect. So we come to this question, why are those people choose and adopt this so called "terrorist religion"(As they claimed) even after Sept. 11? Well, its simply because they explore and study Islam thoroughly and find out what Islam really is. Within Islam it is both legitimate and right to ask the question: "Why Islam?" Every tenet in Islam is subject to analysis and contention and Allah invites the question as to "why Islam?". So here are 11 reasons for you to explore Islam:
Yes we need a good reason
1. RATIONAL SYSTEM
Islam is also a rational system which not only allows questions but raises knowledge to a new level of dignity and respect. No other religion has exalted knowledge and its pursuit, as has Islam. In fact, for the first time in human history, a religious book invited people to question the creation of the universe and stated that in it (the universe) were signs for people of knowledge. Everything in Islam is subject to rational pursuit.
Islam has only forbidden the questioning of one thing and this is something which reason cannot handle. However, this does not imply an anti-intellectual attitude. The only thing which Islam has said is not within the capacity of the human mind to question is the essence (dhat) of God. This will always escape a person, as He, Allah, is transcendent. However, His will, His purpose, His works, His intentions and His effects can be known.
Even the rites of Islam can be examined rationally. For example, logical and rational explanations can be made for the time of Prayer, the number of rakats or units in Prayer and even why we must bend our toes when we do. Of course the Muslim will always be aware that the answer he has obtained by rational enquiry is not exhaustive. It cannot be definitely accepted as explaining all the facts. It could be erroneous or incomplete. However, Islam encourages its followers to ask "why Islam?". Islam is an intellectual and historical religion. There are no secrets and no mysteries which cannot be understood by an ordinary person.
2. EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE
Islam does not present stumbling blocks to the mind. It does not make claims which overwhelm the mind. Islam does not present to a person that which the human intellect cannot grasp. Anyone can understand Islam as it is a universal religion. However, for example, Hinduism legitimizes idolatry for the less educated, as it says, not all people can understand the higher religion of the Brahmans.
3. UNIVERSAL MESSAGE
Islam does not force a person to choose between various religions as it has included the essential teachings of all religions in its universal message. The Islamic concept is that, to every people, Allah sends a Messenger and that in their present religion or ideology they must have retained some kernel of truth from the original teachings of that religion which was, of course, the teachings of the primordial religion (deen al-fitra) or, in other words, Islam.
Islam views inter-religious dialogue as an internal discussion, not as a discussion with outsiders because, from its perspective, all mankind are members of a universal religious brotherhood. So the differences Islam has with other religions are regarded as internal differences. Of course, Islam criticizes some Jews and Christians who have wrongly interpreted their faith, however, this criticism is based on the fact that they have strayed from the original teachings of their religion.
Islam, therefore, was the first religion in the world to call for the critical examination of religious texts. The Muslim says, in effect, to other religions: "Let us together examine the Holy Books of our religions and compare the contents with the original teachings of our respective religions and examine how far we have adhered to, or gone astray from these original teachings." Muslims, therefore, never attack other religions.
4. RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
Islam is tolerant of other religions and regards them as religiously legitimate or de jure. In accepting other religions as legitimate, Islam, therefore, accepts their adherents. No other religion has given equal treatment to other religions as has Islam for over 1400 years. As we well know, Judaism and Roman Catholicism were illegal in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. In Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella, it was illegal to have any religion other than Catholicism, and Muslims and Jews had to choose baptism, exile or death. In the Middle East, some Christian sects, which were brutally eliminated by their fellow Christians in Europe, have survived after fourteen centuries of Muslim rule. Secular regimes do not respect religion. They look down upon religion; either they believe any religion will do or they believe no religion is acceptable. The tolerance of other religions in Islam comes from respect because Islam says in every person there is an embryonic fitra or purity planted in all human beings at birth and in every religion there is a basic kind of the original deen al-fitra.
5. THE HUMAN BEING'S INNOCENCE
Islam declares a person to be born with a clean slate. The human being was not born evil but rather he was created good and equipped by nature to fulfill his duties. From the Islamic point of view, the drama of a person's life is something that takes place after birth and not before. Islam does not record a human being as a degradation of the divine as it regards a human being as having instincts which are pure and good.
6. THE HUMAN BEING: AN INTEGRAL WHOLE
Islam does not divide the soul and life of a person into two compartments, i.e. religious or ethical and verbal or material. Islam regards the human being as an integral whole. All of his actions and instincts are part and parcel of his being together with his hopes, fears, certitude, faith and conviction. Islam wants all these to cohere and, therefore, we could say that Islam is mental health par excellence. Islam considers a person's work or even sex in this world as an act of worship.
7. LIFE FILLED WITH PURPOSE AND MEANING
Islam takes the world of life and existence seriously, declaring it to be full of meaning and purpose. Life is not a sport, nor is it purposeless. From the Islamic perspective, everything has meaning because the concept of God's purpose in creation gives meaning to human life. The Muslim is never bored with life; there is no existential anxiety in Islam. The Muslim can see the working of the good purposes of the divine Creator in everything. The Muslim lives in a world where life is full of meaning and purpose and this means the Muslim never looses his mental balance. In fact, mental illness is very rare in the Muslim community.
8. WORLD-AFFIRMATIVE
Islam is world-affirmative. For the Muslim the world is good. It is a blessing, it has been created good, to be enjoyed. Islam does not view the world as a demon, it is not valued as being satanic or evil. It is not a degraded kingdom. The world is the only kingdom; the hereafter is not a kingdom but merely a place of Judgment for a human person's actions during his life. For Muslims, the world is a beautiful place; pearls, clothes and horses are to be enjoyed. What is wrong, is its misuse under moral law. The world is good and Muslims are obliged to cultivate it and make it into a garden. The process of organizing people as a community is a religious duty.
No 'ism', ideology or religion matches Islam in its world-affirmative stance. All Muslims should be wealthy and affluent. It is Satan who promises poverty, not God. In fact, the Qur'an criticizes those who were lazy and who failed to migrate, who could not pull themselves up by their bootstraps; they deserved what they got. To be a Muslim is to live in and to be loyal to this world but not above and beyond our loyalty to Allah.
9. A SOCIAL FAITH
In building this world and conforming it to God's desire, Muslims are told that they must work with each other and not alone. Islam establishes a social order not a mystical order. Islam's social order has teeth, regulated by law, the Shariah. Islam wants to establish a social order to command the good and prevent the evil. However, every Muslim must correct evil. It is his duty, just as much as it is his duty to pray five times a day.
In Islam, it is of the highest degree of faith to plunge into space and time and bring about the transformation of the world in accordance with God's desire. Islam is affirmative action in a social setting; it is neither abstract nor isolationist. Islam establishes justice and an ordered society, regulated by law. Islam guarantees justice for all; Madinah was that class of model society. In those days justice had no price. For several centuries under Islamic rule any citizen who voiced a complaint could be sure that justice would be done. No theory of society can give as much as the Islamic theory of society has given. Society, based on race, language or history are prototypes of the animal world where dog eats dog. The social order of Islam ends this and brings justice to all. A Muslim's mission is to bring order and this international society established by Islam must be carried to the world and, therefore, the Islamic social order seeks universality.
10. UNIVERSAL SYSTEM
Islam provides a social order which cannot only tend to be universal but must become universal. The Islamic system is a system for world order and it must spread around the world. Unless it is spread around the world, it will degenerate into a form of nationalism which is haram or unlawful in Islam. Islam is built on the basis of values which are not only for the group which adheres to them, but for the whole of mankind. Allah is the deity of all people and the Islamic concept of society must spread all over the world.
Does Islam deny the value of national, ethnic or linguistic identity and culture? No! Islam recognizes the worth of these national and ethnic groups. Islam does not only tolerate but encourages the development of different ethnic groups. The group has a special perspective on the values affecting people's lives. Insofar as it exists, national culture is encouraged by Islam, but it is subject to the universal law of Allah. The interests of the nation or group must be subject to the moral law, the Shariah, which encompasses the whole of mankind. Islam created a world society and it was Islam, over 1400 years ago, that first established a working system of international law.
It was only in the 20th century that the West started to develop international law. Grotius contributed only wishful thinking. In the West, international law existed only in the imagination until after World War I when the League of Nations was established. The present system of international law is far inferior to the Islamic system of international law because, under the Islamic system, the law of nations is backed by a court and not just a single court in the Hague. Any Shariah court in any part of the world can hear any international dispute to which the parties are not only nations but also individuals. If we want to solve international problems we must make justice under international law possible for everyone.
11. PROMOTING HARMONY WITH THE ENVIRONMENT
Islam is a religion that enables us to live our lives in harmony with nature, ourselves and God. Islam does not compartmentalize but rather unites the life of a person. This is the summum bonum, supreme good of Islam because Islam assures us of happiness in this world and the Next. Presently, people are so madly in pursuit of this world that it has resulted in upsetting the ecology of nature; this because of the decay in the inner nature of human beings. In this age of unprecedented advancements in science and technology, the pursuit of worldly gain has turned sour and self-destructive because it is devoid of all ethical values.
Therefore the pursuit of dunya (worldly affairs) without Deen can only lead to, and has led to, disaster. On the other hand, pursuit of Deen (religion) without dunya (temporal world) is merely daydreaming. Islam asks people to cultivate the world without robbing, usury, stealing and raping the environment and insists that people must carry out their tasks subject to moral law. For the Muslim, involvement and success in the world will ensure success in the hereafter. If practiced with sincerity, Islam guarantees happiness in this world and the next. Having granted this great gift of God to humanity what else could we do but say 'we hear and we obey and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.'
"The above article is from an audio recording at International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan, date unknown. Source: Ismail Faruqi Online"
"Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi (January 1, 1921 - May 27, 1986) was a Palestinian-American philosopher and an authority on Islam and comparative religion. He was Professor in the Department of Religion at Temple University until his death in 1986. Al-Faruqi and his wife, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi, were brutally stabbed to death in their home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania on May 27, 1986."
Repost and edited from www.islamicity.com
Suggested ebooks:
Robert Mathiesen - Magic In Slavia Orthodoxa The Written Tradition
Hermes Trismegistus - Book Xii His Crater Or Monas
Frater Achad - Qbl Or The Brides Reception
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How To Learn Magick Online
Information
See the"'s Guide to the "There's a nexus which will
allow you to scout out your own torrent of information overload:
elists with which to pelt your ebox, ftp sites to swim in until you overload your memory-quota, and Usenet groups to overload your
newsreader. The problem is not access to information any more (at
least not once one has oriented and this doesn't take much time), it is sorting that in which we can find value from that in which we
cannot. { http://www.hollyfeld.org/magi }
Authority
A great part of the problem is that what's 'authoritative' is somewhat relative to the individual who is doing the review. There are emotional and imaginative approaches, dry and intellectual affairs, those based on not much experience, those based entirely on it, those who prefer their magick in armchairs, those who prefer it in Hell, in Heaven, in Space, in the Dirt, some with connections to organizations (covens, lodges, grottos, pronaos, churches, temples, etc.), some to traditions (lineages, sects, etc.) and some way out there in weirdsville-whoknowswhere.
Thoughts
The first step in determining 'authoritativeness' is to look INWARD.
What sorts of questions do you find valuable to contemplate? Are they pragmatic (how do I do X?), theoretical (what does X mean?), ethical (when is it bad to do X?), or some combination of these? If YOU were devising a test for aspirants (don't bother that you may be one
yourself), what questions would you put on this test (don't worry if you don't know answers!)? Making up the test will assist you in
beginning a comparison of knowledge-bases with others in the occult community online or off. Continue to look at these questions. Watch how your responses change as you meet people who approach the questions from different places. Add to that list of questions and restructure them as you proceed in your self-education.
Tastes
The second step in determining 'authoritativeness' is to look INWARD.
What are your TASTES with regard to magical and occult subjects and practices? If you don't know, then EXPLORE! Find out what tastes
good. Do angels and bunnies and light just turn you on? How about
Alien Infestations from the Horrid Depths of Space? Strange words
and weird mathematics? Just swimming in cool ponds during autumn?
There are many many different approaches to magick, even religious
ones! (see Islam/Sufism or the spate of repressed forums ostensibly dedicated to a discussion of "Christian Magick"). Explore as many
as suits your taste. Sometimes settling for what comes first is not the best means of attaining any goals you may have.
Activity
The third step in determining 'authoritativeness' is to EXPERIENCE.
Do things. Try out things and above all, FAIL MISERABLY. The failure is as important as is the success. The two are ultimately a product of warped thinking anyway. *Do things*, as the alt.magick.chaos people love to say. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth
living. It may be equally true that the UNEXPERIENCED life is not
worth living. Be imaginative. Fly by the seat of your pants.
Take risks. Do the FORBIDDEN.
Reflection
The fourth step in determining 'authoritativeness' is to REFLECT.
See what people say in their words/actions/expressions which seems to conform to your experience of the world. When you can get a 'fix'
on someone and you LIKE what they are saying, then compare these people with others who may qualify in a similar way. Engage others and draw from THEIR experience and reflection. Develop your own ideas as a
result of critical thought ('Question Authority, dammit!) and your own practice as a result of creative exploration ('Do something, dammit!).
Abstraction
The last step in determining 'authoritativeness' is to PROJECT. Just because someone says something about which you do not agree this does not make them idiots. They may have experience which you do not have and they could be representing a very important and oft-overlooked
reflection. It is for this reason that it is quite difficult to be sure just who is and who is not an asshole without substance. Along the path of wizardry we do not burn our bridges, even while we may place small signs near them which say 'Of Uncertain Value'.
Growth
The most important principle in determining 'authoritativeness' is to develop it within ourselves. Suckling at the teats of masters may be important at certain stages of our growth, yet eventually we must
break away from the nest, we must try out our wings, we must take
risks and become reservoirs of experience and wisdom ourselves. If
nothing else, through such exploits we may become humble.
afternotes in response to request for elaboration:
>Make it up as you go along. Create your own style. This is how the
>current paths appeared. Keep making it up, revising as you learn more
>and more.
get imaginative. Explore the length and breadth of religious
and magical disciplines and techniques. Visualization? It is quite
effective for those who don't have a need or resource for material tools.
Look at all the divination systems available: astrology, qabalah, tarot, runes, etc., etc. Look at the spiritualist supply stores: ouija, rapping tables, esp cards, etc., etc. Look at the ceremonialist's shoppes: wands, swords, incenses, candles, cauldrons, etc., etc. Look at the fetishist supply stores: dildos, floggers, clamps, needles, razors, etc. etc. Look at the primitive and modern religious practices: drums, rattles, bells, lights, chanting, spinning, singing, etc., etc.
Check into the resources on 'natural highs' and 'psychotropics'. Check into the billions of ways to become a sorceror (one who explores the realms of consciousness). Magick may find its way to you.
...
Limits? There is no limit to magick. It can infuse and encompass
your entire life experience. You can click into the Wave of the World and become the Great Fool-Magus that attains to the Great Work and sets the world arights. Refashion the Cosmos to your liking, become God, do the Hokey Pokey!
copyright (c) nagasiva 1998
All rights reserved. Permission to distribute the text is
hereby granted providing that distribution is electronic, no money
is associated, reasonable attempts are made to use the latest version and all credits and this copyright notice are maintained.
tyagI@houskaos.Abyss.coM (I@AM)
tyagi nagasiva
Suggested ebooks:
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Joseph Ennemoser - The History Of Magic Vol 1
Book: Songs Of The Spirit by Aleister Crowley
This modest little volume contains many beautiful thoughts expressed in delicate phrases: daring verses too, which cannot lightly be overlooked. "The Farewell of Paracelcus to Aprile," "The Initiation," "The Philosopher's Progress," are finely-wrought images from Mr. Crowley's vivid mind. Little lyrics of sunshine and wind; Delicate lyrics, illustrating the vague, yet holy aspirations of adolescence.... A little book of unusual quality.... We have read with admiration for its intense spirituality, as well as for its technical superiorities, and with sympathy for its spontaneous reflection of certain moods that Mr. Crowley pursues with an utterance at once mysterious and vivid.... this volume, in which we are sure of having heard an impressive and an original voice. The verse of "Songs of the Spirit"-essentially intricate, introspective if you like-is also free from obvious artifice and eccentricity, it is fiery and clear measured and easy of phrasing.... The glowing imagery seizes and holds fast the vagueness of shifting impressions.
Download Aleister Crowley's eBook: Songs Of The Spirit
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Magick is a field with many different disciplines. There is sympathetic, Earth, Ceremonial, Enochian, Celtic, Egyptian and Kabbalah magick just to begin. These are occasionally different in their basic techniques, but mostly they differ in the symbols they use to achieve their goals. The principles are the same, however. Whichever form you prefer, it is how you observe these principles that determines your success. Beyond that, it is only personal preference.
Preference is very important, too. It is your Little Self that you are addressing, and it is as individual as you. You must learn what works best for you. The first clue is what appeals to you most. Once you find the best methods for you, you build your own personal magickal system. It is up to you to find these methods, through research and experimentation. There is so much information that it is impossible to give more than a sample here. The information in this book is enough to get started. It is your work that will complete it. If you are happy with what you get on your own, you need never open another book. But you must at least pay constant, careful attention to your work to fine tune it. As with anything, the more work you put in, the better your success.
The first principle is to take what you're doing very seriously. This is not so easy when you're struggling with society's negative attitudes. Ignore any intrusive thoughts you might have. Concentrate on what you are doing. You must passively avoid any distract-ions. Do not try to actively avoid them for that usually becomes an even bigger distract-ion. As long as you enter with the right attitude, the rest will come with practice.
Magickal ritual is a very special thing. You must set it apart from your ordinary functions. When you do this, your Little Self is aware that you have that an important message to give it. Not only is the message less cluttered by stray thoughts, but it proceeds more directly to the Little Self. The more special things you have surrounding your ritual, the more effective it is. (As long as you don't have so much that these things become a distraction in themselves.)
Pick a time when you are relaxed and awake and not under the influence of any drugs (e.g., alcohol or medication). Take the phone off the hook and see that you are not disturbed. Create a "sacred space" that is only for ritual. If you can set up a regular time or place which you use for nothing other than ritual, this is ideal.
Before you begin, take a bath or at least wash your hands and use this to symbolically wash away all other thoughts and distractions in your mind. Relax your body and mind. Remove watches and tight clothes. Make sure the time of the ritual is clearly separated from your usual day. Use a symbolic act like knocking three times to open and close the ritual. Anything that you can add to the ambience will help: incense, special or no clothing, candle light, silence or meditative music (or whatever music is appropriate to the spell-- be careful of any lyrics!). If you know a second language that you don't ordinarily speak, such as hebrew or latin, you may want to use this. Alternatively, you can use the Thee's and Thou's of archaic english.
During the ritual, concentrate on your goals. Make sure that your ritual is not so long that you can't keep your mind focused! It is better to repeat a ritual over days or weeks than to have an enormously long one in which you spend most of your time thinking about balancing your checkbook. Know what you will do before you start. You may ad lib, but your purpose must be completely clear before you start. Don't be surprised, however, if a ritual goes differently from expected. You may, for instance, gain an insight as you work that seems unrelated to your goal. It is important to consider this! It may be the key to what you are trying to achieve. It may also be a distraction, so be aware.
Suggested ebooks:
Aj Drew - Wicca For Couples Making Magick Together
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I know, two blog posts in one day. Craziness! But I wanted to share this letter I received in hopes it illustrates the need for a project like Prismatic Art. The author, Charles, contacted me on Twitter because he and his daughters are very interested in the project. I had mentioned that my hope for the project would be that not only would his daughters find artwork they enjoyed but it would encourage them to create their own too.
It turns out they already do and want to share some of it as part of the project. I asked them to send along some samples so I could get an idea of their level of experience (the main project will be for professional art) and this is the reply. Awesome stuff and I'll admit it made me tear up a bit last night when I read it. And don't worry, I will find a home for their art and the art of others even if it's not in the way I originally planned.
Thank you, Tracy!
I read your email to our daughters and they are excited for the challenge. (My daughter J even narrowed her eyes, rubbed her hands together, and declared in her best evil villainess voice, "'Level of experience?' I'll show her my level of experience!" :)
We're all very excited with what you're doing both with Prismatic Art and with trying to shift the gaming community to a more respectful place in general. They began playing 4e from the moment I introduced it to them when they were 8 years old, and have probably read every 4e book that WoTC has published, except for the first two Essentials "Heroes of..." books. (They turned their noses up at Essentials until they got over their "edition-ism." :) They've built countless 4e characters and they've read the first Dragonlance trilogy multiple times (Laurana is their favorite character) and are still hoping that someday Dragonlance comes back and unseats Forgotten Realms as a D&D setting. (Yeah, I know, not likely...) They've also branched out into other RPGs and even had their letters published in Daniel Solis' "Do: The Book of Letters."
RPGs and drawing are our daughters' favorite activities. The majority of what they read is probably gaming books, fantasy novels and articles from D&D Insider (including yours!). I have to admit that we're not always happy with the way female characters are portrayed in what they read, or in the art they're seeing on WoTC's site and on DDO (where they spend most of their allowed online gaming time). According to S, "There are too many scantily-clad female characters out there, and not enough in actual armor." Still, instead of censoring, my wife and I have chosen to use such content as springboards for discussion. (I usually join in their party when they play DDO, and I also run a monthly tabletop 4e game for them and three of their closest girlfriends.) We're happy that our daughters have retained their strong self-image despite some of the messages which they've been receiving from the gaming culture at large, but we'd rather they just be able to enjoy the culture without those messages. I think you know what we mean.
J even had one of her "rants" published by New Moon Girls magazine:
> I was on a gaming website and saw a game called "Nerdy Girl Makeover." The description of the game is this: "School is out! Put those books away and give this girl a hot new look!" I find this really offensive. The girl wore glasses, was reading, and had a T-shirt with an atom on it. Why do so many people think that smart, intellectual girls who like reading and academic subjects are "wrong" and "ugly"?
> J, Washington
In any event, both our daughters' first love in gaming has remained D&D and powerful fantasy heroines and villainesses are still their favorite subjects for drawing. (They've drawn for hours every day since they could hold a crayon.) J's favorite characters to play and draw (in no particular order) are barbarians, rangers, sorceresses and rogues. S said that her favorites are wizards, witches and mages which led to an argument about whether those three are all the same or not so you see, our daughters really are gamers! :) We're looking forward to seeing what they draw for you. I'll scan it and send it along and we'll go from there. If their art doesn't fit with Prismatic Art, then perhaps we can collaborate on something else in the future.
Above all, please know that you have a family of supporters out here in the Pacific Northwest! You are an inspiration to our daughters and as parents of girls who are passionate about D&D, we wholeheartedly support your initiative!
All the best,
Charles
Both Charles and his wife Jung game with their daughters and they write about their experiences.
Suggested ebooks:
Correllian Times Emagazine - Issue 44 April 2010 What A Beautiful World
Hermes Trismegistus - Book V That God Is Not Manifest And Yet Most Manifest
Troth Aor - Odinism What Is It The Odinic Rite
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93
Anno IV xix Sol 0^0 Aries, Luna 17^0 Libra.
"But ye, o my people, rise up & awake!" - "L", 2:34.
"Aye! feast! rejoice! there is no dread hereafter. There is the dissolution, and eternal ecstasy in the kisses of Nu. - L", 2:44.
It is the Thelemic New Year, Year CVII of the Thelemic Age of Heru-Ra-Ha. May it be an auspicious one for the Church, for Thelemites and for the whole world. May the nations continue to "rise up & awake" to the spirit of overarching Thelemic Law, whereby all religions shall in time be liberated of their primitive bondage, so that in centuries to come the cults of propitiatory restriction be relieved of superstitious servitude and ideological hatred. May all cultures continue to be lifted up through communication of the glad word of "Do what thou wilt", in which the chosen realize a millionfold joy via the Gnosis & Communion of the Holy Supernal Will.
"We need to break away from all old superstitions and work in the clear light of Ra-Hoor-Khuit." (Leah Hirsig, Scarlet Woman, Oct.26, 1924 E.V.)
Happy New Year!
93
93/93
777
Suggested ebooks:
Alexander Mackenzie - The Celtic Magazine Vol Xi
Janus Lacinius Therapus - The New Pearl Of Great Price
Frater Hoor - A Thelemic Calendar
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93
"Ah! thy death shall be lovely: whoso seeth it shall be glad. Thy death shall be the seal of the promise of our agelong love. Come! lift up thine heart we are none."
-"Liber Legis", 2:66.
Throughout the entire month of December, the Holy Thelemic Church celebrates the greater feast (i.e. death) of the first prophet of the Thelemic Age, Aleister Crowley, a.k.a. To Mega Therion. Crowley died of heart failure on December 1st, 1947 Era Vulgari, at 11 a.m., at 72 years of age. His funeral was held on December 5th; and so we find this date to be fitting to commemorate that earlier Thelemic saint, Ankh-af-na-khonsu (Ankhfnkhons I), of whom Crowley claimed to be a reincarnation.
While not all Thelemites hold the lesser and greater feast days of the prophet to be official holy occasions, we find a clear injunction in "Liber Legis", 2:41 ("a feast for life and a greater feast for death"), 2:66 ("whoso seeth it shall be glad"), and 2:79 ("blessing it is the veil of sorrow, & the pall of death: this is none of me. Tear down that lying spectre of the centuries"
Death is a feast greater than that of birth, not because it is better to die than to live -- on the contrary, we love life above all -- but to abolish the age-old tendency to regard death as an unfortunate end to material existence. It is, in fact, merely the end of one of an unending series of incarnations in some or other material form. Beyond the terrible agony of the process of dying is an experience not to be dreaded. "Aye! feast! rejoice! there is no dread hereafter. There is the dissolution, and eternal ecstasy in the kisses of Nu." ("L", 2:44.) Death culminates in a form of "Samadhi "or "Union", in which there is only the greatest ecstasy; so it is a lack of understanding which leads us to mourn over it.
There are those who claim that Aleister Crowley failed as the prophet of a new religion, and that all of the problems during the latter portion of his life prove their point. Having spent a small fortune on publishing books and pursuing his mission to spread the joyous Law of Love under Holy Will, he died nearly penniless and without popular recognition for his abundant wisdom and talent. But it is short-sightedness that sees his life as a failure. His body of work is enormous and nothing short of brilliant; and that work will only continue to gain popular appreciation as time goes by.
All of this was foreseen back in 1904 E.V., when the following portent was given ("L", 2:53-54):
"Fear not, o prophet, when these words are said, thou shalt not be sorry. Thou art emphatically my chosen; and blessed are the eyes that thou shalt look upon with gladness. But I will hide thee in a mask of sorrow: they that see thee shall fear thou art fallen: but I lift thee up.
"Nor shall they who cry aloud their folly that thou meanest nought avail; thou shall reveal it: thou availest: they are the slaves of because: They are not of me."
It took a couple of centuries for Christ to be popularized after his death. It is a lack of vision that estimates Aleister Crowley's efforts to have been in vain. Humanity is slow to catch up to its prophets.
We remember our prophet not with sadness but with gladness, knowing that a victorious destiny awaits his work, as prophesied -- for the prophecies of "The Book of the Law "have not failed us yet. "There is success." ("L", 3:69.) Such a praeterhuman mind as is so clearly responsible for the transmission of the extraordinary verses of that little book does not work for failure.
Solstitial greetings and well-wishes to all at this joyous time; and may 93 be with ye.
93
93/93
777
Suggested ebooks:
Sepharial - The Basis Of Scripture Prophecy
Aleister Crowley - Liber 052 Manifesto Of The Oto
Aleister Crowley - Greater Ritual Of The Pentagram
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Astral projection (OOBE, out of the body experience) is a popular area of occult literature; for traveling to see other worlds and places while the physical body sleeps or is entranced is an exciting notion. Astral projection is not dangerous. It is as safe as sleeping. Most dreams are probably unconscious astral projections, anyway. Although there has been quite a bit written on the subject, astral projection is difficult for many people. The main difficulty is the tendency to forget dream consciousness upon awakening. Accordingly, the successful practice of astral projection requires work.
Modern psychology discounts the idea of actual OOBE (that the spirit temporarily vacates the physical body). However, the idea is very ancient. The Tibetans have an entire system of yoga (dream yoga) based upon astral projection. And here we have an import-ant assumption: you are involved in an OOBE (at least to a degree) whenever you dream. What sets it apart from a full OOBE is your hazy consciousness during the experience and poor recall afterwards. Many people forget most of their dreams completely. Learning astral projection requires a kind of inner mental clarity and alertness.
Dreams are a door to the subconscious which can be used for psychological and spiritual insight, and sometimes for precognition. Dream content is influenced by external sounds and sensations. For example, a loud external noise (such as a train) will likely appear in your dream (if it doesn't wake you up!). Dreams are also influenced by events of the previous day, by your moods, and by suggestion. Everyone normally dreams 4 or 5 times a night (about every 2 hours). The longest dreams occur in the morning. Everyone dreams. You are more likely to remember the details of your dream when you first wake up. By keeping a dream diary you will improve dream recall. Have writing equipment or a tape recorder at your bedside for this purpose; also a light which isn't too bright. Suggest to yourself several times before you go to sleep, "I will awaken with the knowledge of a dream." Then when you do awaken, move quietly (sometimes just turning over drives the idea away). Remember first, then write the dream down, and then add as many details as possible. The next day check for objective facts and expand if you can (by remembering 'what happened before that'). Once you start remembering your dreams in this way, it will become easier to do so. (If you are unsuccessful at this, and *really* want to remember your dreams, you could arrange for someone to sit by your bedside all night long with a dim light on. Then when he sees your eyes moving back and forth -- rapid eye move-ments, a sign you are dreaming -- he can wake you and ask for a dream report.)
Forms Of Astral Projection
Astral projection may be subdivided into three basic types: mental projection, astral proje-ction (proper) and etheric projection. And your OOBE may shift between them. Mental projection is really simple clairvoyance ('remote viewing'), and 'traveling in your mind'. Imagination plays a key role. The experience of mental projection is not particularly vivid, and you will more likely be an observer than a participant. Nevertheless, mental projection is an important 'way in' to astral projection proper.
During mental projection and astral projection you are able to travel through solid objects, but are not able to act directly upon them or to move them (if they are in the physical world). This is not true during etheric projection. Whether it is simply subconscious expectation, or whether it is a true etheric projection which in theory means that part of your physical body has been relocated with your projection (the etheric or vital part) may be difficult to determine. Etheric projections generally travel at or very near the physical world. There are even cases reported (very, very rare ones) in which the entire physical body is transferred to another location (teleportation), or cases in which the physical body exists and acts in two separate places at once (bilocation)!
But our primary interest is astral projection proper and mental projection to a lesser extent. Astral and mental projection are not confined to the physical world. Travel in the mental and astral realms is feasible, and often preferred. Nor are astral and mental projection restricted to the realm of the earth (you could even go to the moon and planets).
States Of Consciousness
The electrical activity of the brain has been observed and classified with EEG (electroen-cephalograph) equipment; signals picked up from the scalp by electrodes, then filtered and amplified, drive a graph recorder. Brain activity has been found to produce specific ranges for certain basic states of consciousness, as indicated in 'hz' (hertz, or cycles/ vibrations per second):
delta -- 0.2 to 3.5 hz (deep sleep, trance state),
theta -- 3.5 to 7.5 hz (day dreaming, memory),
alpha-- 7.5to 13 hz (tranquillity, heightened awareness, meditation),
beta -- 13 to 28 hz (tension, 'normal' consciousness).
As you can see, some form of physical relaxation is implied in the alpha, theta, and delta consciousness. These states are in fact reached through deep breathing, hypnosis, and other relaxation techniques. OOBE occurs during these states, and delta is probably the most important for it.
The problem is really, as we have said, one of maintaining mental awareness and alert-ness while experiencing these altered states. Experimental subjects hooked to an EEG do not show a discrete change from drowsy to sleep; it is very gradual.
At the threshold between sleep and waking consciousness is a drowsy condition known as the hypnogogic state. OOBE seems to occur during this state, or a variant of it. By careful control of the hypnogogic state (not going beyond it) it is possible to enter OOBE directly.
Basic Techniques
Most methods of astral projection are methods of conditioning. Some form of trance or altered consciousness is always involved. No one ever projects consciously while fully awake (some may think that they do). Although there are many techniques used to prod-uce an astral projection, they boil down to ten of them. They all sort of overlap.
1) Diet-- Certain dietary practices may aid in OOBE, especially at first. These include fasting, vegetarianism, and in general the eating of 'light' foods as discussed in a previous lesson. Carrots and raw eggs are thought to be especially beneficial, but all nuts are to be avoided. Over-eating should be avoided. And no food should be eaten just before an OOBE attempt. If you intend to practice during sleep, for example, allow 2 to 4 hours of no food or drink (except water) before bedtime. In general, we see here the same kind of dietary restrictions advocated for kundalini yoga.
2) Progressive muscular relaxation--This is one of the basic methods used in hypnosis and self-hypnosis. Physical relaxation can assist one in attaining the requisite trance state. These techniques involve beginning at the toes and tensing, then relaxing the muscles, progressively up the entire body.
3) Yoga and breath-- Yoga, mantra, and breathing exercises similarly aim at physical relaxation. The practice of kundalini yoga is particularly relevant, since it is concerned with altered consciousness. In fact the arousal of kundalini requires a similar state of conscio-usness to OOBE.
4) Visualization --This involves a type of extended clairvoyance or picturing of remote surroundings. If you can experience the feeling of being there, so much the better. Although this technique is essentially mental projection, it is possible to deepen mental projection into astral projection through (you guessed it!) visualization. Crowley taught a similar technique: a) visualize a closed door on a blank wall, b) imagine a meditation symbol on the door, c) visualize the door opening and yourself entering through it. And J.H. Brennan describes similar techniques wherein the door is shaped and colored like a tattva, or alternately, a chosen tarot card is visualized and the student visualizes entering into it.
5) Guided imagery - In many respects similar to visualization. Except in this case, there is a guide (or perhaps a voice on tape) directing you by means of descriptions. As with visualization, mental rather than astral projection is most likely.
6) Body of Light --The old Golden Dawn technique. Imagine a duplicate (mirror image) of yourself in front of you. Then transfer your consciousness and sensation to the duplicate ('body of light').
7) Strong willing -- Sort of like creative visualization experienced in the present. That is you express your strong desire to project through your willpower while you visualize yourself doing it.
8) The Monroe techniques -- These are a series of steps developed by Robert Monroe: a) relax the body, b) enter the hypnogogic state, c) deepen the state, d) develop the sensation of 'vibration', e) separate from the body. The Monroe Institute has developed some cassette tapes which are claimed to help in this.
9) Dream control --This is one of the most important techniques. It involves becoming aware that you are dreaming. There are several ways to do this. Oliver Fox says to look for discrepancies in the dream to realize you are dreaming. One occult student I know of visualized a white horse which he could ride wherever he wished to go. After a time, when the horse appeared in his dreams it was his cue that he was actually dreaming/projecting. Don Juan tells Castaneda to look at his hands while he is dreaming. And even the tarot and Cabala may be used as dream signals.
Another method is to tell yourself each night as you go to sleep, "I can fly"; then when you do, you will know you are dreaming. Once you know you are dreaming you can control your dream/OOBE and go anywhere you want. Repetitive activities will also likely influence your dreams. For example, if you are on an automobile trip and spend most of the day driving, you will probably dream about driving. You can condition yourself to be aware you are dreaming by doing a repetitive activity many times (walking across the room or a particular magick ritual, for example). Then when you dream about it, you will know you are dreaming.
10) Dream expansion-A variation on dream control. A dream may be *extended* by imagining it continuing from where it was when you awaken. Then it is just a simple step to 'astral project' by directing you 'dream'. Although all these techniques may appear straightforward, they all require effort. Astral projection is generally learned.
The astral world is the "ghostland" into which one passes after death. It is sometimes possible to visit with the dead, or you might be called upon to reassure and assist those who have just passed over (died) or those who are consciously projecting for the first time. Many spirits, elementals and ghosts exist in the astral world. The magician should feel comfortable there. Tibetan belief is that through proficiency in OOBE, you no longer need reincarnate after death. The astral world is extremely changeable and subject to your thoughts. Your will can control your movements in the astral world, and if you seem to be going somewhere non-volitionally ('astral current') it is probably your true will causing it anyway. You might also experience heightened magical ability while in the astral realm.
This is a popular subject, and there may be other files online about it. Check the MIND file area for OOBE.ARC. This file includes the following articles
MIAS.DOC.
MONROE.DOC.
OBEBOOK.AST
OOBE.THR.
TN.TXT.]
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is the relationship between astral projection and dreams.
2) What is mental projection?
3) List the ten basic methods of astral projection.
by Phil Hansford, 4/88
Suggested ebooks:
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition
Robert Bruce - Treatise On Astral Projection
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