Class at THE CRYSTAL BARN; VISALIA, CA

Protection and Reversal Magick. 

(Saturday, April 11 and 1:00 PM)

The Crystal Barn - 1331 E Noble Avenue, Visalia, CA 93292- crystalbarn@thecrystalbarn.com  
Phone: (559) 732-8537  Fax: (559) 627-6381 

Psychic, magickal, and spiritual attacks happen more often than even most Witches and Magicians realize. The circumstances of attack vary but include: "crossed conditions" brought on by visiting disturbed or haunted places, aggression from spirits in retribution for human actions like pollution, experimental magick gone wrong, accidental attacks by psychics, and intentional curses by Witches and Magicians.

All people, Witches or not, are susceptible to these attacks. The difference: Witches and Magicians can do something about it. In this class you will learn to:

• Recognize the signs and the source of an attack
• Set up early warning systems 
• Appease angry spirits through offerings 
• Perform daily banishings and make amulets that will prevent most attacks 
• Make magickal "decoys" to absorb attacks against you 
• Summon guardian spirits or gods for help 
• Reverse curses and other attacks back upon their sender 
• Bind, confuse, or expel a persistent enemy that will not leave you be.

 

Classes at Bennu-Kheper Lodge in FRESNO, CA

Bennu-Kheper, a magickal lodge that practices in the style of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, proudly presents:

 

Author and Lecturer Jason Miller

This is a rare chance to see Jason on the West Coast. Bennu-Kheper is flying him in from New Jersey. Don’t miss this unique opportunity.

 

* Tickets can be obtained by emailing:  rhager4@sbcglobal.net

 

 Protection and Reversal Magick. 

(Saturday, April 11 and 6:00 PM)

 

Psychic, magickal, and spiritual attacks happen more often than even most Witches and Magicians realize. The circumstances of attack vary but include: "crossed conditions" brought on by visiting disturbed or haunted places, aggression from spirits in retribution for human actions like pollution, experimental magick gone wrong, accidental attacks by psychics, and intentional curses by Witches and Magicians.

All people, Witches or not, are susceptible to these attacks. The difference: Witches and Magicians can do something about it. In this class you will learn to:

• Recognize the signs and the source of an attack
• Set up early warning systems 
• Appease angry spirits through offerings 
• Perform daily banishings and make amulets that will prevent most attacks 
• Make magickal "decoys" to absorb attacks against you 
• Summon guardian spirits or gods for help 
• Reverse curses and other attacks back upon their sender 
• Bind, confuse, or expel a persistent enemy that will not leave you be.

 Finance Magick 

(Sunday, April 12 at 3:00 PM)

  

In this class Jason applies his “strategic sorcery” approach to the field of finance. Well beyond simple money drawing magick, this class will teach you to blend magickal and mundane methods of wealth building. Covering both emergency magick for those in need, and long term fiscal thaumaturgy, this class will give you the tools to become

Classes at BELL BOOK & CANDLE

How Magick Works 1 & 2

Monday May 11, 2009 • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Part 1)
Monday May 18, 2009 • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Part 2)

Bell, Book, & Candle
115 W. Loockerman St.
Dover, DE 19904-7325
(302) 678-4545
info@bellbookandcandle.biz

Anyone can follow a recipe or instruction in a spell kit, but only those who know how magick works can deal with any situation instantly for themselves or others. In this class Jason Miller will teach the underlying principals of practical magick and show how these work in various spells and rituals. If you have been wondering why maybe your spells haven't been as successful as would like, or if you are just looking to take yourself to the next level, this class is for YOU!

Classes in NEW HOPE, PA

Angelic Conjuration 

Tues April 7th   7:30 PM

Mystical Tymes

127 South Main Street   New Hope, Pa. 18938    215-862-5629 

Evocation is much easier than you think it is! In this class Jason will teach streamlined methods of Angelic Magick. Apart from the outer change often covered in his classes, you will learn how to gain initiations and empowerment from the archangels as well as how to attain the Knowledge and Conversation of your Agathodaimon, otherwise known as the Holy Guardian Angel. 

 

Demonic Conjuration 

Tues May 5^th  7:30 PM

Mystical Tymes

127 South Main Street   New Hope, Pa. 18938    215-862-5629
 

A huge portion of Renaissance Magick deals with the conjuration of demons, or sub-lunar spirits. In this class Jason will show how this practice benefits all levels of the spiritual hierarchy and why in some cases it is better to conjure demons than angels. Those that attend both the Angel and Demon class will receive a complete never before seen mini-grimoire written by Jason Miller.

 

Financial Magick 

Tues June 2^nd.  7:30 PM

Mystical Tymes

127 South Main Street   New Hope, Pa. 18938    215-862-5629

In this class Jason applies his “strategic sorcery” approach to the field of finance. Well beyond simple money drawing magick, this class will teach you to blend magickal and mundane methods of wealth building. Covering both emergency magick for those in need, and long term fiscal thaumaturgy, this class will give you the tools to become a true monetary magus. 

Penor Rinpoche has Passed Away

I am in shock.

His Holiness Penor Rinpoche has passed away at approximately 3:30 PM Indian Standard Time on 27 March 2009 at Columbia Asia Hospital, Bangalore. He was the Third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, the Eleventh Throneholder of the Palyul Lineage, and a former Supreme Head of the Nyingma School.

He was also the Lama that first bestowed Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva, and Tantric Vows to me in Maryland at Kunzang Palyul Choeling. The Ratna Lingpa Vajrakilaya Sadhana is still my main Tantric practice. I am in a bit of shock. Though I havent seen him in years he was the kind of being that I took comfort in knowing was still walking the earth. 

Still gathering news but this Blog seems to have the best reporting thus far.

An interesting quote about Penors reuncarnation lineage:

"It is not uncommon for there to be a lengthy span of time between the death of a master and the appearance of his or her subsequent reincarnation. My own tulku lineage is an example of this. There was a 130 years hiatus between the death of the First Pema Norbu in 1757 and the birth of the Second Pema Norbu in 1887. This is common in all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. As for how these gaps come about, while tulkus are understood to have vowed to be continually reborn to help beings, it is not necessary for them to take rebirth in a continuous sequence of lives in this world. It is believed that they can be reborn in other world systems where they continue their compassionate activities, returning only later to this world system. This is how such lapses in tulku lineages are understood in Tibet."

I am really bummed about this. I wanted to go see him at least once more before he passed. No such luck. 

Rather than focus on the controversies and power struggles that are going to arise in the months ahead (say goodbye Jetsumna and Stephen Segal)  I will direct people to his bio here. 

Anonymous Reincarnated Lesbian Dieties

The good Frater, not only suggested that we make posts based upon the questions raised by Anonymous and his post, but mentioned me by name. So I feel it is my duty to add something. 

If you havent read his latest post, go do so now. 

There are a few things here. Let me first say that Pan is an excellent choice for sexuality of any type. Other patrons that I would suggest for Lesbians are:

The most obvious would be Lesvos: Patron God of the Island of Lesbos, which Sappho wrote about and from which we get the word Lesbian, much to the chagrin of the people who still live there. I know a certain 60 year old Greek dude who would love to stand up and proudly proclaim himself a Lesbian without evoking giggles. Of course, there is not a lot of info on Lesvos as a diety, but here are a couple other choices:

Baubo: Greek Goddess of Baudy Humor. She allegedly cheered up Demeter with some dirty jokes than broke her divine depression by lifting her skirt and showing her nether region. Some have suggested this was just humor, some suggest that Baubo had male genitalia, but some suggest that Baubo turned Demeter on, and this was a coded Lesbian act. 

Britomartis: also known as Dictynna is another Goddess that is viewed by some as a Lesbian. Whether she was or wasnt no one can say for sure, but there are a lot of mythological indicators that she was a lover of Artemis. She also allegedly showed her disdain of heterosexual love by fleeing from the affections of King Midos and throwing herself off a cliff to get away from him. The fact that Sappho is said to have died the same way is yet another idicator that there is a bit of a secret tradition going on here. 

Now as to the deeper question that was asked, whether or not Gods change or reincarnate.

First, I would be remiss if I did not point out that Buddhism posits that Dieties of various pantheons all exist, but are still subject to rebirth. Beings of the Deva realm may be powerful and sublime beyond human understanding. They may live for hundreds of millions of years, this giving the appearance of omnipotence, but they are in the end subject to re-birth in a lower realm. Thus a god or goddess may one day find itself a lowly and suffering hell-being, a starving preta (hungry ghost), an animal, or even a human. 

But that type of change is really something that I see as an allegory, not something I interpret literally. Even if it was literal, Dieties life span is longer than humanity has been around, so its an irrelivant point to your problem. 

So the more immediate question is does the nature of dieties change over time? 

Not an easy one.

The first thing to realize is that the nature of dieties is not only more than we know, but more than we can know without becoming dieties ourselves. They exist and travel fully not only in dimensions of space like we do, but time, probability, and consiousness. Thus dieties have not only multiple futures but multiple pasts. Many (though not all) exist in cosmically transcendant as well as manifestly immanent aspects. 

In the the transcendent sense, no, dieties do not change to fit time and culture. If they did, they wouldnt be transcendent. 

In the immanent sense, yes, clearly they do. You can look at history and see this. Hekate was originally an anatolian Solar Goddess. She than morphed into sort of a minor Greek Goddess of roads, childbirth, protection and all sorts of things. Later she took on the chthonic aspects of the underworld and witchcraft and so on. Still later she manifests as a fully transcendent being in the Chaldean Oracles. 

Even YHVH can be seen to evolve like this. In the YHVH narrative we have a very specific  diety of justice and war. Later he gets identified with El in the Elohist narrative that gets intertwined in the Pentatauch making him a much more Universal diety, albeit one that still demands specific sacrifices and specific rules. By the time of the Babylonian captivity you see the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel actually declairing the changes in God thinking of how to relate to his people in a less regimented and more individual fashion. 

For advice on how to relate to dieties directly, see my post here 

I would only add that if the diety you are relating to has a thriving cultus prevalent in a specific culture (ie: Santeria, Vodou, Christianity, Yezidism, Buddhism, etc) than you should make every attempt to relate through fairly orthodox means. 

If not than you should make every attempt to study the history and symbolism of that deity, than rely upon direct experience to flesh it out. Do not disregard history and tradition in favor if your vision, the astral can be a place of deception as easily as it is a place of illumination. Do not disregard vision in favor of history either, just make sure that your vision is genuine. Do not create a diety out of wishful thinking. It is IMO a bit of a stretch to say that Pan is now a Lesbian. If anything Pan is Omnisexual and would make an excellent sexual psychopomp/patron no matter what your sexual orientation. 

With all that said, I would just like to add that in my own personal opinion all this stuff about dieties is a bit over-rated. Meditate, Elevate, and realize the Diety within. 

Absinthe Article re-post

REPOST OF OLD ARTICLE

I was having an absinthe discussion with someone this weekend and thought I might take the opportunity to dust off this article from two years back. Readers of my LJ and of course Behutet, will have seen this before, but I hevnt ever posted it here. 

I realize that the NY Times has declaired Absinthe passe, and as far as the "craze" goes they are correct. There are some of us though that actually like the stuff and are actually happy that we can now purchase it in the USA. 

Incidentally, if you are looking for a good supplier in the US that has a wide selection try DrinkupNY. Not every state has approved the sale of Absinthe in thier own state and evern in NJ its hard to find anything but Lucid on the shelf at your local store. 

The Occult Secrets of the Green Fairy
By Inominandum

It has been over 90 years since Aliester Crowley sat in the Old Absinthe House of New Orleans extolling the virtues of Absinthe his famous essay “The Green Goddess”. Over 90 years since the last bottle of Absinthe was legally imported into the United States. Even with the new Absinthe becoming legal in the European Union, Americans have had to order bottles from overseas and risk the possibility of customs seizure… until now. 

Recently FDA changed its rules to allow 10 parts per million of Thujone, the active ingredient in wormwood, the same as the European Union. In May 2007 the first bottle of legally imported Absinthe hit the shelves of a few select NYC liquor stores. T.A. Breaux, a New Orleans chemist that has devoted his life to understanding the green fairy and making modern versions of the liquor that stand up to the original pre-ban recipes, was the first to take advantage of this with his new brand “Lucid”. Breaux shocked the absinthe world a few years ago by blowing away the misconception that the “Absinthe effect” was caused by large amounts of Thujone, the psychoactive chemical in Wormwood. After he had tested several bottles of belle epoch Absinthes and studied old recipes from before the ban, he determined that most of the Thujone was lost in the distillation process, and that the famous effect of lucid-inebriation is the result of numerous compounds from several herbs working together. I myself can attest to this as I have experienced the same effect from Pernod , an Anisette, and Absente, an Absinthe substitute made with Southern Wormwood, as I have from genuine Absinthe. 

In fact most of the old absinthes had even less Thujone than the absinthes of today. This is particularly true of Eastern European Absinthes that are labeled as “Bitter” indicating a deliberately high Thujone content. Thujone can cause epilepsy and other maladies, so these high-content Absinthes should probably be avoided. Today, it is generally agreed that the historical problem with Absinthe that caused the nearly worldwide ban had much more to do with a smear campaign led by Wine companies who had lost significant market share to Absinthe during the Phyloxera epidemics, than with the liquor itself. Finding people who were wasting away or committing violent acts on the stuff wasn’t hard, most absinthes are around 124 proof after all. 

So to celebrate the Green Fairy’s return to the states I decided it was time for another magician to wax on about the old girl. Far from the LSD like hallucinatory experience that some have accused Absinthe of producing, the real “Absinthe effect” is a peculiar combination of drunkenness and clarity, of inebriation and lucidity that makes it an attractive drink for creative types. You have all the perspective spinning insight and freedom from inhibition brought on by other drinks, but none of the tired stupor that keeps it from reaching the creative medium; be it paper, canvas, or the ritual chamber. Charles Bauldaire, Arthur Rimbaud, Oscar Wilde, Vincent Van Gogh, and Earnest Hemmingway have all been inspired by La Fee Verite to one extent or another. Aliester Crowley felt moved enough to pen an invocation and essay to the Green Goddess, as well as include a reference to it in the Simon Iff stories. Recently in his book Vodou Shamen Ross Heaven broke the code of silence surrounding the Haitian Houngan initiation ceremony and revealed that Absinthe plays an important role in the process. 

Leaving the chemical analysis to the professionals like Mr. Breaux, when I first got interested in absinthe I noted that it had some very magickally potent herbs in it, that make it uniquely suitable to its use in certain types of magick. Here than are some insights into the hidden virtues of a few of the wonderful plants that make this magickal liquor.

WORMWOOD: First and foremost we must deal with the herb that gives Absinthe its name: Artemesia Absinthium known commonly as Wormwood. Because of its bitterness Wormwood has many diabolical and evil connotations in the Bible. In revelations for instance: 
“And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. “(Rev 8:10-11)

In this passage the Star refers to the morning star (Venus) of Lucifer and his descent. Fans of C.S. Lewis will also note that the minor Devil that is being instructed in the arts of temptation in the Screwtape Letters is named Wormwood. The connection between Wormwood and the infernal realms is further amplified by a legend that it first sprang up in the ground trod by Nechesh, the serpent of Eden. In the recently unearthed (or completely fabricated) Ordines Descendens, Satan is referred to by the name Wornwood in the 1st of the 13 infernal Enochian keys:
“I bind unto my voice the strong obendience, ye first mighty Dragon of Creation, thou all powerful Lucifer, Lord Satan, who is called Wormwood…”

In practice wormwood has been burned with Sandalwood to summon the spirits of the dead. The Ars Philtron, written by Daniel A Schulke, the current head of the Cultus Sabbati, claims that Wormwood is sacred to Lilith and is useful in making “the spirit become flesh” in divinatory workings. In American Hoodoo the herb isn’t as popular as in Europe but has gained a reputation as a protective herb, especially for protection during travels. 

ANISE: When imbibing good Absinthe, stronger even the taste of wormwood, is the licorice taste of Anise, Pimpinella anisum. Anise has an extremely old pedegree and was listed among many aromatic plants in a scroll of cuneiform from the library at Nineveh, established by King Ashurbanipal of Assyria (668-633 B.C.E.). Pythagoras recommended its use in treating epilepsy, an ailment that interestingly enough can be brought on by ingesting to much wormwood, thus displaying another combination of opposites that make Absinthe so alluring. Pliney the elder recommended Anise as an ingredient in Dream Pillows that would protect one from nightmares and aid in psychic vision, a use that has continued in unbroken tradition since that time. 

STAR ANISE: Not botanically related to Anise proper is Illicium Verum, or Star Anise. This Asian tree is planted around tombs and temples throughout Japan, but is known in Europe and America for its very fragrant and star shaped seed capsules. Though sometimes burned as an incense for generating psychic visions, just the smell of the seeds alone is often enough to excite the subtle senses. It is common for sorcerers to keep a bowl of the seeds on their altars or near their beds for this exact purpose. 

FENNEL: Another herb that appears in almost all Absinthes is Fennel or Faeniculum Vulgare. When Prometheus stole fire from Zeus to give to the mortals, he hid the flame in the hollow of a fennel stalk, thus forever connecting the herb with divine rebellion and forbidden arcana such as is connected with Lucifer, and the Nephelim. 

Fennel is further connected with mercury and the powers of mental acuity. The Greek word for Fennel was "marathon" because the famous battle at Marathon (490 BC) against the Persians was fought on a field of Fennel. Roman soldiers would chew Fennel before battle to stay sharp and Puritans used to chew the seeds to stay awake through their long religious services. 

American Hoodoo has a different spin on the herb. Here fennel is used to keep meddling people at bay: especially police. With Oregano and Black Mustard Seed, it is a common ingredient in so-called “Law Keep Away” oils, powders, and mojo hands. An interesting component when one considers Absinthes historical illegality. 

HYSSOP: Hyssopus Officialis has been the purification herb par excellance for centuries. Psalm 51 notes:
“Purge me with Hyssop; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow”

It was used in Europe for combating the plague is one of the herbs used in the creation of the ritual aspergillum in the Greater Key of Solomon, which must be bound together by a thread spun by a virgin. Its Camphor like smell makes it ideal for banishing and clearing the head to make way for magick. Interestingly enough, Absinthe isn’t the only green liquor to contain Hyssop. It is also a main ingredient in Chartreuse, named after the head monastery of the Carthusian order where it is made. 

So what have we here? If the chemical virtues of Absinthe have been shown to be a peculiar mixture of stimulants and inebriants, than so have the magickal virtues. Wormwood, Anise and Star Anise for their psychic qualities, Fennel for its clarity, and Hyssop for its purification. The “Divine Rebel” connection of Wormwood and Fennel make this a powerful potion for works of Luciferian Gnosis. The color of absinthe lends itself to this interpretation as well: green being the occult color of Venus, the morning star. It also recalls the legend of the emerald which fell from Lucifer’s crown, that was used to create the Holy Grail. 

Far from the corrupting influence that Absinthe came to be known for, it has treated me well over the last few years as a cool drink to enjoy with friends on a summer day, and as a ritual libation used to invoke the Angel of the First Fire, who fell for freedoms sake. It is my hope that more magicians and witches will have the daring to experiment with our Green Lady as she becomes more and more available here in the United States. 

Inominandum, 
Summer Solstice, 2007

BLOGTASTIC

Just wanted to mention a couple new blogs that I am adding to the space on the right. 

The first is one that I though I got last time, but apparently forgot:

A MAGES BLOG

This one is by my buddie Jow, who shares my deep appreciation for Franz Bardon. Apart from that he is an Omnimancer and a member of a group that practices Arabic magic. 

The next is one written by a dude who I bickered with back and forth before we both realized that we probably agreed more than disagreed on things. 

LES MYSTERE'S DES HOUDEAUX

Strong Bertiaux influence here, and like Bertiaux I can't claim to understand everything he is getting at in a linear fashion, yet I walk away with something each time from reading a post. 

Wasted day

I woke up at 11am today. 

I sat around all day and watched TV with my pregant wife. 

Other than two trips to the store and a short meditation session in the back yard I did zip. 

Ever have that tired feeling that you get from doing absolutely nothing? Its as if inertia itself was exhausting. 

Happy Sunday Y'all

NeuroScience and Contemplative Traditions

Wow. Huge thanks to Vaj for truning me on these links. Just click and watch when you have time. 

Actually, strike that. Make the time. 

Really great stuff. 

Video of Conference Presentations Now Available
Conference videos are available via Google Video. Videos are available for those presenters who have released them for public viewing. Videos for those presentations appearing on the conference schedule, but not listed here, are not available. Follow these links to view videos:

Sunday Afternoon - The Neuroscience of Buddhist Contemplative Practices
Andrew Dreitcer, opening remarks
B. Alan Wallace, presenting
Daniel J. Siegel, responding

Sunday Evening - The Neuroscience of Jewish Contemplative Practices
Rabbi Henoch Dov Hoffman, presenting
Rick Hanson, responding

Monday Morning - The Neuroscience of Christian Centering Prayer
Rick Hanson, "Forming Your Spirit"

Monday Panels - Scientific, Philosophic, Contemplative and Theological Perspectives in Conversation
Group 1
Brent Field
Martinez Hewlett
Greg Peterson

Group 2
William Waldron
Petr Janata
Steve Padilla
Daniel Siegel
Larry Ward

Group 3
Roland Faber
David Roy

Group 4
Thandeka
Ed Bastian

Monday Evening - Developing a Contemplative Mind
Monica A. Coleman, "On Baking and Biking"
Daniel Siegel, responding

POSTED BY ANNE WALKER AT 11:22 AM 0 COMMENTS 

Download Conference Papers

Welcome letter by Andrew Dreitcer (20Kb)
Opening Address by Andrew Dreitcer (24Kb)
"Space, Time and Deity: Considerations on Theological Presuppositions of Inquiry" by Roland Faber (26Kb)
"Forming Your Spirit: Practical Ways to Use Brain Science to Cultivate Wholesome States of Mind" by Rick Hanson (78Kb)
"The Neuroscience of Jewish Contemplative Practices" by Rick Hanson (26Kb)
"How might music-related spiritual experiences manifest themselves in the brain?" by Petr Janata (10Mb)
"A Perspective on Neuroscience and Contemplation" by Ben Johnson (24Kb)
"Four Process Observations on Neuroscience & Spiritual Practices" by David E. Roy (68Kb)
"Science and Religion: Mortal Enemies or Synergistic Allies?" by David E. Roy (30Kb)
"A Buddhist Philosophical Critique of Naturalizing Mind" by William S. Waldron (137Kb)
"Climbing Taos Mountain" by Martinez Hewlett (40Kb)

An addendum to Mystic vs Esoteric

A good way to think of the difference between the two is that the esoteric paths are paths of effort. The mystical paths emphasise letting go of effort. In most cases even the simple effort of single pointed meditation needs to be released to allow true contemplation.

As an aside, I first encountered this process described in these terms meditation and contemplation, from Namkhai Norbu explaining the difference between threkChod and shine in Dzogchen. I later encountered the same exact description when reading Theresa of Avila. I found on Sunday when hanging out with JR that Norbu borrowed the terms from Theresa.

Esoteric vs Mystic

Esotericism vs Mysticism

So today I wanted to write a bit about the Esoteric vs the Mystic. Since both of these terms have different meanings for different people at different times, I need to narrow these terms a bit. For instance, when speaking of religion in general we can thing of most of them as having an exoteric (outer) and esoteric (side). Islam for instance (exo) has within it Sufism (eso); Judaism (exo) has Merkava and Khabbalah (eso); Buddhism has Sutra (exo) and Tantra (eso); Christianity (exo) has to many esoteric branches within it to even count. In this case the division is between an outer religion for the masses, and an inner practice for few. In most cases the outer religion rests much more on the development of faith (pistis), and the inner religion depends more upon direct experience (gnosis).

Once we focus exclusively on the interior practices of direct experience, the term Esoteric takes on another facet which distinguishes it not from Exoteric, but from Mystic. In this case Mystic paths tend to be concerned with union or ultimate realization directly and as fast as possible. Esoteric paths on the other hand, while having the same ultimate goal, tend to be much more concerned with mapping the territory and levels between the material and divine, doing things in graduated stages, and traveling the various by-ways and off-shoots that one may encounter on the way.

For instance, when one thinks of classical Gnosticism, Khabbalah, Hermetics, Tantra, Alchemy etc, we think of it is esoteric. However, when you think of Zen, Dzogchen, Sufism, Quakersism, and Hesychasm we think of them as mystics. In Christianity the esotericists have been marginalized completely, while mystics like John of the Cross, Jacob Boheme, Meister Ekhart, and even Thomas Merton have, while still on the fringe, been somewhat acceptable.

The Esoteric paths tend to rely upon complex external maps and processes for generating experience. Most emphasize passing through various spheres or encountering specific beings in a specific order. Various levels of the subtle body are explored and strengthened. Esoteric paths cultivate certain virtues and qualities in the mind and body one at a time, each one counterbalancing the other and leading one closer and closer towards divinity or enlightenment.

Mystic paths tend to cast aside the complex maps of the esoteric paths and focus instead upon simplicity, openness, relaxation, and direct perception without need of modification. Love is emphasized strongly by mystics of the Sufi and Christian traditions as a path in and of itself. Instead of traveling specific levels, the mystics see enlightenment as something that can be attained in an instant. Whereas Esoteric paths tend to utilize lots of rituals in their work, Mystics emphasize silence and meditation. Where the esoteric paths emphasize a path to travel, the mystics tend to emphasize realizing that you are already there and always were.

Most practical magick is an off-shoot of the various esoteric paths, yet ironically I consider myself more of a mystic than an esotericist when it comes to my own spiritual path. From the first mystical experience I had when I was five, to all the most important experiences I have had since, they have almost all been brought on by mystic methods rather than esoteric work. That’s not to say that I haven’t had a good many experiences brought on by esoteric ritual, but I largely consider these secondary, none have shaken me to the core. For instance, every month the Sodality I belong to works a path on the tree of life, but I consider that more about going over territory that I have already traveled in greater detail. It’s like taking a plane to California, than going back and walking it to enjoy the trip. If you have already been to the destination, there is no hurry.

If you attain Gnosis through mystical means, than you can use the various aspects of the esoteric paths as tools to accomplish this or that. Namkhai Norbu is very big on this. He teaches Tantra from a Dzogchen perspective, insisting that if one realizes rigpa, one need not bother with many of the Tantric processes in order to use some of the Tantric Sorcery. Instead you can use the Tantric Sorcery to support your Gnosis when needed. That’s why you will find lots of really short, pithy sadhanas filled with action mantras at a Norbu retreat, whereas you tend to find long (sometimes painfully long) sadhanas at most Tantric teachings, and than have to pull teeth to get someone to talk about the magtickal actions (dbang g).

Of course there are many examples of how these two are mixed. Abramelin for instance uses primarily mystical methods for attaining the K&C of the HGA and than applies that to further Esoteric work like binding the demons and so on. I don’t think that one is better than the other. In all cases I think that there are thousands of different ways to suit thousands of different dispositions. What teaching is “higher” than another depends solely upon what teaching would be best for you. Milarepa for instance encountered a Dzogchen teacher before he went to Marpa. Because it was too subtle of a teaching, he didn’t grasp it, and thus it was not a higher teaching for him. This is true even for completely outer paths. If your “outer life” has a higher volume than your “inner life” than outer religion is higher for you than any esoteric or mystical persuit. If however your inner life is more “real” to you than the “outer life”, you need eventually to decide if you are mainly a mystic or an esoteric.

Act of Consecration of Man

Does anyone have a ritual script for the Christian Communities "The Act of Consecration of Man"?

Fideli d' Amore

Hows this for an obscure dream reference? I dreampt last night that I was being initiated into the Fideli d' Amore, the mystical order that Dante belonged to. Though of course I knew about it I havent read about it recently to my knowlege. 

The initiation took place undreground in a catacomb of white archways (which is the first thing that I see when I do my yearly Sirus working, so thats probably where that comes from). Under each of the arches were suspended large calligraphy paintings from Ibn Arabi, which is not totally off according to what I know about the order. I was being taught how to view my wife and children as Sophia to reveal myself as Christ. 

I awoke quite peaceful and had the opportunity to meditate for about an hour and a half this afternoon on the beach, which helped maintain that peace all day long. 

Financial Hand Testimonial

I have been getting some feedback in from the Financial Hands already. 

This one arrived today and is posted here with permission:

"Hello, Jason:
 
There must be something to your Magic Hand; because in this time of layoffs - the company I work for being no exception in any small measure - I received a $1500 bonus check today. I feel a little guilty while folks are being laid off around me, but I appreciate the gift nonetheless, and realize the MH's potency.  The magic worked two-folds for me.  One, I recieved extra monies from the most unlikeliest source. And two, I get to keep my job for the time being.
 
So thanks, Jason.
 
I look forward to your book, your 52 week thing you're working on....and I won't fail to mention your Magic Hand and website to others.
 
Much appreciations...."

The Future of Christian Mysticism

I actually got the attention of my publisher by ripping Carl McColeman a new asshole for his article on beliefnet about Spellbooks hurting Wicca. 

Since Carl converted to Christianity however, I have been one of his biggest fans. 

He wrote a great article here: on The Future of Christian Mysticism. 

Follow his site if its your cup of tea. 

Tibetan Uprising Day

Today is Tibetan Uprising day, this one in particular is the 50th Tibetan Uprising day. I havent heard very much news out of Tibet or Nepal, which is good, though news travels slowly. 

In 2000 a riot broke out between the Tibetans and the Nepalese police in the town I was living in on this date. I don't talk a lot about the Free Tibet movement because I am not political. However, since I did get involved in the events of that day, mostly taking photos and moving fallen people out harms way so they didnt get trampled. I wanted to take this day to point out two sites. 

The first is the official website of the government in exile, and has enough links for anyone that wants to get involved in just about any aspect of teh Free Tibet movement. 

The second is The Muktinath Foundation which is a site that my friend Andre runs to help a group of Nuns and a sacred site. I was asked in 2002 by Ven Chokyi Trichen, Wangyal Lama, and Andre to be their point man in the States, which I declined for pretty selfish reasons. I figure the least I can do is point people in their direction once a year. 

The third is a page that I set up with my photos from the protests that I got caught up in. A week after I took these the cops came looking for me. Thankfully I got a heads up from my landlady before they found me and I was able to get to the American consulate before I turned myself in. If they hadnt gotten the call from the consulate first, I am not sure if things would have been handled as cordially as they were. 

The Astral Temple

Ever since reading Lavanah’s post “Renovating the Astral Temple”  I have been meaning to post something about it.

 

I am curious: How many of you out there use an Astral Temple in your work? I think that some people may write this type of work off as mental masturbation or just plain fantasy, but they shouldn’t. I find the astral temple to be quite a useful piece of my magickal world.

 

I actually didn’t start building my astral temple, I discovered it. This was back when I was something like 15 or 16 and Don and I were mucking about with anything occult that we could find at the Ocean County Library, which for some reason had a curiously extensive occult section. Don may even remember us each discussing the tale below on the phone one night. We were both working through a book about channeling of all things, and the first step was to visualize a vase and than blend your own astral body with the vase. Not really quite realizing at the time that the idea was not really to visualize a vase, but to get your astral body to feel empty so that it could be filled, I visualized a very detailed Egyptian style reliquary that I can still see quite clearly the moment I recollect it. It was the first visualization I had ever done. When I blended the vase with my astral body, I literally fell in the vase. I remember the feeling of traveling through a tunnel and suddenly arising in a Library.

 

I looked around the library, and though I may have arrived via an Egyptian vase, the Library was a style that I now recognize as rococo. My attention was instantly brought to a book at the center of the room on a pedestal. It was in French but the moment I touched it changed to English and I could read what it said. It explained that the Library was part of a large mind-temple from one of my past lives and was the only room to survive the reincarnation process intact. I saw doors at each end of the room and opened one of them to find nothing but white space outside. After exploring the library a bit for a few weeks, I began to build rooms, some of which I use even now.

 

So what is the Astral Temple and what is its use?

 

To start with, the astral temple is a bit of a misnomer as it’s not quite on the astral plane. It’s in the mind, which means that the temple is you. It is not significantly different from a dream. When you dream you may appear in the dream as yourself. But you are also the environment that you appear in, the other people you meet, and the interactions that you have. It’s all you. This makes the astral temple an excellent gateway to Onieric Sorcery and vice versa.

 

While the temple may be in your mind, it is rooted in your deep mind, where you connect to the Astral and Causal levels of reality. Like certain special dreams, though it may take place in the mind, it can open up to the reality outside the mind. In a way it exists on the borderland of the self.

The more you work with the astral temple, the more solid it becomes. To this day, the most solid room in my temple is the library because it has a whole other lifetime of use before my own. All these years later it still feels like a room that has a life of its own.  Some times when I intend to enter the temple via another room, I end up in the library by accident. That’s how strong that presence is.

 

Rooms like the grail temple, chantry, and so on that get used fairly often also feel like real rooms. They even get dusty when I haven’t used them for some time.  Rooms that I created to do some kind of one shot work or play around in, have the least solidity. I visted a room I haven’t used since college before writing this to check it out, while it is certainly still there it feels like my observations are creating it as I go. The other rooms definitely feel that they exist whether I am paying attention or not.

 

Because the astral temple does exist on the border of the self (which doesn’t really have a border – a deeper mystery than I feel like getting into here) you can connect it to other astral temples. When Brownlee and Vitale and I created the Iadnama Lodge I linked it to my astral temple. They haven’t been there in years and I can tell. We started to do some more of that kind of work in the Old Snake Cabal, but when that project evolved into a prolonged pharmacomagickal sessions, I locked the doors to the space we created.

 

I plan on writing a part 2, to this essay eventually, but will stop for now. If you are looking for something good to read on getting started building an astral temple I recommend the essay “Constructing the Castle” by William Gray which was one of the chapters in his book “The Sangreal Sacrament”.  At least that should hold you over until my Strategic Sorcery 52 Week course is launched this summer.

 

POST OF THE WEEK

And favorite blog post of the week goes to.....

MOJO MIKES MUSINGS for "A RANT IN SUPPORT OF MAGICKAL RECIPES AND FORMULAIC SPELLS"

Read it now, if you have not already, 

Aww Man!

I so wish I had a spare 98 bucks for a book right now. 

http://www.amazon.com/Kilaya-Nirvana-Tantra-Vajra-Wrath/dp/3700136781

Magick Fail or Success?

At my day job there were rumors of lay-offs, so naturally I did some mojo to protect myself (EMAHO! DZAMBHALA MARPO!) and I was protected from the lay-off.

What I was not protected from is the hour/salary reduction that hit everyone left. So I ask you, was this magick pass or magick fail? Even though its gonna sting (badly) I chalk it up as a success because the hour and salary cuts were accross the board, and its supposedly only till Sept 1, which I will believe on september 2nd and not before...

RCC can go to hell.

Some times the church is just repugnant beyond words. 

http://www.smh.com.au/world/nineyearold-incest-victim-aborts-twins-20090305-8oom.html

Nine-year-old 'incest victim' aborts twins

• March 5, 2009 - 11:33AM

A nine-year-old girl who was carrying twins, allegedly after being raped by her stepfather, has undergone an abortion despite complaints from Brazil's Catholic Church.

Police said the stepfather has been jailed since last week.

Abortion is illegal in Brazil, but judges can make exceptions if the mother's life is in danger or if the foetus has no chance of survival.

Fatima Maia, director of the public university hospital where the abortion was performed, said the 15-week-old pregnancy posed a serious risk to the 36-kilogram girl.

"She is very small. Her uterus doesn't have the ability to hold one, let alone two, children," Ms Maia told the Jornal do Brasilnewspaper.

But Marcio Miranda, a lawyer for the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife in north-eastern Brazil, said the girl should have carried the twins to term and had a caesarean section.

"It's the law of God: do not kill. We consider this murder," Ms Miranda said in comments reported by O Globo.

Calls to Ms Miranda were not returned.

Brazil is home to more Catholics than any other nation.

Sex, Money, and Exploitation

Once again there is a meme circling the blogs; this time about exploitation of students by Orders and Teachers. It started here on Von Fautsus Blog where he clarified his distaste for certain orders with some interesting comments. It than traveled here to Doing Magick who makes some valid points, though took some of Fausts comments out of context. Than it ran over to MyGal who wrote quite wisely on sex. 

Since its to cold to do my original project for the day: working in the Garage on a Retro-sci-fi ray gun, I have opted instead to read "The Black Dossier" and do a bit of blogging. 

Now, as you all know, I have been around the block. I have seen both groups and individual teachers exploit students for sex and money. A good friend of mine was basically driven to bankruptcy by getting suckered into poor investments by a Lama. This is not some fake Lama like Ngakpa Chuggers, but a very well respected Tibetan Lama. I also know of another well respected and even more famous Tibetan Lama that did not admit to fathering a child with one of his students until a Paternity suit revealed him as the father. On the western side, we had a coven here in NJ where the "High Priest" was sexually initiating underage girls into his coven. In the Lodge I helped start in Philadelphia we lost a recruit because, I found out later, she was being hounded by another member that wanted to teach her sex magick and couldnt seem to take a polite no as a final answer. A lodge of a different order that I won't mention here in NJ has been known to financially bleed its recruits dry and initiate spurrius law suits when they try to leave. 

So, bad stuff happens all over the place. There is no safe haven. No order that I can recommend that you are free from exploitation. No tradition that is enlightened enough to be free from the abuse of money, sex, and power.

Does this mean that I think that money and sex should be kept far away from Magick?

NO! HELL NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!

I want MORE money and sex in magick! I just want people to be smart about it. 

Lets deal with sex first:

Traditions that utilize sex as part of the practice have long been criticized as being simply an excuse to have sex. What I cant figure out is: When have people ever needed an excuse to have sex? 

One of the criticisms leveled at the OTO by tight assed Dion Fortune types is that they are a sex-cult. I WISH! I have a lot of criticisms of the order, but my only criticism of its sex-magick practices are that they arent introduced to most of the members at all! The OTO should be applauded for the way it handles this aspect of the art.  Even when the lodge you are in isnt a complete sausage fest, you can get laid much easier at a Pagan group, than you can in an OTO group. They keep that shit under wraps. Less than 5% of the people in the order are in the Hermit Triad that actually practices the sex teachings. Of course everyone manages to get the documents clandestinely, I got Emblems & Modes through the Chthonic Auranian route, but even then the groups that practice are few and secretive.

Now as for Tantra we need to first distinguish the real deal from the fake stuff. Sorry Robert, Sylvia may be laying down some awsome sex and breath tech. and you should be all means make use of it, but Tantra it ain't. If there is no Guru and Abhisheka, there is no Tantra. Period.  That said, much of the neo-tantric sex tech stuff is actually wonderful tech and I am all for people rescuing it from its original format as long as they do not profess to be Tantrikas. Its like being in support of people making use of medical tech but not claiming to be MD's. Its really that simple. 

Now I have mainly been exposed to Tantra through Tibetan channels and if you look hard enough you will find plenty of tales of sexual exploitation in the Tibetan scene. Most of them however just boil down to misundertandings. For instance, one woman I met was claiming that a certain Lama sexually harassed her because he asked if she wanted to sleep with him. I pointed out that the Lama in question is not a monk, and that given the cultural differences it was probably good for him to make his intentions so blunt. When she declined, he didnt get upset, so I fail to see what the problem was. She replied that because he is a Lama he should be "beyond all that". Ah, problem revealed. This same situation has played out numerous times with different players. 

MONEY

In the 60's and 70's magick and witchcraft became a hobby for hippies. In doing so it picked up a lot of the hippie counter cultural ethic. Even today, magick is for some primarily a game of cultural warfare. It wasnt that long ago when one of my friends, Al Billings, was asked how he could reconcile his interest in magick with the fact that he had a corporate job! As if all magicians had to be either trust-fund babies or street urchins. 

At the Crucible convention this year, I overheard a conversation between two young men that real magickal training must be free or its not real. This saddens me deeply. Those that adhere to this ethic are dooming the art to forever being a side project and a hobby. 

The reality is this: everything in this world takes money. We all only have a certain amount of hours per week. Unless you are really lucky there is a good chance that a lot of those hours have got to be spent making money. Setting aside reimbursement for space and supplies, if your magickal teachers are not making money by either A) Teaching or B) Doing Magick than they probably dont have a lot of time to devote to it. 

Isaac Bonowitz has been bitching about establishing a paid Pagan clergy for decades now. In a religion where there is no congregation and everyone is ostensibly clergy, its not gonna happen. A better choice would be to follow the ATR model. Take donations and such as religious ceremonies to cover the space and the supplies, but let the clergy, or the really kick ass practitioners make a living by doing magick for hire. 

Only last week I was contacted by a friend of mine that runs a Gardnerian Coven. They were contacted by someone that needs a major un-crossing, possibly an exorcism. Since getting paid for magick is against the ardains, and since they recognized that this was going to require more than a single shot cone of power from one of their Sabbat meetings (a force not to be underestimated BTW, my friend works major mojo) they opted to send him my way.  Thus the benefit of taking money for magick: it actually gets done. 

As for initiation costs: they are what they are. The OTO charges more for a 3rd degree ritual than I would want to pay, but for someone working that system its not too much to be asked. Some initiations in the ATR's can cost thousands, but again, the benefit is that you are in a tradition where you can make that back by doing work for others. In some cases fees are inflated just to keep "a certain class of people" out. Not my kind of thinking, but they have every right to do so. If you want to start a cabal of righ mages, than charging 30 grand for admittance is a good way to do it. 

Do people take advantage? Of course, there are people who will take advantage of anything. In most of the world when getting a reading its pretty common to be offered some kind of magick to help remedy whatever bad news comes up in  the reading. If you get a reading because you are afraid of loosing your job and he says you are going to run into some financial hardship and the reader offers to do a money drawing spell for 50 bucks; you can say yes or no without feeling the reader is scamming you. They are probably just trying to help. Of however at that reading the reader insists that you are cursed and you need to bring him 1000 dollars to pay for a curse removal, you are being scammed.

When a Guru starts dishing out business advice and insisting you make certain investments because of his divinations, than its probably time to bail. If however you are pumping your Guru for advice and you follow it blindly because its the "word of the master" than you are just a dumb ass. I am always surprised by the people who will go to Tibetan Lamas that are Monks for advice on marriage and business. Hello! He may be very wise, but the two things that a monk doesnt know shit about are marriage and business. 

Same things with sex. Ladies, if I ever ask any of you out there if you want to learn the secrets of sex magick through some hands on instruction (presumably I would be divorced before asking, or I assure you I would be divorced shortly thereafter :-) than you have the right to say yes or to say no. If I harrass you or cajole you into it, than I am exploiting you. If however I just want to show you a technique that can only be taught that way, and make no mistake some techniques are best taught that way, than its not exploitation, its genuine teaching. 

In all cases the onus is on the student to evaluate the teacher. Do not attribute undo importance to a request for sex or money because of someones spiritual or magickal status. Make sure that you also do not interpret all such requests as exploitive. They  may be offering what they think is a good investment, a valid teaching, or just a fun romp in the sack.