links

The Information Super-Skryway

(I was going to use a serious title, but then I thought of the pun, and puns always win)
A friend recently did some damage to her energy body. She asked me to take a look, see if I could figure out what had gone wrong, and what she did, so I did just that. I told her I saw a blockage in a certain area, three hours later she left a party in pain, three hours after that she was in the hospital . Sure enough where I saw the block there was a calcification in her body, a literal physical block, and it flared up bad. Don’t know which came first, the energetic or the physical, both can bleed into the other, but it doesn’t really matter. (She’s being treated and doing better in case anyone cares about my random friends)
Anyways, this story is to make a point, but first I have to make another supporting point, I was right. Sounds odd, but the thing is I met this friend once in passing, we’ve really only communicated online via facebook. I don’t have any physical links to her, haven’t known her long enough or connected enough to have etheric links to her, but none the less I was able to link to her and view her, evidently accurately, without any difficultly.
On facebook a week or so back The Professor mentioned that she left facebook open on her computer, which was kept right beside her bed. She found her dreams and the people in them corresponded with people using facebook at that time, and more interesting than that two people messaged her in that time, and she dreamt of them messaging her, though her dream communications were different from the real ones. Here it looks like she is accidently connecting to people through facebook in her dreams. Both of these events got me thinking about attitudes around the internet and links in magick.
Despite this, all the time in books, and more ironically online, I see people saying you can’t get a magickal link online, that you can’t hook that astral connection through a digital medium, and then talking about all these super complicated ways to forge links. I’ve had someone tell me that my divination services must surely be fraudulent because I don’t require pictures, names, and birthdates to do my readings. I’ve seen people in flame wars (cause let’s face it, magickians can still be a big bunch of children online too) say they’re safe from magickal harm, not due to their defense, but because it’s the internet and you can’t reach them through it.

You can purchase this print from http://www.inprnt.com/gallery/tristan_elwell/curses-inc/

You can purchase this print from http://www.inprnt.com/gallery/tristan_elwell/curses-inc/

I don’t know where this attitude came from. I could see it being from two related sources. Either the inability for some magickal folks to update to the times, or a resistance to such experimentation because it seems goofy. I guess I was lucky I avoided this attitude (in part because the net was barely a thing when I started some of my training), but early on I was taught how to grab links through phone conversations, and when chatting moved online it was just a skill I transferred. (Or maybe the horrible portrayal of Technopagans on Buffy shot down the serious discussion) Or perhaps I was influenced the other way through growing up watching Reboot and could see the net as being a thriving and alive system to surf from place to place?
Personally I don’t see why you can’t establish a link online. “But people use aliases and fake names.” And they do so in real life, and they might have shields and glamours, but you can still grab a link if you know what you’re doing. “But the net is just ones and zeros, there is nothing for magick to travel along.” Other than the communication itself, or the signals, or the wires… “If you don’t already have a connection, you can’t make the link.” Funny that doesn’t seem to be an issue when we exclude the net, we make do, and I argue the net works just fine.
Now, my caveat before I continue, is you can’t necessarily use any communication online for a link (or perhaps you can, but it just becomes far more difficult). There does seem to be a time limit. I won’t even posit how long it is, but it seems like the older a communication online is, the harder it is to connect with. Think of it like sensing someone’s energy in a room. You can walk in a few minutes later, and get them no problem, an hour, it’s a bit harder, a day, maybe, more than that it will take serious work to grab on. Online it’s the same, also there is an element of diffusion I find. I can use an email or facebook message as a link for a longer period than I could a facebook status or forum post. I don’t know if it is because one is directed at me, or if being more public it gets “washed” away, or some combination (or third or more options, reality is complex).
Without the internet, if I lack a strong link the easier way for me to connect to someone is through a mirror. (Some of my earliest training was with magickal mirrors, so it’s not surprising I fall back into it) I sit in front of the mirror (I have a triangular black mirror I use), often have candles going to get the light level right, and I relax. Then any connection I can muster I put into the mirror. Just their name if I only have that, or a memory or incident (the man who ran into my mother at the store), or connections (So-and-so’s boss), whatever mental or energetic link I can drudge up I put into the mirror. Eventually this builds until the mirror becomes a gate, and I can skry through it. No physical or pre-existing link needed, but now I have my way to reach them. (Simplified, but more or less this is all there is to it.) Oddly, folks rarely complain that I can’t do this, I guess this just seems more classically magickal?
Not surprisingly again the way I use the internet is almost the exact same, but actually so much easier. That chat window or the email, or whatever, that already has all the link I need in most cases. I just open it up, make it take up as much room as possible on my computer, and I skry through it. I say skry, but as I’ve mentioned before on here the line between skry/project can be blurry, but I might say I more project. That internet communication is like my attuned mirror, relax and go through. I don’t have the time or energy to get into the how’s here in detail, and I’d like to think my friends here have a sense on how to do something arguably basic, but here is a simple simple explanation of how to do it.
Have the screen open. If you’re not used to it, you might want to turn off the lights, put the screen down to a dim setting so it doesn’t hurt your eyes in the dark, then sit, relax, meditate and centre yourself. Then when you’re ready draw your awareness of yourself up into your head, take the attention you have of the world around and feel it compact into your head. You’re trying to make almost a point of consciousness. Don’t worry if you can’t/don’t lose awareness of your body or surroundings, it’s not necessary, but the bulk of the focus should be in this sphere in your head. Then “pour” it out your eyes (Third eye included) or the top of your head into the computer connection. That screen is your mirror, your gateway, your link to that person, it’s a window and they’re on the other side. For me there is usually a tumbling and falling sensation as my mind follows the links, never lasts for more than a second or two, and then suddenly I’m there, with the person. To come back you can either reverse the trip, or without doing so shift your awareness to your navel centre, like you did with your head before, but there is something about shifting your focus to the navel that seems to be an automatic recall (at least for me).
It is arguably, as simple as that. So if you’re one of those people who think you can’t get links online, try The Professor’s accidental method and leave an email or facebook open beside your bed, see what happens, or try skrying my way, and see what comes from it. Or if you’re someone who doesn’t see the internet as an impossible magickal divide, what do you do to connect with someone over the internet, especially when you have little or no previous connection to them?

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick

Wednesday Webshares: Birthdays, Arson at an OTO Lodge, Mail-Order Mormons and More


I was informed that at least two version of feedreaders have trouble with my image embedding, so I’m sorry about that focus, but I don’t know how to fix that. I’m going to fiddle with what I can and see if I can’t get my blog looking proper in the feeds.
This week saw the birthday of Lon Milo Duquette, so happy birthday to Lon. The day before I came across this … interesting birthday song to him.

I found out from Thelema Weekly that the Sekhet-Maat Lodge building in Portland was the victim of Arson. Not surprisingly over half of the article is explaining what Sekhet-Maat Lodge and the OTO are, and the comments are filled with someone concerned (but he doesn’t care really) about the OTO worshipping the Antichrist and wanting to kill people. Gets into full on essays, glad to see sympathy for the victims, no? You can donate if so inclined to help the repairs.
There has been a round of discussion on the blogs about ethics and “enlightenment bombing” which was (to simplify) the idea of banishing/binding someone with a blessing that they become a better person. I planned (still might) get in on it from an interesting take from my tradition, but instead I prefer the idea of this “enlightenment bombing.” Yes, I just found out along with books, food, porn, and body parts, you can order Mormons over the internet. My main question is how often is this service used by people actually wishing to learn more, and how often do people do this as a prank?
Computers now aiding in the question to sort out Biblical authorship. So far the computers are performing amazingly and may shed some new light on how the Tanakh was authored. I’m actually really interested in this as one of my side-studies at University involve Biblical scholarship as literature and history.

Edited: I almost forgot to include this. There is a movement “Take Back Yoga” that is trying to return yoga to the actual religious practice and not stretching in your Lululemon pants. I’m in love with it, as that is very often a rant I have.
Lastly an interesting interview with the Venerable Thupten Ngodup, who is the State Oracle of Tibet. I think it is a fascinating look into the side of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture (in exile) that many people are unaware of.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick

Wednesday Webshares: Wealth, Rootworker Advice, and More Rules, Laws, and Rights


I’ve been writing recently but haven’t really had a chance to finish much, so time for a webshare in no particular order.
First off, Jason Miller over at Strategic Sorcery is currently selling White Mahakala Wealth Talismans. Now personally I have a silly issue with Mahakala, and I’m not linking this so you buy one, but feel free to. More I was greatly amused by his tongue-in-cheek (in parts) sales pitch for why White Mahakala is better than other Wealth Deities.
Dr. Raven, of Dr. Raven’s Conjure posted an excellent article on Tips for Working with a Rootworker and Reader. It’s a great read for both people looking for magickal help or people considering offering it. I don’t think there is anything there I disagreed with, a lot had matched what I cobbled together for my own work, and he gave me a few more points to think on.
Speaking of more to think on, last week I posted Rob’s Laws, Rules, and Rights of Magick. Since then Ananael Qaa has posted his thoughts on Rob’s Laws, and Rules, and Rights which make an interesting supplement and contrast to Rob’s original posts. And no need to fear, even in three posts Ananael Qaa is far more succinct than Rob was.
Book reviews, rants, and articles to come.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick

Sex, Angels, Bones, and Books


Easter Monday, time for a Judeo-Christian post I think. This is mainly more links and connecting data, but I have a few relevant articles off on the wings I thought I’d bring together.
Over at Remnant of Giants a post just went live “How Do You Know When You’re Having Sex with a Fallen Angel: Some Handy Hints from a Biblical Scholar“. The site is a mix of funny responses to relevant events and scholarly study related to the Biblical and extra-Biblical giants, and occasionally more generic Biblical/extra-Biblical study. As a fan of the Enochic literature (meaning related to the Book of Enoch, not Enochian in the Dee-Kelly sense) I find it is both an entertaining and informative site.
Of course there are a few mistakes. With number one, the Angels you could sleep with, humanoid ones, didn’t have wings Biblically it was the non-humanoid Angels that had wings. I’m actually writing a personal article on that now which may or may not make it up here in the future. Number two, should have stuck with naming fallen angels, Metatron (either one of them) is an odd choice of name for a fallen angel to assume. Other than that, it is a handy (silly) guide, of course I’d rather use guides not to avoid but to pursue, but to each their own.
The University of Wyoming shared the news that the trial/investigation of the James Ossuary box may finally be wrapping up. It’s only been about a decade. In fact since then the box has dropped off most people’s radar. If you’re unfamiliar with it, it is an ossuary box that is about 2000 years old (that part isn’t questioned) which reads “Ya’akov bar-Yosef akhui diYeshua.” For those without their Aramaic 101, that translates as “Jacob, son of Joseph, brother of Joshua.” Or when rendered out of Aramaic into Biblical English “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” So apparently we have the bone box of James, Jesus’s younger brother. But so far most of the evidence points to it being a fraud. “Ya’akov bar-Yosef” is generally believed to be authentic, but the bit about Jesus looks like it may be a modern addition, the trial is trying to figure out how modern, as some experts say it is more recent than the box, but still from the first millennium.
Speaking of Biblical forgeries it looks like Indiana Jones’s David Elkington’s codices are not standing up will to investigation. Rather than link to any individual story I want to link to this great resource here which is both a collection of relevant links and articles and a pretty solid analysis of the flaws of the codices. Included at the bottom of the article, the very last link is a collection of all the images of the codices that have been released, for those of us who like to take a look for ourselves. Just a sidenote since I brought it up the first time I posted about it, this man actually has degrees, a BA in Near Eastern Studies and a Masters in Jewish studies, and is working on more. Credentials aren’t the end-all be-all, but by Baal they’re useful.
Now in the spirit of Easter Monday, I’m off to buy discount chocolate.

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick

Spare, Plans, and Sagan.


BBC Culture Show included a piece last week on Austin Osman Spare, with Alan Moore and others discussing Spare as a person, artist, and magickian.

Found through lashtal.com
The day after I posted Magick: Means, Ends, and Manifestation there was a good post on RuneSoup about Your One Perfect Day. I’m bringing it up because I thought the timing was good, the last bit of my post was about using your magick toward the small steps along your path, and Gordon’s post discusses this. He gives a good structure to evaluate where you are, figure out your ends and your means, and advises enchanting in small chunks. I figured since there was a connection there, I’d pass people the link for those interested.
To those who celebrate, Happy Carl Sagan Day. It’s held on the Saturday before his birthday, though I prefer to celebrate it actually on the day (which is Tuesday). I mention it because Sagan is an awesome person, and I half-jokingly consider his birthday one of my holy days, as I half-jokingly consider Sagan a “Saint” in my tradition. Hopefully I’ll manage to write more about that later.

The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us — there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation of a distant memory, as if we were falling from a great height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries. (Sagan, Cosmos 4).

Posted by kalagni in blueflamemagick