The subject of invisibility had cropped in a couple of places on the internet lately, so perhaps I should share the little experience I have with the subject.
(For the record, the reason I kept silent when Pat Zalewski recently stated his opinion was simply the fact that I heard someone else say something really inane on the subject a few years ago. After hearing their opinion, it takes a lot to get me to step forward and say anything about the subject. What Pat said was nothing in comparsion to this another opinion.)
For the record, I have not tried the full-blown Z operation for invisibility (another reason to remain silent). What I have tried is more in line with the "Do not notice me" or "I am someone else's problem" school of invisibilty. My results for the most part might be completely delusional; after all, it is impossible to field-test this under strict scientific conditions.
(Since then, I had a few choice tidbits fall into my lap...but considering I have not the time to test them yet, who really knows if they are tidbits or just more crackpot theories.)
Some of my results may also be pure paranoia. For instance, after doing some of this work, I thought that drivers had a hard time seeing me for quite some time. I never had so many people try to run me over in my entire life in the space of a couple of weeks...and cell phones were not common yet (at the time, they were still pretty big and almost no one had them). But it may just be paranoia and not an actual result.
I learned not to "go invisible" when someone I did not want to talk to had not noticed me yet, but was in line-of-sight of me...for some reason, they could see me instantly if I tried. On the other hand, if someone passed between us, I could "go invisible" and not be troubled at all.
I have noticed that a lot of people do not notice my presence whan I am "deep in my own world."
The strangest story I have to tell involves the grocery store and a week that I had very little time to mediate. I have learned to mediate in less than ideal conditions; much like a cat I can keep a partial eye on the world while deep in my own ponderings. (Ok, it is not mediation if your mind is not a complete blank...I know, I know.) Anyway, I am resting my brain while keeping one eye on the cashier. (No matter how I tell this story, someone is going to say that I am in the wrong...hence why I did not share it on Martin's forum.) Finally, I get to the front of the line. Suddenly the guy behind me is screaming, "Where did you come from? Did you just cut in front of me?" The cashier, bless his soul, looked at the guy and told him that I had been there all along.
Make of that story what you will. For me, I associate it with invisibility because this was around the same time that I had been experimenting with this particular subject. Obviously, if the cashier saw me, then I was not invisible. I am not sure how to explain the guy behind me in the line, but I do have a few theories. If you have a theory to share, please leave it in the comment section.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Necromancy and roadkill
There are just some things that you should not do: Trying to raise roadkill from the dead is one of them.
If you are really curious about the story behind that subject, slip over to Augoeides and read his latest entry. One thing is for sure, none of the stories from my drinking days (long since past---I have long ago gave up drinking) are as colorful. Thank goddess for that.
If you are really curious about the story behind that subject, slip over to Augoeides and read his latest entry. One thing is for sure, none of the stories from my drinking days (long since past---I have long ago gave up drinking) are as colorful. Thank goddess for that.
My friends also do this
A Roman visiting Corfu was sitting in a bar when they saw a strange man walking down the street. The man was dressed in a white robe and wearing a nemyss, and around his neck hang a gold cross with a red rose in the center. In one hand, he carried a long multi-colored stick with a white lotus flower on the end; his other hand he held with forefinger pressed tightly to his lower lip as he walked along. All the people in the street ignored him and went about their business.
The Roman asked the barman what that was all about and the barman said ,“Shhh, that is Aleister Crowley; he thinks he is invisible.” The Roman asked, “Why is everyone pretending that he is?” The barman said, “Have you ever spoken to Aleister Crowley? It is much better that we pretend we can't see him.... besides he might want to read us some of his poetry if we notice him."
The Roman asked the barman what that was all about and the barman said ,“Shhh, that is Aleister Crowley; he thinks he is invisible.” The Roman asked, “Why is everyone pretending that he is?” The barman said, “Have you ever spoken to Aleister Crowley? It is much better that we pretend we can't see him.... besides he might want to read us some of his poetry if we notice him."
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Last night's Open Full Moon Ritual
Last night, I attended the Open Full Moon Ritual hosted by Hearthstone Community Church. For me, it was a red letter day; after all, this ritual had been inspired by one of my newsletter articles.
Now, I will admit walking into the ritual, I wasn't sure that I wanted any credit (blame) for the ritual. I had other people be inspired by my actions, people that I wish would not say that fact out loud.
There was also the fact that the current article arc is building towards what I plan on doing at the June 2010 OFM. There was a slight fear that I might have to revise part of my ritual plan. (I will be revising the ritual, for I am going to borrow an idea.)
Now, I wasn't too worried. I knew that there was a good chance that I would find the ritual acceptable considering who was doing it (Cynthia and Arynne). And they are more wicca oriented than I am; plus I am doing something that I have seen done publically before, so I figure that I was safe from both grief and revision.
What they came up with was very nice. They had a lot of interaction with the audience (attendees). And they came up with some new ways of doing stuff (I have never seen a circle cast that way before---I must remember that idea). My only complaint is the standard choppiness that all public rituals seem to have (you lose energy everytime that you stop to explain something---it is a standard problem that I have yet to discover a good solution to). Overall, I am very happy with the fact that I helped inspire that ritual.
Oh, and on the news front, Hearthstone Community Church is trying to make sure that next year (2011) that they present twelve different styles of ritual over the course of the year (which is actually the ideal, though for the last couple of years, there have been groups that have done more than one ritual per year). The slots will be filling up fast if this year is any indication. By the way, Bast Temple has already spoken for the June 2011 OFM.
Now, I will admit walking into the ritual, I wasn't sure that I wanted any credit (blame) for the ritual. I had other people be inspired by my actions, people that I wish would not say that fact out loud.
There was also the fact that the current article arc is building towards what I plan on doing at the June 2010 OFM. There was a slight fear that I might have to revise part of my ritual plan. (I will be revising the ritual, for I am going to borrow an idea.)
Now, I wasn't too worried. I knew that there was a good chance that I would find the ritual acceptable considering who was doing it (Cynthia and Arynne). And they are more wicca oriented than I am; plus I am doing something that I have seen done publically before, so I figure that I was safe from both grief and revision.
What they came up with was very nice. They had a lot of interaction with the audience (attendees). And they came up with some new ways of doing stuff (I have never seen a circle cast that way before---I must remember that idea). My only complaint is the standard choppiness that all public rituals seem to have (you lose energy everytime that you stop to explain something---it is a standard problem that I have yet to discover a good solution to). Overall, I am very happy with the fact that I helped inspire that ritual.
Oh, and on the news front, Hearthstone Community Church is trying to make sure that next year (2011) that they present twelve different styles of ritual over the course of the year (which is actually the ideal, though for the last couple of years, there have been groups that have done more than one ritual per year). The slots will be filling up fast if this year is any indication. By the way, Bast Temple has already spoken for the June 2011 OFM.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
March 26 2010 Open Full Moon Announcement
Here is the blurb advertising Friday's Open Full Moon Ritual, for those who do not recieve the newsletter. I am curious to see how this one turns out considering that I was the person who wrote the article that inspired the ritual.
Hearthstone meets the Friday before or the Friday of the Full Moon in the upstairs chapel at the First Unitarian Church at 14th and Lafayette in Denver. The church doors open at 7, and we like to start at 7:30. (We are NOT big proponents of Pagan Standard Time, but if there is weather related driving trouble or a problem on the freeway, we've been known to wait a bit longer.) This month's ritual is FRIDAY, March 26, 2010.
At the March 26th OFM, the ritual will give participants the experience of exercising their own will, through the use of words, to create the Circle, call the Quarters, invoke the Gods and manifest their will in magical circle using Words of Power. The ritual was created in response to the inspiring article on "The Use of Positive Statements in Ritual" in Hearthstone's January newsletter. Cynthia Lefevre and Arynne welcome you to join them in empowering ourselves and honoring the seed moon of March.
"If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
--Emile Zola
Hearthstone Community Church, Inc.
Hearthstone meets the Friday before or the Friday of the Full Moon in the upstairs chapel at the First Unitarian Church at 14th and Lafayette in Denver. The church doors open at 7, and we like to start at 7:30. (We are NOT big proponents of Pagan Standard Time, but if there is weather related driving trouble or a problem on the freeway, we've been known to wait a bit longer.) This month's ritual is FRIDAY, March 26, 2010.
At the March 26th OFM, the ritual will give participants the experience of exercising their own will, through the use of words, to create the Circle, call the Quarters, invoke the Gods and manifest their will in magical circle using Words of Power. The ritual was created in response to the inspiring article on "The Use of Positive Statements in Ritual" in Hearthstone's January newsletter. Cynthia Lefevre and Arynne welcome you to join them in empowering ourselves and honoring the seed moon of March.
"If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
--Emile Zola
Hearthstone Community Church, Inc.
Bringing the labels back
After seeing the feedback about removing the labels from my blog, I decided to bring them back. I guess that I was the only person that had a problem with how long my label list has gotten. All the feedback I got was in support of having the labels, and having them in an easily findable list on the side. So the labels are back. Yea! for labels.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Magical East
Today, one of my Facebook friends was rather annoyed that someone called her a lazy magician because she was using substitutions. From the sounds of it, the person saying this either did not understand the system in question, or they never worked a spell in their entire life. My money is on both options. My friend is a working magician actually doing the work.
I wonder what their accuser would say about the substitution that I use all the time: Magical (Mystic) East.
For those who do not work lodge, which is probably most people, Magical East is used when you are using a meeting room that is just not oriented right for ritual purposes. Like for instance, the current ritual space that the Golden Dawn lodge I belong to uses. It is shorter on the east/west axis than it is on the north/south axis. The east/west axis of the room is so short that I cannot imagine doing a Zelator (1=10) initiation in the room without using Magical East.
(Pop quiz: Did you notice when I spelled the directions with lower case letters as opposed to upper case?)
Most people in Golden Dawn know the concept of Magical East (if they know it at all) from the works of Pat Zalewski. In particular, one of his Z-5 books. From that one could argue that it is not traditionally Golden Dawn, but rather something that came out of Whare Ra.
That conclusion would be so wrong. One of the things I discovered from doing research in lodgekit, Freemasonry, and the various other Orders around the turn of the twentieth century is that the concept of Magical East (or Mystical East as it is generally called outside of Golden Dawn) is that it was part of standard lodgekit among the various Orders.
For most Orders, Mystic East is merely a symbolic thing. In Golden Dawn, it is something more.
According to Pat Zalewski, at the start of a lodge meeting where Magical East is being used, the Hierophant says the following prayer:
Creator of the Universe, Lord of the Visible World, who hast by Thy Supreme Will set limits to its magnitude and conferred special attributes on its boundaries, we invoke Thee to grant that whatever hidden and mystic virtue resides in the radiant East---dayspring of Light---the orgin of Life---may in answer to this our prayer be this day conferred upon the Throne of the Hierophant of this Temple, who is the emblem of the Dawning of that Golden light which shall illuminate the Path of the Unknown and shall guide us at length to the attainment of the Quintessance, the Stone of the Wise, True Wisdom and Perfect Happiness.
There is a disadvantage to using Magical East for years and years; after awhile, that direction is the direction that you point to first when someone asks what direction east is in...if you treat East as a secret, you will actually not open your mouth until you actually figure out where you are, allowing you to point in the right direction.
There is also an advantage to using Magical East for years and years; when people start talking about certain rituals being elemental and directional in nature, you can spot the flaw in their logic---after all, your rituals work just fine and you are not doing it perfectly by the book. This insight carries over to allowing you to question some of the other requirements that some people claim spells and rituals need. It also allows you to see that maps do not automatically have north at the top of the page.
And if you feel like accusing me of the heresy of being lazy, you know where the comment section is.
I wonder what their accuser would say about the substitution that I use all the time: Magical (Mystic) East.
For those who do not work lodge, which is probably most people, Magical East is used when you are using a meeting room that is just not oriented right for ritual purposes. Like for instance, the current ritual space that the Golden Dawn lodge I belong to uses. It is shorter on the east/west axis than it is on the north/south axis. The east/west axis of the room is so short that I cannot imagine doing a Zelator (1=10) initiation in the room without using Magical East.
(Pop quiz: Did you notice when I spelled the directions with lower case letters as opposed to upper case?)
Most people in Golden Dawn know the concept of Magical East (if they know it at all) from the works of Pat Zalewski. In particular, one of his Z-5 books. From that one could argue that it is not traditionally Golden Dawn, but rather something that came out of Whare Ra.
That conclusion would be so wrong. One of the things I discovered from doing research in lodgekit, Freemasonry, and the various other Orders around the turn of the twentieth century is that the concept of Magical East (or Mystical East as it is generally called outside of Golden Dawn) is that it was part of standard lodgekit among the various Orders.
For most Orders, Mystic East is merely a symbolic thing. In Golden Dawn, it is something more.
According to Pat Zalewski, at the start of a lodge meeting where Magical East is being used, the Hierophant says the following prayer:
Creator of the Universe, Lord of the Visible World, who hast by Thy Supreme Will set limits to its magnitude and conferred special attributes on its boundaries, we invoke Thee to grant that whatever hidden and mystic virtue resides in the radiant East---dayspring of Light---the orgin of Life---may in answer to this our prayer be this day conferred upon the Throne of the Hierophant of this Temple, who is the emblem of the Dawning of that Golden light which shall illuminate the Path of the Unknown and shall guide us at length to the attainment of the Quintessance, the Stone of the Wise, True Wisdom and Perfect Happiness.
There is a disadvantage to using Magical East for years and years; after awhile, that direction is the direction that you point to first when someone asks what direction east is in...if you treat East as a secret, you will actually not open your mouth until you actually figure out where you are, allowing you to point in the right direction.
There is also an advantage to using Magical East for years and years; when people start talking about certain rituals being elemental and directional in nature, you can spot the flaw in their logic---after all, your rituals work just fine and you are not doing it perfectly by the book. This insight carries over to allowing you to question some of the other requirements that some people claim spells and rituals need. It also allows you to see that maps do not automatically have north at the top of the page.
And if you feel like accusing me of the heresy of being lazy, you know where the comment section is.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Hebrew letters look like this
According to The Chicken Qabalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford (Lon Milo DuQuette), the Hebrew letters look like this:
Aleph doesn't look like any other Hebrew letter and is therefore easy to recognize. It has one long diagonal bar that looks like a banana separating two small Yods. Thw Yod at the top right is connected to the banana at the midpoint by a thin line (a Yod on a stick). The Yod at the bottom left is flattened at the bottom like a foot and is connected to the banana underneath its left shoulder.
Teth looks like the profile of a duck swimming on the water looking back at a big Yod that's stuck to the tip of its tail.
Yod is a flame.
Lamed looks like a snake that has swallowed a brick and is now having second thoughts.
Mem---if we are still looking at a duck swimming on the water, the duck has reached back with its bill and has pulled its tail completely off.
Nun Final looks like that little mirror on a stick that the dentist sticks in your mouth.
Ayin is very distinctive. It is built upon a bold right-leaning diagonal banana. There is one Yod connected to the top of the banana, and a Zain [sword] stabs the banana's top mid-section. It looks very much like an English lower case "y."
Peh is exactly like a Kaph, only it sports a distinctive tongue that dangles from the roof of its mouth.
Tzaddi looks like a man with a huge pompadour haircut kneeling forward. He has just been stabbed in the back with a Yod on a stick.
Qoph is quite unique. It is very similar to an English capital P with none of its components touching. It also looks like a left-facing profile of Elvis Presley with really long eyebrows drooping down past his chin.
Tau [Tav] looks like a Resh holding a dead dolphin by the tail.
If you do not believe the Rabbi, pull out your Hebrew alphabet cheat sheet and look again.
Aleph doesn't look like any other Hebrew letter and is therefore easy to recognize. It has one long diagonal bar that looks like a banana separating two small Yods. Thw Yod at the top right is connected to the banana at the midpoint by a thin line (a Yod on a stick). The Yod at the bottom left is flattened at the bottom like a foot and is connected to the banana underneath its left shoulder.
Teth looks like the profile of a duck swimming on the water looking back at a big Yod that's stuck to the tip of its tail.
Yod is a flame.
Lamed looks like a snake that has swallowed a brick and is now having second thoughts.
Mem---if we are still looking at a duck swimming on the water, the duck has reached back with its bill and has pulled its tail completely off.
Nun Final looks like that little mirror on a stick that the dentist sticks in your mouth.
Ayin is very distinctive. It is built upon a bold right-leaning diagonal banana. There is one Yod connected to the top of the banana, and a Zain [sword] stabs the banana's top mid-section. It looks very much like an English lower case "y."
Peh is exactly like a Kaph, only it sports a distinctive tongue that dangles from the roof of its mouth.
Tzaddi looks like a man with a huge pompadour haircut kneeling forward. He has just been stabbed in the back with a Yod on a stick.
Qoph is quite unique. It is very similar to an English capital P with none of its components touching. It also looks like a left-facing profile of Elvis Presley with really long eyebrows drooping down past his chin.
Tau [Tav] looks like a Resh holding a dead dolphin by the tail.
If you do not believe the Rabbi, pull out your Hebrew alphabet cheat sheet and look again.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Hearthstone Community Church OFM newsletter articles by Me!
Today, I had someone else inquire if the articles that I have been writing for the Hearthstone newsletter were online. This has been a regular occurrence since I started writing articles for the newsletter starting in January. It has been a slight dilemma for me...mainly because I am a working writer.
My original plan for the series of articles that I am writing was to bundle them together at the end of this year into a single pdf, and use them as part of my advertising kit next year. This idea came out of the pro-blogging community. Basically, you take some of your best posts and articles, lace them with links leading back to your site, and let it free out into the internet. I thought it was a good idea for helping build a following for my own writing...someday, I would like to make a living wage as a writer.
Because of this, I was caught off guard by the first request for the articles to be posted online. It happened on one of the Yahoo groups. Basically, I dropped back behind the "I am not sure if shameless self-promotion is allowed on this group" defense. That was partially the truth...I am still not sure if it is completely legit or not.
Since then, the dilemma has been nipping at the edges of my consciousness. Today, when yet another friend asked if the newsletter was online, I had a few minutes to think about it and actual time to follow though once I decided what to do.
One idea was to simply put them up on Associated Content. That is what I am doing with the astrology articles (and anything else) that I am writing for Campus Connection, the student newspaper of the Community College of Denver. Unfortunately, with the new format that AC recently put into play, putting up a set of related articles requires some twiddling around as the newer ones are finished; it is either twindle ar hope that the readers can figure out the search function to find the rest of the set.
And this is definitely a set of related articles, the first three all have something to do with positive affirmations in a ritual and day-to-day life. The second article also has something to do with the practical uses of secrecy, which is going to tie into the next set. All this is leading up to what I am doing at the June Open Full Moon Ritual.
In the end, I decided to do a temporary archive of the articles that I am writing on the Bast Temple website. It will make it easier for people to find the articles in the same set; it will help the lodge's page ranking (or I hope it will); and make sure that I am updating the website at least once a month.
Of course, the term "temporary" is a relative term. I decided that I am going to leave up the January 2010 article up until February 2011, when it will be replaced with the article from the January 2011 newsletter. The same pattern will apply to the rest of the months. At the moment, I only have January and February 2010 articles up. I do not plan to put up March's article until I am approaching the deadline for April's newsletter. This is how I am doing it with Campus Connection; when the new issue goes live (hits the stands), I invoke my reprint rights.
(The only exceptation I might make is the article for June, which will be heavily related to the OFM ritual that I am leading.)
Webmasters will spot the advantage to archiving it by the month, rather than by the month and the year...yes, I am lazy and am going to recycle the page addresses as I go along. Plus, by rotating the content (and limiting the amount of duplication), I am hoping to recieve some of that Google Love.
Anyways, if you are curious to read the first article in the set, it is The Use of Positive Statements in Ritual. The link for the second article is hopefully findable in the sidebar...if I am wrong about how easy it is to find the second link, please feel free to complain in the comment section.
My original plan for the series of articles that I am writing was to bundle them together at the end of this year into a single pdf, and use them as part of my advertising kit next year. This idea came out of the pro-blogging community. Basically, you take some of your best posts and articles, lace them with links leading back to your site, and let it free out into the internet. I thought it was a good idea for helping build a following for my own writing...someday, I would like to make a living wage as a writer.
Because of this, I was caught off guard by the first request for the articles to be posted online. It happened on one of the Yahoo groups. Basically, I dropped back behind the "I am not sure if shameless self-promotion is allowed on this group" defense. That was partially the truth...I am still not sure if it is completely legit or not.
Since then, the dilemma has been nipping at the edges of my consciousness. Today, when yet another friend asked if the newsletter was online, I had a few minutes to think about it and actual time to follow though once I decided what to do.
One idea was to simply put them up on Associated Content. That is what I am doing with the astrology articles (and anything else) that I am writing for Campus Connection, the student newspaper of the Community College of Denver. Unfortunately, with the new format that AC recently put into play, putting up a set of related articles requires some twiddling around as the newer ones are finished; it is either twindle ar hope that the readers can figure out the search function to find the rest of the set.
And this is definitely a set of related articles, the first three all have something to do with positive affirmations in a ritual and day-to-day life. The second article also has something to do with the practical uses of secrecy, which is going to tie into the next set. All this is leading up to what I am doing at the June Open Full Moon Ritual.
In the end, I decided to do a temporary archive of the articles that I am writing on the Bast Temple website. It will make it easier for people to find the articles in the same set; it will help the lodge's page ranking (or I hope it will); and make sure that I am updating the website at least once a month.
Of course, the term "temporary" is a relative term. I decided that I am going to leave up the January 2010 article up until February 2011, when it will be replaced with the article from the January 2011 newsletter. The same pattern will apply to the rest of the months. At the moment, I only have January and February 2010 articles up. I do not plan to put up March's article until I am approaching the deadline for April's newsletter. This is how I am doing it with Campus Connection; when the new issue goes live (hits the stands), I invoke my reprint rights.
(The only exceptation I might make is the article for June, which will be heavily related to the OFM ritual that I am leading.)
Webmasters will spot the advantage to archiving it by the month, rather than by the month and the year...yes, I am lazy and am going to recycle the page addresses as I go along. Plus, by rotating the content (and limiting the amount of duplication), I am hoping to recieve some of that Google Love.
Anyways, if you are curious to read the first article in the set, it is The Use of Positive Statements in Ritual. The link for the second article is hopefully findable in the sidebar...if I am wrong about how easy it is to find the second link, please feel free to complain in the comment section.
Hearthstone Community Church Open Full Moons
Hearthstone Community Church
Open Full Moon Dates
for 2010
March 26
April 23
May 21
June 25
July 23
August 20
September 17
October 22
November 19
December 17
Meets at the First Unitarian Church
at 14th and Lafayette, Denver Colorado
Doors open at 7 pm.
Ritual starts at 7:30 pm.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Fencesitting on Lineage
I am a fencesitter. Often, I can see both sides of an issue, and honestly could care less if one side earns a victory over another. One of the issues that I am a fencesitter about is the subject of lineage and how important it is. This annoys a lot of people.
It does not help that the first question out of my mouth when the subject comes up is: What type of lineage? For some reason, people get annoyed when they are asked to define how they are using the term. My bad childhood and Order background automatically makes me suspect that their definition is a fuzzy one designed to change as rapidly as necessary to defeat all attempts to prove their arguments wrong.
My bad childhood and Order background also kicks in because often people who argue about its importance (or lack thereof) are trying to prove one of two things. Either they are trying to prove that their lineage is better than mine (and that I should listen and obey them without thinking) or they are trying to prove that lineage is completely unimportant and that their brand of wacky is Golden Dawn (and that I should listen and obey them without thinking). Both situations bring out the evil in me---typically in the form of insubordinate laughter.
At this point, both sides of the lineage argument are going to toss bricks at me. Hopefully they are gold bricks with a lemon peel wrapped around them.
So why is it that someone with my experience can still sit on the fence on the importance of lineage? Simple, I do not think that either side has proven their case.
On the lineage is everything side (slight poofing of the stance), one of their claims is that lineage produces better lodges and Orders. This case falls apart when I think about the wreckage I have seen scattered in the wake of those who shouted that they should lead because their lineage was the best. Lineage often is nothing more than an excuse to abuse the members of an Order. And curiously enough, there are times when the person who did the damage had a better lineage than I did.
On the lineage is nothing side (slight poofing of the stance), one of their claims is that having a lineage teaches you nothing about running a lodge, and that any set of symbols used in conjunction with lodgekit can produce an usable esoteric lodge. Furthermore, they claim that in the case of Golden Dawn, the backbone of lineage was broken years ago and is often just a tool for abusing the members of the system. Ironically, this side also has its fair share of wreckage. This side's argument falls apart whenever I notice the wacky ideas that they want me to swallow.
For the record, I have worked with groups with lineage and groups without lineage. And I have experienced rituals with power on both sides...and rituals that had no oomph on both sides.
Ultimately for myself, I know that lineage is not important for a new lodge or Order to form...I have worked with some groups which system was made up the day before they started working as a lodge. I also had the experience of having gone though a ritual and understanding things that I never understood before that were not touched upon during the ritual; but given the lineage claimed, made perfect sense that the initiatory lineage claimed would impart such knowledge (aka "healing a lineage"), along with the additional power my own rituals suddenly had.
Ultimately, I can sit on the fence on this issue because both sides are right, and both sides tend to misuse the argument for their own dubious purposes. Lineage is a tool, and not the end-all of esoteric Orders. Lineage is only important for the working magician if they know how to tap into its power; otherwise they are probably better off without any (this goes for all three types).
It does not help that the first question out of my mouth when the subject comes up is: What type of lineage? For some reason, people get annoyed when they are asked to define how they are using the term. My bad childhood and Order background automatically makes me suspect that their definition is a fuzzy one designed to change as rapidly as necessary to defeat all attempts to prove their arguments wrong.
My bad childhood and Order background also kicks in because often people who argue about its importance (or lack thereof) are trying to prove one of two things. Either they are trying to prove that their lineage is better than mine (and that I should listen and obey them without thinking) or they are trying to prove that lineage is completely unimportant and that their brand of wacky is Golden Dawn (and that I should listen and obey them without thinking). Both situations bring out the evil in me---typically in the form of insubordinate laughter.
At this point, both sides of the lineage argument are going to toss bricks at me. Hopefully they are gold bricks with a lemon peel wrapped around them.
So why is it that someone with my experience can still sit on the fence on the importance of lineage? Simple, I do not think that either side has proven their case.
On the lineage is everything side (slight poofing of the stance), one of their claims is that lineage produces better lodges and Orders. This case falls apart when I think about the wreckage I have seen scattered in the wake of those who shouted that they should lead because their lineage was the best. Lineage often is nothing more than an excuse to abuse the members of an Order. And curiously enough, there are times when the person who did the damage had a better lineage than I did.
On the lineage is nothing side (slight poofing of the stance), one of their claims is that having a lineage teaches you nothing about running a lodge, and that any set of symbols used in conjunction with lodgekit can produce an usable esoteric lodge. Furthermore, they claim that in the case of Golden Dawn, the backbone of lineage was broken years ago and is often just a tool for abusing the members of the system. Ironically, this side also has its fair share of wreckage. This side's argument falls apart whenever I notice the wacky ideas that they want me to swallow.
For the record, I have worked with groups with lineage and groups without lineage. And I have experienced rituals with power on both sides...and rituals that had no oomph on both sides.
Ultimately for myself, I know that lineage is not important for a new lodge or Order to form...I have worked with some groups which system was made up the day before they started working as a lodge. I also had the experience of having gone though a ritual and understanding things that I never understood before that were not touched upon during the ritual; but given the lineage claimed, made perfect sense that the initiatory lineage claimed would impart such knowledge (aka "healing a lineage"), along with the additional power my own rituals suddenly had.
Ultimately, I can sit on the fence on this issue because both sides are right, and both sides tend to misuse the argument for their own dubious purposes. Lineage is a tool, and not the end-all of esoteric Orders. Lineage is only important for the working magician if they know how to tap into its power; otherwise they are probably better off without any (this goes for all three types).
Monday, March 15, 2010
A blessing for a computer
Blessings on this fine machine,
May its data all be clean.
Let the files stay where they're put,
Away from disk drives keep all soot.
From its screen shall come no whines,
Let in no spikes on power lines.
As oaks were sacred to the Druids,
Let not the keyboard suffer fluids.
Disk Full shall be nor more than rarity,
The memory shall not miss its parity.
From the modem shall come wonders,
Without line noise making blunders.
May it never catch a virus,
And all its software stay desirous.
Oh let the printer never jam,
And turn my output into spam.
I ask of Eris, noble queen,
Keep Murphy far from this machine.
Zhahai Stewart, 1988
May its data all be clean.
Let the files stay where they're put,
Away from disk drives keep all soot.
From its screen shall come no whines,
Let in no spikes on power lines.
As oaks were sacred to the Druids,
Let not the keyboard suffer fluids.
Disk Full shall be nor more than rarity,
The memory shall not miss its parity.
From the modem shall come wonders,
Without line noise making blunders.
May it never catch a virus,
And all its software stay desirous.
Oh let the printer never jam,
And turn my output into spam.
I ask of Eris, noble queen,
Keep Murphy far from this machine.
Zhahai Stewart, 1988
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Were Mathers and Westcott initiates of the Golden Dawn?
Were Samuel Macgregor Mathers and William Wynn Westcott actually initiates of the Hermetic Golden Dawn? At first glance, this question seems clear cut, and perhaps a little stupid. But then again, I cruise in that back corner were the clearer a question appears, the more you need to reexamine the issue to figure out what it really going on.
This particular question came about because of VH Frater SR's comment to one of my previous blog posts where I was wondering exactly who was denying the connection between Golden Dawn and Freemasonry. Once I heard his response, I realized that I am one of the people he is talking about denying the connection.
Because I do not force people to join Freemasonry, and point out that they are two different Orders, I am helping deny the connection and worth of Freemasonry. *sigh* I should have known that I was one of the deniers.
For the record, I believe that Freemasonry is valuable resource for some people. But given the fact that most of the people I know only have time to be active in one Order, and they tend to be interested in the occult, I tend to emphasize Golden Dawn over Freemasonry. I also belong to an Order with female members, therefore emphasizing Freemasonry tends to put them in a bad position (almost a second-class position if you ask me).
Also because I consider Golden Dawn starting in 1888, and having no previous lineage that has the right of rulership over the modern Golden Dawn, I am helping deny the connection. *sigh* As I said, I should have realized that I was guilty.
For the record: Yes, Westcott and Mathers were Master Masons. In Westcott's case, he was a member of a lot of Orders (not as many as Waite, but close). Yes, we have to say that part of their personal lineage comes from Freemasonry. But I am not sure that we can claim that any of their authority to rule Golden Dawn came from that particular direction. Today, we tend to think of Freemasonry as the Mother of all Orders. Perhaps it is.
Then again, I am one of the orphans who have serious doubts about the worth of an unbroken lineage. Of course, that may just because I have encountered a few people who considered their lineage better than mine, therefore they thought that they were more fit to rule than the people I answered to. I have seen the utter messes that these lineage pounders have made of their groups. Extinct groups abound that were built on the claim of lineage.
Heck, if I wanted to play that game, I could claim that part of my lineage traces though the EOEW. I could claim that based on the symbolism of the "RED" degree that I have been exposed to the Adeptus Major Grade energies...but I don't. Why? Because they are different systems.
I am sorry, but I do not buy into the idea that because Westcott and Mathers were initiates of Freemasonry, or SRIA, or fill-in-the-blank Order that they were initiates of Golden Dawn. If it doesn't work for me to shore up my lineage, it should not work for them either.
As for them being physical initiates of Golden Dawn, my answer is: No, they were not. I do not buy into the theory that they were astral initates or self-initiates either. And ultimately, it does not matter that they were not.
Mathers and Westcott had gone though lodgekit bootcamp. They had a ton of lodge experience. They knew the symbolism contained in the Cipher Manuscript. And most importantly, Golden Dawn had no lineage predating 1888. Isis-Urania was the first Golden Dawn lodge. The Golden Dawn rituals were never worked before they started to work them.
Westcott, Mathers, and Woodman did not need a lineage to open up the energies of Golden Dawn. They were the elders of the tradition; they were the ones that laid the foundation of the system. They were the ones who built the door to the system and installed the locks. It is the rest of us that follow them that need a key to open the door to the system. Fortunately, for most of us, they were not the ones who drew up the initial blueprint of the Order (the Cipher Manuscript), otherwise most of us would be stuck outside freezing.
This particular question came about because of VH Frater SR's comment to one of my previous blog posts where I was wondering exactly who was denying the connection between Golden Dawn and Freemasonry. Once I heard his response, I realized that I am one of the people he is talking about denying the connection.
Because I do not force people to join Freemasonry, and point out that they are two different Orders, I am helping deny the connection and worth of Freemasonry. *sigh* I should have known that I was one of the deniers.
For the record, I believe that Freemasonry is valuable resource for some people. But given the fact that most of the people I know only have time to be active in one Order, and they tend to be interested in the occult, I tend to emphasize Golden Dawn over Freemasonry. I also belong to an Order with female members, therefore emphasizing Freemasonry tends to put them in a bad position (almost a second-class position if you ask me).
Also because I consider Golden Dawn starting in 1888, and having no previous lineage that has the right of rulership over the modern Golden Dawn, I am helping deny the connection. *sigh* As I said, I should have realized that I was guilty.
For the record: Yes, Westcott and Mathers were Master Masons. In Westcott's case, he was a member of a lot of Orders (not as many as Waite, but close). Yes, we have to say that part of their personal lineage comes from Freemasonry. But I am not sure that we can claim that any of their authority to rule Golden Dawn came from that particular direction. Today, we tend to think of Freemasonry as the Mother of all Orders. Perhaps it is.
Then again, I am one of the orphans who have serious doubts about the worth of an unbroken lineage. Of course, that may just because I have encountered a few people who considered their lineage better than mine, therefore they thought that they were more fit to rule than the people I answered to. I have seen the utter messes that these lineage pounders have made of their groups. Extinct groups abound that were built on the claim of lineage.
Heck, if I wanted to play that game, I could claim that part of my lineage traces though the EOEW. I could claim that based on the symbolism of the "RED" degree that I have been exposed to the Adeptus Major Grade energies...but I don't. Why? Because they are different systems.
I am sorry, but I do not buy into the idea that because Westcott and Mathers were initiates of Freemasonry, or SRIA, or fill-in-the-blank Order that they were initiates of Golden Dawn. If it doesn't work for me to shore up my lineage, it should not work for them either.
As for them being physical initiates of Golden Dawn, my answer is: No, they were not. I do not buy into the theory that they were astral initates or self-initiates either. And ultimately, it does not matter that they were not.
Mathers and Westcott had gone though lodgekit bootcamp. They had a ton of lodge experience. They knew the symbolism contained in the Cipher Manuscript. And most importantly, Golden Dawn had no lineage predating 1888. Isis-Urania was the first Golden Dawn lodge. The Golden Dawn rituals were never worked before they started to work them.
Westcott, Mathers, and Woodman did not need a lineage to open up the energies of Golden Dawn. They were the elders of the tradition; they were the ones that laid the foundation of the system. They were the ones who built the door to the system and installed the locks. It is the rest of us that follow them that need a key to open the door to the system. Fortunately, for most of us, they were not the ones who drew up the initial blueprint of the Order (the Cipher Manuscript), otherwise most of us would be stuck outside freezing.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Temporary change in layout
I have just removed the Labels from this blog. The Label section just got so huge that if a reader wanted to print any post from this blog that it would chew up a dozen pages. I have yet to figure out how I am going to deal with putting up categories to make it easy for the reader to find all posts of a topic that interests them. I apologize for the temporary inconvenience.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Looking for goats to sacrifice
Today, in the Medieval Europe history class, the subject of religion came up. This is to be expected; after all, we were discussing the Church and heresy. In the interests of being fair, the professor stated that he was aware that there were some non-Christians in the room, and he also mentioned his own beliefs. Then he noted that he sometimes wished that he could ask his students what they believed.
At this point, the class clown spoke up and said, "I am a goat sacrifing pagan. Do I need to say more?"
And yes, I am the class clown. I am also hoping that I came across as a harmless kook.
After class, the professor and I were talking, along with other student. And the professor asked me if I prefered "Live or dead goats?"
I answered (without missing a beat) that I prefered mine in pastry form.
He laughed that I probably did----I think he might have noticed the number of cupcakes I buy from the various school club fund raisers.
But this got me to thinking about something that I need to find.
I need to find either a goat shaped cake pan, or goat shaped cookie cutter. If you know where I can get one, please leave an address in the comment section. Thanks.
*drooling* "Goat shaped pastries..."
At this point, the class clown spoke up and said, "I am a goat sacrifing pagan. Do I need to say more?"
And yes, I am the class clown. I am also hoping that I came across as a harmless kook.
After class, the professor and I were talking, along with other student. And the professor asked me if I prefered "Live or dead goats?"
I answered (without missing a beat) that I prefered mine in pastry form.
He laughed that I probably did----I think he might have noticed the number of cupcakes I buy from the various school club fund raisers.
But this got me to thinking about something that I need to find.
I need to find either a goat shaped cake pan, or goat shaped cookie cutter. If you know where I can get one, please leave an address in the comment section. Thanks.
*drooling* "Goat shaped pastries..."
Monday, March 8, 2010
Link: I have Royal Arch tool envy and who are these deniers
As most of my readers know, I follow several blogs. Today, on Gyllene Gryningen, there is a posting that brings out the tool envy in me; such pretty tools and wands, I have not.
Now my big question is: Who are these people trying to deny the connection between Freemasonry and Golden Dawn? Outside of Howe, I can't think of any serious attempts to do so.
Of course, there are those of us who refuse to believe that a Master Mason is the equal of an Adept Minor. Those of us who refuse to answer to the Masons are simply stating that the systems have went separate ways long ago...and that is merely an administrative issue. (Some of us also refuse to be demoted because of certain curriclum changes and because our lineage is not perfect, go figure that one out...again, an administrative issue.) We are not denying the connection, merely stating that just being a Master Mason grants you no special rights in our system.
(It is much like the relationship between the Elks, Odd Fellows and the Freemasons. They are all related, but different Orders.)
In fact, I think that it is safe to say that the connection between the two systems, if it has ever really been forgotten (or downplayed) has been rediscovered in recent years. If nothing else, my own interest in the Freemasons stems from my Golden Dawn involvements.
The only thing I can think of is perhaps it is different in the circles that VH Frater SR walks in. Then again, it is probably is considering that our two circles have the promotional "free in every box of cracker jack" land mine field separating them. We also have a pond separating us...oh, wait, that is an ocean.
Nevertheless, I cannot help wondering exactly who VH Frater SH is talking about. I am quite sure that I will find out soon enough.
(And guys, if we can't joke about the distance between us, and the reasons for it, what can we joke about?)
Now my big question is: Who are these people trying to deny the connection between Freemasonry and Golden Dawn? Outside of Howe, I can't think of any serious attempts to do so.
Of course, there are those of us who refuse to believe that a Master Mason is the equal of an Adept Minor. Those of us who refuse to answer to the Masons are simply stating that the systems have went separate ways long ago...and that is merely an administrative issue. (Some of us also refuse to be demoted because of certain curriclum changes and because our lineage is not perfect, go figure that one out...again, an administrative issue.) We are not denying the connection, merely stating that just being a Master Mason grants you no special rights in our system.
(It is much like the relationship between the Elks, Odd Fellows and the Freemasons. They are all related, but different Orders.)
In fact, I think that it is safe to say that the connection between the two systems, if it has ever really been forgotten (or downplayed) has been rediscovered in recent years. If nothing else, my own interest in the Freemasons stems from my Golden Dawn involvements.
The only thing I can think of is perhaps it is different in the circles that VH Frater SR walks in. Then again, it is probably is considering that our two circles have the promotional "free in every box of cracker jack" land mine field separating them. We also have a pond separating us...oh, wait, that is an ocean.
Nevertheless, I cannot help wondering exactly who VH Frater SH is talking about. I am quite sure that I will find out soon enough.
(And guys, if we can't joke about the distance between us, and the reasons for it, what can we joke about?)
Crowley on Coffee
O coffee! By the mighty Name of Power do I invoke thee, consecrating thee to the Service of the Magic of Light. Let the pulsations of my heart be strong and regular and slow! Let my brain be wakeful and active in its supreme task of self-control! That my desired end may be effected through Thy strength, Adonai, unto Whom be the Glory for ever! Amen without lie, and Amen, and Amen of Amen.
---The Late, Great and Current Ipsissimus, Aleister Crowley
---The Late, Great and Current Ipsissimus, Aleister Crowley
Friday, March 5, 2010
Divination: Why I hate being right
Earlier today, I had a friend call me. "You were right," she said. After I figured out what she was talking about (my brain was still editing a webpage detailing the official lodge position on Thelema), I made that noise I occasionally make (the one that makes it sound like I am chewing on a cog---sort of a grinding teeth noise combined with a sigh).
I did not want to be right. I hoped that I was wrong. I hoped that I was wrong so much that I did not pull out my Tarot cards or any other ritual props.
It is one thing to be right about the future when you don't care about the outcome. It is another thing to be right about a situation when you actually care about one or more of the people that the outcome affects.
Occasionally being right about a situation hurts because of the pain that others are feeling.
I did not want to be right. I hoped that I was wrong. I hoped that I was wrong so much that I did not pull out my Tarot cards or any other ritual props.
It is one thing to be right about the future when you don't care about the outcome. It is another thing to be right about a situation when you actually care about one or more of the people that the outcome affects.
Occasionally being right about a situation hurts because of the pain that others are feeling.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
How many Neophyte Grades does it take to be an Adept?
The other day, I was talking to someone who was trying to impress me. And in desperation (I guess), they mentioned how many groups that they have been in over the space of their esoteric career.
(Ok, "career" is probably not the right word to use here. But I can't think of a better one off the top of my head. Free feel to make suggestions in the comment section.)
Poking at it with a stick, I learned that they have never got past first or second stage in any group. So in Wicca, think First Degree (maybe); in Golden Dawn, think Zelator (maybe).
Exactly how many times though Neophyte does it take to become an Adept?
(Hey, I hear that groan from the peanut gallery.)
Truth be told, it does not matter how many times you went though Neophyte, or your Year and a Day, if you do not get much further than that.
I have several Neophyte Grade experiences, and you only hear me talk about two of them. And you only ever hear me talk about one Year and a Day. I had more than just these three, but these are the only ones that matter to me or anyone else for that matter. I don't think that I mention all the groups I have been in over the years.
Likewise, I have been exposed to several correspondence courses. Again, how many do you actually hear me mention?
(I sometimes think that I have seen everything that might make its way into a correspondence course. Then I get surprised by something.)
Truth of the matter is that it impresses no one when you tell them how many groups you have been in, or how many courses you have studied (or in some cases, paid for and never opened).
What we are curious about is what is the highest level you have obtained. And we do not want to hear you brag about it---we want to see proof in your actions and skills. Anything else and we suspect that your Grade is merely a peice of paper (if that) and that you might not be worth our time and trouble.
Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe there are people impressed by it. What do I know? After all, I am the person standing on top of a soapbox.
(Ok, "career" is probably not the right word to use here. But I can't think of a better one off the top of my head. Free feel to make suggestions in the comment section.)
Poking at it with a stick, I learned that they have never got past first or second stage in any group. So in Wicca, think First Degree (maybe); in Golden Dawn, think Zelator (maybe).
Exactly how many times though Neophyte does it take to become an Adept?
(Hey, I hear that groan from the peanut gallery.)
Truth be told, it does not matter how many times you went though Neophyte, or your Year and a Day, if you do not get much further than that.
I have several Neophyte Grade experiences, and you only hear me talk about two of them. And you only ever hear me talk about one Year and a Day. I had more than just these three, but these are the only ones that matter to me or anyone else for that matter. I don't think that I mention all the groups I have been in over the years.
Likewise, I have been exposed to several correspondence courses. Again, how many do you actually hear me mention?
(I sometimes think that I have seen everything that might make its way into a correspondence course. Then I get surprised by something.)
Truth of the matter is that it impresses no one when you tell them how many groups you have been in, or how many courses you have studied (or in some cases, paid for and never opened).
What we are curious about is what is the highest level you have obtained. And we do not want to hear you brag about it---we want to see proof in your actions and skills. Anything else and we suspect that your Grade is merely a peice of paper (if that) and that you might not be worth our time and trouble.
Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe there are people impressed by it. What do I know? After all, I am the person standing on top of a soapbox.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Discordianism on "Them"
THE FIVE ORDERS OF DISCORDIA ("THEM")
Gen. Pandaemonium, Commanding
"And behold, thusly the Law formulated: IMPOSITION of Order=escalation of Disorder!" [H.B.T.; The Gospel According to Fred, 1:6]
The seeds of the ORDERS OF DISCORDIA were planted by Greyface into his early disciples. They form the skeleton of the Aneristic Movement, which over emphasizes the Priniciple of Order and is anatagonistic to the necessary compliment, the Principle of Disorder. The Orders are composed of persons all hung up in authority, security and control; i.e., they are blinded by the Aneristic Illusion. They do not know that they belong to Orders of Discordia. But we know.
1. The Military Order of THE KNIGHTS OF THE FIVE SIDED TEMPLE. This is for all of the soldiers and bureaucrats of the world.
2. The Political Order of THE PARTY FOR WAR ON EVIL. This is reserved for lawmakers, censors, and like ilk.
3. The Academic Order of THE HEMLOCK FELLOWSHIP. They commonly inhabit schools and universities, and dominate many of them.
4. The Social Order of THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR CONCERNED CITIZENS. This is mostly a grass-roots version of the more professional military, political, academic and sacred Orders.
5. The Sacred Order of THE DEFAMATION LEAGUE. Not much is known about the D.L., but they are very ancient and quite possibly were founded by Greyface himself. It is known that they now have absolute domination over all organized churches in the world. It is also believed that they have been costuming cabbages and passing them off as human beings.
A person belonging to one or more Order is just as likely to carry a flag of the counter-establishment as the flag of the establishment---just as long as it is a flag.
From Principia Discordia compiled by Malaclypse the Younger.
Gen. Pandaemonium, Commanding
"And behold, thusly the Law formulated: IMPOSITION of Order=escalation of Disorder!" [H.B.T.; The Gospel According to Fred, 1:6]
The seeds of the ORDERS OF DISCORDIA were planted by Greyface into his early disciples. They form the skeleton of the Aneristic Movement, which over emphasizes the Priniciple of Order and is anatagonistic to the necessary compliment, the Principle of Disorder. The Orders are composed of persons all hung up in authority, security and control; i.e., they are blinded by the Aneristic Illusion. They do not know that they belong to Orders of Discordia. But we know.
1. The Military Order of THE KNIGHTS OF THE FIVE SIDED TEMPLE. This is for all of the soldiers and bureaucrats of the world.
2. The Political Order of THE PARTY FOR WAR ON EVIL. This is reserved for lawmakers, censors, and like ilk.
3. The Academic Order of THE HEMLOCK FELLOWSHIP. They commonly inhabit schools and universities, and dominate many of them.
4. The Social Order of THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR CONCERNED CITIZENS. This is mostly a grass-roots version of the more professional military, political, academic and sacred Orders.
5. The Sacred Order of THE DEFAMATION LEAGUE. Not much is known about the D.L., but they are very ancient and quite possibly were founded by Greyface himself. It is known that they now have absolute domination over all organized churches in the world. It is also believed that they have been costuming cabbages and passing them off as human beings.
A person belonging to one or more Order is just as likely to carry a flag of the counter-establishment as the flag of the establishment---just as long as it is a flag.
From Principia Discordia compiled by Malaclypse the Younger.
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