Technoshamanism Pt. 2

Water Divination when you can't get to a stream.

Technoshamanism Pt.1

Fire Divination for when you don't have time to build a fire.

Iacchus Global Rite

Iacchus was one of the first deities to whom I found myself being a dedicant . I have kind of fallen out of practice over the years but I will participate in the Global Rite on February 14th, 2014. You find out more at this website: http://dionysosrite.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/the-first-annual-global-dionysos-rite-february-2nd-2014/

Consumer Vagaries

So I spent the day floating through the Common Fantasy. That vague place where the consumer and that which is consumed reflect one another until one is not sure which is the original and which is the reflection.  As I perused the beginnings of the great consumer orgasm more commonly known as Christ Mass, I was struck by the overwhelming presence of the Fantastic. Vampires, witches, angels, fairies, elves, and superheroes, all at the toy store. Also wandering across the television screen and through adult books, and at the Mass consumer outlets, the fantastic was everywhere in full bloom. All of this was both comforting and discomforting at the same time. Fantastic sure, but not organic, co-opted and packaged for sale by the great Whore Babalon herself, American Consumerism. Now I am not so shallow or naive enough to believe this is an all top down type situation. If we (the collective We, not necessarily you and I) do not buy these plastic distractions then the Cash Hoarders would not sell them. Here are some examples of the sorts of things I saw today:

 

And This:

This is just the tip of the iceberg, ABC network alone boasts Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Marvels Agents of Shield, there is a remake of the Munsters starring Eddie Izzard as Grandpa and who could forget Walking Dead. Add to this ongoing discussions of Illuminati imagery in Pop culture, and artisinal spirituality for hipsters, and the Year of the Witch is indeed shaping up to be  a very weird one indeed.

 Some of this is not new, but the accelerated crush of consumerism at this time of year coupled with strange currents of the Fantatsic seem to hint at a  boredom with the status quo that mere repetitions of Holiday banality will not cure. Problem is that instead of taking the time to encounter the truly Fantastic either in the Outer or Inner Wilderness, most humans are somnambulistic enough to consume crap in a desperate attempt to fill the void. So here we are once again at the crossroads between experience and ersatz representations of the the strange to convince the Zombtatstic masses that they are not really walking dead. I prefer a sincere Catholic, Hell I prefer a rabid Baptist for that matter to a blind agnostic so called intellectual. It is all about the passion. 

True Magick, true Sorcery HAPPENS in the doing. There is no product, book, or guru who can do it for you, the hard work is all yours; own it. One of the best articles on how its done is this one I read by Jason Louv. Do yourself a favor and read it. He intended for those in their twenties but as one in my forties I felt I knew people my age who could benefit from it. There are no shortcuts, it is a lonely road and ultimately its your road alone. By the way I bought the Mermaid and Witch Zelfs, my altar needs some whimsy.

Hillbilly Hoodoo and Other Magical Meanderings

There are many currents crossing and composting in my psycho-spiritual world currently. Many fine readings over at the Autonomous Individuals Network. This is what one branch of TOPY has evolved into, which has become reborn  under Genesis P-Orridge's care into the One True Topi Tribe. Ultraculture also has much fine cerebral stimulants for the discerning psychonaut. I am glad to see that Chaos is alive and thriving.

In a more traditional vein I offer up the following, ConjureMan Ali's book on St Cyprian. This saint is probably the absolute best of the Mighty Dead to work with in American Hoodoo. If you want some really deep Pomba Gira, Santeria, Palo style education, check out Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold's blog The Starry Cave. 

If you want all out freaky check out Labanna Babalon; you'll thank me in the morning.

Or this wonderfully surreal bit from MGMT:

The world is spinning out of control and beautiful visions are filling my dreamspace. My shamanic starship is set to full tilt and I don't plan on touching down anytime soon. I will soon be be presenting a lengthy and scholarly post about the benefits of being a Solitary Witch in the Occidental Esoteric Tradition, wherein i will profess my undying love of all things from the Crispy Fringe. Stay tuned my dear lovelies, IT just keeps getting weirder and wilder. Pax, Amor, Lux.