THE PATH LESS TRAVELED

"It was the straying that found the path direct."- Austin Osman Spare

It has been a while, and I'm not sure where or when this post will end. I have had many changes over the last few weeks. That is not really the focus of this post, although it does contribute. I find myself at the Crossroads again, only this time there is a trail into the wilderness that I have been walking for some time now. It is a crooked little path that follows the contours of the landscape, rather than forcing the landscape to follow my contours. This path is not a highway, a two-lane, or even paved, it does not even have a destination, it forks, it doubles back in places, and then it ends abruptly, sometimes concealing even the way back. This is my path, its guardians are Mystery and Silence.

CROSSROADS AND INTERSECTIONALITY

It is always at the borders that the most interesting realities emerge, the overlaps that defy and honor the cultures from which they spring. Whether its a Postmodern Pinoy Pagan, Botswanan Metal Cowboys, or Turkish Industrial Goth, I love it. I have always had problems with so-called Futuristic tales that portray a mono-culture as utopia, or dystopia. Mono-culture is self destructive. Unfortunately, mono-culture is pervasive and seems to be Omnipresent. There are however cracks and the cracks will widen, consider the dandelion as an oracle for the way forward.

What I mean to imply is that there will always be barriers to break through on the path of growth, but this does not mean disregarding all that has gone before. Conversely for true growth, the lessons of the past are crucial, and in the intersection of past and future there is a crack available to be utilized. Inside there is fertile ground.

There is a popular viral image that made its way around the social media not so long ago, it portrayed a Venn diagram with two unconnected circles. One big circle labelled "Your Comfort Zone" and another smaller circle as far removed from the first as possible in the frame, this one labelled "Where the Magic Happens." As accurate and funny as that is, I would suggest that a more accurate Venn diagram would be two overlapping circles, both the same size. The first labelled "Your Knowledge" and the other "The Unknown", the tiny overlap would be, "Where Magic Manifests."

It matters not how much knowledge one accumulates about any subject, one will not truly understand until put into practice. This invites the unknown and challenges the budding adept, that is how experience is gained. Experience teaches adaptability and pattern recognition. Half of finding magic is having a watchful eye. Experience teaches through intersections and overlaps. Sometimes the pattern itself is revealed and everything overlaps just as the door to the unknown swings wide open. That is the moment to cherish, when Saint Serendipitous delivers hers gifts. This only happens at the Crossroads, and only for those souls who have found a light in the darkness.

There are some intersections that lead to sterility and impotence, such is to be expected. "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." John 15:2. Others however will yield fruit beyond imagination. Every break with the past is just a pruning that allows more branching and more intersections to occur. Bifurcation, branching, the way of Chaos. Pruning, nurturing, the way of Order. The place where these two meet is the Crossroads.

THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE

If there is a singular object or symbol that I would consider representative of my cosmology, the Mandelbrot set is probably the one. Bounded yet near infinite in all directions. Each part a reflection of the whole, yet continuously variable. Ken Wilber in A Brief History of Everything, writes of Holoarchy, where each Holon is both a part and a whole. This seems to work well with Umberto Eco's assertion that a language scheme based on the labyrinth rather than the tree offers freedom and an infinity of possibilities as each part being also whole.

This all works with the idea of the crooked path that snakes through the wilderness of the human soul. Bounded on either side by that which is not path, yet infinite in the directions it can travel. Each part of the path is a whole unto itself and yet part of something larger. One can travel the path at any speed and reach a variety of destinations and yet remain on the path. There is also always the choice to stop and spend some time getting lost in the labyrinthine depths at any point along the path. Not infinite, near infinite, a Mandelbrot set. 

The concept of the Holon is helpful here; one can say an acorn contains an oak, or that an oak contains acorns, both are true because here part and whole are equivalent. Fractals also illustrate this principle. Not infinite, near infinite. A Holoarchy is the relationship between Holons wherein each Holon at a certain level is made up of Holons of a different level. (There is no hierarchy as each part is dependent upon the other. The common model for this follows:

subatomic particles <-> atoms <-> molecules <-> macromolecules <-> organelles <-> cells <-> tissues <-> organs <-> organisms <-> communities <-> societies

In this example each Holon is a level of organization and each part is descriptive of the whole, no matter which direction you go. The top can be a bottom, a bottom can be a top, and, like a fractal, the patterns evident at one level can be similar to those at another.

The path as it reveals itself to many post-modern sorcerers is eclectic at its best and dilettantism at its

worst.For many it becomes an endless buffet of delights, each as bland and greasy as the rest, but the lights flash pretty colors and now the seasonal flavor is available. Seasonality is a two edged sword. Still others will stop and appreciate the landscape along the way, others still will see its serpentine nature, but still steer clear. The hardiest learn to see in the shadows and find She who is Light in the Darkness (En Erebos Phos.) The most foolhardy run happily into the beckoning tentacles.

Umberto Eco in his epic tome, From the Tree to the Labyrinth: Historical Studies on the Sign and Interpretation, adequately argues that the way Western (Dominant) Culture organizes language is based on the Neo-Platonist ideal of "the Tree of Knowledge". I would argue that the tree myth still dominates much of Western Occult Knowledge also. He proposes a structure more similar to a labyrinth. To illustrate this point he starts chapter one with a comparison of dictionaries and encyclopedias;

In defining a term (and its corresponding concept) the dictionary model is expected to take into account only those properties necessary and sufficient to distinguish that particular concept from others; in other words it ought to contain those properties defined by Kant as analytical (analytical being that a priori judgment in which the concept functioning as a predicate can be deduced from the definition of the subject).

To be distinguished from encyclopedias in the following manner;

This definition does not assign to the dog the properties of barking or being domesticated (because there may be dogs incapable of barking and/or hostile to to humans) and are not part of our knowledge of a language but of our knowledge of the world. They are therefore matter for the encyclopedia.

He goes on to explain the implications this has for our considerations of the metaphysical, but for now this will suffice.

The tree is helpful for differentiating between the various types of encounters one has along the path, but the labyrinth with its serpentine nature helps to more fully express the fullness of those experiences. Each part is whole and contains a pattern similar the whole. Not infinite, near infinite. There is danger here, like Theseus one must prepare a strategy for exiting the labyrinth. One must also be prepared for the wolves along the way.

So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said: 'See, Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty the flowers are about here - why do you not look round? I believe, too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is merry.'

Thus the path always returns to crossroads even if the path must be forged.

THROUGH THE FORGE

Not only must the path be forged but so to the seeker must be worked in the forge. It is said that Tubal-Cain is the progenitor of all craftspeople. Smiths, artists, writers, and magicians, we are all of the line of Tubal-Cain and therefore of Cain. Cain is rumored to have been sired by Samael, Lover/Son of Lillith. When we ignite the sacred fire in our soul this is it's source, but it goes much deeper than that.

Early on the path many a seeker identifies with the fire, the flame. The flame however is external, it

is the heat within that allows the seeker to become malleable. The soul of the seeker becomes as iron heated in Tubal's forge awaiting shaping upon the anvil. It is the hammer of the divine that shapes the seeker, but the seeker must choose to claim their right to enter the forge. As the iron is worked it is folded again and again to strengthen it. Each fold collapsing previous experience upon itself until the whole contains all parts and all parts contain some of the whole.

Through out life the seeker will be tempered each time become closer to Unobtainium or Mithril. This process of refinement, hardening the iron is the path. The path always leads through the forge. In the forge the impurities are either burned off or subsumed into the iron. All experience is either incorporated or falls away as slag.

Again and again the seeker returns, to remain malleable, to remove dross, and to keep the inner fire ignited. It is the iron in the blood, forged in a supernova millennia ago that links the seeker to both the inner fire and the stars. As above, so below.

MIRROR OF HEAVEN

As above, so below. This also goes the other way. As below, so above. The part contains the information of the whole that contains the part which in of itself is whole. Not infinite, near infinite. What does this mean for the seeker? The underworld and the empyrean are but reflections of each other. Whither is heaven or hell? All depends on where one's soul does dwell.

According to some of the inner teachings of Freemasonry (which claims lineage from Tubal-Cain), and in particular the book Freemasonry and Catholicism by Max Heindel, Cain and Seth (Adam and Eve's third son) represent the two branches of humanity. Cain having actually been fathered by Lucifer's General, Samael, and Seth being the second born of two human parents (Abel being the first.) The sons and daughters of Cain, and subsequently Tubal-Cain, have souls of fire, and the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve's third son Seth, derived souls of water from Jehovah. Samael's progeny are of the Earth and Fire, Jehovah's of Air and Water. Every part a mirror of the other. If one's soul is born of Fire and Earth, Water and Air would be anathema. So too if one were born of Water and Air, and subjected to Fire and Earth.

As the seeker approaches the Crossroads, benefit will most gained by seeking the path that corresponds to the nature of the seekers soul. This can also be symbolized by the goat and the lamb. Goats are wily, wild, and quite libidinous. Sheep are docile, dependent, and helpless without the flock. Samael is the Goat headed One and represents earthly knowledge, i.e. craft, science. Jehovah represents the sheep that has had its fire dampened by the Water of Heaven. Separate the goats from the sheep, indeed. Each path is valid, as above so below, and vice versa.

At the crossroads, I am presented with three choices, The Highway to Big Box Moral Bankruptcy, The Four-Lane to the Pasture of the Flock, or the thin Goat Path that leads to the Northern Mountains. This the same choice, with cultural variances for each seeker of the path. Each part contains knowledge of the whole and the whole contains each part which is whole in itself. Not infinite, near infinite.

I must go the Sabbatic Goat beckons...

 

Armageddon Out of Here

I'm done with Apocalypse Culture. Labels are helpful but they can also enchant the mind. We only have what we have always had, right now. This is augmented by nearly instantaneous global communication. Sure, humanity can now see what the sum total of its civilization has cost the planet, but we can also see where to fix problems first. For the first time in history we have the capability to coordinate global efforts to heal and transform the planet. Make no mistake, it will never be the same, but when has it ever been the same? What level of restoration do we achieve? Do we bring back dinosaurs and surrender the planet to them? Perhaps we should consider our impact as a stresser  in every decision made about the planets future. Either way we have always been here, life is nothing more than a set of transitions book-ended by two more transitions. Forever folding in upon itself or forever expanding, ultimately it is the same thing.

Watch this video by Arthur C. Clarke about fractals. Bonus: David Gilmour does some of the soundtrack. The Mandelbrot set is to my mind the best model for the structure of spirit available. Fractal Geometry, combined with Hindu concept of Brahma manifesting in to Maya, and the Voudon concept of Lao as spectral continuum (much like Q in Star Trek Next Generation), has greatly illuminated my understanding and efficacy with the entities of the Occidental Grimoire tradition.

PAREIDOLIA

Come with me, I have something to show you. Look upon the world and all its doomsayers. notice how they sift through the entrails of Behemoth and Leviathan vaingloriously searching for signs of hope and solace. I have a secret to share; the beasts are dead. Let that image sit with you a while, and contemplate this; why does infinity frighten humanity?

Time is mysterious to three dimensional beings such as ourselves, it appears to be linear and cyclical. Unlike space which we can perceive omindirectionally, time seems limited to us. The existence of fourth dimensional beings would go a long way towards explaining paranormal and Magonian occurrences. Fey, aliens, angels, demons, etc., could all be either entities or intelligences of a fourth dimensional nature that are interacting with time as easily as we interact with air. Our inability to percieve something does not negate its existence, this is the arrogance of science. As Mutant Mages, Witches, Sorcerors, Sacred Artists, Reality Engineers, et al, we know all to well the fallacy of assumption.

Time for us to confront the Elder Gods of Deep Space, communing with the natural spirits of this world is fine but we are cosmic beings also. Like the early christians who demonized the daemon, so to did Lovecraft present a horrifying vision of what he could not comprehend. Fear is the mind killer. Instead of the fearsome great Old Ones, let me introduce Aditi and Ptah. Aditi is the Hindu Primal Goddess, who is boundless space itself that gives birth and form to all things, the void from which all things are borne, Ain in Qabala. Ptah on the other hand is Egyptian, and is considered to be the primal reality and primal creator, or Architect. His eyes are said to be filled with stars and reflect the infinity of space. He is also believed to be the eternal moment of creation manifest, Ain Soph Aur. Cosmic Gods and Goddesses await you, personally I work with Mother Void, and the Architect.

CHEF-D'OEUVRE

Develop a physical aspect to your spiritual practice. Not only will it give you a more grounded perspective, but it will actually improve your overall performance. I strongly recommend, Walking Meditation, known as the Peripatetic Method. Aristotle was known for conducting his teachings while walking  the Lycium Gymnasium in Athens. He believed this helped to achieve a necessary balance between physical and mental activity. Others point to its ability to achieve " the perfect balance between peace of mind and energy of movement." There are Meetup groups in some places that do exactly this, I recommend that if you have the capability then start your own group. can you imagine the faces of other walkers or joggers as they come across a group having discussions about Goetic invocation techniques, the best herbs for spirit communication, or using bones for divination? (People in and around Austin, TX, if you are interested in this drop me a line.)

Not only does walking facilitate learning, the physiological evidence is very encouraging, as are the psychological benefits. The upside of all of this that you brain will function better and that will have a positive effect on your magical work. You don't need a group, daily walks while thinking are great for exploring topics. A meditation on death while walking around a duck pond filled with fish can open your eyes in ways that sitting in a dark room will not. (Not to dismiss the power of darkness.) Walking is not the only exercise that will benefit your practice.

Martial arts will not only help you to get closer to Red Gods and Goddesses, those beings of strength and conflict, but will teach you discipline, a necessary component to the Craft. I recommend sword play, as it requires strength, balance, and poise, plus you learn how to use a weapon.

Body play can also teach one much about boundaries and the capabilities of the human body. Whereas I personally believe in the benefit of these practices, I do not recommend them to every one. Physical and mental health are absolutely imperative. Working with skilled and trained professionals is also a MUST. Above all else remember, Safe, Sane, Consensual. Now that I have the disclaimer out of the way I will share some of what I have done, to illustrate what I mean by Body Play. Typically this term is limited to Tattooing, Scarification, and Body Piercing. I would add, fire-walking, skydiving, prolonged sexual activity, sleep deprivation, extended drumming and chanting, dancing to exhaustion and fasting. Obviously many of these you can do on your own and with out much instruction, but always seek advice first.

PROLEPTICAL BODEMENT 

It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum, she doesn't seem too keen on singularities either; no multiplicity and infinity are her game. As time swirls around us and continues to elude our ability to develop a full understanding of it, so too our ability to foresee its twists and turns. Our whole global consciousness seems to be caught up in the habit of reducing everything to a false dichotomy. This serves to distract from the reality through a process of abstraction. Not many things are as simple as two diametrically opposed equally abstract concepts. In that spirit, I want to present possibilities for the future, based on articles from differing points of view. Read them and decide for yourself. Really do take the time to read them, there are very interesting things happening.

The internet may be alive, or will be soon. This is either exciting, or the worst thing EVVAARR. The answer is far more complicated and messy. One thing everyone seems certain of is that Internet will be alive, if not now soon. Where are the voices of dissent? Why does this seem a forgone conclusion? Maybe our planet really is just one constantly evolving computational device designed to solve one problem.

Speaking of aliens, I have previously mentioned, the presence of aliens among us, and NASA's announcement concerning alien life, but what if we found portals to parallel multiverses? Maybe this is how these beings travel about so quickly? Seems we are about to find out if we can travel about quickly. Either way it seems to have been built for purposes other than just figuring out if certain subatomic particles exist or not.

Utopia or Dystopia? How about Justopia? That in between place that includes multiplicity and possibility. Many tales of the future feature the same myopic vision, total dominance by a monoculture. Nothing in my experience of life points to simplification over time, only complexity. Just as the sorceror who pokes his head into alternate spaces cannot claim to understand the totality of that other multiverse, neithar can scientist claim to have anything more than a model of universe or the ocean floor. Maps of the moon are more detailed than maps of the ocean floor.

This is the only thing I know with certainty about the future, there will be one. I definitely think we should work on fixing some of our bigger mistakes, but it is impossible to what the consequences of that will be, we will have to wait for another revelation. You know maybe I'm not done with Apocalypse Culture after all, perhaps as I have mentioned before what I am over, is Armageddon.

Pearls and Swine

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." –Attributed to the Nazarene

PORK

Aaah, the delicious pig. I'm sorry if you do not enjoy swine-flesh, I do not mean to offend. That being said I am going to defend the pig a bit, for I feel there is no better totem for earth as the pig. Both revered and feared, the pig has a rich history and a long association with magic, the underworld, and fertility of the land. Pigs are not what I want to talk about, but rather pork. Pork was always a meat of luxury, raising a pig was like raising a child and used about the same amount of resources. As a result of the expenditure incurred when one decided to raise a pig, its meat was reserved for special occasions; Seasonal Feasts, Holy Days, Celebrations, etc. Pig is an embodiment of the fertile Earth, Pork is communion. Ultimately that is my aim, communion.

I have felt very connected lately to a very international community of people dedicated to the various currents of the Craft as expressed by traditional methods. It pleases me that more and more often I am reading blog-posts and articles, listening to pod-casts, and participating in discussions stressing the importance of  Thaumaturgy. I feel very strongly that the Western Tradition has spent far too long venerating Theurgy and the Logos. Hoary praise for the PIG, meanwhile ignoring the pleasure of  bacon. I feel that some of the aforementioned conversations have been a bit one-sided, always a call to use physical components to ritual, but ignoring the actual thaumaturgic work that various members of the craft are manifesting. My earth work has deepened my appreciation of Sacred Artists, Hexenkrafters, Wort Cunners, and Rebel Saints. It is my intention during this Year of Knives, to highlight individuals and organizations that are making manifest their Sacred Vision. Yes honey, I'm bringing home the bacon.

 PEARLS

Prolonged Earth work has led me to new depths, and encounters with serpentine energies of a most primal nature. Strange thoughts have occupied my mind, I am indeed being educated by Tutelary Spirits. St. Cyprian opens the doors, makes the introductions, and offers suggestions for improved technique. I know this energy, it has worn many guises in my own life, this is what make me think. St Cyprian, Old Horny, Ganapati, Hekate, Santisima Muerte, and Babalon all overlap to some degree in their aspects. More like nodes on a spectrum rather than completely differentiated from one another. Again and again I find this to be true across traditions, techniques and religions. There are certain energy forms that manifest around humans across millennia that seem to exhibit the same strange and interesting properties.

The Snake or rather the Serpent, for instance, occupies many niches in folklore and spirituality, but

they all exhibit similar properties. Most interesting is that the part of our brain that is called reptilian, is where one will find Serpent Wisdom. One can also find the serpent Kundalini coiled at the base of the spine. Like wise in the depths of the underworld one can find the Cosmic Serpent that encircles All. These are Mysteries laid out in plain sight, much as the magic of dirt is often ignored, so too the Sacred Mundane is neglected. The Serpent Path is the Crooked Path and there is wisdom in this. The Way of the Witch is a meandering way, and sometimes there is no path at all, merely an exploration through the brambles and boggy creek bottoms. Just like the Serpent.

Cthonic Spirits and serpentine energies, these are my companions on the path through my Earth work. The treasures I gain are manifest as well as transcendent. I will soon begin introducing you to others who make the transcendent manifest, those who not only work the Materia Magica, but actually make the Magica Materia. 

Waking Dragons

Wild Iris Sasquatch Jones 2015

Get comfy, no I mean it, this a long ride, but we will stop occasionally...

Postcards From Naraka

Bursting Forth Sasquatch Jones 2015

It has been a while since I last did this, so be patient and I will be as gracious a host as I can. Those who have been reading my posts for a while will know that I have been engaged in a year long Earth Working, by which I mean that I am engaged in many workings that are all related to the elemental aspects of Earth. Like many of my kin, I first learned about the Witchcraft Revival through Buckland's Big Blue Book (4B), then explored other avenues. This has resulted in my associating winter with earth as many Wiccans do. Even though I passed by Wicca nearly twenty years ago, the imprint is strong. Over the years I have always turned inward during winter and devoted this time to intense study. This winter is no different, except that the depths I have reached far outpace anything I have done before, that and I may have awakened a dragon. More on that later.

This winters studies have been aided by many sources and I would like to share a few with you. I will start with books, because I always do. Pod-casts have been very instrumental to my studies this winter, I will tell you about my favorites. Blogs of course are always on the menu, but there a re a few notable articles that I will invite you to read. Finally I want to share some music and recommend a movie. Then I will tell you all about the Dragon.

Ocultas Libros

I have read so many books as of late that I decided to only review the titles I have finished. I am only going to give the title, the author and a brief impression of what I liked and/or disliked. I am not a book reviewer, but I do love to share knowledge, so perhaps this will give you some inspiration.

The Magical and Ritual Use of Herbs, by Richard Alan Miller- If you walk the Poison Path as I do, this little book is very handy. Written like a field guide with identification, history, chemistry, preparation, etc., this is about as stripped down as a technical manual. In fact that is exactly what it is, a Technical Magical Field Guide. I strongly endorse this book. Thanks to Sarah Anne Lawless for recommending this one.

Plant Spirit Shamanism, by Ross Heaven and Howard G.Charing- Both Ross Heaven and Howard G. Charing have a considerable body of work between them (which I highly recommend if you work plant spirits), so I was happy to find this book co-authored by these two, with a foreword by Pablo Amaringo as a bonus. I love this book. First each author shares from the traditions they are most familiar with, which allows one to find points of intersection between differing traditions, hinting at that old Ur-sorcery beneath all things. Then just to ice the cake they introduce herbs from the Western Traditions that correspond not by chemistry but by energy, by Spirit. If you work with plant spirits reading this book can inform your work.

Pharmako Gnosis: Plant Teachers and the Poison Path, by Dale Pendell- What everyone else says about this book is true, put it into your library today. Unless you already own it.

The Sorcerer's Secrets, by Jason Miller- This book impressed me so much I signed up for the Strategic Sorcery course, this will be my first foray into Formal Magical Training. The results so far, just from reading the book, are noticeable. This tome will improve your work regardless of your path.

Mandala Sasquatch Jones 2015

The Vision and the Voice

I am just going to recommend three pod casts series I have enjoyed over the last few weeks. The first is HedgeFolk Tales, by Sarah Anne Lawless. Great lore and interpretation from a wonderfully witchy perspective. Next is the Crooked Path Pod-cast by the late Peter Paddon. There is a wealth of information here that is passed in the Old Way, as oral tradition, truly a treasure. Finally, Lamplighter Blues, with Dean and Doctor Hob. I love Doctor Hob's voice, and his depth of knowledge is wonderful. If you are interested in HooDoo or Conjure, check this out.

Intermission

Words of Inspiration

I am a reader, hands down my favorite mental activity. I read blogs because I love the way they are like an ongoing conversation between several people. I love watching the way certain ideas will get amplified and contemplated by different minds, absolutely beautiful. Upon Westminster Bridge, by Gordon White over at Rune Soup offers up a meditation upon this very subject. Since I brought up Rune Soup be sure to check out the following two installments, Teaching Birds How to Fly and The Other Avian Flu.

Tres Senoras Sasquatch Jones 2015

Can Witchcraft be civilized? I find that Nicolaj de Mattos Frisvold addresses the question rather nicely over at the Starry Cave.This dovetails nicely with my Year of Knives foci. These are the posts that have me thinking, for something that inspires in a different way, try Sailor on the Seas of Fate, The Orphans Almanac, or Rue and Hyssop.

The Devil's Own

When I was growing up in the late seventies and early eighties, in East Texas, many Baptist preachers were still turning coin preaching about the evils of Rock-n-Roll and Hollywood. Needless to say, but I was a lost cause. I have always loved secular music, but a few pagan musicians have helped me appreciate the value of spiritual music. Wendy Rule's Black Snake, is amazing, her voice is sultry and this album highlights that. Infernal Proteus is for the Krautnerden (Herb Nerds) amongst us, not always the greatest music in my opinion but I like it.

On Netflix, Daniel Radcliffe stars in Horns, totally entertaining murder mystery with a twist. Pop some corn and enjoy your evening.

Intermezzo

Here There Be Dragons

I have been treading the mill for some time now to depths I have never been. Something compels me onward ever downward, the pressure on my ears is painful and the heat is almost unbearable. Then darkness and silence envelopes me. Something is here, alive. Massive, its energy hits me like a wall. It smells of copper and soot, but mostly of serpent. It is aware...of me.

Symbiotes Sasquatch Jones 2015

"Hoomaan, dare you to disturb me?", it hisses.

"I beg your pardon, I meant no offense", I reply.

"How do you come to be here?", questions the thing in the depths.

"Exploring" say I.

"What are you looking for?" it asks.

"Knowledge", my response.

It laughs. IT. LAUGHS.

"You will gain so much more", it assures me.

"Thank you." 

I awaken beneath my tree, cold,wet and achy, the weather has turned. Time to go back inside. I never  had a visual, but I know this was a dragon. Wrapped around the base of my skull the whole time. 

The Roots

As the world turns towards spring for the Northern Hemisphere and autumn for the Southern Hemisphere, I begin to rise from fallow slumber and join the coming chorus of life bursting forth. Upwards I ascend with knowledge plumbed from the depths, this dirt is fertile. The dandelions are blooming, I have work to do.

Lots'o'luck Sasquatch Jones 2015

Communion with the Ancestor Spirits

For now I will be brief and just post some hints of more to come. The work is still in progress and I must review my notes and make them more cohesive. I promise that within the week there will be more, and the return of Open Sourcery. For now I leave you with this.

Mantram and Visualization - Open Sourcery #5

 

Mantram

If you have been following along from the beginning, you should now know how to become aware of your body, relax your body, breath rhythmically, and focus your attention on your thoughts. Ideally you are doing this for 15 - 30 minutes twice a day, if not don't sweat it just keep at it. These are the exercises that will help your practice to be successful regardless of your path.Now I will introduce the next stage, Mantram. Mantram is beneficial on many levels, it helps develop concentration, lowers stress, and transform consciousness. For these reasons alone mantram would be recommended, but my reason has to do specifically with training your mind for the task of spell work. Many spells work on the principle of Raising Power, this is usually accomplished through repetition of key phrases. I will discuss this in greater detail, but first let me explain how to do mantram.

Once you have relaxed your body and mind, and are breathing in rhythm, recite a simple phrase over and over again, either audibly or silently. Try both techniques as they yield different results. It's really that simple to initiate, but takes a while to master. I recommend using a timer, mala beads, or a Witch's Ladder to aid in your recitation exercises. As for the mantram itself, there are many out there, and many people use something from the eastern traditions or if you are inclined towards Hoodoo christian prayers may work for you. Personally, I make up my own mantras and then use Google Translate to translate them into German or Cyrmu, my primary ancestral tongues. My primary mantra is "ich bin im Frieden mit allem was" which is rough German for "I am at peace with all that is." Try to find something that resonates with you and syncs rhythmically with your breath work.

 

Visualization

Visualization is absolutely one of the most fun Mind Expansion Techniques of which I know. The limits are only defined by your imagination. Let me take a moment to discuss imagination. In our modern, scientifically materialistic world is has become vogue to dismiss thoughts and dreams as "mere" imagination. In fact one could argue that there is an ongoing war against creativity and beauty that could be referred to as the Genocide of the Imagination. Despite this,scientists quite often use visualization techniques and dreams to help them figure out complex problems. Imagination is where ideas are born, and without ideas there is no advancement. If no imagined that the Earth was round our history would be very different, and if no one had dared to dream of long distance communication devices, you would not be reading this now. Never let anyone dismiss your ideas as just imagination.Ideas hold power.

Okay, enough of the diatribe, time for nuts and bolts. The who, what, where, when, and why of visualization. There are as many ways to visualize as there are people teaching visualization. The method I first learned is very similar to the "Eating a Lemon" exercise described here:

Eating a Lemon Visualization Exercise:

Imagine you are in a kitchen somewhere.

On a bench is a basket of lemons. You reach out and select a ripe yellow lemon. You feel the weight of the lemon in your hand..., you slide your fingers over the smooth waxy skin... feel the dimpled texture... You lift the lemon to your face and breathe in that lemony smell... and then you slice the lemon open. As the bright yellow flesh is exposed you see the juice run out... a lovely lemony citrus aroma fills the room. You cut a slice and put it in your mouth. You bite down on it .... the juice runs over your tongue... your mouth fills with the taste of lemon juice...

For more of these exercises go this website for Visualization Techniques. You can also try the techniques described at MindExpansionTechniques. Since I have mentioned the use of visualization in spell work and I do not currently feel like devoting my time to writing on this subject yet, let me direct to others that have; the Beautiful, the Practical, and the Technical. Once again I cannot stress enough the importance of these exercises, add them to your above exercises at least twice a week. Spell work will come later, for now, concentrate on the visualization only.

Recommended Readings

The time has come dear padwan for studies of an intellectual nature. I highly and strongly suggest that the serious student of the occult and magic study the following books, they will give you an understanding of the Magical World Perspective. The list in no particular order;

1. Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland
2. Magick in Theory and Practice by Aleister Crowley
3. A Witches Bible: The Complete Witch's Handbook by Janet and Stewart Farrar
4. Real Magic by Isaac Bonewits
5. The Red Book by Sera J. Beaks
6. Quantum Psychology by Robert Anton Wilson
7. The Magician's Companion by Bill Whitcomb

That should be enough to get you started, there will be test next month. Seriously though, read and practice, read and practice and then read some more. A quick study of Library Sciences might prove to be helpful. Test the theories, do the exercises, write it all down and then share what works and what doesn't. This is the beginning, welcome aboard.

 

Open Source Lesson #3

Let me start by apologizing for the lateness of this lesson, I have been busy frolicking in the fullness of Mother Nature's Bosom. Now, let's get on to the lessons for this installment. I will be introducing three new ideas, well practices actually, that will prove to be very useful to any path one may choose.

Breath Control

Before we begin, play this video from MC Yogi, it will prepare for what is to come.

So let's talk about Breath Control. In the Hindu world this known as Pranayama; look it up on Google, there are many great resources out there. I recommend this article at Yoga Journal for a brief introduction, read it here. Dr. Israel Regardie recommends that one practice breath control after reaching a state of relaxation using the methods we discussed in the previous lessons; specifically awareness and body awareness. There are as many methods as there are traditions and teachers within those traditions. Many people find the four fold breath the easiest to master at first. The concept is simple:

Inhale to a count of four. Hold for a count of four.

Exhale for a count of four. Hold for a count of four. Repeat.

That's it. This technique will help you to quite your mind and develop focus, both of which are essential to achieving results from your work. I also like the Magickal Breath as described by Donald Michael Krieg. The method I use most I first came across reading a biography of the mathematician Kurt Gödel, his technique was simply to lie on one's back (corpse pose or shavasana) and inhale slowly and deeply, then exhale slowly and deeply. This will allow you to relax completely and frees your mind to focus completely. Raven Kaldera wrote this about breath and it's use in the Northern Tradition Shamanism he advocates. Breath Control is essential to and the foundation of all ritual work. It is the breath that opens the way, the element Air, the power to know. Find the technique that works best for you and practice everyday.

 Ritual Space

Up until now I have mostly talked about relaxation techniques , a little ritual, and some theory, but no discussion of the tools of the trade. There are many theories about this, but every school of thought agrees on one thing; an altar. How one goes about constructing that altar is as varied as the crafter. As proof I offer up one my favorite tumblr sites, Fuck Yeah Altars. I personally think of altar space more like a workbench for my Reality Engineering Experiments, but more on that at a later date (I promise.) For now have a gander at my space:

So for starters lets build a shrine to be developed into an altar space. The difference between an altar and a shrine is intention. Shrines are usually devoted to an aspect of the divine, such as, the Divine Feminine, or the Divine Masculine, or Universal Love. Conversely an altar can be devoted to one aspect alone or multiple aspect like those mentioned above or to a seasonal celebration, or Physical or Metaphysical Forces. Rather than duplicate the good work done by others, I will simply refer to these two links on E-How, everything you need to know is there. How to Create a Personal Shrine and How to Make a Shrine. There you go easy peasy.

Godforms and Archetypes

Since the idea of shrines has been introduced, now seems to be a good time to discuss concepts of divinity. When this subject comes up, I am reminded of the lyrics of an old Love and Rockets song, that goes something like this;

Live the life you love, Use a God you trust, 

and don't take it all too seriously

That sums it all up for me. Find a Godform or Archetypal Figure that dovetails with your personal philosophy and path-work.There are so many to choose from that I will only recommend two books that may help you make a choice. The Witches God and The Witches Goddess by Janet and Stewart Farrar, read them both. Also read up on Jungian Archetypes, this will help on your way. I really don't want to influence your decisions too much so I will encourage to develop your own relationship with the divine. That being said I will share my vision of the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine with you. My vision of the Feminine Divine I call Owl Woman and the Masculine Divine I call Señor Jackalope. If you want to know more about how I use these forms message me. Beyond this I will leave you to your own devices, after all you did not choose this path to follow some other person's vision.

That wraps up this installment of Open Source Magick. Keep up your daily practice and build a shrine, or if you are ambitious build an altar. If you have any questions comment below or contact me on Facebook. Keep up the Great Work! So Mote it Be.

Savage Sorcery

Lapsang Souchong with two fingers of whiskey, the smell of cedar smoke in my nostrils. This is how I wish I had started my day, but instead it was Earl Grey and no incense of any kind. Today I am moving slow, trying to take it easy after psychic drain of the Fourth of July. I was supposed to go to a Family Reunion today, but like so many others of us who do not prescribe to Christo-Judaic beliefs I am a bit estranged from my family proper. So my wife, the Herbwoman, my kids and myself have decided to stay home and relax. Spend some quality time with the family we love and that loves us back.

Been catching up on my reading and there seem to be quite a few good articles about, pertaining to the Rewilding Witchcraft article by Peter Grey, go read it if you haven't. I also highly recommend The Witch and The Wild by Sarah Anne Lawless. While your at it go ahead and read about Dirt Sorcery over at Aidan Wachter's blog Hotel Vast Horizon. Might as well read Annie Sprinkle's Ecosex Manifesto too. These are things I have mulling over as I do my Earth Workings and engage in the rituals of summer (mostly playing in the San Marcos River.) The thoughts, opinions, and feelings expressed in these articles have been opening up a need for savagery in me. Not bloodthirsty, just untamed, wild, FERAL. I have a longing to mergewith the wild wood and lose myself for some time.

More and more it dawns on me that my animistic, pagan, tribalistic beliefs defy definition.I do not have a religion in the strict sense other than my life. I have NO gods or goddesses before me, just spiritual allies, familiars if you will. I commune with the Cosmos, the earth beneath my feet, the spirits of the dead and raw untamed nature. My rites are my own, crafted by me for me. All that I lack is community, and that is my own failing. So now I feel drawn to make bonds, to find links in a physical sense, for the sake of Lover Earth. She needs me more than ever, and I can not satisfy her alone. Only all of us working together can hope to save a sliver of humanity to continue the relationship.It's the least we can do after all she has given us.

All of this leads me to the need to clearly articulate a Savage Sorcery, wild untamed magics to herald not a
return or rewilding, but the beginning of a Wild Way not yet seen. We can not go back, but we can push forward into a different relationship, one that accepts our self imposed mass extinction event. A vision that encompasses toxic environments, urban blight and the few patches of wildness left. We must come together to enact rituals with meaning in public places, rituals that express who we are, what matters most and the way forward. We must not fall into the trap of being nice just to get along, that will only serve those who seek to destroy our life support system. We must confront them head on. Our magics must take on the cause of being advocates for the Wild, they must be wild in and of themselves. Block traffic with tribal dancing. Make music with boneflutes and voices that is both a funerary dirge and a celebration of all that is to come. Be wild, be free and be unafraid. This article, Manifesting An Other World by Rhyd Wildermuth at the Wild Hunt also has much to contemplate.

So I will work on my Savage Sorcery and go wild in the process, I suggest that you do the same.

Prognostication, Divination, and Fortune-Telling

Practitioners of many different Magickal traditions engage in practices of prognostication, divination, or fortune-telling. While all of these are similar they not quite the same and very different psychology is at work behind each. Despite these differences, the same desire seems to drive the seekers of the arts, an attempt to ascertain and have some control over the future.

Prognostication, or forecasting is perhaps the most common and therefore the most invisible of the three. Most prognosticators must establish themselves through schooling or expertise in a field before being allowed to practice their professions. Some examples include Weather Forecasters, Economists, Sports Forecasters and even the people who compile allergy forecast. The basic model seems to follow along the lines of , observe, record, sample,and predict. The first element is essential, one cannot predict what will happen if one does not understand how things work. Take weather for example, if you do not know what usually happens after SE winds for three days straight followed by a shift to winds out of the NW in Central Texas in late September then you will not make a good Weather Forecaster. Secondly you must build a record to make your predictions more accurate by comparison to past events, this is how rain percentages are calculated. Third you must know what current conditions are for sake of said comparison. Lastly, and this is where it gets tricky, you must make a guess and hope it's right or you will not be employed for long. This approach is not only the most common but it is actually treated as science even though it ultimately comes down to intuition and guesswork.

Divination, or insight works a bit differently and is usually spurned by our modern scientific materialistic culture. This bias probably arises as much from the use of devices like Tarot Cards, Crystal Balls and Bone Oracles, as from charlatans and con-men trying to exploit the desperate and gullible. Disclaimer: I myself do use and believe in the efficacy of certain divinatory practices when used in the proper context. Some of what is done with these techniques and tools is closer to fortune telling than divination, but that will be illustrated more later. Tarot Cards have a long and mixed history of use as divination tools, the truly adept use them more as a psychological aid than a predictor of future events, in fact Carl Jung has written extensively on this subject. One must use techniques very similar  to prognostication to have an effective outcome with tarot. First learn what the symbols on the cards mean, then keep a record of ones mental well being, including feelings about the symbols themselves. Once a data base has been built, one may begin to ascertain deep personal psychological truths or predict ones behavior in a given situation, including alternatives. Scrying or crystal gazing, relies heavily on intuition and interpretation. Again this probably best done on a personal level or when the interpretation is left to the querant. Bone Oracles, or casting are purely based on intuitive interpretation and again record keeping seems to be the key to increased accuracy.

Fortune-Telling has been practiced for as long as humans have had tribal leaders and shamans.Originally

used like Weather Prognostication, or Personal Divination techniques, fortune telling has come to be more closely associated with charlatans, cheats and con-men. This situation is probably due to the fact that desperate and gullible people make easy targets for those who feel comfortable exploiting others. Fortune- Telling use some of the same tools as Divination but more as props. People who practice fortune telling are more like amateur psychotherapists than anything else. By listening closely to their clients, fortune tellers ascertain exactly what the querant needs to hear to believe that the outcome will go their way. Depending on the scruples of the fortune teller this may or may not involve further rituals, products, talismans, etc. Many agree that the easiest way to discern a fortune tellers intentions is whether or not they have products for sale and how they charge for services. Donation only fortune tellers seem to be the most sincere.

What compels humans to seek out foreknowledge about the future is I believe, quite simply security. When one believes one has inside knowledge of future events, one feels their plans are more congruent with objective reality. This both utter hogwash  and completely true. Some forces are beyond our manipulation, some on a personal level and some on a species wide level. Objectives beyond the scope of our personal power must be accomplished with aid from other souls, in whatever form that takes. Once one has a plan whether achievable alone or with the aid of others, one begins to change reality in accordance with one's will; magick. When you look past the few charlatans and cheats, and realize every newscast in America has a segment with the Chief Fortune Teller, i.e weatherman, then a realization dawns; we all long to know the unknowable and feel as if we can control even a small part of it. That is why we do magick, but that is a story for another day.