Messages

Here's an idea, if you want a subscription, buy one.  If you don't buy off the newsstand.  From what you say above, I could just as easily accuse you of wanting to scam the magazine from four issues without paying.

I have taken advantage of the four issue offer.  I didn't send anything to cancel, I have not been billed, nor have I continued to receive issues.  My estimation of this, they use the credit card number as a tracking device so that they can't be suckered out of more than one offer to a person.  

Bloodsong

Scientific American is where I read that article.  It was a month ago, though, the magazine is no longer current.  You can check your local newsstand if they carry back issues, the www.sciam.com website, or order the back issue itself to check out the article. I am not 100% sure the black hole article is in the web site, so you are warned on that one.

Bloodsong

Little tip for you, although it won't do much good if you are in the northern hemisphere right now.

These sensations are even better out in a rainstorm.

Bloodsong

Outdoors, Here's another mind-bender from scientific frontiers:  the old theory of "liquid ether" may come closer to describing how space-time truly reacts than Einstein's Relativity Theory!

Check out Scientific American for more information on this than I can fit in this area for convenience's sake.  Basically though, the current theory on space-time seems to want to break down, and cause light, which flows through space-time, to react more like water in a high-pressure flow nozzle than an unimpeded system!  Black holes are what act like the high-pressure nozzle in this case.  Check it out, seriously, interesting article.

Bloodsong

Try candle magick.  Just etch the words that describe what you want into the side of a candle with a pin while it is in your head, and stop immediately when any thoughts contrary to it get into your head.  It may take days before you finish the candle, but that seems faster than what you have experienced so far.  When you have the words on the candle, burn it with a clear mind, and then just let your mind wander while it burns down.  Once the candle is well charged, and then lit, your thoughts are pretty much inconsequential.

Bloodsong

Residual energy may be sticking around.  Try the old Wiccan trick of "grounding" the energy out by either putting your hands on the ground outside, or by holding a piece of iron or similar metal in your hands for a while.  Other than that, to answer your question, yes, this is normal.

Bloodsong

It has been disproved in the dawn of Quantum Physics, but honestly, that doesn't really disprove Newtonian Physics empirically.  Only on the quantum (i.e. really flippin' small) level.  As far as "destroying" a quark, sub-atomic particles wink in and out of existence at all times, and the destruction of an individual quark has been shown to be only temporary, if I read the CERN web-site correctly.

I used Newtonian Physics as my model only for simplicity's sake, I assure you.  I know a bit about the Quantum theories as well.  They, if anything, prove more emphatically, the necessity of the model that I argued above.  Hell, if you break it all down to its most basic, what I said above was "Quantum Theory for the Mystic Soul."

As for the "Relativity Equation" of E=MC`2, this isn't destroying matter to create energy, it is a description of causing a perfectly controlled chain reaction to release the energy inherent in the matter to begin with.  Take a nuclear reactor, for example.  When the matter enters, it is one form, it is introduced to other, destabilizing material to begin the chain reaction in slow motion.   This release of energy can be equated, somewhat, by the above equation.  The basic components are still there, in the original proportions, just separated to create different elements and isotopes.  The reason I say that it is only somewhat calculable by E=MC`2 is that the current technology reactions in operation in the United States are only about 0.10% as effective as they ideally could be, which is what the equation figures, ideals, not reality.  The disparagement between the actual and the ideal is the measure of efficiency.  If you really want to get further into the nuclear reactions (although, admittedly, they are completely off topic) check out last month's issue of Scientific American magazine.  It follows the chain reactions and tells you basically where the sub-atomic particles break to.

In short, nothing in Quantum Theory really disproves anything in Newtonian Physics, any more than the rules of Soccer impinge on a decision in American Football games.  They are two completely different animals, at least for the time being, and spirituality, separated from religious dogma, is our best theory for synthesizing these disparaged siblings, in my opinion.  The secret lies in looking at the relation of micro/macro-cosms

Bloodsong

OK, I want to become good at making lasagna, can you help me?

Bloodsong

It is really a wash, in my opinion.  In my experience, or at least my opinion of the divine, it is all the same.

You see, I see science as a way of looking at God, and God as a way to question science.  Hence, what is true of science is true of God, in my opinion.  Thus, simple Newtonian physics dictates that matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed, simply made to change forms.  Since most religious descriptions demand that before the divine creation, nothing existed save the Gods of Creation, it stands to reason that perhaps everything is simply a changed form of God.

That means that you, me, the rocks, your car, the sun, a fart, everything is a part of God and thus divine.  Therefore, if you follow anything and study it steadfastly, you can see the Ultimate within it.  Kind of like the man who practiced the misheard mantra of "The jewel in the latrine" and achieved enlightenment.

Now, as for it all being in your mind, well, what if it is?  Have you ever dedicated some time to actually spending time inside your own mind?  I think you may be surprised to find out just how large the inside of your mind is!  It isn't something spatial, so stop thinking of the matter resting so dormantly (no slight to intelligence, just to motion) between your ears.  You too, are divine, and your mind is the link!  Most modern forms of psycho-therapy agree with this, be they Freudian (Super-Ego), Jungian (Collective Unconscious), or others, even Quantum Field Theory, says that we are all connected, it is just that no one knows by what!

As for the legitimacy of calling OBEs by that name, I feel it is totally legitimate.  You see, most don't realize just how large and infinite the mind is.  And how connected the mind is to everything else.  When you "go out of body" perhaps you are just detaching your mind from its normal conscious constraints, thus allowing your mind to truly roam freely.  The shifts in "planes" that are possible are due both to varying states of consciousness into unexplored regions of the mind, as well as into states of material existence that are normally hidden to us due to preconceptions.

Is it that same as hypnosis?  Perhaps, but I haven't ever been formally trained on the topic, so I can't comment.  Neither have I ever been placed under hypnosis, so I can't give a comparison, either.

Was I referring to something bigger?  Well, yes, I was referring not only to we as people, but to people in the fullest potential.

Bloodsong

"Demons" "angels" "higher self" all are simple psychological concepts.  Calling upon these things simply puts one in charge of speaking directly to parts of repressed subconsciousness that is usually out of reach.  This sort of forced psycho speaking is useful in self-medicating mental repressions and suppressions that are normal in all people.

Invocations simply put one in touch with different parts of themselves that the subconscious would stop you from reaching if you called it a part of yourself.  The appearance of these "beings" is simply a manifestation of how much of a problem a certain part of oneself is.  The scarier the manifestation, the more trouble that part of the mind will be for that person.

Bloodsong

OK, this is not an answer really, but where is everyone getting the idea that you can separate a single element in a working?  You can focus one only, but so far as my experience tells me, you cannot really exclude the other three, just lessen their effect.  Magick is cumulative and inclusive, not excluding in any way.

Bloodsong

Here's a hell of a place to start:

http://www.alchemywebsite.com/

Bloodsong

Do a Google search on the Middle Pillar exercise.  This is something that is Qabalistic in nature, but that is the magic I use, so that is what I know.  There is a book that explains the ritual in very minute detail from Israel Regardie, called the Art of True Healing.  You can get it very cheap at Amazon.com, but if you want, I have a .pdf file of it as well, PM me with your email address and I can send it to you.

Bloodsong

Why develop being a leech?  It just causes dependence, in all of its forms.  This will lead to a mess eventually.  How about just learning how to channel energy from the wellspring?  Basically, my theory goes like this, the basic life-energy that we all get is infinite.  Most of us tap into it instinctively, and this is the balance, some tap in too much, and are flooded with the energies, and certain psychological imbalances (but by no means all) can be explained this way.  On the other hand, there are those who for some reason cannot tap into the source as well.  These are the psychic vampires, and most are subconscious feeders.  They do, mostly, instinctively know that they are dependant on "sub-standard" methods of getting this energy, and are resentful of it.  That is why some subconscious psi-vamps are really nasty people. (Not to draw any conclusions about your friend).  

There is a way to break that cycle.  That is basically through getting in touch with theurgia.  Once one can touch and control the energies needed for true "miracle working" magick (the quote is one of the translations of "theurgia" that I have seen) the channels for getting needed life-energy is open just right, as you have access and control, the balance.  Help your friend get there.

Bloodsong

I am an empath myself.  I have never had a vamp succeed at an attack on me.  I don't do any big shieldings everyday, just two simple rituals, the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, and the Star Sapphire, which is the Thelemic version of the Hexagram Ritual.  Google the LBRP and Hexagram Ritual (put quotes around the second second to get the best results) and you should be able to find more information on these rituals than you can comfortably digest in a lifetime.

Bloodsong

That is because I am not, just very well read.

That one, though, came from a rabbi I knew in Austin.  He taught me a lot.  Said he didn't mind, thought the teachings of mystic Judaism were too scant in America, so it was okay to break the taboos of only teaching other Jews, as long as Gentiles had to work really hard for the knowledge!  Two hundred yards of fence repair later, I had two days to learn.

Bloodsong

when is the spirit put into the body? or when does the spirit own the body?

The Qabalistic answer for this:  At the first drawn breath.  Ancient Qabala holds that the method of reincarnation is that souls come from the realms beyond to be reborn, but must find their own vessel, one is not appointed to them.  Souls basically wait around the womb for the birth, and are the child's first breath.

Occasionally there is a fight between souls wanting the same vessel, if you will, and fighting in close proximity to the child.  This can cause damage, and was the old explanation for birth defects of all types.

So, under this theory, is it possible for a child to be born without a soul to occupy it?  Definitely.  Will that child live?  Never.  You see, the divine spark of life imparted by a mother and father was only enough to power a single breath.  After that, the link to God provided by the soul was needed to sustain that spark and generate a fire.  Symbolics at its earliest.

Bloodsong

Patience is the greatest virtue, especially with this stuff!  If you can't get the kind of reaction you are looking for with hand exercises, try with a foot or mid-leg.  Don't ever think you are bound by someone else's words.  This is you, and the experience will be different than it was for anyone else.  Similar maybe, but not the same!

Bloodsong

It starts how it starts, don't worry so much about if you are doing it right, and focus on if you are doing it at all.  Do you feel a reaction that wasn't there before?  You are doing it.  Intensity will either come later, or you have pretty clean energy paths and the "feeling" won't enter physically, just manifest better when you are astral and be something you will have to have faith in when you are physical.  No biggie.

Bloodsong

no problem, if you have anything else you want to know, feel free to PM me

Bloodsong

The Lesser Ritual of Banishment, I presume you are referring to the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, or LBRP.  It is used as a way to create a sacred working area, cast a circle, and get the magician into the right state of mind all at once.  It is also very good at these things!

If you want to learn more about the LBRP, as in how to do it and what is involved, here's a link that includes the visualizations and instruction all in one:

http://www.asiya.org/lbrp.html

If you are looking into general magic instruction, dig deeper into that site, it has some knowledge.  You can also look into other posts I have made using the site search, I know of one reply I made a while back with a load of links with plenty of instruction, but I don't want to be repetitive, so you will have to look those up.  

Finally, if you are looking to have a "hard-copy" textbook on ceremonial magic in particular, I would suggest Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig.  It is more of a workbook that a text, though, as it gives plenty of practical information and instruction, but is rather bare unless you follow a bit of it up with some of the suggested reading found at the end of each lesson.

Bloodsong

To give enough information for this to be of use to you, it would require more area than is allowed by the forum, probably.

If you are truly interested in these topics, it would be much easier to read up on it.  Either Google search on demon/angel/entity conjuration, and entity creation, or go to Amazon and look for books on the subject.

Bloodsong

Never saw or heard of that one.  Would have to see it.  Since it is really hard to train a bird to "play dead" and stay on the ground, I would have to assume camera tricks.

Bloodsong

True enough, the best defense that is intact 24/7 is health as defined in Chinese medicine.

Bloodsong

Start worrying about that and you will draw them to you, not because you have a shield, but because anxiety is like a magnet for the little buggers!

Best thing to do against these minor-league pains-in-the-butt, learn your personal "seal" of protection.  It is a protective symbol that holds meaning for you.  Learn to project its image at things on the astral.  If the thing is harmful or a nuisance in any way, shape, or form, it will likely run from this, if it isn't, well, no benign being on the astral is averse to being tested in such a manner, they understand our need to be protected.

In short, test every being you come across as to its benignity, some things that seem as guides may be just that, but guiding you down a wrong path.  Test the guides as to their helpfulness with your protective sigil, and you will be assured something that is at the very least uninterested in harming you, and, more likely, be drawn to beings that are very interested in helping you.

Bloodsong