Many in Occultdom found out yesterday that Donald Michael Kraig has died of pancreatic cancer. Honestly, we've been losing too many teachers, in my humble opinion, given the recent death of Eddy Gutierrez.
In a recent post where I listed the most influential books on my path, there were several I left out. Kraig's book 'Modern Magick' was one of them. While I don't practice much of what is in that book anymore, it proved incredibly helpful when I finally quit practicing Wicca. It gave me a new framework to go off of, and a structured set of lessons to help orient me.
In fact, I practiced the brand of ceremonial magic in that book for a good couple years, and there was a good amount of benefit I gained from it. It was one of a few books that really illustrated the need for a daily/regular magical practice.
There are things in 'Modern Magick' that I disagree with and don't like, but a person could do far worse with other books out there.
So, I give thanks to Mr. Kraig for his work. May he rest peacefully, and may he continue in death the good work he did in life.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Update 03/18/2014
Hello again, dear readers!
This is just another update on my practices and what I've been up to. So without further ado...
OVERALL PRACTICE
Not a lot has changed here, although there are two areas which I have been a bit more active in.
First, thanks to Jack Faust, I am changing the way I do my sigils. The first few have been much more satisfactory, visually and magically.
Second is thralls. I made another one recently, it worked well, and I'd like to make more.
Finally, I've taken up working through Hands-On Chaos Magic again. For a while I got stuck on the breathing exercises, but I recently trooped through to work on more stuff.
REGULAR PRACTICES
My routine stuff has been unchanged. I still do purification, energy work, offerings, and meditation.
Meanwhile, Polyphanes published a nifty little post about setting a daily spiritual practice that covers a lot. Go check it out!
STUDIES
I'm still reading through some more philosophical things, but have finally got on to Tsultrim Allione's book "Feeding Your Demons". It's a fascinating concept which, along with my current personal work, I hope will give some great results.
SPIRIT WORK
I still don't have much going on in the way of spirit work, apart from thralls.
MISCELLANEOUS
One thing I've finally delved into a bit more is binaural beats. I don't know of any scientific studies to prove or disprove their efficacy, but so far there seems to be something there.
This is just another update on my practices and what I've been up to. So without further ado...
OVERALL PRACTICE
Not a lot has changed here, although there are two areas which I have been a bit more active in.
First, thanks to Jack Faust, I am changing the way I do my sigils. The first few have been much more satisfactory, visually and magically.
Second is thralls. I made another one recently, it worked well, and I'd like to make more.
Finally, I've taken up working through Hands-On Chaos Magic again. For a while I got stuck on the breathing exercises, but I recently trooped through to work on more stuff.
REGULAR PRACTICES
My routine stuff has been unchanged. I still do purification, energy work, offerings, and meditation.
Meanwhile, Polyphanes published a nifty little post about setting a daily spiritual practice that covers a lot. Go check it out!
STUDIES
I'm still reading through some more philosophical things, but have finally got on to Tsultrim Allione's book "Feeding Your Demons". It's a fascinating concept which, along with my current personal work, I hope will give some great results.
SPIRIT WORK
I still don't have much going on in the way of spirit work, apart from thralls.
MISCELLANEOUS
One thing I've finally delved into a bit more is binaural beats. I don't know of any scientific studies to prove or disprove their efficacy, but so far there seems to be something there.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Staying Updated
Dear readers, it's been a while and, frankly, I've really missed blogging here in my little nook of the occult Blog-o-Sphere!
Honestly, I haven't had anything I've been prepared to write about. I've mostly been working my regular practices, developing relationships with certain spiritual powers, and determining areas of life that could use some tactical sorcery and action. A lot of it is stuff I've written about before.
But, still, I miss my blog! So, I've taken a page out of Mr. Black's book, and will try to keep a weekly update that covers different angles of my magical practices and any projects I have going on therein.
So without further ado, here is a current synopsis for this week.
OVERALL PRACTICE
A while back I decided that my magical practices, overall, were a bit more focused on straight-out Hoodoo for the practical magic than I'd like. I decided that I want to expand beyond this into territory I've studied before, gain more flexibility in my practices. So I've been revisiting practices from chaos magic, and certain postmodern styles of magic.
Additionally, as a student of Strategic Sorcery, I was given the opportunity a year or so ago to sign up for Jason's next course up from that, Strategic Self. He recently rebooted it, and it is MUCH better than before (even though it wasn't bad even then, it just fizzled). Some of the concepts in there so far, especially regarding offerings and ancestor work, have been outright fascinating.
REGULAR PRACTICES
As far as my regular, routine work, that hasn't changed much. It tends to go something like this:
STUDIES
Us magical types, with our books! I've been concentrating on studying things that help encourage more skillful living and becoming a skillful person in general. Lately there has been a good amount of modern philosophy, but also some more ancient stuff. For example, I've been reading the 48 Laws of Power, and the Book of Five Rings. But in addition to that have been more esoteric things like Pema Chodron's “When Things Fall Apart”, Tsultrim Allione's “Feeding Your Demons”, and the new translation of Agrippa's first book of the Occult Philosophy. And let me say, the new translation of Agrippa FUCKING ROCKS!!! Clarity, clarity, clarity! If you haven't gotten it yet, get it!
SPIRIT WORK
Aside from my regular offerings, I haven't actually done much work with spirits lately, compared to past activities. Back in Septemeber, yours truly was accepted into the Gentlement for Jupiter, and so I've had my work for that group at least once per month. I was doing that once a week, Jove's influence became too much, and so I scaled it back.
In addition, I've had my newfound work with Hekate! I'll detail more coming up, but suffice to say, I've been delving a bit more into Her sorcery.
Aside from all that, I've been itching to create thralls!
MISCELLANEOUS
Lastly, I've been finding myself in a funk when it comes to determining areas of life in which to apply sorcery, and I've been confronted by my own weaknesses again. So I'm trying to get the creative juices flowing, and the fires of passionate action stoked. It's a work in progress, as always, but I'm getting there again.
Honestly, I haven't had anything I've been prepared to write about. I've mostly been working my regular practices, developing relationships with certain spiritual powers, and determining areas of life that could use some tactical sorcery and action. A lot of it is stuff I've written about before.
But, still, I miss my blog! So, I've taken a page out of Mr. Black's book, and will try to keep a weekly update that covers different angles of my magical practices and any projects I have going on therein.
So without further ado, here is a current synopsis for this week.
OVERALL PRACTICE
A while back I decided that my magical practices, overall, were a bit more focused on straight-out Hoodoo for the practical magic than I'd like. I decided that I want to expand beyond this into territory I've studied before, gain more flexibility in my practices. So I've been revisiting practices from chaos magic, and certain postmodern styles of magic.
Additionally, as a student of Strategic Sorcery, I was given the opportunity a year or so ago to sign up for Jason's next course up from that, Strategic Self. He recently rebooted it, and it is MUCH better than before (even though it wasn't bad even then, it just fizzled). Some of the concepts in there so far, especially regarding offerings and ancestor work, have been outright fascinating.
REGULAR PRACTICES
As far as my regular, routine work, that hasn't changed much. It tends to go something like this:
- Purification: In addition to what I mention below with the energy work, I tend to do some other purification work on a regular basis, such as the 9 Breaths Purification from TSS, or smudging, anointing with some kind of water or oil.
- Energy Work: A) Unviersal Centering, Pillar & Spheres from TSS; B) Inner/Energetic purification and strengthening work by running appropriate energies through my channels or through certain purificatory meditations.
- Offerings: One of the most beneficial practices taught to me by Jason, I offer either energy alone or with some physical support to 3 or 4 categories of spirits to keep a relationship going with the invisible denizens of the world around us. No matter what I offer, I increase by willing it to multiply and take on the forms most desired.
- Meditation: While my spiritual guests feast, I meditate. Minimum of 15 minutes, and I either rest my attention on my breath or I use a mantra.
STUDIES
Us magical types, with our books! I've been concentrating on studying things that help encourage more skillful living and becoming a skillful person in general. Lately there has been a good amount of modern philosophy, but also some more ancient stuff. For example, I've been reading the 48 Laws of Power, and the Book of Five Rings. But in addition to that have been more esoteric things like Pema Chodron's “When Things Fall Apart”, Tsultrim Allione's “Feeding Your Demons”, and the new translation of Agrippa's first book of the Occult Philosophy. And let me say, the new translation of Agrippa FUCKING ROCKS!!! Clarity, clarity, clarity! If you haven't gotten it yet, get it!
SPIRIT WORK
Aside from my regular offerings, I haven't actually done much work with spirits lately, compared to past activities. Back in Septemeber, yours truly was accepted into the Gentlement for Jupiter, and so I've had my work for that group at least once per month. I was doing that once a week, Jove's influence became too much, and so I scaled it back.
In addition, I've had my newfound work with Hekate! I'll detail more coming up, but suffice to say, I've been delving a bit more into Her sorcery.
Aside from all that, I've been itching to create thralls!
MISCELLANEOUS
Lastly, I've been finding myself in a funk when it comes to determining areas of life in which to apply sorcery, and I've been confronted by my own weaknesses again. So I'm trying to get the creative juices flowing, and the fires of passionate action stoked. It's a work in progress, as always, but I'm getting there again.
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