An Astral Trip

This is a recollection of an astral projection that I posted online somewhere or other maybe a year or so ago. I’m not sure if it’ll be any use to anyone, but I’ve been raiding my archives of as of yet unposted material tonight and selected two small pieces to put up as posts.

So I took a little astral trip to the lower realms and ended up in one of the weirdest places I’ve ever seen.

The place I came to had a few different passageways going in different directions, it was one big hallway, and the floor and walls and ceiling were all covered in holes with energy seeping out. There was a man standing in the middle of all this where the pathway split several different ways. He was wearing a nice and normal suit with a cloth tied around his eyes while pointing in different directions. He didn’t feel yucky, in fact he didn’t feel much like anything. He was a fairly weak entity with very little energy. Possibly a ghost or maybe just a thought form, I’m not sure.

Anyways he told me that I was at the crossroads of all sexual fantasy, and that they had everything there, every imaginable kink, and I got the idea he was there to point me in the right direction.

I also quickly figured out correctly that the actual passageway to the sexual fantasies was through the various holes seeping out energy. The energy was all sexual but a bit different from each one. A person could find exactly what they were looking for with little difficulty just going by the energy.

It was also obvious that all of the sexual energy was lower realm sexual energy. They didn’t have every kind of sexual fantasy, only those that are regulated to the lower realms. But the fellow was quite pleasant both in his signature and in his mannerisms, and he was trying to be helpful, so I didn’t see any point in arguing with him about this.

The blindfold got me though. I can understand justice being blind. I can understand knowledge being blind. Love, destiny, beauty, poets, I can understand all of them being blind. But this guy was like a signpost. He was there to give directions. I couldn’t understand why he would be blind, so I asked. He said he went blind from constant masturbation.

I have to get laid before I go astral projecting again.

Helping Ghosts Pass Over

This was a reply I wrote on a webboard a while back. It was in response to a question regarding saving the various ghosts that the original poster came across, and how to go about doing such a thing.

If you go around trying to save every ghostie you find, you’ll never get any peace. Most times you just have to leave these things be.

It’s important to remember that a person’s spiritual path doesn’t end with their death. Being a dead disincarnate spirit may not be the best situation to end up in, but the ghost is still spiritually evolving and eventually they’ll end up where they need to be, it will just take them a while. Most ghosts don’t last more than a few years. Although there are a lot of ghosts that are several decades old, they constitute a small number of all of the people who have died. Century old ghosts are really hard to come by, and I’ve never heard of one that was more than a few hundred years old. It’s because things don’t stay ghosts for that long, and on an infinite timeline even a few hundred years disincarnate isn’t a very long time.

Also ghosts are rarely sane and logical. Some are very insane and delusional. Some were crazy in life, and being dead just seems to amplify that. Many don’t believe they’re dead. A lot exist in a somewhat delusional state that may move between being somewhat lucid and being almost entirely caught in a dream-like state where they fall back on patterns they followed in life.

Even if you try to save something like that, there’s a good chance it won’t work. Many of them don’t follow normal human logic and they’re difficult to reason with on a human level.

And saving a ghost is rarely just a matter of getting that one final key to setting them free. It’s a process, and just like a person it can take an investment of months or even years and in the end still might not pay off.

You shouldn’t feel guilty about not helping. The ghosts are getting where they need to go, and there are forces out there that are designed specifically to aid them in that process. For the most part saving ghosts isn’t the spiritual path of incarnate people, and if you help every single one you meet you’ll never have enough time for yourself and probably end up neglecting your own spiritual path, which isn’t fair to you.

The Virtues of Discordianism

Magicians, and progeny the scientists, have always taken themselves and their subject in an orderly and sober manner, thereby disregarding an essential metaphysical balance. When magicians learn to approach philosophy as a malleable art instead of an immutable Truth, and learn to appreciate the absurdity of man’s endeavours, then they will be able to pursue their art with a lighter heart, and perhaps gain a clearer understanding of it, and therefore gain more effective magic.

-Principia Discordia

I’m not a Discordian myself. I do however like and respect them, and I believe there is a lot of truth in their spirituality, even if it is overlooked by outsiders. Their main holy book, the Principia Discordia, is divinely inspired and provides a direct link and channel to Eris. Her wisdom is contained in the book. It’s also a very entertaining read (in the way television is entertaining, not in the way a horrible poem about a penis written by Crowley is entertaining), and I highly recommend it.

I do believe many magicians would benefit greatly by adapting some Discordian principles and believes into their magick, and I’d like to take a moment to look at those philosophies which err on the side of Discordianism that would provide the greatest benefit to a practitioner.

1. You can’t take this shit seriously – Really, you can’t, or you won’t survive it. If I took just what I’ve been through in this past week and took it seriously I’d either have a complete mental break-down or become an alcoholic. The ability to be a bit lighthearted and nonchalant about this stuff is one of the things that keeps us from curling up in a fetal position and muttering nonsense the rest of our lives. Which leads right into number two on the list:

2. In regards to your spirituality, your magick, yourself, and even your gods, you need to be able to laugh about it – Laughter is one of the best psychological weapons against the worst situations we find ourselves in. Laughter and joy also attunes us to the higher planes as opposed to the lower planes. And really, being spiritual is no excuse for being somber. Many look at spirituality as something that needs to be taken seriously and shouldn’t be joked about, but these are people who have most likely had a dead Jew on a cross stuck up their ass for some time now. This stuff is a lot more fun when you can laugh about it. And Gods are, supposedly, far more advanced and complicated than humans, and yet most seem arrogant enough to believe that concepts such as humor and laughter are so foreign to the divine that they have no understanding of them or their necessity to humanity. Those that truly love us, be they divine or otherwise, would rather see us laughing than not, would rather we be happy than not. And all of this leads right into number three:

3. Magick is supposed to be fun – I notice a lot of people bitch about the sacrifices they’ve made, the pains and trials they’ve endured, and the rigorous training they’ve undergone to supposedly become magicians. Other than the occasional rant about Wiccan stupidity I’ve been roped into, I don’t. I’ve sacrificed, I’ve endured my trails, I’ve gone through the training, and horrific shit happens to me on a weekly, if not daily, basis. But at the end of every day that I’ve been on this path I’ve looked back and thought to myself, this shit’s fun. I get to fight monsters and see other worlds and talk with gods and solve puzzles and manipulate the universe itself just for my own amusement. I love this stuff, and if I didn’t have it I’d be so fucking bored I’d probably kill myself. If you don’t enjoy magick, if it’s some burden or cross you’re carrying, you’re doing something wrong. Maybe this just isn’t the path for you. Maybe you aren’t made of the right stuff for this. Maybe you just need to change your perspective a bit.

4. Fnord

5. Freestyle, chaotic, carelessness is more often than not at the heart of true magickal advancement – We don’t typically advance ourselves as magicians by reading books and listening to lectures, carefully following basic exercises in order to strengthen our psychic abilities, and keeping to a tight structured path of attainment all the while acquiring numerous degrees. It’s those days that start with what seems like a good idea at the time and end with us getting raped by mermaids while fending off demons we’ve accidentally summoned into our bedrooms that ultimately build us into better magicians. The magicians who achieve the most aren’t the ones who think, “Wait a minute, this might be dangerous,” but rather the ones who think, “I wonder what would happen if instead of sitting in the goetic circle I laid naked in the triangle with the talisman drawn on my chest with a sharpie.”

Magick 101: Altars – An FAQ

What is an Altar?

An altar is a space that we dedicate to a specific entity or entities.

What is the purpose of an altar?

By putting up an altar we’re inviting the entity or entities into the structure (be it a home or otherwise) or general area and putting forth a sort of beacon to summon them into that spot. At the same time we’re giving the entity or entities a place within the structure or area that is their own to inhabit.

What can an altar be made to?

In western magick altars are most often made to specific deities. In Eastern cultures altars to dead spirits are also common, a practice which is also still practiced in Mexico on the day of the dead as a hold-over from pre-Christian Mexican beliefs. Additionally though altars can be made to just about anything. Sometimes altars are made to a general type of entity, such as fae or dragons, rather than something specific in order to summon them forth. Other times altars are made to specific angels, daemons/demons, or primal entities.

What do I need to make an altar?

To create an altar you only need two things, a space to dedicate and a representation.

Sometimes a specific piece of furniture is purchased for the altar, either a small table, a pillar, or a ledge that attaches to the wall (good for areas with limited space). However just about any flat surface will do, including counter-tops, end tables, cabinets, and the tops of bookshelves, entertainment centers, and computer desks. Generally you don’t want altars on the floor because of the tendency for them to be disturbed by people and animals tripping over them, and also for safety reasons when candles are lit on them, but this isn’t an issue with very large statuary (although these tend to be out of the price range most can afford).

As for a representation, statuary is the most common. Plaster statues are very affordable with statues selling for less than $10 a foot, although there’s a somewhat limited selection with plaster. Higher quality statues made of bronze or with a marble finish are also available, many of which are over a foot in height and can be purchased for under $100, and there is a much wider selection available, especially in regards to the Greek and Roman traditions. Wooden statues are also available and a bit cheaper and offer an even wider variety in the Nordic and Eastern pantheons. For things like fae and dragons there are a wide variety of statuesque options available. Custom statues can also be made, although this can get pricey.

Vases and urns also make good, though less common, representations. There are a wide variety of recreations available for the Greek pantheon. Urns with ashes (of the specific dead person) in them are also good for altars devoted to a dead spirit. Vases tend to be a bit more expensive though so aren’t used as much.

Sometimes a representative item may also be used on an altar. For instance Saturn is associated with the scythe, and so an altar to Saturn may include a scythe on it as Saturn’s representation.

Pictures may also be used as representation, and can provide a low cost method to making an altar when money is tight. All you need to do is find a picture of a statue or a drawing of what you want to represent, print it out, and put it in a picture frame (which can be bought for a few dollars if you look around). If you have some artistic ability, you may even draw the picture yourself, and this could have a much greater connection and significance to anything you could buy in a store.

Also, if space is getting tight, you could use wall reliefs or paintings as altars.

What is an active altar and how do I activate my altar?

An active altar is an altar in which whatever it is dedicated to is currently present. Many altars, when properly dedicated, will immediately become active. Often times lighting a candle on an altar as an offering is enough to activate the altar and make whatever it is dedicated to aware that you wish its presence, but if the candle doesn’t finish burning before being put out care should be taken to make sure the candle is only ever used as an offering to that specific altar and not used for other spellwork or on another altar. Incense, particluarly a type that is associated with what your altar is dedicated to, can work in much the same way. You can also try communicating with what the altar is dedicated to in order to activate it. At times altars will activate on their own, sometimes when the practitioner is in desperate need of it. It should be noted that as long as an altar remains up, whatever it is dedicated to rightfully owns the altar space, not the practitioner, and the altar may become active at any time.

How do I charge an item at an altar?

There is a general practice of charging an item on an active altar. Magical tools (such as knives and swords) and candles are the most common items. Typically the item is put upon the altar and left there for a period of time to soak up the energy. Care should be taken to make sure whatever the altar is dedicated to is okay with charging the item. The practitioner may wish to light candles, communicate, and perform rituals in order to activate the altar during the charging process.

What about putting other things on the altar?

Besides your representation and your surface you don’t need anything else for your altar. As discussed above you may wish to light candles or incense on your altar, and you may wish to charge objects on it. It’s fairly common to add specific candle holders or incense burners to an altar to be used only on that altar, although this isn’t necessary. You may also wish to add items that are either owned by or made as an offering to what the altar is dedicated to. You may also add magickal items that are associated with the altar and what it’s dedicated to. Other items may also be added to the altar to dress it up or for storage, but do see the next item.

What shouldn’t I put on my altar?

Care should be taken to make sure that anything added to an altar is approved by what the altar is dedicated to and isn’t offensive. Sometimes other deities can be added to one deity’s altar, other times this is strictly prohibited. Other times things just don’t mesh very well in ways that are hard to perceive without direct knowledge of the situation. For example, dragon imagery (unless it’s very silly or mocking) would be offensive and render a fae altar useless since dragons and fae don’t get along very well and don’t care too much for each other.

Also you need to remember that an altar is both a beacon and invitation for things to enter your house. Putting a representation on an altar, even if the altar is not dedicated to that representation, may draw it into your home. True story, a friend of mine acquired a stuffed animal of the Mothman and put it on an altar in his living room. Various negative Mothman-esque entities ended up being drawn to his home until the stuffed animal was removed from the altar.

What about dual purpose altars?

It’s typically easiest to have altars dedicated to one specific entity. Sometimes you can get away with a dual altar, the most common being an altar dedicated to two deities that are known as consorts of each other. Some deities will allow this, and even allow altars dedicated specifically to them to be used to commune with a consort. Other deities are very particular about this, and even though they may allow statuary that features another deity on their altar, won’t allow it to be used to commune with that deity.

What about a temporary altar?

Temporary makeshift altars are common and are useful when you want an altar set-up for just a specific spell or to aid in communion with a particular deity or entity, but don’t want to invest in something more permenant because of space or money concerns, or because the energy is unbecoming of the practitioner.

There are two easy ways to make such an altar. The first is using a computer monitor. Go online and find a picture to act as a representation, then download the pic and maximize it on the screen. On many desks there’s even enough space to light some candles in front of the monitor if you wish. This method is good if you just want to commune with something, although it may provide some distance and spatial issues if you need the altar for spellwork.

The second way is to print out a picture to act as a representation, put it in a frame, and place on a flat surface, any flat surface, and dedicate the space normally.

My Altars, for example:

Here are my altars to Ares (left) and Saturn (right) positioned on top of my entertainment center. The mirror in the middle is a sentient magickal item that needs a good central point and isn’t associated with either altar. Note that in addition to movies I store working tools beneath the altars, including my sword, candles, candle-holders, ect.

This is a close-up of the Aresian altar. I have two statues of Ares put up, one of Ares with Aphrodite which correctly associates him as a god of love, and one of Ares alone (when I have more space I’m going to split this into two altars). The candle I used as an offering to Ares is still at his altar so it isn’t used elsewhere by mistake.

Here’s a close-up of the Saturian altar. Since Saturn depictions are so very hard to find I’ve blown up a picture of Saturn to use as his representation and put it in a frame. It isn’t the best drawing, but it is a correct interpretation. Behind the picture is a clock, one of Saturn’s symbols.

Here’s my altar to Persephone, atop the bookshelf. The small statue is a reproduction of a Grecian tomb piece and probably the only good interpretation I’ve seen of Persephone for sale, although I have some issues with the company that makes it. The larger statue is the rape of Persephone, and an okay interpretation, but far from my favorite (though easily obtainable). The candlestick is a sentient piece given to me by a friend who acquired it at a thrift store. As far as we can tell, she initially came from a Persephonic altar, and she seems happy to be on one again. She also likes to have taper candles in her.

This is Fortuna’s altar on the left side of the computer desk. The candles are not Fortuna’s, they just ended up there after some recent ritual work. The luck frog and his coin have both been personally enchanted by me and Fortuna agreed to let them be put upon her altar when I needed a safe place for them. I actually had a vision of a similar looking prosperity Buddha in that spot so I went out and bought the closest thing I could find to put there. At times during spellwork Buddha gets removed to make room for candleholders or whatever else I may need up there.

Here’s my Venitian altar on the right side of the computer desk. The larger statue is a plaster statue purchased at the flea market for $15 and was my very first altar piece. I picked up the smaller marble statue when I had more money. My dragon incense burner is also there. The smoke comes out of his nostrils. It’s very cool and fae like. There are also two pieces of emerald on the altar that have been blessed by Venus.

Pictures of Spirits

Let me start by saying I in no way endorse the parapsychological movement and, for the most part, I believe what they’re doing is a giant waste of time often performed by individuals with questionable IQs. I have even greater concern with their views on those who have developed true psychic abilities and their views on the individual rights and ethical and moral treatment of said individuals. Considering most practitioners see, on average, dozens of entities of various types on any given day and converse or otherwise communicate with such entities at times, there is no real point in obtaining evidence in order to somehow convince the skeptical outside world of ones legitimacy or to affirm ones own faith. All that being said, sometimes it’s fun to take pictures or record with a microphone and see what you get.

I was with Coyote Pendragon (now writing as Pendragon Deville, also known by many, many other names in many different places) at his home and we took these pictures after performing an evocation ritual. We tried to see what we could get.

This was the first one taken with my camera, and the first phenomena we captured. Notice the shadow in the picture. The shadow shouldn’t have been there, and it moved just as the photo snapped.

I then looked at the two previous photos, all photos taken in about a minutes time, and you can see the shadow moving from left to center.

It turned out however that this shadow belonged to Coyote, who was moving in front of our light source.

There actually was something right here in the circled area (note, not circled, having trouble doing that, it’s to the left of Zues’s altar before the TV in the picture), and we each took dozens of pictures of it and captured it, however what we captured faded from the screen within seconds of the photo being taken each time.

In this pic, taken by me with Coyote’s camera, we thought we caught an actual death shroud. Despite repeated attempts we couldn’t repeat the phenomena.

However, upon blowing up the picture, it’s very clearly Coyote, who jumped in front of the flash as I took it.

This next picture, however, is legitamate. These two photos were taken seconds apart by Coyote on his camera. There is no explination for the fog in the picture (and it wasn’t visible to the naked eye).

Upon blowing up the picture one can also see an eye in the corner. Coyote also points out the rainbow in the alter mirror as being legitimate phenomena, but I’m more skeptical as we managed rainbows of colors from various light sources (although not exactly the same effect) in that mirror in many pictures.

This too is a picture of the room with flash taken by Coyote, but something jumped in front of the camera right before it clicked.