Entities: Bogey Men

I’m going to do a quick summary on one of the least horrific of all monsters one is likely to face, the boogey men. Bogey men are actually enjoyable creatures that are so pathetic that they are funny to anyone with a sense of humor (and who can get over their want to eat people). Bogey men are so inept that I doubt they can frighten anyone who isn’t a very young child.

To start, bogey men like to eat people. Or at least they think they do. I’m very skeptical that a bogey man could actually eat a person. Even under the unlikely scenario where they manage to get ahold of a person (and this is very unlikely considering a four year old is both physically stronger and mentally smarter than a bogey man), I’ve never seen any evidence that they have the power or means to physically injure a person in anyway.

They don’t just prey on children either. There’s a good chance that at some point in your life there’s been a bogey man trying to eat you. If you haven’t developed the ability to see things though you probably wouldn’t even notice the bogey man. They can’t do much, and their energy signature is so weak it makes it difficult to sense them. Typically bogey men sightings are by very young children because of their innate ability to see and sense otherworldly creatures.

They are equipped to project thoughts in order to communicate, although they haven’t developed the ability well enough to think silently, and so all of their thoughts are projected (and the bogey men are usually ignorant of this). Their communication skills are at the same level as a small child.

Direct exposure to light will hurt and even kill bogey men. Because of this they hide in shaded places, such as under beds or in closets, and only come out when the lights are off. While the lights are on, they may try to lure prey to their area. They may claim to be sad or lonely or offer to play in order to get someone into the shaded area. Bogey men are harmless, even fun, creatures and their usually isn’t a reason to hurt them.

Bogey men are beloved by certain types of fae creatures, and their energy signature is very compatible. Bogey men and fae also tend to be drawn towards similar types of energy. However boogey men are far rarer than fae. And so having fae doesn’t necessarily mean a bogey man is present, but a bogey man almost always means that there is also fae.

Walk-ins

What is a walk-in

A walk-in is an entity which has come to gain control over a physical body other than the one it was originally incarnated into. A walk-in differs from a possession. With a possession a second entity inhabits the body with the original incarnate person, and this second entity sometimes becomes the dominant personality and takes control of the body. With a walk-in the original incarnate person has left their body and is effectively dead and the walk-in is the only entity inhabiting the body. A walk-in can be another human being who has died or otherwise become detached from their original body. A walk-in may also be another entity, typically a lower realm entity that is unable to incarnate on this plane of existence.

Rules regarding Walk-Ins

1. In theory a walk-in could enter a body after a person has died (defined as the astral body being detached from the physical body). In most cases this is obviously counter-productive because the host body won’t be usable for long by the time the host astral body is disconnected. If the astral body were to be destroyed though the host body would be free and undamaged. However I’ve never seen nor heard of a walk-in trying to kill the astral body to get at the physical body, even when the walk-in has been powerful enough to do so, making me believe that for some reason that eludes me at the moment this method is not possible.

2. Walk-Ins generally enter into bodies of suicidal people, helping the person within the host body disconnect from it so that they can inhabit it.

3. Walk-ins do not find suicidal people to switch with. Instead they find suitable hosts and then attack them psychologically, systematically driving them into depression and sometimes insanity, eventually leading to suicide. The entire process can sometimes take years. Even if the walk-in is eventually removed before inhabiting the body the psychological damage they do can be severe and possibly permanent.

4. Once a walk-in comes to inhabit a body the person originally inhabiting the body is effectively dead. As far as I know, there is no way to bring this person back.

5. Physical bodies are made to house specific astral bodies. Housing a foreign astral body inside of a physical body (as is the case with walk-ins) requires excess energy besides what the body is designed to provide. In order to keep the body the walk-in will have to feed off of the lifeforce of the body, which will in time age and structurally damage the body. The more different the astral body is from the physical body it inhabits the more energy it needs to sustain itself. For example an ascended master would ideally want to inhabit the body of a person with magical aptitude of the same gender (in this case the body would probably last for close to its normal lifespan). If, as a counter-example, a very non-human lower realm creature were to take over that same body, it would eat through it very quickly. Sometimes the body won’t even last days.

6. A walk-in requires consent to take a body. This consent is generally given in exchange for the original incarnate person being detached from the body. A walk-in can never just take a body (even if a person is astrally projecting).

7. Some walk-ins are able to access the memories and knowledge located in the host body’s brain. At the same time, lacking a biological brain of their own prior to entering the body, the walk-in must house their knowledge in their astral and mental bodies and then attempt to transfer it to the host body (which, as one can imagine, can cause much fogginess). The resulting personality, knowledge, and even sense of identity of the walk-in after entering the host body varies.

8. Some walk-ins have a very limited understanding of general human behavior. They may not understand how to act in a socially acceptable way or understand many subtilties that we know from a young age. For example, I know of a walk-in that was aware that he was supposed to wear clothes, but was unaware of the fact that people generally change clothes in private, and saw nothing odd about stripping naked in the middle of the street and changing clothes.

9. An old immortality trick is for a magician to find a powerful item and infuse a bit of their essence into it. At death, they then literally possess the item and remain in it for years, decades, even centuries in some cases. Possessing the item they manage to direct its course, to a degree, seeking out a suitable host. Typically they find and present themselves to a beginning practitioner who finds the item and is happy to have found a strong magical object. The practitioner then begins using the object during which time the magician becomes a walk-in and attempts to systematically attack and destroy the host before entering once they become suicidal (Note, not all possessed objects are magicians seeking host bodies for immortality. The vast majority are simply possessed objects and can be invaluable aids in ones spiritual progression and magickal advancement).

10. Walk-ins are typically dark and evil creatures, and thus their energy is usually offensive.

11. Typical traits possessed by people who become targets for walk-ins:
a. Magickal aptitude
b. Emotional and/or psychological issues (especially depression); emotionally imbalanced
c. Loners with no or very limited support groups
d. Suffers from anxiety issues (including panic attacks) or is easily scared.

11. Signs that a person might be a walk-in (note, all of these signs could be caused by other factors):
a. Drastic change in personality overnight
b. Was recently suicidal/seriously depressed but isn’t anymore
c. Missing large chunks of memories they recently possessed/possessing new memories they didn’t have before.
d. Offensive and/or dark energy, especially when it contrasts their previous energy signature.
e. Major and drastic changes in their life direction without prior warning.
f. Strange and atypical behavior that wasn’t present before.
g. They admit to being a walk-in.

12. Entities that exist as walk-in spirits can be very good at what they do, even if they do seem less than intelligent in other areas. Most can find the chinks in the psychological armor of the best of us, and even a trained adept can become emotionally unhinged if they are not careful.

13. Do note that in all legal and mundane matters a walk-in is considered to be its host body, and that the actions of the walk-in may be immoral, but they are not illegal. However action taken against the walk-in, specifically against the host body, may be illegal. The information provided here is for educational purposes concerning walk-ins, and in no way is meant to condone or encourage any illegal action.

14. That being said, I am of the opinion that walk-ins need to be dealt with prior to taking over the host body while they are still incorporeal (and thus have no rights under the law). After they have managed to take over the host body there’s really no point to stopping them.

Sphinxes

Sphinxes, sometimes given a proper name as a Phix, are horrid and powerful creatures. Similar creatures appear in many mythologies through out Europe, the Middle-East, and Asia, although it was named by the Greeks, whose myth seems a proper depiction, although the thing is not a god nor is it a single being, but like fae and dragons and djinn is a type. The lion headed depictions of the Egyptians may not have been depictions of the Sphinx at all, but rather depictions of their ruling class being associative with Sehkmet.

A Sphinx would often times be used as a guardian. The creatures are naturally guardians, tend to stay in one place, and are strong enough to make good guardians of things, especially tombs and other places where folks and animals don’t normally go. They also may be associative with power in the Greek magickal traditions. Mastery of a Sphinx, as per the feat of Oedipus, would be something only a very powerful magician would be capable of, and as such Sphinxes could be seen as guardians of the sacred mysteries, only allowing access to those of such great power as to tame them.

For the most part, Sphinxes are no longer allowed into this world. Fortunately the current laws and rules surrounding this plane of existence bar them from coming here. They can’t even reach the realm of dreams, for the most part, without great effort on their part, and it’s very difficult for them to sustain a presence there for long.

Sphinxes come from the depths of the hell planes. They are a lower realm equivalent to a realm guardian, essentially a type of angel to that place, however they would exceed even an archangel’s power, at least in their realm of origin, and would be somewhat equivelent to the angelic energy bodies of the heavenly planes.

I would assume that, when encountered in higher planes, a good deal of their energy and power is devoted to just sustaining their presence, and within their own realm of origin they would be far more powerful, although it is also possible that the ones able to still reach higher realms like the dreaming are also the more powerful of their ilk, and that most in their natural realm of origin are much weaker (I’ve never seen one in its realm of origin, and I don’t think I want to either).

A Sphinx constantly masturbates, sort of. It doesn’t really play with itself, it just sort of orgasms and ejaculates again and again on a constant (granted I’ve only seen males, females, if they exist, may be a bit different). When it orgasms, very strong sexually predatory energy flows out of it and into the nearby area in waves. Anything that is not able to quickly produce a very strong psychic shield (which even among practitioners, many can’t) will be raped by it. And the rape will happen repeatedly until the creature becomes so worn out from it that it kills them. Small creatures tend to last seconds. Larger creatures like cats and dogs may get a minute or two, a human maybe a few minutes. Even with a strong shield the energy is so intense, and on a constant, that it will tear down the shield very quickly.

This masturbation is not an attack, it lacks any direction or purpose, it is just a side-effect of the Sphinx existing in a place. It only represents a fraction of the Sphinxes power. The Sphinx overflows with power, it drips off it, so much so it can be clearly seen as a beacon amidst it’s sexual waves, and is many times stronger than it’s masturbation, even when the Sphinx is calm and at ease.

The energy of the Sphinx is such that most will find it offensive and gross, and also completely horrifying. Not just the nature of it’s evil, but also the power and intensity behind it. Among angelics and those with an angelic connection it will most likely awaken a primal need to combat and expel it, although most angelics even will approach such a beast with caution.

The Sphinx originates in the Qlippothic version of the middle triad, and as such is a further physical complication from this plane, and so he has a physicality that is evolved beyond what is typically allowed into this world. He also has a realm guardian status, so we can presume that, like the realm guardians of this world, he may be atypical of his plane of existence in his manifestation of physicality and the laws that apply to him.

Also, like any realm guardian, he guards, ferociously and viciously, and is a natural warrior. I’m not sure the actual intelligence of such a beast, as I’ve never attempted to talk to one. Their energy does seem very violent and animalistic, but this is not rare among realm guardian types. It would be odd, even among a realm as low as his, for something to be of such vast power and lack intelligence.

Notes on Spirit Animals

A spirit animal is a guardian spirit tied directly to oneself. They guide us and aid us through out our lifetimes, and act as a reflection of our true selves. It’s possible for a person to have more than one spirit animal. It’s also possible for a person to have only one spirit animal. Everybody and everything has at least one spirit animal. Animals have spirit animals, and so do incorporeal beings like angels and dragons. A spirit animal reflects the soul, and everything with a soul must have a spirit animal.

Our spirit animals are given to us at birth, they stay with us our entire life, and they never change. A person does not get to pick their spirit animal during their lifetime, no matter how much they may want to.

Spirit animals have a direct relationship to the world in which a person is incarnate. Because of this, all spirit animals are real animals existing in that world. Imaginary animals and extra-planer beings are never spirit animals (dragons, unicorns, manticores, chimeras, ect.), although extra-planer beings may be tied to an individual as a different type of guardian spirit.

Sometimes, though rarely, a person has a spirit animal which is extinct. A long extinct spirit animal may point to a person that is an old soul, in other words has been incarnate on this world for a very long time, although this isn’t always the case.

Spirit animals are specific animals. For example, no one has a canine spirit animal. They may have a dog spirit animal, or a coyote spirit animal, or a wolf spirit animal.

Our spirit animals are an extension of our true selves, the essence of our souls. They represent our true personality in a purity, untied from the physical plane, and as it was at our birth. By studying our spirit animals we can learn about ourselves.

When studying spirit animals, take into account everything typical of the animal, and then look at what unique or atypical qualities the animal may have, and then look at what the animal is known for, and then what it may be symbolic of and how it appears in mythology.

Typically a person will keep the same spirit animals from lifetime to lifetime. Sometimes though it happens that the nature of a person’s soul changes, sometimes dramatically, and when that occurs their spirit animals also change (at the time of their next birth). A person in this situation doesn’t completely lose their older spirit animals though. New spirit animals are assigned who act as the spirit animals of the soul in its current state, but the old spirit animals remain as the past spirit animals belonging to what the soul was. What the soul has become is built upon what it was, and so it will always be tied to its past self, and thus always tied to its past spirit animals. Past spirit animals don’t serve the same purpose as current spirit animals, and for the most part don’t have as much influence or impact as current spirit animals do.

Examples of spirit animal studies:

Dog – Dogs have the strongest and longest symbiotic relationship with humans out of all animals, and they’re almost entirely dependent on them. They’re also loving and loyal, if simple, creatures. People with dog spirit animals tend to be full of love and shower their affection on the people closest to them. They tend to be very loyal and often times have codependency issues. They are however generally happy and easily amused. They’re also the type to wear their emotions on their sleeve, and usually what they say is pretty close to what they’re thinking.

Coyote - In nature coyotes are scavengers, and people with a coyote spirit animal tend to be scavengers themselves. Not only do they love to find treasure, but their definition of treasure often times includes junk. A lot times they see other people’s garbage as treasure, and a lot of times they may not care how old, outdated, damaged, or broken something they like is. When they see a ‘treasure’ they’re often under the impression they may be able to fix it or otherwise use it (such as for spare parts or in a craft project), and they never pay attention to the amount of time or money it may take to repair the object. The impulse to scavenge when they find treasure is so strong it’s often hard for them to resist even when they know they’ll never get around to fixing it, or it will be a hassle to do so, or it will be difficult to get home. In myth coyotes are also known as tricksters, and people with coyote spirit animals also tend to be tricksters, typically having a good sense of humor and a love of practical jokes.

House cat – Unlike their larger cousins, house cats are not very ferocious. They are very agile and limber though, and people with house cat spirit animals are typically by their nature agile, but tend not to be very strong fighters or warriors. House cats, along with most other felines, are known to be psychic animals connected into the spiritual realm. People with feline spirit animals not only have a natural talent for magick and innate psychic abilities, but it almost always means that the person has an otherkin pastlife (although it would be perfectly normal for an otherkin not to have a feline spirit animal).

Ghouls

Oddly enough there isn’t much available information on ghouls, or their potential danger, despite that they are not only prevalent in some areas but are also one of the more physical manifestations in magick. Some knowledgeable authors may shy away from the subject matter considering the human nature of ghouls and potential liabilities in instances where someone may try to hunt or defend themselves against ghouls or those perceived to be ghouls. In that regard, I’m making a very clear statement right here that this article is meant only to inform and educate the reader on ghouls, their biology, and their behavior, and to provide basic means to keep oneself safe from such creatures and for self-defense. It should be noted that legally a ghoul may be considered a human with all rights and privileges, and a practitioner should be cautious to respect all local laws regarding humans should they physically attack a ghoul.

To start, the term ghoul must be clearly defined as it is used in magick, because the modern term differs from its original origin, and the term has been redefined many times over in fantasy fiction and role-playing games. The term originates from Persian myths where they were creatures with distorted faces that lived in the dessert and ate human flesh (this description, as given here, very well may be the same thing we are about to discuss). The creature was also associated with the Jinn.

From our perspective though, a ghoul is essentially an animate, decaying corpse. If you see one, they look like what you would expect a zombie to look like (Night of the Living Dead type, not a drugged Haitian). Basically it’s a walking corpse. Blood flow has stopped which causes discoloration in the skin. Their eyes are screwed up. Their flesh is decaying, parts may have fallen off, and there may be large patches of skin that are missing with exposed bone.

Ghouls are a byproduct of psionic vampirism. They were, at one point, a psionic vampire. They died, and yet remained attached to their body, and by utilizing psionic feeding techniques they are able to pull enough energy to animate their corpse, although not enough to fight natural decay.

Intellectually ghouls are mostly animalistic and work off of instincts. They do have some access to their human thoughts and memories, although these are limited and deteriorate moreso as time passes (no doubt due largely to the fact that their brain is dead and deteriorating). Their energy skills are also more limited than they were in life, and they are unable to feed as easily as they could before, eventually being forced to directly eat the victim in order to feed. Some can talk, but generally mutter insanities.

I’ve seen an early stage ghoul walk through a crowd of people unnoticed, which leads me to believe that they may have some sort of natural glamor or invisibility which allows them to blend in, although I don’t have enough information to conclude exactly what was going on.

From second hand reports I’ve heard that psionic vampires may have some control over ghouls, and that ghouls may be naturally attracted to them. The specifics concerning the creation of ghouls, how specifically it happens, and what percentage of psionic vampires end up as ghouls is, unfortunately, unknown to me.

A ghoul’s energy has a strong sense of death and decay to it. It is not the same as what you would expect from a ghost, rather it feels as if you’re tapping into a dead body. They also have a slight human feeling to them, and also a psionic vampire’s taint, although this is much weaker than that of a vampire. A ghouls energy signature is comparatively weak.

Ghouls tend to gravitate towards cities as opposed to small communities and rural areas, which isn’t surprising considering psionic vampires tend to be attracted towards cities too as it offers them a greater opportunity to blend. They tend to be forced into areas where they can either blend as homeless persons or can live and hunt in relative seclusion. Poorer areas of town, ghettos, allow Ghouls to be mistaken as homeless and also provide a larger number of small animals (such as stray pets and rodents) that can be hunted than more well to do areas. They can also be found in more secluded areas such as storm drains, sewer systems, and in the woods, and they also are known to sometimes frequent graveyards at night. Ghouls will generally move out of seclusion to hunt in the night time and sightings are therefor more prevalent then. Also weather or other phenomena may temporarily force them from their natural habitats increasing sightings in places they usually stay out of.

Foodwise ghouls will bite into and eat raw flesh. Alone they will generally go towards smaller animals. Often times they will hunt in packs though in order to take down larger prey, and have been known to even eat men. Slow moving and physically weak, they generally hide in wait and pounce at the proper moment or go after their prey while they’re sleeping or otherwise incapacitated.

The average lifespan of a ghoul is largely limited by their environment. The sack of meat they use as a body is quickly decaying and will one day become unusable. Under the best of conditions a body may last a few years, under the worst of conditions maybe a few months or less. One would assume if a ghoul could not effectively hunt for whatever reason they would run out of energy and no longer be able to sustain animating the corpse.

Never having killed a ghoul or heard of one dying from unnatural causes, I can only speculate as to what may or may not be fatal to them. They are not dependent on any major organ or body part, and they will survive having limbs cut off (in fact they fall off normally). Significant cuts or harming major organs (lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, ect) wouldn’t be enough, although decapitation might theoretically kill them. Anything that would completely destroy the body would, of course, kill a ghoul as the body would no longer be available.

How to defend yourself against a ghoul

A ghoul encounter can be very scary, even for an experienced practitioner, as it represents a physical monster as opposed to something incorporeal. Even though a ghoul may seem scary when you first meet them, don’t panic. They’re slow moving, dim-witted, and physically weak. Once you’ve identified a ghoul, most times you’ll be able to simply run away and survive the encounter unscathed. If possible, head towards your automobile, get in as quickly as possible, lock the doors, and drive away. If you don’t have an automobile available, head towards a crowded, preferably well lit, area. Ghouls typically won’t follow into these areas, and even if they do, it’s unlikely that even a pack would attack a large group of people. Never initiate eye contact with a ghoul as this may provoke it to attack even against a stronger opponent.

Magickaly, you have a lot of options dealing with a ghoul. If you’re good at invisibility magick it does seem rather effective against them. You could also try completely concealing your signature (if you’re able to) or otherwise blending it into the area as ghouls may be physically blind and dependent upon extrasensory abilities in order to hunt and navigate (this could, however, prove disastrous if you only manage to weaken your signature enough to be mistaken for something that can easily be eaten). Ghouls are also very sensitive to psionic attacks and they can easily be used to both hurt them and force them out of the area.

Outside of magick, physical attacks are very effective. However modern day non-lethal weapons, such as tazers, stun guns, and pepperspray, are useless against ghouls. They tend to have an immunity to electricity so they can’t be tazed. Pepperspray may cause some irritation, but not nearly as much as it would a live person.

Considering that ghouls are slow and physically weak, punching is quite effective, and they can feel pain and it is a deterrent. If you are in a fist fight with a ghoul, be very careful about being bitten since ghouls will attempt to attack in this manner. Considering human bites are one of the worst you can get in terms of disease and infection, I can only imagine what it would be like if you coupled that with the bite being performed from a dead body that routinely bites into raw flesh.

If you do end up in a fight with a ghoul, attempt to disable or force a retreat as quickly as possible and then run to your car or a safer area. Ghouls frequently hunt in packs and you may find yourself dangerously outnumbered if you don’t leave the area quickly.

The best defense, though, is to be prepared if you’re going to an area that you suspect ghouls may frequent. Wear scarfs, long sleeve shirts, and (preferably leather) jackets to offer some added protection against a bite. Have several possible escape routes in mind. If at all possible go with a large group as this alone will often times scare away ghouls. And be attentive to your surroundings and pay careful attention to anyone that may be a ghoul (sure it probably is just a drunken hobo, but you’re best off cloaking yourself and watching it’s behavior than assuming it must be). If you identify a ghoul quick enough you can usually get away before it ever notices you.

If you’ve had a personal experience with a ghoul, feel free to share in the comment section as I’m sure others would be interested in what happened and your thoughts on the creatures.

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.

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.

Sex is Sticky

This is a post I made maybe 3+ years ago to a now defunct yahoo! group. For whatever reason I kept it, and it has some interesting, albeit basic, thoughts on sex energy and sex magick.

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to play around with sex energy as much as I would like to. But I have noticed some differences with sex energy as opposed to other types, mainly being that it’s very sticky.

What I mean by that is that it’s very easy to attach something to sex energy, and that even naturally things tend to become attached to it. And of course sex energy is released from a person when they have sex, although they can draw it right back in if they know how. But if they don’t draw it back in, not only is the sex energy lost, but so is whatever was stuck to it.

It really doesn’t take any effort at all to do this on a basic level. Mundanes do this. It’s commonly known that sex can be used to relieve stress (this will be a minor plot device in 50% of the new sitcoms airing this week, I’m semi-psychic :). And now psychiatrists are saying that having sex regularly can help with all levels of depression. And this is what is occuring without effort, with effort it can be used for much greater effect.

Another thing I noticed about sex, even prior to any metaphysical thought about it, is that it’s sort of a boiling pot. It mixes easily with nearly anything and changes. Sex can be mixed with love, or compassion, or anger, or anything else and the end result will be slightly different.

I’ve also talked to some metaphysical healers who have claimed that they are able to use sex magick to heal (in a metaphysical way, not in a physical way), which makes me think that it may be possible for disease to stick to sex energy too.

A few things I’m wondering about and have noted about this:

I’d actually be curious to look at different specific types of entities that are predatory and feed off of sexual energy. I’m guessing what would be found is that in most cases a specific type targets only certain types of individuals determined largely by their general demeanor. The idea being that the entity would have a preference for certain emotions being intermixed with the sex energy, and a repulsion to other emotions.

Another thing, which should go without saying anyways but some people I’ve met really could’ve used someone saying it to them, if a person is going to play around with sex magick and sexual energy, then they should be particular about who exactly their partner is and be sure that they’re compatable.

I’m also thinking that sex can be used for a sort of cleansing effect, and that it is used that way naturally among mundanes from time to time. Basically a way to throw all of the shit out of you, and empty yourself to fill yourself back up how you naturally are.

Now based on the idea that sex energy can be released, that it’s sticky and things are easily attached to it, and that this energy can be reabsorbed by another, I’m thinking that sex can be used as a sort of courior between two people.

On the simpler level, it can be used to transmit simple thoughts and emotions between to people. Or it can be used as a means to communicate information which cannot be communicated through typical means. Or it can be used to send outward some part of oneself to be
absorbed by another.

I’m realizing this while I’m writing the post, but it seems as if this is filling up some of the gaps in what sex becomes as it ascends to higher stages. This seems to fit between what is typical of the physical world and what is a bit higher than that, and actually binding two entities together through sex. It seems to fit together nicely now. A bit later on I may post the different levels of sex that I know of and see if anyone else can add to them or fill in any other gaps. I have to put some things together in my head first though.

How to Summon Baal, or Anything Else, Quick and Dirty Like.

I posted this on another forum to a fellow who was asking for a method to summon Baal. My reply isn’t specific to Baal and I thought this might be useful to some so I’m reposting it here.

1. Research what it is you want to summon. In the case of Baal, the name can refer to numerous things, including several deities, so you need to figure out exactly what Baal you want to summon, and then you need to get an idea of how Baal is seen, what people generally think about him, and what he’s probably like. So long as it’s something that is popular or common internet searches will probably turn up enough information for the summoning. Be sure to check out encyclopedia mythica and wikipedia, although not always accurate they can still have a lot of information to help you out.

2. Find a statue or image of what you want to summon, and if you can’t find that then try for a symbol associated with it. Spiritual depictions are usually better than artistic depictions, but in any case go with the depiction that you feel most closely resembles what you’re trying to summon. If you have no other alternative you can make your own depiction.

3. Remove any barriers, wards, ect. that you may have around the general area that you’ll be doing the summoning (most likely your home). This includes personal wards and barriers, ones that are anchored to objects (be aware of certain things that may be decoration but are used for protection because they may have become active and can effect the summoning. This includes gargoyle statues and depictions of pentagrams), and ones that may have been put up by others.

4. Take down your shields and natural defenses. Any type of defense can hinder the summoning.

5. Make sure you aren’t in any kind of circle. Make sure there are no seals or sigils in the area since these may have an unknown effect. Refrain from doing any pre-ritual type ritual including asking for protection from anything. We don’t want to be putting up new barriers.

6. Now take your depiction of what you want to summon (in this case Baal), and place it somewhere (such as on a table or a night stand). You can just leave a picture on your computer screen if you want, that works too. Or you can print out a picture and put it in a frame and then place it on a table (the later method will generally bring better results). Now you need to activate this as an alter, in this case to Baal. Unless you want to develop a very strong relationship with Baal, this will probably just be a makeshift alter that we will take down after the summoning.

7. Now that the alter is ready non-aggressively direct energy towards the depiction of Baal with the intent that this energy is to be received directly by Baal. Make sure your defenses and your shields are down and, if he chooses to, Baal will also be able to direct his energy towards you. With a little practice you should be able to figure out how to bury thoughts into the energy in order to communicate, and you’ll be able to receive thoughts in the same manner.

8. Whether or not Baal responds you should also make it clear that he has an invitation to appear in your house and that you wish for him to come.

9. Have fun with your summoning adventures.

Let Us Bring Some Evil Into This World (A Call to End Inaction)

Within the realm of my blog, my book, when I speak with people, when I write people through email, I’ve been rather free about the magickal information I give out. I am very much aware of the danger this information can pose to the practitioner if it’s put to use. I’ve been hurt badly in the past, and I’m no doubt at least partly responsible for injuries that have occurred to others. Still, I continue, and will continue, as I have been, offering what information I have to anyone who truly wants to learn.

There is a disgusting trend that has emerged where information is being hidden away in fear that it may be used in such a way that the practitioner is hurt. Books are being burned or otherwise taken off the market, stores refuse to carry certain titles and authors, people are being told not to read certain works because of the ideas discussed within them, and some are asking, or even demanding, that people stop teaching spellwork, astral projection, channeling, mediumship, and the like to just anyone. Meanwhile practitioners are being urged not to practice. They are being told that they aren’t strong enough or learned enough yet to protect themselves if they chose to utilize magick. In some instances practitioners are being urged to give up magick completely as it’s far too dangerous to ever be used and instead to just be a part of a neopagan religion.

Change is upon us. If you can tap the energy of this place, the vast ocean of energy that exists around us, and fall into it, and follow it a bit into the future you’ll notice that it starts to twist and turn, that it’s twisting and turning right now. We’re heading towards an apocalypse of sort, this world is going through a great change. I can feel it, my teacher felt it, my peers feel it, and almost a hundred years ago Allister Crowley felt it. This isn’t something new.

A lot of people like to talk about this change. I’ve become certain that most can’t feel it, they’re just repeating what they’ve heard from others. They have no understanding of it. A common belief is that, once this change occurs, the veils will break and we’ll all be blessed with magickal and psychic powers. Another belief is that this effect is generational, we won’t gain these powers, but our children or grandchildren or whenever this happens will be born with it.

The truth is this change isn’t something that’s going to happen. It’s happening right now, and it’s been happening for some time. Those waiting to just wake up with their magick powers one day should give up now. It isn’t happening. No new power is coming into this world. The power has always been there, and it will always be there. Having power is a matter of grasping that power which has always been there to be grasped. What has changed is an increase in opportunity.

In the 19th century Levi’s works were only available to those who could speak French. In the early 20th century translations started appearing, but these translations along with their French counterparts were still difficult to find and treasured among those who owned them. By the 1970s increased interest in the metaphysical and cheaper printing techniques meant that Levi’s works were now more widely available, assuming you knew who he was and knew of a place that sold good occult books or a good mail order company. Today Levi’s works can be found at the local bookstore, they can easily be downloaded online, and even if you don’t know who he is typing magick into a search engine along with a week studying online should lead you to him.

Nearly all of the most famous magickal and spiritual works are available online. Every year more works are translated and better translations appear (compare Mather’s Sepher Yetzirah to Kaplan’s superior translation). Finding the exact book you want isn’t much harder than typing the name into an Amazon or Ebay search, or asking your local bookstore to order it. Meanwhile inventions like the Internet, HTML, and cheaper and more efficient POD techniques make publishing and distributing ideas, techniques, theories, and teachings easier.

Right now it is easier for a neophyte to find the information they need to begin solitary practice or work towards initiation than it has been in thousands of years. It is taking less and less work to find the necessary information, and more and more the information is simply presenting itself to people, no work required. And the situation is only going to get better, or worse depending on your perspective of it. No one is going to be gifted with magickal powers. Rather we’re being gifted with a better opportunity to acquire those powers.

This world is in the process of shifting. It’s moving towards some unforeseeable end, and currently it’s ripe to be influenced. I’ve seen factions of otherworldly beings forming. They’re parties that have an interest in where this world is heading and the final outcome of these events. They will take what they can by influence and they will take what they can by force. Wars will be fought between these powers that be, actually the battles have already started, and in the end their strength will determine the fate of this world.

Humanity has been castrated and robbed of the right to determine its own destiny. They’ve taken from us our gods and angels and heroes and villains and demons and old ones, the very things that were meant to show us what we could aspire to become.

And now the world shifts, and the power long ago taken from us is offered to us again. Some believe that we’re destroying this world, that we are a parasite to it, and that it seeks to expel us. This world clings to us and I hear it pleading with us to realize our potential and again become masters of our destiny and determine this world’s fate.

We are among the elite, and we are growing. We are those that have chosen not to cower behind a higher force, but rather to throw ourselves into the universe allowing our strength, our talent, our merits, and our character to lead us to our salvation, or our damnation. We are supposed to be the strong and the powerful who walk the path to enlightenment unhindered by fear, not the cautiously weak who chose ignorance out of fear.

A time will come when these battles come near to an end, and they will have taken what can be taken by influence, and they will have taken what can be taken by force, and the victor will determine what fate befalls all of humanity, and the only hope humanity will have to determine its own fate will be to prove themselves stronger and uninfluenced and take back by force what is rightfully theres.

Inside each of us is the potential to achieve power beyond that of even the gods. Those incarnate here have a greater right to determine the fate of this world than any other entity, and with that right comes the power to claim and defend it if we chose to.

This world does not need caution. It does not need fear. This world needs strength, and it needs practitioners that are practicing and growing in power so that they may face what is yet to come against them.

Power can only be achieved through experience. Risk is an essential element of progress. Read books. Read everything. Don’t be swayed from a particular author because they have been labeled as evil or dangerous. Look at their ideas and determine for yourself their validity. And cast spells, astral project, summon things, channel, in other words practice magick. Get into fights and mix it up with entities. Yes, all of this is dangerous. Do it anyways. Don’t wait to do things because you doubt your abilities. Your abilities will only grow through experience, and doing things now is the only way to grow your abilities. Time spent waiting for your abilities to develop from an armchair will only be time wasted.

We need to walk our paths fearlessly. We need to allow ourselves to grow spiritually. We need to have confidence in our abilities and faith not in higher powers but in our own power to protect ourselves and find salvation.

When we see ourselves as weak, we become mastered by our own limitation. When we believe that we our strong, strength tends to manifest within us.

The true master teaches empowerment, not subjugation. The true master preaches of the strength of his disciples, not their weaknesses. The true master sees himself not as having ascended to a point above others, but of having reached a higher point that others will hopefully exceed.