Magick 101: Matter and Energy

Update: I’ve added some additional entries to this list, so I bumped it back up on top.

A short overview of the different types of matter and how they effect energy.

Wood - Wood naturally absorbs nearby energy and tends to charge itself rather effectively. Wooden altars for spellwork are preferable in some traditions because the wood of the altar will absorb some of the energy from every working turning it into an enchanted object and energy battery that can aid in spellwork. For much the same reason, seance tables and spirit boards are most effective when they’re made out of wood. Wooden objects that are frequently present during spell and ritual work or are left on altars may end up enchanted and even sentient with no effort or even want on the part of the practitioner. Some practitioners and traditions prefer not to do ritual and spellwork over a hardwood floor because of the tendency of the wood to absorb the energy and become enchanted (many times it doesn’t take much effort to throw away a working altar because it’s becoming a problem, but tearing apart your living room floor…). In the form of a magickal tool wood is best used to broadly manipulate energy in general ways, such as absorbing it, raising it, and moving it around. Different types of wood each have their own small nuances and abilities, and may also taint the energy or be more effective when working with specific types of energy. Additionally the nature of the tree or vine the wood originates from may have some effect on the metaphysical qualities of the wood.

Metal - Metal is man made, and it’s very good at both sealing energy and manipulating it in finer more specific ways. Metal is very good at holding energy, even better than wood because much less energy dissipates from a metal object than a wooden one. However metal objects don’t naturally absorb energy nearly as well as wooden objects do, and so it is often up to the practitioner to personally charge the item or create a method in which the item can be charged. This isn’t to say that metal objects won’t absorb energy on their own, they will, just not to the degree wood will. As a magickal tool metal makes a good battery holding an available charge for the practitioner (as previously discussed). Also it may be used in general energy manipulation, however metal is considerably weaker than wood in terms of broad applications of energy manipulation, such as pushing energy and raising it, so much so that metal is nearly useless in this regard so long as a wooden alternative is available. However metal excels at the finer acts of energy manipulation such as opening portals and pinpoint attacks. As an example, if a practitioner were faced with an energy wall, they could use a wooden staff to raise a large amount of energy and then direct it towards the wall hitting it hard enough to knock it down by sheer force, or they could use a metal knife and, utilizing a much smaller amount of energy, slice a hole in the wall the practitioner could act through. Also because of its ability to be sealed, metal is good as an enchanted magickal object, and also as an object into which an entity is sealed. Much like wood, the various types of metal each have their own nuances and abilities, however unlike wood individual pieces of metal tend not to have specific personalities, at least not before they’ve been charged or enchanted, so a practitioner is able to simply take a specific piece of metal off the shelf rather than looking for the particular one that calls out to them.

Stone - Stones are energy manipulators. They’re almost as good as metal as far as sealing energy in goes, and they too are very effective as a battery, as an enchanted object, or for sealing an entity inside of it. They also act as energy amplifiers making energy stronger as it passes through. They can self-absorb energy, although not to the degree wood can, and they also tend to produce a lot of energy on their own. Different types of stones have different qualities to them, however, and how effective a particular stone is at any of the above abilities varies based on its type. Also stones have a taint to their energy based on the type they are with different types of stones tainting energy in different ways. For example turquoise stones tend to be tainted with dream energy, which makes turquoise very effective when it is being used as an aid for such tasks as lucid dreaming, dreamwalking, or keeping nightmares away. Stones tend to have very distinct personalities which can effect their overall compatibility with a particular practitioner, and so some care should be taken in choosing the right stone.

Quartz Crystal - Technically quartz crystal is classified as a type of stone, and it fits the above description of stone, but it has some unique qualities that make it preferable to any other stone in many situations. To start, quartz crystal is very good at amplifying energy, probably the very best stone at this particular task, and it’s also very good at effecting energy and moving it, once again probably the very best stone for this task. They’re also very good at absorbing energy and okay for sealing purposes (which in combination with their amplification abilities makes them a very good battery). And quartz crystal does not taint energy, an ability which is unique to it. They’re the blank page of stones. If a crystal has a significant taint to it, it’s because someone put something into it that made it like that. A crystal is only going to be what you make it. However, like other stones, crystals do have distinct personalities, and this can result in a small, although not very significant, taint, and so a practitioner should, as in other instances, take care in picking out the right quartz crystal.

Water – Water (and many water based liquids) have two very distinct and opposing qualities, it both absorbs and dissipates energy. As for its absorption quality, water will drain energy out of anything it comes into contact with, or even anything it’s near. Water is typically used in cleansings because of its ability to draw out energy, which may be negative energy or may simply be unwanted energy. Vampires typically have issues crossing bodies of water because of their hypersensitivity to vampiric like attacks and its strong draining ability. At the same time though water tends to shoot out the energy it collects on a constant. So even though water is used to cleanse, it can also be used for the exact opposite effect, to charge. One good way to do this is to have a container of water out during a ritual. The water will absorb the energy of the ritual, and afterwards an object can be put into the water in order for it to be charged with the ritual’s energy. Water’s dissipation effect also means that large stagnant bodies of water can develop into paranormal hotspots because they are constantly absorbing and spitting out large amounts of energy (an example being the Devil’s Hole in Nevada). Water is also very good at pulling in emotional energy although it will lose the charge very quickly. Because of its ability to both give and take water is also seen as a unifier and bonding agent that can bring two things together.

Synthetics – Various synthetic material such as cement, plastic, and man-made bricks do not hold a charge at all, and because of this can not really be used for any effect. Some practitioners and traditions prefer to do their rituals on a cement floor because the floor will not absorb the energy or become enchanted by the ritual. Although synthetics don’t hold energy they don’t block it either, and energy can pass through them as easily as it passes through air, and without acquiring any kind of taint. Synthetic tools are useless and offer the practitioner no benefit beyond their own natural ability. Some entities, given permission to do so, may be able to enter into and manipulate synthetic objects, although it isn’t possible (at least not without great difficulty) to seal them into the object to prevent their escape, or to aid them in staying inside of it.

Glass – For most purposes, glass is a poor man’s quartz crystal. Glass is very similar in its makeup to quartz crystal, and so it also shares a lot of the same qualities. Glass tends to be blank and without taint. It also tends to lack the distinct personalities of quartz crystals (which may be a benefit). It can hold some energy, thought not as well as quartz crystal, and it isn’t really that great of an amplifier. With magickal work the major drawback of glass tools is that they are fragile, and they tend to break if you put too much energy through them. Glass is usually used to make crystal balls, mirrors, and candle-holders, and the last one tends to break quite a bit with stronger candle magick spells (which is why I’d suggest using a metal holder). The one great, and somewhat unique, quality of glass is its reflective ability. To begin with, this obviously makes it good for scrying. The reflectiveness also makes it good for opening portals, banishing things from this world, and sealing entities into pocket dimensions.

Bone or Ivory – Bone and ivory are similar enough that they are almost exactly alike. Bone is unique because it is a piece of a dead animal, or even better a dead human if you can get one. It’s usually the bone of a dead whatever, and so a lot of people tend to use bone magickaly in order to access and manipulate death energy. This works, but there are better ways of going about getting death energy, and bone has a much better use, it tends to generate life energy. This in turn makes bone very effective in holding, sealing, and manipulating the souls of the dead. Sometimes the soul of the dead person or animal will still be bound to the bones, making it instantly enchanted with a dead soul. A lot of the times even if the original soul isn’t attached to the bones, there are ways to call it back into the bones. Bones also allow the dead greater power in performing actions on this plane.

Cloth – Cloth will absorb and hold energy. It’s not great at doing this, but it’s unique in the way that it is typically used. We wear are clothes all day. We shed skin and hair and fluids into our clothes. Because of this our clothes are very connected to us. Wearing someone’s dirty clothes gives a very strong connection to them, especially to an empath. Washing helps, but it usually doesn’t do enough. Cloth is also good at absorbing perfumes and incense and other smells, which in turn means cloth usually keeps a good memory of where it’s been. It’s a good idea to throw clothes away rather than giving them away or selling them, and it’s usually a good idea to buy all clothes new rather than used. The materials used in clothes are varied, and each is actually unique in its abilities, but most materials will also follow the general rules listed above. In my experiences I’ve found that leather (real leather) in particular is very good at absorbing energy, holding it, amplifying it, and projecting it outward. Leather things make great enchanted objects.

Magick 101: Our magickal bodies

This is just a short post to quickly explain the bodies we inhabit. You’ll learn the differences between an astral and a mental body, things that are never spoken of like a mento-physical body, what these bodies are capable of, and what a HGA (Holy Guardian Angel) really is. All of this stuff is very basic and essential to understanding the way the universe is made up and how we both fit into it and move through it. It’s also a bit confusing, but that’s largely due to multiple terminologies and people discussing the subject that either don’t know much about it or have only, so far, come to realize part of it. Okay, now for a quick overview.

The Physical Body

Okay, our physical body is what we’re in right now, our body. It’s that physical thing that gets fat when you eat junk food, tires out when you exercise, gets old, and eventually dies. Generally it’s limited to the physical plane, Malkuth. For the most part it also has some limited interactions with Yesod (because Yesod is Malkuth), and you can also walk into the lower realm of Lilith. You can also get to other lower realms, physically, by way of Lilith, but we’re not going to talk too much about that here.

The Astral Body

A lot of people look at the astral body as being an energy body or a soul. That’s a somewhat correct, but somewhat limited, assessment. The astral body is limited to the physical realms of existence. This would be Malkuth/Yesod, Hod, Netzach, Lilith/Gameliel, Samael, and A’arab Tzereq.

Living beings have both an astral and a physical body. A disincarnate spirit meanwhile only has an astral body.

The existence of energy and matter, at least on the Sepiroth, are unique to the physical realms. The astral body being of the physical realm (like our physical body) is therefor made up of energy and matter (same as our physical body). Many people look at the astral body as being only energy, but this isn’t true. It also contains mass, albeit in most cases only small amounts of mass. However there are several ways to increase this mass which is how we are able to interact with the physical plane from our astral bodies. Within the Qlippoth the astral body, although still a combination of matter and energy and still typically more energy than matter, has a much higher mass.

The astral body is always there, usually. Many people see astral projection as the act of popping out of ones body. In reality though it’s just a shift of perspective from the physical body to the astral body. Most of us have a fairly solid astral body that follows us around, usually existing in the same space as our physical body. Some people though tend not to form the astral body at all and just keep a mass of energy. This mass is then formed into an astral body when they project out.

The astral body can be moved and manipulated while you’re not astrally projecting too. This is would be how certain things like remote viewing work (the astral body is sent to a distant location to look, and what is seen is interpreted through the conscious physical body). The physical body can also be manipulated while astrally projecting, although it takes large amounts of concentration. The next time you astrally project, try seeing if you can manage to move your physical body from a distance.

Astral bodies are both physical and finite. They’re created as part of the process that makes us an incarnate being. We did not have our astral body during our past life, in the same way we didn’t have our physical body then. Granted you can shape your astral body and many people do shape there’s to resemble their past life astral form, but it’s still a new body mimicking the old body’s form. Many people see the astral body as our soul and lasting forever because it can survive our physical body’s death. However the astral body itself just has the ability to possibly live longer. Our astral body can and will eventually die. We can be astrally killed.

When an astral body dies it doesn’t leave a corpse, it just ceases to exist. Most people will astrally survive their physical bodies, even if for a very short time. Most people will eventually just shed their astral body when they move on after death. If the astral body is killed while the physical body still lives, the physical body will die. It may be possible to keep it technically alive for some time (maybe), and it may be suitable for a walk-in to quickly jump in, but the person will have passed on and there will no longer be a connection point between their body and soul.

It’s difficult to transfer information between our physical and astral bodies. This often times leads to shady recollections and memory issues concerning astral projections, and also an inability to keep concentrated and focus on our goals when we project out.

The Mental Body

Netzach is the first physical realm. This is where matter and energy first exists, and the physical laws take effect in Hod. Our astral body, being made up of matter and energy, can’t move past Netzach. So we need another body, our mental body.

Beyond Netzach are the higher planes, also known as the mental planes or the heavenly planes. Here things don’t exist as physicalities and energies. They exist as ideas and thoughts and intelligences. A mental body has no real physicality, it is simply an intelligence, a collection of thoughts, ideas, emotions, personality, ect. What it appears as is simply the form it chooses to project out.

Our mental body is also known as our Holy Guardian Angel. It is a part of us (if you pray to your HGA, you’re praying to yourself). This body is connected to us, but there is also a huge separation between us. Because of this, in order to access our mental body, we need to reunite with it. Our HGA always takes the form of the gender that is opposite our physical one. In order to rejoin with our HGA we need to have sexual intercourse at a higher level, one that is more attuned to the mental planes. This allows us to access our mental bodies.

Joining with our mental body not only allows us direct access to the mental realms, but it also lets us access our mental body while conscious. Our mental body is always there, and it’s running around the mental planes doing things (it doesn’t follow us like our astral body). These planes are loaded with information, just about anything you might want to know, and also power, and you can access via your mental body while you’re conscious.

Mental bodies tend to die less often, although they still are mortal. A single mental body can last many lifetimes. When it dies, its intelligence is absorbed into the planes and continues to exist. A mental body typically can’t be killed (there might be a way), at least in a manner it won’t just resurrect itself from. It can be changed though.

Mento-physical body

In the Qlippoth the mental planes run parallel to what are known as the hell planes. Instead of abandoning the physical body for the mental body, in the hell planes we take our mental body (our HGA) and combine it with physicality. This creates a superform encompassing the astral and mental forms. A living person killed here will physically die, however the mental body will have the ability to resurrect the astral, and the mento-physical body will survive. This can result in a perpetual death where a person is continually painfully killed again and again. As I said, hell planes.

The Primal Body (or the emotional body)

Beyond the mental planes are the highest planes of existence, the first triad. Things like intelligences, thoughts, concepts, change, ect. are all constructs of the middle triad. These things don’t exist in the highest triad. In order to access this triad we need access to our primal body. The three planes represent the first impurity (brought about by self acknowledgement), purity, and singularity (the spark of creation). That’s all that exists there. In order to find our Primal Body we need to cross the abyss.

The abyss is a psychological state that we go through. We can leave it at any time after we enter, and we can reenter later. Some folks that get in work a lifetime and never manage to get past it. The point of the abyss is to destroy ourselves. We want to break ourselves down and cease to be thoughts and intelligences and what not and exist as our simplest, purest form. This may mean destroying ourselves, shaving off parts of ourselves, and returning ourselves to a purity. More often than not it also involves numerous mental breakdowns and other psychological horrors. We are literally trying to break our mine so it isn’t there, to return ourselves to a more primal state of being.

The Super-Physical Body

In the same way the mental body can not access the first triad of the Sepiroth, the Mento-Physical body cannot access the first triad of the Qlippoth. Once again, in order for the proper body to be accessed, an abyss must be crossed. This abyss isn’t a psychological state, it’s a literal abyss. It’s crossing is an ordeal and a trial that will test the practitioner physical, mentally, and magickally. There are ways to leave it without crossing, but not all who go in can. If you reach the end the mento-physical body will have evolved into the super-physical body. This would eventually lead to Thaumial, which is the first division, at which point the super-physical body is supposed to divide into multiple beings, each of which can run the gauntlet itself, eventually reforming into an even more advanced being.

Beyond Kether and Thaumial

There are realms beyond these. The three Ains are the next barrier to be past in order to find the next body, however as far as I’ve been able to tell nothing on in the mental realms or below has ever gotten past those barriers (or if they have remember doing so), and so what lies beyond that is a mystery.

Magick 101: Meditation & Trance: An FAQ

What is meditation?

Meditation is the act of actively calming your body and mind and bringing yourself to a state of rest and mental clarity, typically with the intention of achieving trance.

How do I meditate?

Most, especially the inexperienced, begin meditation by bringing their body to a relaxed state. If you are new to meditation, it’s best to begin during a time when you’re already tired and relaxed. To start, sit or lay down in a comfortable relaxed position. Close your eyes, and let your body relax itself, but be careful not to fall asleep. Some find that incense, music, or calming white noise aids in relaxing themselves and clearing their mind.

Next ones mind needs to be brought to a calm and relaxed state, which is more difficult than calming ones body. Tricks like counting ones breath or focusing on an unanswerable problem are counter-productive to achieving trance and should be avoided. Generally one should attempt to clear ones mind, or else to calmly focus on those things which will be dealt with during the meditation. All thought needs to flow without excitement or stress or anxiety, or any other emotion. The mind needs to slow itself down. During meditation one should be introspective, detail oriented, and analytical slowly spending however much time is needed on each thing. One should refrain from thinking quickly or covering many things in a short period and from thinking about things that illicit emotion. Once the mind begins to relax and some level of clarity is achieved, the practitioner should then allow the mind to wander where it may, to look at whatever comes up.

What is the purpose of Meditation?

Meditation provides many benefits to the practitioner over time. It helps to strengthen ones mental capacities including concentration and focus, and also allows one more control over the physical aspects of their body, and at the same time mediation becomes easier as one continues to practice it. However the typical purpose of a meditation session is to achieve trance.

What is trance?

Trance is an altered state of consciousness in which the mind is more finely attuned and working at a higher level. A person in a state of trance has a greater degree of focus, clarity, and concentration. Additionally almost all of their psychic abilities are working at a higher level, including psionic magick, channeling, energy manipulation, divination, past life regression, and remote viewing. A person in a trance state has greater access to their subconscious and untapped mental and magickal potential. A person in this state may experience changes in personality, regressions, and a higher intelligence.

What does trance feel like?

The best thing that it can be compared to is the state an exhausted person is in shortly before they fall asleep, where they are still awake and actively aware of their surroundings but their mind is wandering and creating images and dreams seem to be flooding in, except that one is wide awake, and the mind seems more focused. Beyond that, it can only be said that it must be experienced in order for it to be explained because it is not completely like anything else.

What can be done with trance?

Many things can be done in trance. Channeling, remote viewing, and speaking with entities and ghosts are all easier to do in trance. Energy manipulation, psionic magick, and spell and ritual work are all more powerful when done in a trance state. Many practitioners like to use meditation for past life regressions and to balance their energy (and sometimes its almost mandatory to balance energy). Puzzling over riddles and questions or general introspection are easier to do in trance, partly because of ones heightened mental state and access to their subconscious, but also because things like channeling, divination, and remote viewing are easier in this state and may lend new information to aid in solving the problem.

Are there different degrees of trance?

Yes. There are light trances in which the practitioner’s state of consciousness has barely been altered at all, all the way up to heavy trances where the practitioner may even appear to be asleep. Generally, the heavier the trance the more powerful the trance. One should note though that sometimes, while attempting to achieve trance, practitioners fall asleep, so it may just be that a practitioner has fallen asleep and has not achieved trance at all.

Is meditation necessary to achieve trance?

No. Trance can be achieved without meditation, especially by one who has spent time training themselves to achieve trance in meditation. Spell and ritual work and large amounts of raised energy may also trigger trance in an individual.

What is the relationship between trance and spellwork/ritual?

Trance amps up any spell or ritual work and makes the practitioner much more powerful. For any type of spell or ritual work the practitioner should, at some point during the working, achieve trance, at least lightly if not heavily. For powerful spells that require large amounts of energy, a trance state is pretty much mandatory for success.

What is the relationship between trance and psionic magick?

The same as that between trance and spellwork/ritual. Most who are, well, talented are able to pull off simple psionics without much effort or need for trance, but for greater feats trance becomes an invaluable aid, and in any case will increase the power and success rate of the practitioner.

How should I position myself for meditation?

The body should be in a relaxed state, either sitting or laying down. The practitioner should feel comfortable and in a position they could, under typical circumstances, fall asleep in.

What should I wear for meditation?

Meditation can be done wearing anything, or nothing at all, especially by a trained practitioner. If one is just beginning though its best to wear clothing that makes one feel comfortable, as if they are going to bed, and nothing that will make them self-conscious. Clothing that may physically irritate the practitioner and call the attention of their mind should be avoided, as should clothing that makes one too hot or cold (a blanket is fine if one is too cold). Holding or wearing magickally enchanted objects and ritual tools should be avoided during meditation unless they are the reason for the meditation.

Is there any benefit to using yogic positions (ie the lotus position)?

Certain yogic positions better align the body for energy movement and naturally raise large amounts of energy, both of which aid in meditation and trance, and a practitioner utilizing certain positions will generally have more success and more intense experiences. However in order for the yogic positions to be used one must be at a point in their yoga exercises that they feel completely at ease in the position and their is no pain or undo stress put on the muscles, otherwise the physical and mental strains the yoga positions will put on the practitioner will be more counterproductive to the meditation than helpful.

Will drowsiness effect meditation?

Typically drowsiness will aid in bringing ones body and mind to a relaxed state and may make meditation easier, the only downside being that one may end up falling asleep instead.

Will energy effect meditation or trance?

Large amounts of energy will aid the meditation and make achieving trance easier, and it will intensify the trance once it is achieved. The type of energy used, however, may taint process and could effect the direction in which the mind is drawn.

How do I meditate on a question?

Simply keep the question in your mind and ponder it during meditation, and hopefully it will still be your focus when you hit trance. Not only will you be more adept at answering the question in trance, but you may also be able to break free and channel other sources, remote view related things, divine into the future, and you may draw entities more knowledgable about the subject to you for conversation.

How do I meditate on an object?

Generally you should be holding or wearing the object during meditation, or have it close to you. You should focus and concentrate on the object during meditation, and hopefully take that focus into trance. It’s almost exactly like meditating on a question.

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.

Magick 101: Grounding

I was looking at that really big site I dislike that shall remain nameless, and this week they have yet another article up about grounding, and the definition of the term is different than every other article they’ve put up on grounding. So far I’ve seen about eight different articles on that site about grounding, and not one has had the correct definition, granted I don’t read it every week. The situation isn’t entirely their fault though, I don’t think I’ve seen the correct definition for grounding anywhere on the Internet, ever. And it’s sad because grounding is one of the basic maneuvers of energy manipulation and an important form of defense. So, due to popular misconception, grounding defined.

To begin with, the term grounding is not originally a magickal term. It was hijacked by the community because of similarities in what happens. Outside of magick, the terms grounding and grounded are references to the way in which electricity operates and moves. To be grounded means that there is either a direct or indirect connection between you and the Earth through which electricity can move. The thing about electricity is that it moves towards the ground, and unless you provide a clear path to the ground, it won’t move through you.

For example, if you jump in the air and touch an exposed electrical wire, nothing happens. But if you stand on the ground and touch the same wire, you get electrocuted. If you’re not touching the ground, electricity won’t move through you. This process is why birds can sit on power lines and not get fried. This is also true whether you’re standing on dirt or at the top of a ten story building. You don’t need to be directly touching the ground, you just need to have a connection to it for a pathway to form. Of course this pathway can be blocked by substances that conduct electricity poorly, such as rubber.

Moving on to magickal grounding, although techniques differ and there are a few variations of the term with bastardizations of the word, the very basic definition of grounding is touching the ground and pushing energy out of yourself and into the Earth, in a sense very similar to how electricity would move through you into the ground.

Much like the way in which electricity works, you don’t have to be touching the physical ground in order to ground. You can just as easily do it from the tenth story of a building. Unlike electricity though, you don’t need to be touching the ground at all to do it. You could, if you wanted to, ground while flying through the air.

Although the term usually refers to putting energy into the Earth, it can also refer to putting energy into other things. When two people have sex, under normal circumstances, both participants forcefully push their energies into their partner who in turn receives them passively. This act, putting your energy into someone else like this, is often times referred to as grounding into them, for example.

There are a few different reasons why a person would want to ground. If they had managed to acquire stronger energy then they were capable of managing, if they had absorbed energy that was incompatible with them or was otherwise harmful or imbalancing, if energy was having an undesired effect on mood, if something attacks by infecting the practitioner with energy their energy, ect.

There are of course other methods a person could use for the same effects. They could cleanse themselves, they could bleed out unwanted energy, or they could convert energy. Each of these techniques are best used under certain circumstances, but at times grounding is the best method to use.

One of the main advantages of grounding is it’s speed and ease of use. For those who are at least a little practiced at energy manipulation, touching their hand to the ground is enough of a ritual aid to effectively and quickly ground, although touching the ground is a superfluous act and grounding can be achieved without doing so.

The other big advantage is that the energy goes into the Earth. Energy has to go somewhere, and energy can do things and attract things, and with grounding you have a safe place to put it. The Earth is a huge renewable source of energy that is quite capable of taking care of itself. Most likely there’s nothing you can hold in your body that would be enough to hurt the planet or even pollute it for long, and even in the case of a reverse flow you most likely couldn’t take enough energy into yourself to put a dent in Earth’s reserves.

Finally, so long as a person isn’t discriminatory, grounding can be used to push out large amounts of energy at near instantaneous speeds.

For these reasons, grounding is usually the best course of action when the practitioner is being attacked with negativity or otherwise being manipulated by energy, or anytime the practitioner has absorbed energy which is immediately harming them. Even though it may be crude and a bit of overkill, because of its speed and ease it’s usually the best method when engaged in a fight.

Bleeding is taking specific energy in the practitioner’s body and pushing it out from any point. Bleeding is a bit tougher to accomplish than grounding and generally takes much longer, especially when the practitioner is being very meticulous about what has to go out and what should stay in. Bleeding also just releases the energy and doesn’t put it anywhere, although the method could be modified to release the energy into the Earth, but this makes bleeding even more difficult to accomplish and will make it take even longer.

Bleeding is best used when the real danger isn’t immediate and the practitioner has a lot of time to work with, not only because of the longer time it takes to bleed energy, but also so their is ample time to diffuse the energy without much build-up. Because a person can’t ground out all of their energy, in cases where the offending energy is severe and deeply imbedded in the practitioner a bleed can effectively rid the practitioner of the energy where simple grounding cannot. Also in cases where the practitioner has managed to isolate the offending energy into one area of their body, bleeding will push the energy out at it’s position, where as grounding will use large amounts of energy to flush the offending energy through the practitioner’s body, using them as a conduit, and possibly infecting the entirety of their body with the energy.

Cleansing, meanwhile, can remove energy, but at the same time the process was meant to do much more. Cleansing tends to be a bit more complicated than grounding, and many people are dependent on ritual aid in order to cleanse themselves. With practice cleansings can be done psionically and very quickly, but typically practitioners will still get better results via ritual, meaning these are essentially weak cleansings. Cleansing was meant to remove not only negative energy, but also outside energy and anything else that may have attached itself to the practitioner, while at the same time helping the practitioner rebalance themselves. Using cleansing to get rid of energy is like vacuuming tile. It’ll clean it some, but you’ll do a better job with a broom and a mop. Cleansing, like bleeding, also just dumps the energy, although unlike bleeding it does it all at once, not giving it much of a chance to dissipate. This is why, if you’re a practitioner, more likely than not your shower is haunted. Although cleansing and grounding overlap somewhat, each has specific purposes for which they’re best suited, and as a replacement to grounding cleansing does a worse job while requiring more of the practitioner.

Finally there’s energy conversions, in which energy is taken in and converted to whatever the practitioner wants it to be. Although this is, in many ways, superior to the other methods, it’s not without its problems. To begin with, an energy conversion will do nothing if the practitioner needs to ground because they have too much energy inside them. Secondly an energy conversion can be very complicated. Not only can it take a long time, but it can require a lot of a practitioner, especially when they are dealing with stronger energies or large amounts of energy. Even when an energy conversion may be the best option, there still may be a good chance that the practitioner isn’t yet capable of doing it. And lastly, there are times when you may not want anything to do with the energy at all for various reasons. In the end a conversion is good for conserving large amounts of energy the practitioner may want to use, but at times it’s easiest just to throw it into the ground and be done with it.

Some basics: Types of Magickal Information

When we talk about magick, what we’re talking about can be split into four different catagories or levels. Historical information, theoretical information, practical information, and spiritual information.

1. Historical Information: The first level of information, the easiest to learn, and the most useless, is historical information. Historical information is the factual information about the history of magick. Who wrote what, when was such and such founded, where did theory X originate, ect.

Although there may occur arguments at times, and some people are rather ignorant, historical information is fact based and usually easily verifiable.

Historical information has a few different uses. To begin with, it can be used to form a basis on another’s reputation. For instance Eden Gray’s information on the origin of tarot is obviously false and was easily disproved even at the time her book was written. Based on that fact, we can assume about Gray’s books that either her research was severly lacking or she is intentionally misleading the reader to further mystify the subject and better sell her book.

Historical information is also useful when one is searching for other types of magickal information. Knowing the names, and better yet reputations, of various authors and books can aid the practitioner in finding good information.

And finally when dealing with dieties or entities myths and folklores can become very useful in identification and understanding, and at times crosses over into theoretical information.

2. Theoretical Information: The second category is theoretical information. Theoretical information can consist of unproven ideas and philosophies, but it also includes ideas which may be proven and factual. However theoretical information consists only of ideas and has no direct connection to actual application.

For instance a post on this blog detailing the various characteristics and methods of vampires is theoretical. The information has no direct application. There is nothing that can be done with the information to cause any kind of change. It can however be used to develop practical information and result in indirect change. For instance a person could use that information in order to develop methods to attack or defend themselves against vampires, which would fall into the next category.

3. Practical Information: The third level of information is Practical Information, and this is the first time the information has any kind of real use. Practical Information is information which has an actual application that can be performed and utilized. Rituals, spells, methods of psionic attack, and exercises that aid in developing astral projection techniques are all examples of practical information.

4. Spiritual Information: The fourth type of information, Spiritual Information, is the zenith of magickal information and it’s acquisition is the ultimate goal of every practitioner. Spiritual information is highly personalized and it is the information that aids you in walking your own spiritual path and is utilized in your own personal growth.

All other forms of information can be transmitted through various mediums. Someone may need to be a practicing magician and advanced to a certain state to understand some theoretical information, but a lot of theoretical information can be orally given or written down in a book. The same can be said of practical information, and historical information can always be transmitted orally or through written words. But with all Spiritual Information the information is more or less unique to the practitioner, as is the acquisition and interpretation, and as such it needs to be acquire d by each individual practitioner on their own.