I have been on this site for about a month, during that time I have learned some things about the people on this site, and what they find interesting. First, I am amazed at the number of Newbies, and young people who have found this site. Secondly, I am amazed how few of them have any basic magical training. Third, how quickly people want to wave a wand and cast spells, I have seen requests for better grades, passing tests, getting rid of mean people, hooking a boyfriend, getting rid of girlfriends, winning the lottery etc. etc. Fourthly, I have found that some people on this site don't like being people, they demand to be given a spell to turn into a Vampire, or some other entity,and when told that is not possible, they start insisting that we are all close minded, and that THEY will find a way. Fifth, I have seen some very bright people trying their best to give good, solid answers to some difficult questions. Sixth, I am amazed at the number of different followers of some fairly obscure Occult ideas. Seventh, a good number to end with, Regardless of what I see, and think, the Energy is good, most of the time debate is polite, and informative, that is rare today in a increasingly hostile world. Thank You All, it has been a fun and interesting month. Rilke
i am sort of a newbie but i would like to learn as mush as i can about magic in a safe informative way. i dont want to be a vampire, werwolfe or anyother etherl entity thought of i want to master the power i have and undestand what happened to me when i was younger. all i know about this is that i cast a black magic spell unintentually and it seporated my soul into seven entitys.i think that it is posibble to trance form into anything if you are willed enouth but why would you want too? that is a commen question that i keep seeing from wise people i came inconntact with. the awnser is that the power of the form is attractive to the shallowed thought but the power soon fades to despareing madness. i would like you to try and test my knowlege of magic that would be uncommen test me and i will reply.
It's been nice seeing you here, rilke. You're posts are always interesting to read. I hope I don't come off as too newby.. I admit, I am quite a newb, but I try not to be annoying. I haven't even attempted a spell yet, and don't intend to for quite a while. I've begun to realize that my main interest in magick is not spells; I've found the entire system of magick fascinating and rewarding. I've stuck to studying and training the basics, and I've only done a few Sabbat rituals.
I agree, I've found that these forums are quite a nice place to be in the couple months I've been here.
Thank you Kevin, you are going about it the right way. I think my first spell was attempted 6 months after I was in Seminary. People can play with energy, and spells, but more times then not, they fail to achieve their goal because they have not studied the basics. Let me know if I can be of help down the road. Rilke
Rilke, I also like the ideas you post. It might seem upsetting to some, but the reality of the matter is that many people in the site refuse to learn. It's all about attitude, many of use began like them, confused about what path to turn or choose. Other of us have been taught. It is very true to say that many willing to move on do find themselves being sorrounded by distortion. If you think about it, many people who seek magic often do it to satisfy their 'needs', love spells, and money spells. The popular themes for people that go to 'spell casters'. It is no different here. I do like the tolerance most of the people on the site show, it is about learning how to deal with the different ideas, and learning about them that makes this a big open community.
Re: What I have learned By: AwakeTooLong / Knowledgeable
Post # 7 Dec 27, 2010
I think part of the difficulty is the international nature of the site. The "basics" often presented within this site do not always apply or translate to every tradition's core. Many traditions speak of little else beyond prayer or ritual motions, at least on the surface. This can leave the impression that magic requires nothing more than a handful of tools one can see in any movie, a clever chant, and presto! Prosperity, love, and success are yours to be had!
The other difficulty is the influence of the concept of other-kin. It is morbidly fascinating how many people see a quality within themselves that they associate with a mythological or spiritual entity and then immediately decide that they are either actually a member of that entity's "race," or they were that variety of entity in a past life, or something else along these lines. To some extent, this belief can translate into interesting visualization techniques and methods of focus wherein true magic can be accomplished. To another extent, it frequently degenerates into outright delusion. Fascinating stuff. Nothing like watching a half vampire, half demon, half angel actually use his belief in his "ancestry" to channel energy into a spell. Do note that I don't necessarily discredit the possibility of psi-vampires and such within this generalization, or even the possibility of otherkin. I merely disagree with many of the concepts that people seem to embrace out of sheer desire to be something "more" than human.
The other problem as you touch upon is the youth of the members of this site. I was shocked to discover that I can often count myself as one of the more experienced practitioners within any discussion. With just over a decade of practice, I've always gone out into the community feeling like an educated child. This definitely results in misconceptions and a lack of "elder" temperance that can guide and, perhaps sometimes, hinder creative exploration of the magickal arts. There is definitely a younger view of magick that seems to contaminate much of everything that seems born of popular media. They want the staff. They want the wand. But they don't know there is a "why" for the staff or wand, so they don't bother asking about that.
However, despite all of this turbulence, the energy is generally a positive one. I watched a bunch of kids discuss the possibility of banding together and exploring methods that would make magical practice more socially acceptable or at least more tolerated last night. It was adorable. haha.
Yep, out of some of the chaos comes a strange order. It teaches one to be open minded, and at the same time teaches one to reexamine ones own beliefs. There are times however when you have to tell people a 7ft Easter bunny doesn't exist.
