I have always felt a connection to the arcane and have always been intirested is stuff such as H.P. Lovecraft and other things like that. I have also felt connected to the dead in some way where I can feel when people are still around and a connection to the earth. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me with figuring out my path in the arcane or if I have any connection to it.
Dear Friend,
I went through a period of trying to find myself and it was complicated because some things were controversial and even disagreed with my family religious beliefs. I finally realized some things were a matter of semantics, or terminology and exist across religious boundaries. Real magick is mostly energy and based on laws of Physics or Metaphysics. People thought gravity was magic until physics was able to explain that law.
Aleister Crowley first used the spelling 'Magick' as a term to show and differentiate his practice of the occult from performance magic and is defined as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will", including both "mundane" acts of will as well as ritual magic.
So when we do anything conforming to the laws of physics (mundane or natural) we are also working with and performing magick.Skiing, Surfing, Skating, and riding a bicycle are all feats of magick. Now Magick alsao deals with Metaphysics.. or higher physics. This is the invisible, intangible, and ethereal. here are realms of the afterlife, other dimensions, the astral planes (the supernatural). Metaphysical laws exist independent of religion just as physical laws do.
People are born with 'natural talents' or abilities to work with both physical and metaphysical laws. It is said that man uses approximately 10% of his brain. Abilities above average are labeled Psychic abilities and there is a long list of these starting with ESP. You mentioned one of them. An Empath is someone who can feel the emotions of others and experience what they feel. The share feelings but they do not read minds. That is called telepathy.
Understanding and learning Psychic Skills is a foundation toward learning Magick and is more important than trying to work spells of words or rituals. In 1993 Skywind published a beginning series to help people learn whether they have Psychic Skills and advanced ways to develop them. Now out of print it is archived in several places online and you can save them to your computer to study and learn them. I highly recommend this series as a starting point and it influenced and helped me get started on this path in 1993. You can view and save the 4 part series from the archive here...
http://vsociety.net/wiki/Psi_articles#Playful_Psychic.2C_by_Skywind
As you go through this study and its practical applications you will sort out your own psychic abilities and begin to find a place in your cosmic destiny. It will not conflict with your religious beliefs once you realize all religions accept these but assign them different terms.
Remember that many beliefs and religions include some form of magic or ritual and express it in terms of their own. Some call it Psychic Abilities, Paranormal Skills, ESP, and the Christian Church may call it Spiritual Gifts. Nine supernatural Gifts are described in the Holy Bible book of First Corinthians which may be manifested by members of the Christian Church. the most common one spoken of is the Gift of Divine Healing, but there are eight others.
Some of the same abilities exist in many different religions or belief systems and I will discuss that in a future article entitled "A Rose By Any Other Name...".
I applaud your willingness to look at destiny with an open mind. I believe we all are but a tiny piece of the puzzle which makes up the grand scheme of things. you no doubt have talent and you will find your niche if you don't give up!