Classes

Class Notes, and outline

13 Weeks of Magick

Outline

1.      History of Magick-

2.    What is Magick, Vs Magic?

3.    Laws of Magick

4.    Elements of Magick- (4 Weeks)

a.Visualization

b.Tools of the Craft

c.The Elements

d.Magickal Herbs

5.     Types of Magick-4 Weeks

a.Sympathetic Magick, b. Candle Magick, c.Ritual Magick

6.    Healing Magick

7.     Spellwork

This is not just lecture, but for discussion as well.

Nov 12th ,Week One

History

 I.                  History of Magick

The practice of magick has been a significant part of all cultures. It was there, at the dawn of time when people lived in caves, it survived religious prosecution during the Middle Ages, and it is still here today, evolving, growing, blossoming. The thing is that magick is more than an art or a science. It is more than a way of life, even. It is a culture in and of itself. A collection of different cultures, to be precise. It has ties to all religions and philosophies. It's principles are derived from all the mystic traditions of the world. The story of magick is the story of the lives and histories, myths and legends, belonging to all the peoples of this planet. The history of magick is the soul of this world. Let’s look at old magickal traditions

Egyptian magick

Importance to Society

The civilisation of the ancient Egyptians was one of the magical centres of the ancient world and its thought has influenced occultists, alchemists and magicians though out the ages. Unlike religions of today the occult tradition of Egypt and the religious one were united. They believed the universe was created by magic that magic was even greater than there own Gods. It was regarded as totally real and efficacy was unchallenged.

Heka

Heka: Egyptian Ceremonial Magick

Heka is the general term for Egyptian magick. The rites listed below provide a core foundation in Egyptian ritual magick for the esoteric practitioner. Heka was a from of magic where the practitioner called on the gods/goddesses to provide him/her with the energy of either creation or from the deities themselves to preform an act. The doing of a spell was not the basis, but the actual words spoken and how it was spoken. 

This was not an apologetic movement , but a forceful act demanding action from the Deities. Normally Heka was used to heal the sick, to produce and to build, but it could also be used in a destructive way depending on what the practitioner wanted.

Types of rituals in Heka-

The Opening of the Mouth

The Gathering of Heka

The Dedication of the Temple

The Passion of Ast and Nebt-Het

Some of these rituals and recitations are revisions of spells from the Coffin Texts, the Book of the Dead, and other sources, while the rest are original works inspired by my own needs and discoveries. These rituals are most effective and rewarding when performed as part of a serious and dedicated campaign of magickal development within the Egyptian magickal-religious system. To read more you will have to check out in our Temple of Isis group which focuses on Egyptian Magick and Myth

Heka was a from of magic where the practitioner called on the gods/goddesses to provide him/her with the energy of either creation or from the deities themselves to preform an act. The doing of a spell was not the basis, but the actual words spoken and how it was spoken.

This was not an apologetic movement , but a forceful act demanding action from the Deities. Normally Heka was used to heal the sick, to produce and to build, but it could also be used in a destructive way depending on what the practitioner wanted.

To read more, go to our Voodoo in the Cauldron group.

Voodoo

Voodoo (also Vodun, Vodou, or Vudu) is a religion of West African origin with many integrated magick practices. This art is similer to witchcraft in that it harnesses "energy currents" that run through the Earth; upon assitence of the Loas (gods) such energies may grant favours and abilities, when they are invoked.

An article on Haitian Voodoo

Author- Matt Ream                                                                                                

Dr. Houghton

Comp. Std. 270N

29 April, 2005

Haitian Voodoo: The Possession of the Spirits

Within the small third-world country of Haiti, poverty holds a powerful grip over the people. It is widely considered to be the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and for its people, survival is a daily struggle. Yet Haitians draw strength from Voodoo, the African-born religion in which many different spirits help guide a person through the physical journey of life. Within the realm of Voodoo, there is nearly no distinction between the spiritual and the physical worlds (“Origins of Voodoo”). Spirits are authentic and are everyday experiences for Haitians (“Haiti Makes Voodoo Official”). To a Voodoo believer, nothing happens by chance; there are neither accidents nor coincidences. Everything happens for a purpose, a purpose determined by the thousands of spirits that surround and guide each worshipper.

Anthropologists believe that Voodoo is somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 years old, originating among the Fon-Ewe tribes of West Africa (“Origins of Voodoo”). It was carried over to Haiti during the European colonization of the West and was strengthened through the transatlantic slave trade. African slaves who were brought to Haiti to serve the French colonists were forced to convert to Catholicism and forbidden to practice their native African religions, including Voodoo. The French tried to suppress this “pagan” religion, which they felt posed a threat to the colonial system (Guynup). Voodoo was consequently forced into secrecy. One attempt at keeping it alive involved the intricate weaving of Catholic aspects into their religious beliefs, which allowed them to continue to practice their religion by masking it in the guise of Christianity. After the Haitian Revolution in 1804 and the exodus of their French captors, Haitians were able to freely practice Voodoo without the fear of punishment, but elements of Catholicism still remained a very large and integral part of their religion. Today, Voodoo stands as an official religion in the country, a decision made in 2003 by the Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (“Haiti Makes Voodoo Official”).

Haitian Voodoo is an interesting blend, comprised of a strict monotheism mixed with the worship of many spirits (Caistor).  Haitians believe in one all-powerful deity, Bondieu, who is manifest in all and has reign over the entire universe, the spirits, and all of life. Under Bondieu, there are three general categories of spirits that Haitians believe control and direct the universe. Loa are spirits that embody the major forces of the universe. They control characteristics of nature such as the wilderness, the grave, and the fresh waters. There are hundreds of loa, each in dominion over a specific aspect of nature. In addition to loa, there are spirits that are not well understood and even somewhat mysterious; these spirits are sometimes referred to as the “twins,” because they represent the contradictory forces in nature, such as good and evil, happiness and sadness, health and illness. In this way, the twins are comparable to the Chinese yin and yang. It is believed that if they are honored, these spirits will give the worshipper the better side of these contradicting forces. The souls of dead family members constitute the final group of spirits. After death, these ancestors stay with their families and help them navigate through the trials of life. A Voodoo worshipper believes that when he dies, his soul will remain on earth to provide guidance to his family (Corbett).

Voodooists believe that it is important to honor and care for all of the spirits, as it is believed they become weak over time and depend on humans for nourishment. Rituals and sacrifices are used to rejuvenate them, and it is believed that the life force of a sacrificed animal will transfer to the spirit, in essence “feeding” it (Guynup). On an individual level, each household will set up one or more tables for their ancestors and honor them with candles, perfumes, foods, drinks, pictures, or other effects that please them (Rock). Bondieu and the spirits are also honored at ceremonies, where groups can congregate and worship. Houngans and/or mambos lead most of the Voodoo ceremonies. A tree or pole is central to the ceremony, and drumming and dancing almost always accompany the rituals (Corbett). These rituals are done to gratify Bondieu and the loas. An animal, such as a sanctified chicken is sacrificed in order to satisfy loas, which are sustained by the life energy that is released during the sacrifice (Corbett). During the ceremony, worshippers can be “mounted,” or possessed, by a loa. The loa will take complete control of the individual and will offer advice, give cures, and prophesy to the assembly (Rock). Possession is usually accompanied by frenzied dancing, and after some time has passed, the loa will release the exhausted individual.

There are two main types of Voodoo in Haiti, Rada and Petro (Corbett). In both types, believers hold a sort of mystical power. Rada is the most commonly practiced form, and focuses on spirits that are perceived to be “sweet,” or loving, as well as the spirits of the family ancestors. Rada Voodooists believe that when the loa are angry or displeased, these spirits will inflict illness on people.  For this reason, coupled with the poor sanitary conditions and rampant disease, one of the central facets of Voodoo is healing (Guynup). Houngans and mambos, which are Voodoo priests and priestesses, conduct many healing rituals, utilizing herbal remedies and spells, as well as the help of “sweet” loa.  In this way, Voodoo becomes more than just a religion; it becomes a culture, a common and valid way of life, and an answer to material and spiritual needs.

While the vast majority of Voodoo follows the “sweet” loa, some believers focus on the “bitter” loa, spirits that are ill tempered and demanding of their worshippers (“Religion in Haiti”); this is known as Petro Voodoo (Corbett). Petro believers wield a great amount of power, and practice sorcery and black magic. They are capable of such dangerous activities as casting death spells, writing curses, and creating zombies. Petro Voodooists are extremely rare.  In some estimates they account for less than five percent of all Voodoo worship (Corbett). However, they hold a very real power. Don and Karen Davis, missionaries who live near the Haitian city of Cap Haitien, have witnessed Petro Voodoo firsthand. The Davis’ cite times where Petro worshippers have created “death potions.” Petro worshippers will pour these concoctions into two wooden bowls, placing one on either side of the path where they believe their enemy will pass. When their enemies walk between these two bowls, some have been known to immediately die in that spot on the path, and others will become fatally ill.

Power is not limited strictly to the Petro believers; even in Rada Voodoo, houngans and mambos possess power, such as the ability to kill animal sacrifices by simply pointing loa fetishes at them. There is no known scientific reason for these occurrences, other than the sheer power of Voodoo. In an August 1995 article for National Geographic, journalist Carol Beckwith tells of the strange events that she witnessed while researching Voodoo for her story:

A woman splashed sand into her eyes, a man cut his belly with shards of glass but did not bleed, another swallowed fire. Nearby a believer, perhaps a yam farmer or fisherman, heated hand-wrought knives in crackling flames. Then another man brought one of the knives to his tongue. We cringed at the sight and were dumbfounded when, after several repetitions, his tongue had not even reddened. (Beckwith 111)

Participants of these rituals claim that the spirits protect them and would allow no harm to befall them.

To the Haitians, Voodoo is the true path, and fulfillment comes through service to the spirits. Some worshippers hold a fearful respect of the spirits, while others joyfully worship and love the spirits.  After death, Voodooists aspire to join the other spirits and help future generations.  But until that time comes, they persist in their struggle of poverty, somewhere in between the physical and spiritual realms, relying on Bondieu and the spirits to carry them through the day, through this life and into the next. This is the power that is Voodoo.

Other Magickal traditions, paths

Shamanism

Assyro-Babylonian

Egyptian

African Tribal mysticism

Voodoo Voudon Hoodoo

Australian mysticism

I-Ching

Yoga

Tibetian Mysticism

Zen Buddhism

Greco-Roman traditons (writings of philosophers on metaphysics: Aristotle, Pythagoras, Plato)

Norse traditon and Runes

Celtic tradition

Sufism

Gnosticism

Merkabah Mysticism (Jewish mystical tradition that pre-dates Kabbalah)

Medieval Kabbalah

Neoplatonism

Hermetics

Astrology

Alchemy

Freemasonry

Roscicrucianism

Enochian

Goetia

Thelema

Native American mysticism

Huna

Reiki

Wicca

Satanism

Chaos Magick

Necromancy

Onmyodo

O.T.O.

 

Goddesses

Many Faces of the Goddess

Sept Goddess The Morrighan The Morrighan ("Great Queen", "Specter Queen", "Supreme War Goddess" or "Queen of Phantoms or Demons") Irish/Celtic. The Dark aspect of the Celtic Triple Goddess. Crone aspect of the Goddess. Great Mother. Moon Goddess. Great White Goddess. Queen of the Fairies. Matroness of priestesses and Witches. Queen of the Witches and Goddess of Magick. Associated with revenge, night, magick, prophecy, wisdom, war and peace. Possibly a pre-Celtic Moon goddess.In her Dark Aspect, she is the Goddess of War, Fate and Death. As a War Goddess, she reigned over the battlefield, helping with her magick, but did not join in battles. August Goddess August Goddess Demeter is the Goddess of corn, grain, and the harvest. She is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. It is Demeter that makes the crops grow each year. The first loaf of bread from the harvest is scarificed to her. Demeter is the goddess of the earth, of agriculture, and of fertility in general. Sacred to her are livestock and agricultural products, poppy, narcissus and the crane. Goddess of July - Ma'at Maat represents the ideals of law, order, and truth. The word, Maat translates "that which is straight." it implies anything that is true, ordered, or balanced. She was the female counterpart of Thoth. We know she is a very ancient goddess because we find her in the boat of Ra as it rose above the waters of the abyss of Nu on the first day. Together with Thoth, they charted the daily course of the sun god Ra. She is sometimes called the 'eye of Ra' or the 'daughter of Ra'. Other possible Names: Mayet ************** Goddess of June Juno Juno, or to spell it the Latin way, Iuno, is the Roman Great Goddess, the Queen of the Gods, Sky-Goddess, Protectress of Women, Mother of Mars, Wife of Jupiter, She of the many epithets and a long long history of worship in Rome. She was one of the Capitoline Triad, with Jupiter and Minerva, Who were considered the three main Deities of Rome; She was widely worshipped among the Latins, and Her cult was also important among the Etruscans, who called Her Uni or Cupra. She was an especial protectress of women in marriage and childbirth, and many of Her epithets relate to that aspect, but She could also have a more civic or martial character as protectress of the Roman people. In Greek She is known as Hera. ************** Maia Goddess of May Old French Mai Old English Maius Latin Maius "of Maia" Latin Maius mensis "month of Maia" Maius has always had 31 days. Maia (meaning "the great one") is the Italic goddess of spring, the daughter of Faunus, and wife of Vulcan. ******************* Cybele originally a Phrygian & Goddess of the Trojan lands. Cybele’s worship spread to Greece & then to Rome, and its empire. Cybele is the “Mother of the Gods” known as “Magna Mater.” She was assimilated to the Greeks as the Earth Mother Goddess Rhea. Also, she was an example of the Fertility Mother Demeter. This Goddess was the Protector of the Trojan prince Aeneas, who was a fugitive of the destruction of Troy. Cybele gives the Trojans her sacred tree for ships to be built. She asked Zeus to make these ships indestructible. These ships are built, and allow Aeneas & his men to escape. They become the ancestors of the Roman people. The ships, no longer needed, are changed into Sea nymphs. Bringing Cybele from Trojan’s lands to Rome is seen as the return of their Ancestral Goddess to Her people. Artemis ARTEMIS, one of the great divinities of the Greeks. Her name is usually derived from artemês, uninjured, healthy, vigorous; according to which she would be the goddess who is herself inviolate and vigorous, and also grants strength and health to others. n one legend, Artemis was born one day before her brother Apollo. Her mother gave birth to her on the island of Ortygia, then, almost immediately after her birth, she helped her mother to cross the straits over to Delos, where she then delivered Apollo. This was the beginning of her role as guardian of young children and patron of women in childbirth. Being a goddess of contradictions, she was the protectress of women in labor, but it was said that the arrows of Artemis brought them sudden death while giving birth. As was her brother, Apollo, Artemis was a divinity of healing, but also brought and spread diseases such as leprosy, rabies and even gout. Being associated with chastity, Artemis at an early age (in one legend she was three years old) asked her father, the great god Zeus, to grant her eternal virginity. Also, all her companions were virgins. Artemis was very protective of her purity, and gave grave punishment to any man who attempted to dishonor her in any form. Athena Daughter of Zeus, and only by him, the Goddess Athena was not generated by any woman. She leaped from the head of Zeus, already adult, dressed with her armor. But the mother is not completely missing from the miraculous birth of Pallas Athena. According to Hesiod's account of the weddings of Zeus, the King of the Gods chose Metis as his first wife. She was of all beings "the most knowing" (as the word metis is interpreted), or "of many counsels" as translated in the sense of the Homeric epithet polymetis. The name of Athena [(DEMOS) ATENAI] on the architrave above the door of the Temple of the Goddess Athena in Priene (4th century BCE). Demeter DEMETER was the great Olympian goddess of agriculture, grain, and bread, the prime sustenance of mankind. She also presided over the foremost of the Mystery Cults which promised its intiates the path to a blessed afterlife. Demeter was depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheafs of wheat and and a torch. Hera Hera Hera, the Greek goddess called the Queen of Heaven, was a powerful queen in her own right, She is the Greek Counterpart of the Babylonian Goddess Inanna/Ishtar, long before her marriage to Zeus, the mighty king of the Olympian gods. The goddess Hera ruled over the heavens and the earth, responsible for every aspect of existence, including the seasons and the weather. Honoring her great capacity to nurture the world, her very name translates as the "Great Lady" . HTML Templates