Goal setting time

It is that time of year, to test your willpower in keeping a goal going for a year or dropping a habit.

I’ll like to add a few things before you the reader go off into a mantra of completing your goals.

First)  Is it realistic?   Are you pledging your blood every morning and evening for your patron?  You think realistically is that manageable?  Or meditating morning and evening time? Is that going to work in your schedule if you have to be up at 3am for work?    Start off small and then go big if you can manage it, is my advice.

Second)  Is it something you want to do for yourself, or is it what you think you should do?   That sounds pretty simple.  Do you really want to learn how to do magick squares cause it really excites you, or do you want to learn it cause its expected of you to know cause you are a magick practitioner.  Are you doing this to impress someone?  Oh look at me I can preform the Rose Cross flawlessly, or recite all of the 9’s enns with no error, I’m really cool…

Third) I call it the rule of 3.  It has to be done 3 times in a role to give it a good start.  Its my superstition.  For example, I meditate every night  for 3 weeks.. a very good start.. but opps I was to tired to meditate on monday, but you know what I’ll do it tomorrow night and I’ll be back on it every other night with no problem.  If you can get a good solid 3 weeks with it, or 3 of something your on a good start.

Ok thats short..

Goodluck!

 

 

 

Resolutions or Goals?

I’m not a resolution man. Resolutions are for people who have no intention of really doing what they resolve to do.  They are feeble promises we make to ourselves about superficial things. My wife keeps making resolutions to eat less sugar and more vegetables and it hasn’t happened yet.

Goals are something I can get behind because those seem to be more well-thought statements of intent. What is magic other than a statement of intent for change and understanding? It’s pretty much the same thing.

I think it’s important when we set goals to make them reachable and realistic and as my friend Steph always says, be specific. It’s great to say that this year you’re going to learn tarot but it’s better to say this week you’re going to meditate on the death card for at least an hour. It’s even better to say today you’re going to meditate on the death card. Then the following day pick another card. The ultimate goal may be to learn tarot by the end of the year but if you break that task down into smaller tasks it’s more manageable to work with.

The same goes for meditation. If your goal is to meditate more this year like Frank mentioned yesterday is his goal, start with five minutes a day and work yourself into a steady practice, slowly increasing the time as you go. Do not jump in and try to do too much, or leave your time frame so open that you’re able to push it off to another day over and over again or you’ll never do anything.

That’s the difference between a resolution and a goal. Resolutions are sweeping statements of intent without attention to the steps to getting there. Goals are statements of intent with focus on the steps to achieve the result you want.

If you work at meeting small goals steadily you are going to get through things faster and reach your end goals faster. This doesn’t just go for magic or spiritual stuff. It goes for everything. The more goals you reach the more effect you have on your life and the more you truly become the magician who creates his own world.

Welcome to 2012

Thank you for ringing in the New Year with demonolatry.org!

This month the bloggers discuss setting magical goals for the new year. I’m setting a goal to do more meditation this year.

Also, later this month S. Connolly will be receiving Infernal Colopatiron hot off the presses. Once she has them, the copies will undergo a ritual consecration and activation at which time she’ll personally hand-number and consecrate every copy.  The book will be available to the general public next month after all the private list members’ copies have been shipped.

Stay tuned for the 2012 (code-name Armageddon) blogging year here at demonolatry.org!

Rituals….

I thought I would take a different approach to “ritual”. Christmas (or Winterval, or The Holiday Season or whatever you want to call it) is here again, and I thought I would write about my rituals at Christmas (I still call it that) and my publish day is 25 December !

Christmas Eve.

First thing, up for breakfast and coffee in my local cafe. Visit some of the shop keepers whom I and friends with and wish them all the best. Usually its then a trip to the supermarket to pick up those final things – bottle of Martini, beer, mixers, presents for the cats, Xmas puddings and Mince pies. Then its home just in time for thos Christmas Specials repeated for the tenth time on telly – still as good as they were first time round. First drink of the season – tea and whiskey. Then its a trip around the neighbours with cards and some bottles. This half hour trip usually last 3 – 4 hours with me returning inebriated (various sherries, beer, whiskey etc). Send the wife off to midnight mass.

Christmas Day.

Up, shower, put pressies under tree. Cup of Christmas tea (same as usual tea except for the added whiskey !). Put some bread out for the birds. All gather round to open gifts. Gifts opened, its time to watch the telly and complain about whats on. More Christmas tea. Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, pudding, brandy sauce, more Christmas tea and time fo a nap. Wake up around sixish, more Christmas tea, see what movies are on. Call in to check on elderly neighbour. Feet up for the night with a couple of beers.

Christmas tree is down, together will all the decorations on 27 December.

New Years Eve, its a trip to the chinese take away for dinner. Then its a night in with a few beers. Whether I see the New Year in or not, I’m not really all that bothered to be honest. New Years day, usually a walk around the forestry for some fresh air. Then its back to work.

This for me is standard ritual at Christmas. If the above does not happen, for me it is not the holiday season and I feel out of place.

The Power of Ritual

This month’s topic was supposed to be about ritual. The exact topic was Ritual: What rituals have had the most meaning for you and your life? But as many of you know, I’ve been busy completing Infernal Colopatiron (which is now at the printer) so the month got away from me and I was unable to post. Since it seems so many others found this month too hectic (or the topic not inspiring) I thought I would make a post.

First I think it’s important to point out that rituals are tools. They are, by themselves, statements of intent. A ritual is defined as: A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. I suppose this could also mean that we could count brushing our teeth or watering the houseplants as rituals, too (provided you viewed such things as solemn, religious or ceremonial). I had a guy argue with me once, many years ago, that taking a shower every day was a ritual.

I am one of those people who doesn’t praise the tool as much as how the tool is used. I also find myself less focused on the end result as much as the journey. So for me it’s the pathworking rituals that hold the most significance. The beauty of this is that ANY ritual can be a pathwork. I think this is where a lot of magicians may miss the point of some rituals. Let me explain. In many traditions the training from one grade to the next often requires the completion of some prescribed course of study that will include rituals.

I have met magicians who were entirely unimpressed with such courses of study, citing that they were able to complete the work in a short amount of time and that the work wasn’t detailed or as life altering as they expected it to be. This is perplexing indeed. I contend that those who feel this way didn’t stop to take time to relish in the process. To actually understand what each component of the ritual meant and to really take in the full meaning or potential of the ritual itself. Rituals are tools.

You can give two people a set of wood-carving tools. One will take the tools with grand expectations of the end result, only to discover he doesn’t have the skills to use the tools. So perhaps this person will mess around with them, find out woodworking isn’t a talent and then the tools will sit on a shelf somewhere, eventually forgotten. The tools are useless to this person.  Another person will take the tools and with precise skill, will create beautiful works of art. In the latter case, the person has the skill and the tools merely enrich his life by helping him to create.

There really isn’t much of a difference between wood working tools and a ritual. They both work much the same way.

It’s food for thought. See you all next year and may Lucifer light your way!

Raising Hell

This month I didn’t do a post on the second because the end of the year for me means chaos at work. However I was given a rare opportunity to read the pre-print copy of S. Connolly’s Infernal Colopatiron and it inspired this random post that isn’t even on my day so I hope the blog police don’t show up.

One of the perks of being an old-timer in this community is I get to see books before they come out. After I finished this book I had to take a day to absorb it. The next day I read it again. I think I was in shock because I was still surprised by what I’d read.  I am still in awe of the scope of this book and here’s why:

Many books claim to be what this one actually is. In all my years as a working goetic and grimoiric magician and in all the years I’ve worked with demons, I’ve never seen or used a book like this. It speaks to the modern adept and lays bare the fundamental elements necessary to work successful gate opening and theophany.

Naturally I decided to test drive one of the smaller rituals contained in it last night.  After the gates were opened my power went out, then my candles went out,  and a figure walked across my line of vision from left to right moving from one end of the room to the other and then it vanished. I was the only person home. I was not using any mind altering substances and I am mentally sound. I’ve made up my mind about this book based on my experience.

My opinion is that the information Infernal Colopatiron contains is treasured mana for those of us who are tired of introductory books and are looking for something fresh, powerful, and inspiring.  It’s my opinion that a copy should be sitting on every serious magician’s bookshelf.

Yes, I did get a free copy of the book for reading it, but you should also know that I spent the money and bought myself an additional copy and bought a copy for a friend. Usually I just take my free copy and let my friend buy his own.

To get this book go here.

Dark Purification Ritual

What is the most important ritual to you? 

I have to say it is a purification ritual.  There are many types of rituals out there, and all of them can be placed in their own categories.  Majority of those rituals are for action around the user, but a purification ritual focuses with the magick user him/herself.

A purification ritual can last a few minutes to even up to 3 days and beyond.

I’ll give you a small “Urban” purification one can easily do within the walls of your apartment or home, or even on the roof of an apartment.  This is at your own pace, it can be fast or slow has you want it.

Darkness comes and it comes for me  

( Eyes Closed, Arms Spread wide and feet spaced out)  ( Envision the Cloth of Darkness Covering you, feel it’s weight wrap around you) … imagine it blocking the outside world from you…

Cover me and dismantle me 

(Eyes Closed, bow head, feet together arms crossed over heart)( Feel the cloth bind you, restrain your emotion and mind) …  imagine what is troubling you, your problems, sadness, anger….

Break me 

( Kneel down to one knee, both hands to the ground) ( You complete a power circuit with the Earth)

With Stone, Breath, Flame,  and Blood    ( What was told to me Stone = Bone, Breath = Life Breath, Flame = Spirit, and Blood = Life .. What I later interpret to myself has elemental connections  Stone/Earth, Breath/Air, Flame/Fire, Blood/Water.. But I’m sure you the reader can make some sort of connection with that statement…  )    ( Imagine your body infuse with the Earth, your breath to the Earth, Your connected with the Earth)

Bury me and leave me

(Both knees on the ground, arms extended on the ground with head resting on ground,  similar to  a yoga pose called The Child pose)  (Feel the weight of everything leave you into the Earth)

Silence and Begone 

(Stand up at your own pace and walk away)

 

There has been many modifications to this ritual. And one step was removed.. Before Bury me and leave me, a step called   With Scourge and Smoke Cleanse Me!  ( This step was used for two people, the person who is being cleansed and another person who is the Darkness or the Dark Mother) The smoke was white sage or any other cleansing smoke and the Dark Mother hitting the person with a scourge until the person choices to go into the Bury me and Leave Me pose .. It is felt that this goes into some sort of S&M ideal, but it doesn’t.   I feel that this is a vital step, actual physical pain, but some people might freak over it..

 

Offerings

I often wonder myself if I offer enough. I offer my prayers, thanks. My mind is more on the demons than off them.But still I believe I am mean in my offerings, and apologise for that. I have read that blood is a main offering, and the best way is a small ‘nick’ in the palm of one’s hand. This is all very well, unless you are on warfarin (coumadin) for the rest of your days. Cutting yourself doesn’t seem to be ‘the option of the day’ in these circumstances. So I am having to search for other ideas. The automatic lancets for diabetics seems a good plan.
I offer candles, incense and sometimes food, placed at the base of the statues. The food generally consists of non persihables – maybe some nuts, boiled sweets etc. I know this seems daft, but I am of the opinion that it is the thought behind it and not what it is that counts.
I try to keep the alter tidy (difficult with the cats, who do like the alter for some reason – I do have a statue of Bast and she may be enjoying the company ? Who’s to know). This all counts as the biggest offering I think you can give – your time, effort, thoughts and prayers.

It is quite amazing how many people still think animal sacrifice plays a part on the left hand path, when nothing could be further from the truth. Still, it shows that even in todays so called secular society, the power of the Vatican and other branches of the christian church still permeates and pollutes thought.

Oh yes – I didn’t post last month. Honoring your ancestors. I simply keep gifts presented to me by those that have departed. My grandmother bought me a bed chair. My wife and mother want rid of it. They have been warned in no uncertain terms of what would befall them if they did. I was left some old German antiques by my gran. Wouldn’t dream of selling them. I watched one of these antique programs where the public bring in things they wish to sell. A girl about 17 brought in an 18ct gold bracelet, full of charms. Her dad had bought the bracelet (free of charms) for her as a gift many years ago, and every birthday bought her a charm (18ct gold) to be added to the bracelet. She sold it for £400 to buy a car she can’t drive……. I shall leave it there for now

Now is the Time for Atonement

“Of all these things I offer unto you, infernal wisdom waits…” Burt Offerings – Iced Earth

November is when I sit down with the Daemonic Divine and re-evaluate my goal lists. It’s also a time when I tend to make my biggest offerings. Not offerings to the Daemonic directly. I’d like everyone to reconsider the purpose of offering as merely an offering to deity. Instead, try viewing offering as something you give back to The All (and even yourself).

I will often clean out the closets and take my gently used clothing to the shelters or goodwill.  I will buy a bag of groceries for the local food bank. I’ll give money to local charities (including no-kill animal shelters).  These, for me, are the offerings I get the most from. Just knowing I did something that can make someone else’s physical existance a little easier gives me a great sense of warmth.

Now I’m off to place my favorite November offerings on the altar – a melody of winter squash.

I leave this offering here for all of you, my favorite band Iced Earth and their song Burnt Offerings. (Yes, I know it’s a bit dark, but it’s still lovely!)  Enjoy.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LrGSIYAn9c]

Offering

By now you the reader should be familiar on my thoughts on blood..  Blood is a good start..  But.. There are other offering one can do, things that would satisfied the flesh, offering of harvest, food and wine or drink.

But I want to focus on energizing your offering. There are theories that emotional energy plays key with any offerings. Pain, sorrow, joy, ecstasy..

With our primal urges there is power. How does one generate that much emotion for it to be used?  Actual infliction upon yourself is a good start..   Alot of beliefs and also mine merges into this one topic. Pain must be generated, flogging,  hot candle wax,  any means to cause pain before you offer up your blood.  One must focus on the deity you are offering to, and why you need to contact them.

I am reminded of a experiment I was involved in with a friend.  The theory behind this experiment was the feeling must be deeply rooted in the person.  She was going through a part of her life where she was “dumped” by her boyfriend.  Feeling of sorrow, hate, fear, emotionally hurt..   She wanted to do a ritual of “Birth” what she envisioned how life came to be for a person. Alot of the information I can’t share with you, but I can give you a short description, to me it was very disturbing.  She was bound and blind folded with earplugs and muffs covering her ears. She was alone and crying, struggling.. It seemed like something from a horror thriller movie, but without all that rated “R” stuff.  At the end of it, I cut her binds, and left the room with a altar and a ritual knife for her. She offered her blood with no one in the room.  Afterwards she felt better about everything.

Be it something inflicted in her mind feeling helpless, or the feeling of being alone, I am not certain..  I rather flog myself until I bleed then being binded and blinded, but to each their own..