Among the many discussions surrounding the practice of magic, be it witchcraft, ceremonial magic, vodou, or countless other forms that magical praxis takes, there is often a question and debate around ideas of morality.
History would have you believe that magic breaks down into two distinct binary principles – black & white (good vs evil). This binary is a fiction created by the pious as an excuse for whatever practice they had (i.e. good) vs whatever practice they opposed (i.e. bad). Nonsense from top to bottom. Magic has no more morals than does electricity, and the electrician who wires up an execution device is no more evil than the one who wires up your house.
In particular there has been a considerable recent controversy surrounding a young person who removed human remains from a grave, and posted about it on the internet, all in the name of “magic.”
While this person deserved every bit of punishment that was meted out, and the outrage that rang across social media was justified from many perspectives, the fact remains that the witch is and always has existed outside of the law and any morals one might like to project.
The error that the youthful desecrationist made had little to do with breaking the law, and everything to do with the reason for which they did so. Sharing pictures of ill gotten human remains is about as smart as sharing pictures of the loot you stole during a riot. Only a fucking idiot would do so, and if they are that clueless its highly unlikely they know a single fucking thing about magic.
Yet there is a long standing tradition of the use of human remains in magic. From the earliest sources we find reference to the exhumation of bodies, the desecration of graves, the collection of human bones, skulls and other parts required in the service of this or that practice. The paraphernalia of the witch has always had a place for human remains, no less now than centuries ago.
But need and desire are distinctly separate domains, and the desire to feel important and post images online of things that place one outside the law and the acceptable social norms is merely a vanity. Doing so shows one has little or no regard for the act of taking these very private things, literally the most personal objects, and are unlikely to have any real reason to do so.
While the naivety of young practitioners and drunken metalheads may be a touch too far, there are very valid reasons to obtain human remains for magical practice. Unfortunately doing so in most western countries is punishable by jail time and hefty fines, not to mention the incredible social taboos.
The human body is a locus point for a myriad of magical currents, necromantic visions of possession, and useful tools in the work of the beyond. Necromancy is at its core about communication with the dead, and what better way to do so than having a part of the person with whom one wishes to make contact?
The fact remains that the witch exists outside of these boundaries, although as history shows they take a risk of punishment just like anyone else. Obtaining bones through more acceptable acquisition methods (buying them from a retailer, having them gifted by dead relations) often doesn’t cover the ground necessary for one’s practice. How many of us are related to an open minded bishop, post menstrual virgin, or dead magician?
Its an ugly, horrific thing to rob a grave. The stench is beyond description even in the oldest of graves. The sense of “doing something wrong” hangs like a shroud over every shovelful. And even when the human is left intact and only a few coffin nails are removed it is still considered desecration.
But sometimes there is no other choice, one simply must do a bit of graverobbing to gather the required bits. Not much of a way around it unless we are to turn back and never attempt those magics who ask such things of their practitioners.
The when and the where is of course speculative. Personal justifications notwithstanding, exhuming a corpse, removing possessions of the dead, stealing the bones of the deceased, even just pulling nails from a coffin lid, are extreme practices that place one well outside of society. A place the witch has always found themselves, despite the current pop-culture fascination with the craft and 20th century Wiccan whitewashing of true craft practice.
A witch is an outcast, one who has resorted to means deemed long ago to be counter to the good of society. We act against the grain, and in doing so have often incurred the wrath of both secular and theological authorities.
Grave robbery is no light thing, iphone snapchat blog feed fodder, it is an act of defiance, one in which we put ourselves directly in harm’s way in order to achieve our goals. The scent of death is not easily washed from the skin, nor is it to be considered by anyone who hasn’t walked the necromancer’s path. But when it comes down to it, sometimes you just have to get a shovel, a couple of friends who can keep their mouths shut, and do a bit of digging.
These issues have been weighing heavily on me lately. I do not have the need to rob a grave, but I do know that in some traditions that is a huge part of their practice.
Here are some things that people can do to confront this issue. First, you must take a perspective that half of the magick you do now is designed to take fruit two generations from now. You need to prepare for your own death. It’s the only way you will fully accept it. The greatest magicians from antiquity knew this and it’s why so much of Egyptian magick is based on how to prepare for it. There will be work to do in the afterlife. Do you want to be stumbling around after you die or do you want a head start? It’s like being born rich. You need to have things in place for your spirit after you die.
As far as remains go, I will make sure I am cremated. It’s not the ideal situation. I wish our society actually had religious freedom so I could actually do what I will with my remains. But we don’t. So I will be cremated. While most places have laws about what you can do with ashes of the dead, the reality is once you get them home, nobody needs to know.
So you need to start building a solid magical tribe now. A tribe that will be growing and evolving. One that will attract young and old. Develop relationships with your magical tribe so that you trust them to handle your remains as you wish. For me, that means my ashes will be available for use by future necromancers of my tribe so they won’t have to worry about digging up graves.
Write a magical will. Make sure they know what you want and what consent they have to use your remains and call on your spirit after death.
Of course, this doesn’t fulfill everyone’s needs. Some people need the initiatory experience of digging up a body. But for those who do not find that necessary, or are willing to compromise, planning is key.
