We know Emergent Magick can be
maddeningly nonspecific. We only provide examples of actual magical practices
as necessary examples. This is because the appreciation and practice of all
artistic forms is so highly personal. Music serves as the best example of this.
No matter the range of your musical taste, most people return again and again
to a handful of artists in which they have a deep connection. We have all had
that feeling of connecting with a piece of music as if it were created for us.
A magus needs to connect with their magick in the same way. It must be the song
of their heart. Like music, magick encompasses a huge array of styles. Many
have their own specific instruments, expressed in symbols systems. Some of
these instruments overlap between different magical traditions, just like
guitars are used in a multitude of musical genres. But it’s hard to imagine
rock ‘n roll without an electric guitar. Your magick will develop its own
particular set of symbols and rituals you return to again and again. Everyone
likes music, but few people pursue it with passion. Don’t be the type of person who
only listens to the bands they listened to in high school or college. Like
great musicians who constantly expose themselves to new music, a good magus
must constantly be learning about different types of magical systems.
Goetia, Kabbalah, Enochian, witchcraft—the variations of magical
practice are as myriad as the cultures that created them. It’s up to you to
learn about them. There’s no excuse in the internet age to not have at least a
passing knowledge of these systems. You should also drink deep, reading books
and delving into scholarly research when a particular system moves you. Only
through the long exposure to the art of magick can you truly find the one that
fits you.
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.
It is difficult to argue that the beginning of the 20th
century came with a massive change in the collective spirit of humanity.
Aleister Crowley called it the birth of the Aeon of Horus, and I find it hard
to dispute this prophetic vision. But while he saw it as a spirit analogous with
the nature of the child, this was wishful thinking on his part. Horus is the
Hawk of War. He was the deity of divine kingship. The strongman. The rule by
absolute might.
The 20th century came with a collective madness
that gripped the minds of men. Massive wars, like we have never seen before
spread across the planet like wildfire. The wars went beyond the contest of
nations but were methods of genocide that happened not only in Germany but on
every populated continent. This culminated in the discovery and use of the
first atomic bomb.
The splitting of the atom unleashed the potential for the
greatest evil the planet has ever known. Ever since our species has been on the
brink of ultimate destruction. This great spirit of fear and chaos created a
dysfunction that has filtered down to our communities, our families, and our
minds. It drives us to consume our planet, abuse our children, and shun our
neighbors.
But all is not lost.
Just two years before the first atomic bomb test, the countervailing
force that could save us from the atomic monster took form. Its inventor lived
in the only country in Europe that refused to fight. A gentle soul who often
rode his bicycle to work. I believe it is no coincidence the Albert Hoffman was
looking for a way to ease the pain of child birth when he discovered this new,
and yet ancient spirit. The creation of LSD was no accident. It was an act of
balance. The shaman’s medicine, distilled into its most potent form, was a gift
from Gaia. It calls out to the human race to rebuild its love for one another
and for the planet.
It has inspired others to call us back to the great meeting
place of the tribes. To recreate the rites that have healed our communities
since before history. Used in this context, it has the potential to save the
world.
The
ankh, the pentagram, the caduceus, astrology, and later the tarot, have all
been used by generations of magi. We find these symbols and symbol systems compelling
for a reason. EMK does not throw out the baby with the bath water. Some modern
occult philosophies will say that you can create a symbol system whole cloth, and
only rely on modern pop culture for inspiration. Doing so disconnects the magus
from a way to communicate with the collective unconscious that has been used
since before the dawn of history. When we say that each magus creates their own
magical paradigm, this does not disclude them from using the wisdom that has
come before them. Magick has context. Rigorous study of classical magical
symbols and symbol systems, and including them in ritual, is vital. Creating
one’s own paradigm has more to do with how these symbols effect you and what
you learn from them in the process of doing magick. They are a part of the
starting point from which your magick emerges. Use the symbols you find
yourself attracted to in ritual. Understand their classical meaning, but then
use magick to discern their hidden meanings and their personal meaning. More
often than not, you’ll find these classical symbols popping up in your
unconscious explorations anyway. That’s a good indication you’re on the right
track .
In essence, a ritual is an
artistic endeavor created with altered states of consciousness (ASC) that
develops meaning and has a purpose. This includes everything from lighting
incense on your ancestor altar to complex ceremonies involving dozens of
participants. Ritual is the art form of the magus.
All rituals have purpose.
This can be deliberately vague, just like any other art form. You can perform
ritual simply for enjoyment. You can perform ritual to achieve some tangible
result, though you will often find those results to be subtle, and often
produce effects more in line with what you truly need than what you think you
want. In the same respect, rituals performed for sheer pleasure often produce
effects well beyond the scope of the original purpose. Such as raising your own
awareness to the reality of love, and strengthening the bonds of love between
the participants.
Going to unload an opinion that may be unpopular. Jake-Stratton Kent, an author and magician I have recommended before, is a brilliant thinker and researcher. His depth of understanding of the goetia is unparalleled. Which makes it a double damn shame that the dude just can’t write. Calling it academic writing is not an excuse. He can’t stay on subject for more than two sentences. It’s all over the place and impossible to follow at times. He is in sore need of an editor and I volunteer for the position.
In thirty minutes, join us for another live recording of the Scroll of Thoth Podcast. Feel free to send comments via PM here on tumblr or in the chat room on Youtube.
