A more serious introduction

[Regnum]

Greetings to every member reading this! [pray]

First of all, I would like to make an apology if my previous introduction (here) was perceived as inappropriate or wrong. I thought you would be a bit bored with "conventional" introductions, and that as magic is also about going beyond mere common sense, something witty, playful, and full of symbolism would be seen positively. I thought you would notice how, for example, I managed to blend two Jungian archetypes (the Jester and the Explorer) and turn a seemingly buffoon story into the beginning of a quest.
Did Aleister Crowley start his magical journey by being coy or by submitting to political correctness (or any social or political ideology for that matter)? I thought a forum on magic, occult, full of people who know about the "do what thou wilt..." motto would be sensible to this.
Anyway. No apprentice, I suppose, escapes the iron laws of "proper" sociability, whatever the "proper" means. So, allow me to drop the wit and apologize once again if any elder member was offended.

Second, who am I?
Well, seriously: I spent years studying philosophy. This led me to grow critical about modernity, whether we speak of its convenient notion of "rights" or good, or of its recurring idea that every phenomena should be understood as purely physical, psychological, or whatever the "bottom" level is, as if knowledge meant getting away from the higher levels of being.
Aware of the sham, I discovered the works of metaphysician René Guénon. After I picked up his Crisis of the Modern World I was interested enough to read several books of his, as well as Julius Evola's companion Revolt Against The Modern World.
Guénon emphasizes the importance of actual initiation, that is, not only understanding theoretically but receiving a "spiritual influence" from a genuine representative of a genuine tradition. Evola, writing a bit later, mentioned the practical impossibility for many Westerners to be properly initiated and focused instead on magic (Tantric yoga, hermetism...) as a way to grow spiritually.

This is why I became interested into magic. Actually, I already met with it in several instances:
- two or three times, as I was sick and shivering with fever, I focused so that a warm, celestial influence would descend upon me... and I actually felt it "descending" upon my stomach and glowing with heat.
- people talk about the "meme magic" around Pepe the frog, perhaps there is more than mere exposition effect at play in the rise of the Internet movement it represents?
- people talk about how a powerful elite uses magic in music, movies...
- overall, there is a big, unconscious make-believe aspect in the modern world: millions believing that whatever is presented to them as "progress" is necessary and inevitable make it true and actually hard to avoid.
Now, I know all this has a psychological and social aspect as well. It is not "pure magic" and in all likelihood I must focus on my own growth to make finer distinctions.
But as the will and imagination matter so much in magic, as the symbols that help to focus, meditate and direct whatever energies at hand, can we always distinguish between the "profane" social and psychological on the one hand and the "truly magic" on the other?
From my immature perspective, magic can be accessed by extending practices that already exist in the "profane" world a bit beyond.

Also, why didn't I already start to practice?
Mostly because I am still reading. Franz Bardon, Aleister Crowley, and Julius Evola are my books of choice for now.
I also started modestly by recalling my recent thoughts or not following my trains of thoughts, by controlling my breath, by visualizing a "midnight Sun" before sleeping... Quite modest as you can see. Invocations and proper sigil use is still far away. In all likelihood, I will lurk on the forums to see what the confirmed and seasoned individuals' experiences here are like before going on posting.

Thank you for your attention. [smile]

[blindwake]

Your original post failed to resonate with my sense of humor. I found it a bit childish, but your effort is noted. Regardless of rules, it really didn't fit with the theme of the site. I go to this site for learning about the occult, and I go to other sites for humor. It's best to keep things on topic, lest this place turn into a cesspool of memes.

Also, why didn't I already start to practice?

Books are maps. You've got to spend just as much time reading, as walking, else you'll never get anywhere.

Good luck.

[chowderpope]

I feel like I can smell what part of the internet you came from and it's singeing my nose hairs. Part of me wants to be genuine with you and offer you advice but then another part of me thinks you're probably just inMalkuth trolling. Or you might be inMalkuth's brother, inMilkTooth. Either way, just because I'm paranoid and cranky, I will probably not engage you. But I wish you luck man.

[Stukov]

I feel like I can smell what part of the internet you came from and it's singeing my nose hairs. Part of me wants to be genuine with you and offer you advice but then another part of me thinks you're probably just inMalkuth trolling. Or you might be inMalkuth's brother, inMilkTooth. Either way, just because I'm paranoid and cranky, I will probably not engage you. But I wish you luck man.

Please don't accuse new members of being other members. If you feel it necessary to make a comment PM an admin or report the user and we will investigate.

[chowderpope]

Ok I was a bit quick to judge, and I'm a little too paranoid for my own good sometimes. The new guy seems insightful and sincere. I retract my rude statements from earlier.

I don't think it's too early for you to start practicing though, and it sounds like you have already started by doing visualizations and breathing exercises. That's solid practice.

[Regnum]

Thanks for your good wishes. [wink]

I go to this site for learning about the occult, and I go to other sites for humor.

Humor and even mainstream culture can have occult content. But as far as I can see while lurking this forum is more about practising magic than trying to find it where it is not supposed to be. This is fine, I guess we can't have anything at all. Meditation "tells" us to focus on one idea, or even no idea at all, at the exclusion of anything else, so this makes sense indeed.

I don't think it's too early for you to start practicing though, and it sounds like you have already started by doing visualizations and breathing exercises. That's solid practice.

To be honest most of the "magical" stuff I did until now was intuitive. I felt like something could work, and it did. I was not following any proper method as, for example, someone doing an invocation does (wearing the proper robe, drawing the proper circle with the proper signs and so on).
Now I want to do things more methodically, to both get less haphazard results and not put myself in unnecessary danger.

[Cerber]

[quote="Regnum]..and not put myself in unnecessary danger.[/quote]
Mom is not around to hold your hand? A bit of pain scares you? Scars don't look good on your pretty face?

[chowderpope]

Says the guy who would prefer a bear in his garden rather than a koala or whatever. Don't mind Cerber he just gives hard times for the camaraderie.

[Shawn Blackwolf]

I welcome you myself , with reservations , one , due to your original post ,
and a general feeling of unease in some of your leanings of study , combined
with some statements in that original post...

I am a teacher of what you might have heard called in your readings , "The
Primordial Tradition"...I am more than familiar with the Black Sun , and passed
through the wormhole , long ago...

Yet , I also am well aware of the Nazi connection with such , and Evola's influence
on many who follow a path I consider detrimental to the larger community of the world ,
as per others who linked his teachings to the idea of the Uber - Man , or Superman ,
and accelerated evolution of human consciousness by "magical means"...

I have written on this , and rituals at Externsteine , by the S.S. , and the positives
and negatives involved with such rituals , and opening portals to certain energies...

I could say I am well experienced with that acceleration of consciousness , induced
by contact with that portal , and energy...

So anyone who mentions those writers , along with a reference to Jew in a "joke" , I
find unsettling , and the hackles on the back of my neck rise...

Would you be so kind to further elucidate your interest in these writers , and your
knowledge of what I am speaking of ?

I do believe you understand very well my references , and concern...

Personally , I find Joscelyn Godwin , to be a better , and more fair approach , in Arktos ,
put together with some of the information from a book almost forgotten by many , the
"Morning Of The Magicians"...with it's bringing to the forefront of community consciousness
the positives and dangers of these mindframes , and occult techniques to bring about future
evolutionary consciousness , yet with facist overtones...and *that* is the danger...

Thanks for your time in advance to answer...

Best on your path

[chowderpope]

Ah, I knew I was getting a whiff of something heinous.

[Shawn Blackwolf]

1. Pepe

2. Jew joke

3. Black Sun reference

4. Evola and Guenon

I had to ask... [wink]

Here are the links to the books I mentioned , and Evola and Guenon...

https://www.amazon.com/ARKTOS-First-Last/dp/0932813356

Julius Evola :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Evola

Rene Guenon :

http://www.worldwisdom.com/public/autho ... uenon.aspx

It was this idea stated here that inspired his relation to the resurgence of
a later usage of the idea of a purist ancestral tradition , espoused by Hitler ,
and others , and to restore a lost kingdom , the fatherland...

*It was his role to remind a forgetful world, “in a way that can be ignored but
not refuted, of first principles, and to restore a lost sense of the Absolute.” *

This is why I did not accuse our new member of anything , yet asked for further
truthful clarification of his beliefs and motives... [stare]

[chowderpope]

I'm not making any accusations, simply asking a question. Are you alt-furry, Regnum?

[Shawn Blackwolf]

Watch out , you might irritate Blindwake...

He does not like *humor* here...

But I appreciate it's value in all situations...

I am a follower of the espousement :

"All Is Sacred , Nothing Is Sacred"

Which , funny enough adds to 1551...a palindrome number... [wink]

But I like Blue Memees...

[blindwake]

Watch out , you might irritate Blindwake...

I love humor, just not infantile penis humor, or repetitive memes.

What kind of berry is always sad?
The blueberry.

So unfunny, it's funny. No real need for jokes, you guys are always funny.

[Regnum]

I welcome you myself , with reservations , one , due to your original post ,
and a general feeling of unease in some of your leanings of study , combined
with some statements in that original post...

I am a teacher of what you might have heard called in your readings , "The
Primordial Tradition"...I am more than familiar with the Black Sun , and passed
through the wormhole , long ago...

Yet , I also am well aware of the Nazi connection with such , and Evola's influence
on many who follow a path I consider detrimental to the larger community of the world ,
as per others who linked his teachings to the idea of the Uber - Man , or Superman ,
and accelerated evolution of human consciousness by "magical means"...

I have written on this , and rituals at Externsteine , by the S.S. , and the positives
and negatives involved with such rituals , and opening portals to certain energies...

I could say I am well experienced with that acceleration of consciousness , induced
by contact with that portal , and energy...

So anyone who mentions those writers , along with a reference to Jew in a "joke" , I
find unsettling , and the hackles on the back of my neck rise...

Would you be so kind to further elucidate your interest in these writers , and your
knowledge of what I am speaking of ?

I do believe you understand very well my references , and concern...

Personally , I find Joscelyn Godwin , to be a better , and more fair approach , in Arktos ,
put together with some of the information from a book almost forgotten by many , the
"Morning Of The Magicians"...with it's bringing to the forefront of community consciousness
the positives and dangers of these mindframes , and occult techniques to bring about future
evolutionary consciousness , yet with facist overtones...and *that* is the danger...

Thanks for your time in advance to answer...

Best on your path

If you are a teacher of Primordial Tradition you must understand well why someone is interested in Guénon. He shows patiently the meaning behind symbols of almost every "true" spiritual tradition. He hints at what is beyond. He also gave a potent criticism of how baseless, or based on mostly fake, construed ideas, modernity is.

Reading Guénon feels like meditating. Guénon's writings sound like the esoteric, "Primordial" truth speaks as much as it can through words a modern mind can understand.

As for Evola, it seems like he was a magus of talent and experience. And he criticized fascism from the inside. Things are more complex than the "duh he iz a fasciss, hez evil and toxic, cover your ears lol" knee-jerk reaction we have all been conditioned to... and I am not sure this has much to see with magic anyway.

Didn't read the Morning of the Magicians yet. I am not sure I will read it, just gave it a glance and it seemed rather disorganized. I have read Arktos, found the speculative first chapter on a non-tilted Earth during the Golden Age quite interesting, but ultimately most of the books looks like a compilation of abstracts of other books, so this one was mildly disappointing.

If your writings on "acceleration on consciousness" and portals are public, would you kindly post the links?
Short term speaking I won't dwell much with invocations, portals, or this kind of stuff. Before dabbling with supernatural entities I want to master my thoughts more than I presently do. Working on consciousness seems closer though.

As for the rest, it could be said I am a bit Crowleyan. Do what thou wilt...

1. Pepe

2. Jew joke

3. Black Sun reference

4. Evola and Guenon

Didn't use Pepe. My other avatar was a much older meme, something you might think dank if you're not into memes, but not Pepe.

[Shawn Blackwolf]

Thank you for your answer...

I shall place some links by tomorrow...

Most of my writing deals with Code , magic , portals...

Yet there is a thread or two you might find interesting on consciousness
acceleration , and I do have things to share if one has specific questions...

We do have different tastes in writing styles...no problem there , yet my mind
loves making links between seemingly distant subjects , as that has always been
what was meant by "making the magical link" , in order to prepare consciousness
for "making the magical link" ie. the *current*...layers , of course... [wink]

As far as Pepe...

Here is something from your second intro above...

I am very observant about these things...whatever the context was , to me I saw
it as one more thing to take into consideration , in your introduction , put together
with the first intro...

"people talk about the "meme magic" around Pepe the frog, perhaps there is more
than mere exposition effect at play in the rise of the Internet movement it represents?"

As I said , thank you for your answer , and response...

There has been a recent movement by the alt right into the witchcraft and occult community ,
and I am alert to that , and tend to question , when something does not feel or sound "right"...

Your interest in symbolism , and the underlying linkages , perhaps shall be a connection for us to explore...

I do know where Guenon got his information , though his conclusions sometimes are lacking , or faulty...

That can come from what he had access to at the time , as far as additional input...

When you are working with a Code which can be seen so many ways , with so many layers , it is culture
and tradition one is familiar with which determines interpretation... [wink]

As for Evola , I agree to disagree with you , regarding him and his true intentions...

If I had lived at that time , he would have been a sworn enemy...let us leave it at that...for the sake of the site... [thumbup]

[Stukov]

Try to keep politics out of the discussion as best as you can. We welcome individuals from all over the world and all political ideologies. We are here to talk about the occult and not politics so unless there is a narrow window where they both meet (which does exist) try to limit your comments on politics of yourself and other members. It makes it easier for me as admin because it's such a hot issue.

It's often said the two things you don't want to talk about when drinking is politics and religion. Here we try to have level headed discussions on religion, but I don't think as a community can discuss politics as well without things catching on fire. Just too much tinder.

[Regnum]

I am very observant about these things...whatever the context was , to me I saw
it as one more thing to take into consideration , in your introduction , put together
with the first intro...

"people talk about the "meme magic" around Pepe the frog, perhaps there is more
than mere exposition effect at play in the rise of the Internet movement it represents?"

As I said , thank you for your answer , and response...

There has been a recent movement by the alt right into the witchcraft and occult community ,
and I am alert to that , and tend to question , when something does not feel or sound "right"...

Your interest in symbolism , and the underlying linkages , perhaps shall be a connection for us to explore...

I do know where Guenon got his information , though his conclusions sometimes are lacking , or faulty...

That can come from what he had access to at the time , as far as additional input...

When you are working with a Code which can be seen so many ways , with so many layers , it is culture
and tradition one is familiar with which determines interpretation... [wink]

As for Evola , I agree to disagree with you , regarding him and his true intentions...

If I had lived at that time , he would have been a sworn enemy...let us leave it at that...for the sake of the site... [thumbup]

You are welcome. [pray]

My question about the "meme magic" behind Pepe was real (not rhetorical). When I was a teenager I spent some time dealing with memes, mostly for fun, and I remember most fashionable memes had a short lifespan. In contrast Pepe seemed to rise from nowhere and remained fashionable for a long time compared with "normal" memes. Thus, when some people started to mention "meme magic" I started wondering if there was not something more, and here I asked about Pepe from a purely magical point of view, i.e. is it really possible that something supernatural is at play or not.

As for Guénon, he supposedly said in conversation (and hinted in several letters) that he had been initiated by Hindu masters and experimented a "revelation" at this moment.
Academic scholars who speak of him (I'm thinking of Mark Sigdwick and Jean-Pierre Laurant mostly) seem to waver. Some want to trace Guénon's thought back to the ideas of the older occultist Papus. Others content themselves to mention Guénon's own explanations. For what I understood, he had some intuition and could at least partly see from or through texts, ideas, symbols... but as you say, many interpretations can be drawn from his otherwise rich writings.

Thanks in advance for your kindness [thumbup]

Try to keep politics out of the discussion as best as you can. We welcome individuals from all over the world and all political ideologies. We are here to talk about the occult and not politics so unless there is a narrow window where they both meet (which does exist) try to limit your comments on politics of yourself and other members. It makes it easier for me as admin because it's such a hot issue.

It's often said the two things you don't want to talk about when drinking is politics and religion. Here we try to have level headed discussions on religion, but I don't think as a community can discuss politics as well without things catching on fire. Just too much tinder.

Got it, sir! [thumbup]