Hello!

I was just doing some research and I happened to stumble upon this forum and I recognized a few familiar names, so here I am.

I have been studying the occult for a little over a year now and I still feel like I know nothing at all. It must take a lifetime to scratch the surface.

I seem to personally be leaning towards the left hand path of it all, because I do not desire any judeo-christian elements in my personal practice.

But, even though I disagree with some practices/concepts in other paths I assure you I have no prejudices agianst them. I am an english major and I want to minor in religion. I want to get my masters degree in composition and rhetoric. Depending on how that goes I might just turn the minor into a dual major. I think it would be cool to teach a religion class. I am good about separating my personal views from my academic studies, and keeping religious discussions unbiased.

I look forward to learning and talking with you guys!

Much Love,
T

howdy!

>>judeo-christian elements in my personal practice.

lol - just cause its christian doesn't make it right-hand path, and just cause its non-christian doesn't make it left-hand path

think negative/positive, dissolving/affirming, death/life

then realize they are both sides or the same coin

it is possible to completely remove religion from one's personal practice, or drop neck-deep into it

exposition would be: wicca has both the goddess (life, spring) and the god (death, winter) - yin and yang - the coin, not the two sides of it

if you want to know about these things, go stare at the moon for hours begging for crumbs of enlightenment like we had to do, or use the search function

or read this story: http://www.sacred-magick.org/index.php?act...ype=post&id=871

note: its a linux pdf so if you can't see the text, select all and change the font to something stupid windoze can handle

That is a perspective that I had not heard yet. That is a very different way of looking at it.

You see, because I am still learning and trying to understand the fundamentals, I see all these different paths and groups and methods and ways of practicing. While I don't really like to confine things with labels... I have to categorize this stuff in my head somehow to help keep track of it. lol.

So I see things like, The Golden Dawn system of magic, Thelema, the Enochian system, Cabala... and then I see other systems and methods such as Chaos magic, The TOS, The JOS, The COS, etc...

I was under the impression that these systems either work primarily with demonic energies or primarily with angelic energies, and that this was the key differentiator in paths.

I was also under the impression that, well of course depending on the person, it could be very detrimental to mix the wrong energies together or mix the wrong paths together.

Please tell if you have a differing opinion. I need to hear more perspectives on this subject.




I will do both sweetie. Thank you. I have never thought about staring at the moon and meditating on it. So simple yet so illusive.

I love your story. It's short, sweet, to the point and wise.

I always say that nothing in the universe is only either black or white, so why should our concepts and understandings be so?

It also reminds me of this:



This book answered many questions for me and I love it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Was that story about you?

I often feel similar. I have always been the person that walks the middle ground, is unaffected by the majority of what affects others, and the mediator between extremes.

I even have similar issues with friends and coworkers. The only people I can really talk to is my friends online and my boyfriend. Everyone else's brains seem to melt in front of me the more I talk to them. lol. They think I'm F'ing nuts.

I am by no means where I wish to be though. I have realized I seem to be a natural empath. I work intimately with the public in sales and customer service unfortunately, and people's emotions wear on me really hard sometimes. I have been struggling with that. My co workers have even noticed it before. To them it looks like a might have a bipolar flash. lol. They know me to be calm and down to earth and typically mellow mannered, so they were actually concerned and didn't see me as being freakish. lol. I don't try to explain the experience and it's not that bad often enough. lol.

I also struggle with how much I am affected by death. That shoots me straight through the core everytime it affects me.

This post has been edited by Tigeress: Sep 8 2009, 10:34 AM

Try to keep away from organizations. Also, in various other posts, I revealed that the JOS (Joyofsatan) is really a front for the Oklahoma chapter of the NSM.

In my years of study, I found the only Satanic philosophy to hold any weight was the LaVey system.



Another perspective on either energies: One, the Demonic energies, you must deal with as if you are dealing with corporate businessmen (leave nothing out of the agreement, cover all bases, make sure you get what you want) with little, if any, business ethic. The other, Angelic, are similar is structure to government bodies and offices. Call on them, state your grievance, and seek redress.

There are also other entities out there, with little resemblance to either. They, like you, are free agents, seeking their own agendas. If it so happens you have something they want, set up a deal of exchange based on informed, mutual consent.



Yes and no. Don't go to a business asking for a handout, and don't go to a government office asking for a $50,000 loan. Don't go to Demons seeking what is 'right,' because that is the very thing they challenge. Don't go to Angels seeking all-out revenge, because all they will do is help recover basic damages incurred by spells, psychic attack, or foul play. Each 'system' compliments the magician's personality, in such a way that his or her attitude dictates what system he or she will handle better. It's based on preference and predisposition to said preference. So yes, it can be detrimental.

However, on the flip-side, no, not necessarily. A government agent can negotiate with businesses, as business representatives negotiate with governments based on each other's interests. This, of course, is simply a metaphor. If you practice 'darker' paths, by all means, feel free to summon angels, but be sure to handle the encounter the way that Angels ought to be treated, not the way the dark would; you are a free agent. Conversely, if you are of the 'light,' handle dealings with demons as you would a contract if a lawyer were present. Nothing stops you, just be aware of who you are, what you are dealing with, and as usual, "make no sudden moves." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)



Because those were the corresponding points that you have brought up. You never spoke about spirits from other pantheons, you said nothing about nature spirits or elementals, you never said anything of spirits from other worlds. You spoke only, "demons," and "angelics."



My sentiments resonate with yours. Hence, why I call myself a Taoist!

Everyone has something to learn. Welcome to the forums! Enjoy your stay, and do not feed the trolls! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I'm sorry that remark was unclear. That was directed at Esotericas story, not at what I was talking about with the systems of magic.

Thank you for your insight though!

I can tell I will enjoy the people here already. I just keep finding more and more briliant intelligent people. I really appreciate all of everyones smarts they share.