Those dreadful ‘spiritual’ people

Like all sane people, I cringe when I hear some headband wearing person say ‘I’m not religious, but I’m a very spiritual person’.

I’m not saying they should be smacked in the chops whenever they utter this trite tripe, but, like you perhaps, I’d like them to recognise how limp the phrase has come to sound.

But wait! If a person explains that they have a spiritual practice, that they set aside time for their illumination or devotional work, or that they follow a rigourous path, then suddenly it is us who can learn and show interest. Maybe they’ll even use the words ‘praxis’ and ‘orthopraxy’ and deign to explain what they do and how they approach their path. Sharing such acts is a gift, and worth a thousand ‘spiritually minded’ conversations.

I’m not saying we should be smacked in the chops for assuming people who wear handbands don’t ‘do’ anything, but I am now primed to listen to anyone’s practice, if it’s important to them.

Tomorrow (Saturday 21st) I shall be in Brighton to experience Scarlett Imprint’s ‘Pleasure Dome’, a whole day of magickal and spiritual talks, performances and experiences.

Last year I live blogged the ‘Summer of Love’ convocation, this year I’m taking notes but concentrating on experiencing the event.

Will you attend? I’ll be the chaote in glasses with the little grey manbag (I have notebooks to carry, get over it).

‘Luck’ is not a commodity that can be stored, nailed above a door, held in a shoe or lost by leaves or umbrellas.

You cannot attract ‘luck’ nor lose it. ‘Lucky’ is anything that you consider a good happenstance for you - it is not a thing, a force, or an energy. It’s an idea, and a maleable one at that, so idiosyncratic as to be useless outside of lay conversations.

Define ‘luck’ and you’ll end up explaining an entire narrative with context - so that’s just an experience. ‘I experienced a lucky event’ is one thing; ‘this number is unlucky’ is an entirely different kettle of fucksticks.

My Draft Abramelin Oath

I’ve completed my Pre-Abramelin Operation preparations and now embark upon a long-term commitment to K&C with my HGA.

What do you think of my draft Oath? I’m sorry if the writing appears feint.

When finalised, I’ll write my Oath out by hand in blood-ink.

What might I improve? What have I neglected?

Here’s another example of sigil development, like my previous Development Kitchen article.

Note the end result is a design I can memorise and ‘walk around’. It doesn’t look like a bunch of letters stuck together. Ahem.

Feel free to critique my Statement of Intent / Desire Statement.

This sigil is now screwed up / folded up in my pocket, ready to give to a certain homeless person I have in mind. Next time I see hir, I’ll chat about dogs, give hir a pound and the sigil along with it. I’ll ask to check they’re not offended by magick, and I’ll instruct them to rip the paper up when they need a bumper day of generous folk.

You can do the same; print off or copy my sigil (or develop your own), charge it (your choice of technique) and then have it ‘cocked’ when you hand it over (the nerves you experience will ‘cock’ it) and tell the person that it will be ‘released’ when they rip up the paper.

Some say chaos magick is souless, and that results magick is ‘low magick’. Pfft; there are souless and low people, that’s all I know.

Now, let’s wait for someone to politicise this little idea and lecture on how people who give money to homeless people are creating the problem of homelessness and making people dependent on hand-outs. I welcome all points of view from anyone who has been homeless.

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Find me on tumblr at Xaos.me.uk and on Twitter as ChaosMagick

When I enable answers on a post, remember if you ask a question in return there’s no way for me to respond. You’re welcome to ask me a question via tumblr.

I understand the tumblr publishing checklist. Sigh ;)