The Library Of Knowledge

By Tomekeeper [http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/tomekeeper/index.html]

Greetings to all, and welcome to The Library of Knowledge. This is quite possibly the largest single online source for complete instruction and theory on the use of the direct magics. Every day we are being bombarded by energy; electric ions, neutrinos, light particles, sound waves, radio waves, magnetic fields, gamma ray radiations, ultraviolet ray, and x-ray constantly pummel our systems unnoticed and unheeded. On top of this is the force of gravity and other cosmic effects which we rarely stop to consider. Is it logical or arrogant to believe we have identified all energies that exist? Occult is about the full manipulation of energies beyond that which we currently know how to measure or detect, not the disruption of religion, and it is with this in spirit that we explore the unseen powers we know to exist by delving into the nature of that which we manipulate by Will.

I'm quite sure everyone out there knows how to use a basic library and this is no exception. Everything is categorized in different trees. Just go to what you want. I will post just about anything that is useful, so if you have interesting materials you wish to pass on, please upload them to the mail address at the bottom of this page. All shades of the magical arts are welcomed to submit materials (original works only. Do not send me URLs). Proper credit will be given in the appropriate places on submitted materials.

The Library of Knowledge is the original source of the Direct Magic Caster Classes on the internet. All the original work for this casting breakdown and sourcing started here and has been serving the general public since 1997 (even being accessible to certain groups since 1996). What is found here is the product of time and effort in two university libraries, one college library, a Canadian provincial archive, excerpts of ancient texts, internet sites (though sparingly on that), personal experience, and of conversation with long-time practitioners of each art respectively.

My hope is that you use the information in The Library of Knowledge and the wisdom in The Hall of Legions to further your study in a practical way, and that through the presentation of thoughtful and straightforward instructions on the casting magics that I will restore a sense of order to the relativistic, contextualist chaos that normally surrounds this subject matter.

Tomekeeper's Philosophy
I think I owe it to anyone that reads the files at this web site to know what I believe and henceforth why I chose to include what I did. Also, I live in everyone's favorite land of snow and rock known as Canada, so forgive the Canadian/British spellings (such as centre, colour, endeavour, etc. We use many "u"s and "re"s where our American counterparts do not). Also, about spelling: I refer to any Active Casting art (which requires no rituals) as simply "magic". I call any Passive Casting art (which requires rituals) "magick". As an point of interest, Aleister Crowley put a "k" in magic to make it fit his gematria. It really has no intrinsic value unless you're looking for yet another way to mess with the word "magic". Do not be confused by my use of the term "magic" and assume I'm implying the slight-of-hand or sensory illusions variety. I will never make reference on this site to trick magic or stage magic.

Finally, I ask you to forgive the following page's garbled arrangement. The sentences are quite haphazard and thrown together into an "Advice Collage", so please bear with it. I will not re-word it quite yet, as it does communicate my message. Anyway, here it goes:

On the Use of Magic in Life: My magic philosophy is one of general non-interference. Magic is a priveledge of the same order as driving a car. It is useful for travelling long distances, but for your every day routine (i.e. Brushing your teeth, going to your kitchen), it is impractical and destructive. In the same way magic, though quite useful in some situations, is too powerful to be using like a good luck charm, for mundane tasks, or to satisfy some underachiever's need for "proof". Be careful, those of you with magical talent, and be even more careful, those of you who are growing in magical talent. It is tempting to meddle in every part of your life and everyone else's, but resist. A great deal of damage can be done by a single errant spell. Think long and hard before casting anything. Use a scrying mirror to determine the first, second, third, fourth and fifth generation effects of any spell cast (by Generation I refer to the successive effects caused by a single spell). Also remember this: A single protective spell is easier to cast than to curse every possible adversary. I would like anyone who is seriously considering magic to visit the following web page on what has been coined, "The Ripple Effect". Use it to determine if magic is really what you want. Not everyone is born to be a magician. For the vast majority, in fact, magic is not a necessity (however nice it would be) and the individual can survive quite nicely without having to make extra efforts on the ethereal level.

On the Responsibilities of Magic Magical ability can be a hard thing to cope with. It is the granting of phenominal power that is limited only by your imagination and skill. The skill of the average supposed "magician" is negligible, being limited to having to imagine most results and rely heavily on luck to fill in for their ineptness, but some are truly gifted casters, being able to perform even the most difficult tasks with a magical touch. Many times magic could be used, but if you are a caster of even moderate skill the potential for damage is enormous. I, personally, have done a lot of damage to myself and others while in the apprenticeship stage of magic. I am now extremely wary of casting abilities. Magic is extraordinarily dangerous, even when used for the most benign and altruistic purposes at heart. I urge and plead with potential magicians to carefully think about every spell and every action. Nobody will turn back time for you, so think before you act. The magician's niche in life necessarily hurdles them into many areas of scholastic study, encompassing a wide variety of arts and sciences, and eventually takes its toll in time and tedium. A delicate blend of skepticism and foresight makes the magician's mind a calculating piece of machinery which anticipates and acts when others are still confused. Be certain of what you want, and be careful of how you strive for it.

Every magician should deeply examine themselves before embarking on the trail of power. One must be sure of themself by knowing their abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and by being able tohonestly self-evaluate at every major stage of progression. Please, by deepest concern and most solemn warnings, be wise about everything you attempt in your magical endeavours. Here is an email that I received from a reader who felt his story could benefit and serve as a warning to those that would practice dangerously or hastily without care.

On the Joys of Magic I digress, though. Magic is a wonderful blessing as well, despite the run-down I've just given it. Being able to understand and, better yet, change the ethereal/spiritual world is quite a gift. Like the Pawn which is promoted to a Queen so is a person who suddenly realizes that the magical realm is within their grasp. The problem is that I've seen too many Queens demote themselves to Pawns because they do not have a clear idea of their own philosophy. I'm not an Ancient quite yet, but I have seen many apprentices come to me without any clear understanding of their own philosophy, and those that did know their own philosophy usually had a contradictory or incomplete one. It is important for a magician to have a founded belief system that allows them to work within magical boundaries. I hope that by reading this, it will provoke you to understand and to solidify exactly what your position in the eternal is, to determine your standpoint on eternal philosophy, and to be able to work with the higher ethereal powers in accordance with those beliefs.

On the Display of Power There is also a responsibility, however, that comes along with the acquisition of power. Power in magic is something that one will inevitably attain if they have any skill in magic whatsoever. As such, it is the magician's responsibility to make sure that, regardless of how much a person coaxes you to, you never show off your magical talent. It is not a sign of weakness, being unsure, or of inability. It is the solemn oath of every true magician that you will never show off your ability to anyone, be it friend, enemy or family. There is no higher pact that this one which the true magician makes with themself: To show nobody for any reason. It is the unspoken, though not unwritten, rule of all magics. Subtly in magic is paramount. Much like the master of any of the martial arts, though they train and study and practice at honing the power to destroy, it is that same power and discipline which allows the master martial artist to remain at peace and make his massively destructive ability unnecessary. The master magician must also practice, and train, and study, and put diligent effort into their spellcasting and research. At the end of the road, the same effect becomes true of the magician. Though capable of impressive displays of magic if the need arises, the true master chooses to bear a little ridicule or to let a slight go unchallenged rather than impose their skills on every sniggling situation. This responsibility with magic may not be overstressed. It is important to keep one's ego in check and to be sure that power does not become a personality flaw.

On the Use of Occult Terminology While studying the ways of the occult, one will find a huge amount of information that uses a line of reasoning similar to the following: "Necromancy is actually the art of divination through spirits due to its Greek roots necro, for dead, and manteia for divination." These sorts of tidbits are things that, though interesting, I only occasionally include for the love of knowledge itself -- for the true philosoph. When it comes down to practicality, however, the fact of the matter is that the Latin axiom Tempora Mutantur must be acknowledged (i.e. "The times are changed"). The amount of necromancers in the world that actually know about or use the old Greek system are very few, and very far between. The vast majority of necromancers in the world are of the variety that is explained on the Advanced Necromancy page. Because the etymology would seem to point to different roots does not mean this is a less valid form of the practice. Indeed, the vast majority of practitioners that call themselves necromancers are actually death magicians, as described, but we retain the title Necromancy as a courtesy to those who came before us. Likewise Sorcery -perhaps as the best example of all -- was originally a divinatory system based on the casting of objects and reading the pattern. I have never read any material or spoken to any practitioners of that art, however, that claim the modern practice has anything at all to do with its early roots. This is why on The Library of Knowledge you will see that Necromancy is a title that has been retained, that Black Magic is a term still used, and that other such words associated with the arts have been left in. The times have changed, and the practices are now performed as they have been defined on this page series. Now is the time of redefinition, and now is the time that we reconstruct the foundation of these arts so that, two thousand years hence, people will reflect on us, our practices,

and study our systems. Etymologies are fun, and sometimes revealing, but the fact of the matter is that, almost by definition, etymologies are outdated and only of interest to academics. Epistemology itself dictates that we use labels to convey thoughts, like you are reading these words right now, so I have not avoided the names that have been traditionally used. Moreover, on this same strain of thought, the titles and concepts used on this site are all English. Ki, Chi, Qi, Prana, Numen... LIFE FORCE. I do not consider names given to identical concepts in another language somehow superior, so I do not dip into cultures I am unfamiliar with and borrow labels that have different connotations. I am sick up to the gills with the notion that using English titles for precisely the same concept is inferior, so I will not load up on jargon from a thousand cultures and religions. I am not fascinated with oriental culture, nor occidental, nor my own culture, nor Egyptian, or any other single group of people and thus will only write using terms we can all understand at face value.

On the Use of Ritual Magicks and "High" or Ceremonial Magicks Magic is the application of energies that are ambient in one's environment. This has been a well-established fact from long before the printed word. People often talk of channeling their anger, or absorbing from the air around them, and from older techniques which are mirrored in the "In with the good air, out with the bad air" sort of meditation methods. There is an intrinsic problem with people saying energy comes from items. If items themselves had a natural power worth considering, why would nodes have to be set up? Wouldn't all of nature be a big nature node? It obviously isn't, according to the vast majority of practitioners. Also, wouldn't it make enchanting futile, and the practice of any personal magic worthless? Really, if you think about it, if items had any noteworthy power the expedient thing to do would be to treasure-hunt for the most powerful ones, right? ... The few dissenters to that theory tend to be only looking to make trouble or are people that disagree with almost every other established fact of magic as well. The main error in rituals are that they are nothing but a crutch. Rituals are used to steep in dogma, ceremony, and religion that which would otherwise be a pure and simple form of magic. The same high magicks of Solomon, though definitely and irrefutably worth studying, are so ritual burdened that one can not even begin to consider practicing it without investing a considerable sum of money. I can not emphasise this enough, it seems. The "Sword of Truth", "Staff of Power", and "Ring of Conjuring", and "Circle of Protection" style of magic holds very little historical weight if viewed outside of the influence of Christianity and Judaism on mystic practice in the middle ages and renaissance. If someone wanted a secret decoder ring they'd collect Koolaid points, not practice magic. I must give them some credit -- it's a far cry better than chaos magic -- but there is far too much religion involved. Furthermore, there is the less-ritualized but over-religious methods of practice like Enochian, Thelema, Kabbalah, and especially the damnable Wiccan systems. These are nothing short of a blatant hampering on the use of energies directly. Direct magic is the most pure magic available. It is the ability to use just your own skills to the end of a fully functional and time-honoured method of occultism. High Magicks and Ritual Magicks would have long ago been abandoned if they had no religion attached to them; because of the religion and

mystique, however, they have survived like any other arbitrary deist practice (valid or not).

I should qualify this, however. The fact of the matter is that most forms of magic that exist today actually work. Ceremonial magick works, Direct Magic works, Solomonic magick works, and even supplications to unknown entities brings results. People travel the stages of the Sephiroth and learn, as a fact. The Christian prays to God and gets responses -- it's a given. The Diabolist "prays" to a demon and gets results -- another given fact. In the same way, someone using the Lovecraft Necronomicon may get results (despite its fictitious origin) and so on and so forth may the list go on. The point is that, though these work, the same level of result or better may be attained through the use of Direct Magic. If a person requires the gadgets and trinkets of ritual magicks, let them go ahead and use them. It can not be said to be wrong for a person to get their first tastes of the occult in something of that nature. For the initiated, however, let us step beyond the physical toys and mind-crutches too commonly burdening our magics and get to the heart of the matter: the mechanics of the spell format itself in purest form.

Errata A lot of people do not like this philosophy. "Magic is not about rites and incantations? You're absurd!" Well, perhaps I am. If absurd means that I don't trust people just because they say so, then yes. If it means I do not consider magic to be mystic spookiness purported by people, who, practically speaking, have no more education than I do, then yes. If it includes disbelief of the notion that believing in something sincerely enough makes it true, then count me in. If being absurd is distaste for: occult philosophy games, paradigm assimilation, all beliefs are valid, spirituality, poor logic, the shunning of science, pushing away rationality, withholding magic for elitists, clothing "enlightenment" in riddles, arbitrary humanist ideals, caveman-style guessing games, not speaking out against circular argument, faith in chance, faith in humanity, trusting what the friend of a friend said, ignoring what we know as reality, asking stars or gods or rocks or chips of wood or ceramic or glass for answers, then I am. Magic is the next discovery of humanity that is ready to break through. It will not be with Iron Age mentality that we solve these mysteries, though. It will be with common sense, sharp minds, critical analysis, and a working knowledge of the human condition that we will further these arts and find them codified in the textbooks of tomorrow. Do not place your trust in the axioms of the past. That is what happened in medicine, as well, and it took hundreds of years before the medical community admitted its blunder and tossed aside the Galenic texts. This phenomenon has also occurred in occultism, and it must stop. Burn down the mainstream and its opinions -- see the world around you and understand occultism through the eyes of a reasoning human being instead of the wideeyed sycophant that propagates these feel-good philosophies and soothing mind-vices. The precepts presented here and hereafter are proposed to be the most plausible reconciliation given what we know from textbooks of common

knowledge in the arts and sciences, and what we know in practice from casting and analysis.

Prerequisites of Occultism
When considering occultism as an art within itself, the non-magician looks to the vast world of opinions and beliefs and dogmas and doctrines and faiths and reasonings that exist and, rightly so, is dazzled with confusion. What is one to make of all these different and conflicting ideas? For one, the difference between occultism and religion is often intensely blurred. I'll make a quick clarification on the difference here so that the rest of the information provided here is put into context. Religion is belief in supernatural things based on faith. Occultism is belief in unseen mechanisms based on results. With this in mind, let's keep a few facts about the real world in mind while examining occultism, since these will all crop up again as you continue your studies.

If you are starting into the world of occultism, there are a few things to keep in mind and a few assumptions that will be made about you as material is presented:

Requirement 1: It is essential that you have a basic understanding of the laws of physics, of the new theories out there concerning dimensions and energy exchange, and are capable of reading into scientific or scholarly articles without losing focus of the meaning. Science and magic are inextricably intertwined and a failure to understand science will cause a failure to properly understand the limitations and upper boundaries of magic. A decent understanding of psychology and philosophy is also assumed to be part of the common knowledge of one who is considering entering into the world of occultism. Psychology is important for a few reasons, but the prime of these can be summed by a quote by Francis Crick from The Astonishing Hypothesis (1994): "The single most characteristic human ability is that we can handle a complex language fluently. ... This ability leads to another strikingly human characteristic, one that is seldom mentioned: our almost unlimited capacity for self-deception." Humans can convince themselves of nearly anything, and when you approach such a seedy subject as occultism it would be wise to already have a base understanding of what is common in human nature. Occultism, as with every other branch of epistemology, has been riddled in errors throughout history because people are willing to swallow whatever someone else says solely for the fact that it was said. This trend carries on today with the "It's in print, so it's true" mental reflex. Everything you hear must be given the proverbial 3rd degree or else knowledge isreduced to simpleton dogmas and popularity contests. For this reason, philosophy is also a very important study for the beginning magus. It allows you to remember argumentative algorithms used in other debates and transmute them to

occultist rationale quickly and cleanly so that otherwise complex matters can be handled with reasonably little trouble. This is also the reason that history, sociology, or anthropology is helpful. From the social sciences we gain the ability to stand on the shoulders of intellectual giants and learn from their knowledge, thus turning it into our own wisdom. We learn and build from what the great minds before us have said and become great thinkers ourselves if we learn from them. If someone disagrees with something, fine, but question why. See why they say what they do, where their ideas come from, and what the foundational principles behind them are.

Requirement 2: This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it really is not. The rest of this site assumes you know how to define energy. The interpretation and implications commonly used in society are conceptually easy, which is why they are used at all, but when that kind of definition carries over to a more scientific forum, such as occultism, it leads to a great deal of misconstruance. People have been known to make it through highschool and even into the lower levels of university without having a real grasp on what, exactly, defines "energy". The societal stereotype tends to treat it a lot like water though its true properties are vastly different. It is not malleable, its base traits remain the same at all times (though we have found many creative uses for them), it is not "collectable" or stagnant or created or destroyed and, most importantly, the human mind is not solid-state machinery. We have inefficiencies in our body and in every energetic operation that exists. There is no one-hundred percent efficient system, there is no "energy conversion" in the sense that the energy itself changes properties, there is no such thing as force-fields or changing energy, etc, etc, etc. Sitting down with a "Physics Made Easy" type of book makes this entire debate a non-issue. Let the uneducated spew whatever they want. Real answers come to those that diligently seek by proper extrapolation of founded principles.

Requirement 3: It will be assumed that one who is studying occultism at all believes there is something to be learned through study. This preemptively eliminates ideas such as relativism, existentialism, and subjective reality hypotheses. The postmodernist scherade is politically and socially very pleasant but utterly worthless when it comes to getting real answers. Occultism is a scientific endeavour buffered and interpretted by extensive knowledge of the humanities. It does not rely on blind faith, nonsensical mystic spookiness, or vague riddles. You will find, upon reexamination of most paths and occult disciplines out there, that most of them are not fit to be exposed to anyone with even a vaguely critical mind. They break down in the cipher of logic yet practitioners flourish because they are more concerned with the illusion of intellectual freedom than they are with truth. All current knowledge is valid consideration when looking at occultism. We will not ignore the laws of science, nor will we discard the utility of logic. Occultists will likely look at modern academic theories with more skepticism than the average person, since we know of an aspect of life (magic)

that is not yet adequately addressed within these models, but it will be assumed that the occult student is not interested in turning occultism into a flimsy little egocentric religion.

Requirement 4: All discoveries of science and all revelations of philosophy (occult or otherwise) are given consideration, as most occult and religious paths do, but they are then to be evaluated for validity. This surprises many people, unfortunately, but the sad truth is that there is such a thing as a "bad idea" and there is such a thing as something that is "wrong". Far too many occult paths successfully get away with reproducing an "A=B and AB" mentality in those that want to know how to work with magic and it turns them into confused muddles of contradictory philosophy. The standard occult student is often swept up by the first liberating surrealist philosophy they find and feel great about themselves because they have found this ego-boosting psychodrama that, in the end, leaves them no more skilled than when they started. Related to this point, the assumption will be made that people are interested in furthering their knowledge and that practical power will follow real and diligent study. People that enter occultism to fulfil their crazy fantasies or who consider it nothing more than a philosophical game will be better off looking elsewhere.

Requirement 5: It is assumed that people understand that this is a long journey, a difficult one, and that muttering a few words from a dead or incomprehensible language and swinging around some tools does not produce magic. Magic is a highly technical, involved, difficult, complex, and utterly frustrating process sometimes. Diligence, effort, hard work, long nights, and terribly knotty enigmas will be a routine part of the occultists life. These should, ideally, not be because of the information from other occultists, but because it is part of the complexity of life itself. As with all knowledge, the acculmulation thereof only makes life more difficult. It presents more options, more choices, and will place greater onus on the caster. Foggy notions of simplistic magics with blanket responses or equally hazed self-glorification notions flat out deny the fact that we live in a complex world where factors interchange and compete constantly to produce illusions of balance and whatnot else. Conceptual frauds slip into magic as though they were intellectually valid all the time, and many people bite for it without question. Stop, think, and question. Be sure to give pause and think, "Is this possible? What examples do I see to support or deny this?".

Requirement 6: There will be a general understanding, as you read these pages, that you know the difference between "Gullible" and "Open-Minded". Being Open-Minded is good; it means that you give all possible theories fair consideration after hearing all sides of all contending views as much as is practically possible before evaluation. If "Open-Minded" is misunderstood to be "Accept Everything" and leaving it at that, it becomes synonymous with "gullible". Once again, it can not

be stressed enough -- we can not make progress with a post-modern mentality if there is no evaluation afterwards. In the study of occultism, as it should go without saying by now, you will need to be mentally sharp. You will hear many things about occultism that are false -- due either to impossibility through extreme improbability, or because the mechanics and presumptions of the information are unreal (this is common in aimless/illogical magics or tradition/fable/myth-based magics). Please do not underestimate the importance that one's own intellect will play in the performance and study of magic. Collecting facts is simple. Children learn to do it from an early age. Analysing and comparing these facts, however, then evaluating them based on other pieces of known information is a skill that some people never master. Be sure you are a capable and fit mind for the task at hand if this is something you really want.

The Basics of Practice

Direct magic can be a staggeringly difficult way to begin your venture into the occult world, but, as one begins to understand the philosophies and ideals behind it, it becomes apparent that this is ultimately one of the most flexible and rewarding systems available to the serious modern magician. It is difficult because, instead of using rocks, or wands, or daggers to symbolise what you wish, it assumes a priori that the practitioner has a decent level of mental conditioning and the ability to concentrate for extended periods of time. The more complex a spell is the more components it will have that the magician must consciously juggle, and thus the requirement to build one's concentration further as skill level increases. As a matter of definition, Direct Magic is the application of a specified type of energy to mystically perform a task. It should be noted from the outset, however, that energies of any sort are not intelligent and will perform in a dumbfire manner, thereby relying on the magician to coordinate them in a meaningful way to achieve a desired effect.

Many critiques against this system use the "It's doesn't teach you anything" approach. Well, you're right; I forgot my magic words, my mommy took away my magic knife, and the dog ate my grimoire. In some arts, that means you are no longer a magician. The entire point of Direct Magic is to shed the "enlightenment" and "purification" binding of many types of morality and Godbased magics (though using entities or god-figures is not a problem in itself) and let the magician develop themselves as they see fit, without the nonsense, while still retaining the power of a full-fledged occultist. It keeps in view the fact that magic is metaphysical and that concentration is the sole key to power. Others use the "There's nothing to it. It's too simple!" approach in trying to undermine direct magic. Again, the entire point is to cut directly to the heart of the matter in spellcasting and skip the aspects of spellcasting which are a matter of preference to the magician. There are no words, you don't needs sticks or rocks or metal or ceremony. It is not a vulgar magic; on the contrary, it is the pure use of only that which really matters: the energies themself, isolated and championed (though this type of extremism may or may not fit the needs of the caster, which is an issue later addressed).

So how does it work? First, leave superstition at the door. Everything that works in magic works for a very good reason. Instead of relying on myth, superstition, ritual, or feel-good accept-it-all philosophies, the direct magician looks for ways to affect their environment themselves by acknowledging what is fixed, what is variable, and how these two possibilities interact in a given situation. Magic is not a break from reality or a surreal adventure into the wild unknown -- it is a planned sequence of coerced unlikely events which appears fantastic when seen from the outside. As time progresses and studies go further, there is a realisation that magic is the manipulation of energies unseen and (as of yet) unmeasurable. These energies/unique methods have been identified by their

properties and were given to discreet study by defined "castes" of occultism. This is how the fourteen castes of direct magic were formulated. The question, still, is, "How do I use them?" The answer is found in the study of the nature of Will. "Will" is the term used in occultism to refer to the application of the entire being -- emotion, intellect, desire, and other facets of concentration -andapply them in a meaningful and fantastic way to the energies which respond to it. Will, in this sense, is the application of the entirety of the occultist's mind to the movement of the intangible powers around them. Reconciling perception and reality is the key to understanding the nature of Will. With this in mind, we continue on the path to power.

Often times in magic we are brazenly presented with a great deal of information dressed up as plausible occultism. Given poor reasoning or, in some cases, no reasoning, we are often asked to "accept" and be "open-minded" about things which can not possibly be, or which are so unlikely as to be practically impossible. This is not open-mindedness if we first listen to a philosophy then do not judge it. The term for that is gullibility. First off, one principle to remember about magic is that it follows the limits and laws of reason and physics like anything else. The abstract nature of many facets of occult philosophy is often misconstrued to imply that anything is possible. One of the first principles of magic, in this measure, is that you can not leave common sense behind. The modern academic disciplines are not to be ignored while studying occultism simply because they do not specifically aim to prove the innate influential power of what occultists have coined "Will" on ambient energies. The occult scientist, assumably at least reasonably well-versed in philosophy, physics, psychology, literature, history, chemistry, mathematics, and especially abstractions of logic and rhetoric, will be the most analytic, ableminded, and most aptly equipped student to see the subtle changes and intricasies that mass around us with each moving moment. With a firm grasp of human academics, a love of learning, and a knowledge of the proper methods to expand knowledge of unknown territory, studies will flourish and true occult power will be in the hands of the wise.

The first major question to getting started in magic, generally speaking, is to make some decisions about religion and a caster's own belief system. Religion comes into play in many different areas in a person's life and it is important to review your own stance in the greater scheme of things before hopping into something that may be seen as morally reprehensible. If these things are not settled right from the beginning they will crop up again, I will guarantee, and will become a gnawing difficulty until it is settled in one way or another.

What is your religion? Is it compatible with magic? Do you wish to change religions to a magical one or simply merge what you have? There is much debate on this topic, but here is my opinion: Most religions ban magic as evil and have severe penalties, either now, in the eternal, or both for practitioners of any form of magic. More than likely, your current religion will not mix with

magic. Many practitioners have to break from their current belief system and form/join a comfortable hybrid religion. Also, the option of simply abandoning what you currently know as religion and radically changing your belief system is open. It rarely works, due to moral and emotional conflicts, but it is still an option. This is not to imply that occultism in itself is anything close to religious, but only that religion usually labels all magic or most types of magic as evil and either discourages it entirely or severely limits your options with it. An interesting online test to see where you stand in the greater scheme of world religion can be found at www.selectsmart.com/RELIGION/. It does not work on all browsers but, if it does work, it may be worth the time to evaluate yourself. I know on my own display I have to let it load once, then hit refresh for the questions to show up.

The second major question confronting magicians is, "What is my nature?". This question spawns many different answers. Some like aggressive magic to attack an adversary, or a friend's adversary. Many use protective magic to shield themselves and their friends from the stormy blast of other magic. Many people abandon the idea of combative magic all together and opt for enchantments to ease the burdens of life on everybody, such as blessings and prosperity spells of one variety or another. Here are the major classes of magician (as far as I can tell, all possible spells can be accounted for within these castes).:

[Note: These are only the most vague descriptions. Read the advanced pages for a more complete understanding of the details of an art.]

White Magician - Expert of Protective and Purifying Spells. Forwarded most notably by the New Age movement, it focusses on the use of the "White Light", protection, protective auras, stasis, cleansing, suppression of discord, and working on the mystic level to sustain and strengthen ethereal structure.

Black Magician - Master of Manipulating Entropy. Grounded in the application of the laws of thermodynamics, the nature of decay, radiation, the effect of emotion on the body, and civil engineering and/or anatomy.

Psi Mage - Expert at Psychic and Mental Control. Studying recommendations include telepathy, telekinesis, magnetism, secular and occult empathy, general psychology, emotion, motivation, hypnotism, cognitive processing, consciousness, states of awareness, sleep deprivation, learning, decision making, group dynamics, "Zen" concept, and other aspects of psychological classification and analysis.

Nature Mage - Master of Nature and Natural Forces. Stressing the relationship between sound and plant growth, holistic medicine, botany, ley lines, earth

spirits, photosynthesis, and astrological, minerological, and magnetic influences on earth.

Enchanter - Expert at Enhancing Objects, People, or Areas. Employs a working understanding of vibratory rates, radioactive decay, music, energy impressions, quantum and magnetic resonance, body conductivity, and Ayurvedic philosophy.

Elementalist - Expert of Controlling the Four Elements, and Influencing Weather. Studies the nature of natural phenomenon (electricity, heat, cold, wind), biochemistry, composition philosophies (Heraclitus, Anaximenes, Thales, Empedocles, Xenobius, etc), body composition, thermodynamics, natural entropical disarray, and physical laws of attraction and repulsion.

Diviner - Expert of Future and Fortune telling. Heavy study in the mathematics of randomization, probability, chance, psychology, deja vu, precognition, instinct, sixth sense, visions, dreams, self-fulfilling prophecy, chaos theory, game theory, sociology, group psychology, identification and interpretation of patterns, and free-energy theory.

Summoner - Expert at Summoning Spirits or Entities. Academia for this art includes telemetry, attempts at long-distance telepathic communication, vibrational states, dimensional theory, multiple personalities, schizophrenia, possession, multiversal theory, the Ethereal realm, thought-forms, and the nature of the Mind. There are a great many ritual texts worth reading as well.

Life Mage - Expert at Manipulating and Sustaining Life Force. Emphasis on anatomy, biology, kinesiology, alternative healing methods, herbology, theories of life force, chakras, meridians, acupressure, acupuncture, reiki, ethereal body, medicine, Breathism, and chi as vitality.

Necromancer - Expert at Manipulating Death Essences. Focussing on dim mak, animal biology, study of chi, toxicology, viriology, bacteriology, immunology, the Kreb cycle, phosphorylation, free radicals, anatomy, psychological effects on the body, the nature of hallucination, auric poisoning, "miasma" concept, acupuncture theory, lou channels, chakras, life meridians, medical biochemistry, and death deities.

Sorcerer - Expert Manipulator of the Twilight Realm. Focussing on interpretational abstractions, geometry, Jewish "hell" concept (abyss), pre- and post-Christian "hell" concept (both Greek), the nature of emotion, multiversal theory, lucid dreaming, astral projection, the nature of physical interpretation

(the five senses + sixth), Eastern "void" concept, dimensional theory, meditative trances, trance states, and physics related to holographic reality models.

Wizard - Expert Manipulator of the Astral Planes. Focussing on non-Euclidian geometry, geometry, mathematics, multiversal theory, astral projection, astral forms, dimensional theory, the nature of perception, meditative trances, trance states, and physics.

Celestial Mage - Calls on Deities to Intervene. Relevant studies include history of religion, cultural sociology, historical sociology, anthropology, history of religion, theology, High Magic, the bible, the koran, the Keys of Solomon, the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, John Dee's Angel studies, Johannes Trithemius, shamanism, Intelligent Design theory (ID), and examinaton of other various holy writs and mythologies.

Satanic Magician - Expert of Manipulating and Expressing Internal Forces. Pertains to LaVeyan "Satanic Magic", Luciferianism, thought-forms, chaos theory, mind over matter, nature of perception, chakras, cause and effect principles in open systems, "crimson" magic as per CoS, self-fulfilling prophecy, and specific emphasis on microcosmic effect on macrocosms.

After deciding what you want (or, more accurately, what you are able to do), it is time to confront the third, and most difficult question of magic.

The third question of magic is the most difficult because of all the options it presents: What do you want? This is by far the most difficult. At this point the magician must decide how to shape their universe. The most common answer received to this question is people saying "Power". Power is a good start, but it has to be refined. Here's where the ability to analyse your desires comes in very handy, and in a practical way. A person who wants power can take that concept and use it, but must think "Power over what?". That can be reduced even further to "Power over which aspect of that thing?" To become perfectly precise about what you really want is essential. Break it down to the most minute matters until you come up with something that can be used in a spell. The smallest of components in this process comprise the building blocks which eventually equate to that original desire of (in keeping with this example) Power.

The first question of magic is one that should basically remain static throughout your time as a magician, barring any personal epiphanies. The second is a little more liquid and may change periodically throughout one's life. The third question has the highest volatility and changes every time you want something

new, thus needing to be answered thousands of times over as your needs change.

The Basics of Practice - Fundamental Ability

There are a few fundamental tasks that all caster types of any discipline should understand how to do. The first one is that of basic enchantment and second is generic skill with energy manipulation. For a particularly good page (with a Wiccan slant, therefore focussed on "white" style magics), try the Spirit Online Elemental Lessons. They can give you a decent idea of what it is like to work with the energies of enchanting and may aid in becoming familiar with the overall feel of magic's intricasies. Remember that, regardless of which caste seems like the one you may want to try, theinstructions of basic magic are similar. Everyone of any art simply has to become familiar with the feel of working with a mystic energy. There is also the philosophical and human aspects of magic that have to be dealt with before proceeding into "magic". Too often, magic is seen as a split from reality rather than a magnificent extension of the latent power of the human will over the causative mortal realm. It is a tool -neither good or evil -- that we can use to our advantage or detriment. One of the first things to realise is that logic is an active part of the understanding of magic. Things work for a reason, and understanding logic helps us understand why they do. I strongly encourage those that are interested in magic to first ground themselves in the basics of the hard sciences (such as What is "Energy"?, (sub-)Atomic Structure, and Thermodynamics) and applied philosophy (such as Venn diagrams, Logic, and Occam's Razor,).

Now, keeping in mind the basic list of caster types given on the previous page and the disciplines that concern their use, choose your energy type (fate?). You will, as a rule, fall under one of these categories if you take the time to review the spells that you have cast in the past and/or evaluate the answers to the third question on the previous page and decide in terms of pragmatism which is most useful at this time. At this point you may not have a list of spells. Don't fret about it if you are totally new to magic -- you can make a record of spells as you go along and simple make decisions as would best fit your needs for the moment. These castes are set out as a guideline to help you identify what kind of spells you use most frequently and to aid in defining a type of energy to focus on (which is not critical at this very moment, since this is only the second beginning page, but is rather something to keep in mind for later). Though one primarily can only devote enough time to the furtherance of one caste, considering the vast amounts of material to cover when attempting to refine any given art, very minor abilities from any or all of the other castes may manifest due to the holistic nature of the interplay of energies in the cosmos. These additional minor gifts do not mean that you will be able to pick up and perform many arts, but prove rather that there is occasionally a small degree of overlap in the castes and a minor amount of flexibility in their use/definition. Some spells do exist, furthermore, which a magician of any sort will be capable of casting due to relatively low skill requirements. Either way though, if I could

offer one bit of advice, it would be this: Take Your Time! The decision process is long and hard. You can not just sit down one night, ponder your brains out and emerge with the answer (normally; there are some people out there that are just plain gifted at everything, though). It takes a long time to figure out just what your talent is because of the emotional associations that people attach to the caste names. One may sound better, or seem like exactly what you want, but your spells will tell the truth of where you fit. The intrinsics of every art have to be explored to ensure a wrong decision is not made, and keep in mind to search every aspect. Some people want to be Summoners, but are simply not good at it while they are good at elemental magic but do not like it. This may be the case, but do not let Emotion overcome Utility. Do not disclude magics that you do not like the sound of for that reason alone. Try diligently to find out what you can do, and then determine what you can do with it.

Focussing power, occassionally referred to as "Mana", which has its roots in Roman mysticism, is literally as easy as breathing. Ever wonder why magicians, if they are so powerful, don't simply run out into all the world and smite their foes in great miraculous blasts of fire and lightning? Here is why -- at the foundation of magic. One must focus occult energies ambient in their environment (on some level -- perhaps not at the materal level). A single focussed exertion of occult power is taxing. It is difficult like any other act of concentration and mental endurance. Magic is a refined art based on honing one's own ability to grasp and focus on the direction or concentration of a specific energy pattern or phenomenon. To focus, you can try this extremely simple ritual (note, this ritual does not use "tools" like most of the worthless rituals out there and still relies on the magician to mindfully exert themselves on their environment's energies):

1. Clear out your mind a bit. Relax. Be sure you have full control over your mind and that it is not cluttered with confusing and distracting thoughts. 2. Consider your spell. Know what you are going to do, precisely how you are going to do it, and what will happen when it is complete. Plan ahead and do not make things up as you go along. The emphasis here is to know what the mechanism which will make your spell work is to be, and then to actualize it. 3. Desire the mechanism that you want to become reality. Think of it, feel it, want it, and exert as much mental power as you can, emotional or otherwise, into the realisation of this effect. Beyond wishful thinking though, the insistence of creating the mechanism is an example of Will. This approach is similar to that used in Reiki, for those familiar with the practice. Some people even visualise to aid them, but there is more to be said about that particular approach. For now, suffice it to say it has potential to be subversive to the effectiveness of a spell.

This prepared ritual is a beginner's technique and should work splendidly until one is capable of simply using sheer thought to congeal/aim specific energies while in any situation or any location. Please note that it is a ritual and can be discarded or adhered to as one wishes as soon as competency in basic energy manipulation is attained.

One common principle in magic is that the person themself has no true power by themself. All power comes from exertions on the external. The practice of focussing energy from the external and exerting existing ambient power on the external is a foundational precept for any caster type that wishes to have their skill available at any given time rather than endure the tedium of having to cast a circle, open the circle, conjure a spirit, use the spirit, recall the spirit, banish the spirit, and close the circle, et cetera according to whichever ritualist paradigm is being used. This shows most clearly the utter beauty of using direct magics as are listed on this site as opposed to many other mainstream ideologies which rely on expensive trinkets, elaborate preparations, meaningless actions of rote memory, or the presence of other people to work.

As time passes and one gains experience in using this most simple process, it will become apparent that one's skill is increasing and that spellcrafting no longer needs to be structured by the three-step method mentioned above. In much the same way as stretching exercises allow one to stretch further, and running practice allows one to run faster/farther, so culling the mystic energies around you and focussing them allows for stronger concentration, precise direction, and hastier structuring for successive spells. This is a practice which requires dedication. Like any athletic competition, your skill will increase according to how much you put into it. The precision and efficiency of a spell, the skill of the caster, the condition of the caster's mind, and the amount of variables present to be manipulated all play a part in the efficacy of a spell. It can only be as good as you allow it to be.

I will note, however, that there is an alternative method that is often used other than gathering to a point and releasing, as mentioned above. Rather than hoarding anything, the other variation to casting is to take into account the largest area possible and focus the energies from that expanse further, thereby skipping the middle step of focussing it to an area. Instead of drawing from an artificial ambient energy pool, this method uses a tremendously large pull on powers at the furthest reach of a caster's influence and brings it to focus for a spell. This method requires more concentration than the aforementioned Collection/Volition pairing, but tends to become the favoured method of intermediate and advanced casters as they progress.

The keys to advancement in magic are eternal: Order, Diligence, Concentration, Truth, Discipline, and Sacrifice. Once this process has been championed, one can continue on in their studies of magic.

Addendum: I often receive emails saying something to the effect of "You have a lot of advanced magics on your site but how do I start?". The answer is HERE. This page, regardless of your caster type, describes the basics of magical practice and the "How-To" of beginning. Please read this page carefully before sending me a "How do I start?" letter. This is your foundation for magic, though no power is specified. Fill in your own blank according to purpose.

The Basics of Practice - Spell Construction

By the time you view this page it would be advisable, if you haven't already, that you read the Tomekeeper's Philosophy page. If it hasn't been read yet, this would be a good time to take a look at it. Safe magic hinges on comprehending that document (and the links provided). By now, as a quick recap, the first Beginning page is a brief rundown of the castes, their manipulative basis, and their general function, as well as pointers on choosing one to study if this is a time in your casting that you are prepared to do so. The second Beginning page presents the ability to manipulate occult energies (though a specific type is not defined, at that point). This page is about the basic way to perform a spell (the formal writing and refinement of spells is covered a bit later on). The information on this last technique-based Beginning page represents the final stage in becoming an apprentice or novice magician of any casting art.

Practical magic requires you to understand your:

Power Source Proficiency Purpose

Given this information, the first thing to do is to determine where the power for your spell is going to come from. False magics are ones that rely on nothing or just say "belief will do it". Belief, at face value, is wishful thinking unless there is some kind of mechanism to make the whole thing work. To this end, the power source of your spell should, ideally, be identified and isolated. For example, if a caster was using a necromantic technique and wished to heal a friend, it would be to the detriment of someone else. This is an aspect known as vampiric necromancy (discussed further on the advanced page). Crudely speaking, a necromancer draws on the powers of death, so, in that case, a suitable donor (voluntary or not) would have to be found (it may seem like a contradiction to speak about healing with death essences, but, for the sake of simplicity, I'll leave it at that without an explanation. Suffice it to say it can be done, though not directly). A life magician, in contrast, would be able to realign the energies of the target and tend to their injury on the ethereal level, in turn hurting nobody and gaining what they desired. A summoner would send a spirit of some sort (be it demon, angel, geist, or some other kind of sprite) to the person in question, and so on and so forth for the castes as may be applicable. All possible variations can be classified under the caste structure. There are many different options available but each one has a different method to achieve the same result, and also a different price to pay. Think of your objective and then think of the options available to you considering your casting tendencies (which will eventually fall into a caste if you examine your spells). Sometimes the cost isn't

worth the benefit, and such things have to be taken into consideration at every spell. Because of the cost/benefit relation between magical effort and results, and because of the limitations imposed by reality on the caster, it is always best to understand precisely what the source of your power is and to identify what steps are necessary to achieve any particular result with that source.

Think of your objective once more and think of how much it will cost you to obtain that goal. Much like a car which must burn fuel at a relatively slow rate to be considered worth driving, so the magician, to be effective, must acknowledge that they may not have the most refined control over the energy in question right from the beginning. Learning to "burn fuel" efficiently is part of the learning process, and something which will improve with experience. The key to this point, quite simply, is refinement. Refining one's own technique to achieve the greatest effect with the least amount of effort. Remember that these are relative terms, also. At first, even if the energy itself is not limiting when considering a particular goal, the caster's own ability to exert sustained concentration to continue the spell may become an impediment. To realistically evaluate what your limits are will prevent a lot of silly errors from entering your spells and will keep the attempts at the practical level. For example, a new magician once asked me how they could make themselves look more attractive using magic. There is a way to do it, but the fact of the matter is that, for someone of her skill level, it was prudent to simply use everyday cosmetics. Her skill level in psychism was insufficient to support a prolonged group illusion such as a "glamour spell" (the colloquial name for changing the perceptions of anotherthrough magic), and thus a mundane solution was more practical. Refining your technique is a matter of experimentation. Try different things. Try different techniques for the same spell. Which one was quickest to give results? Did the quality of the results meet your expectations? Tinker, try, record, examine, repeat.

Lastly, one must evaluate purpose. This point is the most difficult to ascertain. It must be remembered that mystic energy, like any of the measurable energies, are not intelligent and are not capable of conforming to circumstances as they change (the exceptions to this rule being arts where there is a distinct intelligent power being called upon, such as the deities of a celestial magician or a summoner). Consider the tangible energy Electricity, for example; we can not speak to a battery and send out its energy to light a lightbulb, nor can we send out a mystic energy to blindly perform a goal. Instead, we set up the circumstances (wiring, switch, and lightbulb) which will cause the energy to perform usefully, then introduce the energy to a given situation (toggle the switch) to get the desired effect (shining lightbulb). Setting up the circumstances for a Fame spell, for example, would be (most importantly) to identify that it is not really "fame", as a thing, that we have to focus on in the first place. "Fame" is a term we use to note the fact that many people know of a single entity (logo, person, corporation, deity, etc). To achieve fame, then, is not to send out an energy to bring fame to you as though it were a thing to be found, but rather to assist in realising the components of fame, which could be

(as another example) to influence people around you to take notice of your presence, which is a form of mind control, which is magecraft, which is psychoscriptive intervention (Psi). The upshot of all that is that your image or personality is impressed upon the minds of those that took notice of you, which contributes to fame (a concept), which is the ultimate success of the spell. This might be an impractical or outright silly example, but hopefully it effectively illustrates the means of evaluating a spell's purpose and how to go about using magic to attain that goal. A lot of the confusion in magic, in every facet and in every discipline of any path or type of practice, is simply understanding desires and evaluating language. Just like "fame" isn't a single thing, but rather the result of many factors, critically analysing one's spell goals and comparing those to personal desires can reveal many things. As George Orwell said in his excellent article Politics and the English Language, "[Language] becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." Either way, one must be very cautious when deciding what their purpose is and in analysing it until it can be broken down into component parts.

When you are ready to proceed, prepare yourself mentally. You must be prepared for real results, for the gravity of what you're about to do, and for the manipulation of the occult energies you have studied through the use of the exercise set out in the Beginning 2 page. Clear your mind of disruptive thoughts that will distract you from concentrating 100% on your magical task at hand. Direct Magic and the effectiveness of spells cast using its methods is entirely dependant on the mental strength of the magician, so ensure that there are no lagging thoughts about dinner, what time it is, or where you left your pen.

To cast the spell, think again of your Power Source, Proficiency, and Purpose. Think of it vigourously, vividly, and precisely. Move the energies available and let it naturally flow in proper proportions to produce a single effect. Believe it or not, that's it. That's all there is to casting a spell. In theory, it is very simple. That is the benefit of spellcasting using Direct Magic: less time fussing over stick and drawing measurements and more time spent performing spells that work. As a bit of a dampener to this point, however, it should be noted that the success or failure of a spell relies heavily on the conditioning and mental resilience of the caster and that having hundreds or thousands of early failures while getting used to the system is quite common. Failure is a learning experience as well, but often the repeated failures of early attempts stops many magicians from flourishing under this pure and simple form of casting. Keep at it and eventually the spells will start to work. This is the one thing that occultists starting from scratch with this system much cling to and remember at all times. Eventually, when you find the winning combination of factors, the spells will start to work. The question is not if they work, but when. The rewards of this art go to the patient, disciplined, and studious practitioner. It can be a frustrating process, but it does work with practice. Some people are lucky and get it the first time and some will not find their method until the one-hundred and first time. It just depends on how accurately you have carried out these steps, the resilience of

your focus, and the conditions available in a given situation which are and are not manipulable.

The Parting of Ways

Now, at the end, all the required knowledge to access power stores is acquired for the "on-hand" magic user. There is a list of notations for your particular art on this page if you wish to know more about how to proceed. It is probably a good idea to read this but, if you are already having success, leave this page and continue what you're doing. Remember that if this page and/or the advanced pages are not covering a question or concern you may have, you can email me or make use the advisor(s) supplied through The Library of Knowlege to ask an experienced practitioner the specifics that are being left out. These arts aren't in any particular order, but rather in the order that I thought of them. Also, keep in mind that this page (as with most of The Library of Knowledge) is just a pointer to give you a friendly nudge in the right direction. The specifics of what spells to develop, what to name them, and the other little tidbits are still up to the diligient magician to discover. Remember also, as a last point, that these castes are just to describe what kind of work falls into which caster type. You do not have to necessarily definitively and strictly fall only into one caster type as long as you only plan to use lower powered to intermediate spells of that type.

White Magician: The White art practitioner has among the easiest arts to advance in. The idea behind it is simple: statis and purification. "Negentropy", as it has been called. Purity and the harnessing of power to the most refined level is the ultimate goal of advanced white magic. The main focus for you, as a caster of this sort now, would be to learn the basic uses of herbs, oils, runes, and stars, moving eventually to the highest power of White Light. These former references can be used to find sources of White Magic information, though they are meaningless within themselves. The creation of familiar spirits is a topic that some choose to study as well when wishing to learn about purification and delicate control over one's environment. Incidentally, they are also useful for locating information and prompting the caster in the right direction while studying. The more advanced caster may wish to create a magical "node" in which they can exercise absolute magical authority when they need to. A node is a concentration of magical energies into an area for experimental or emergency purposes. This favoured method of practice is an ethereal saturation of a given area with the energy that is known as "White Light", famous in the New Age movement, and is the basis for White Magic spells. The caster can shape the magical auras of the trees, rocks, plants, and other items to concentrate on a nexus, thereby making it a magical focal point for them to continue their work. Often considered a form of protective magic, it is not limited to offensive or defensive strictures. The applications of white magic, as with every other caste magic, are manifold. Learning how to neutralise an area and experiment with cleansing an area of magical influence is one of the most famous aspects of white magic, along with the ability to mute the spells of other casters or to calm natural mystic phenomenon. The White Mage can be a

powerful practitioner with far-reaching influence on their world. Enjoy the excursion into the white, protective, and healing arts.

Black Magician: The black magician is one of the most infamous in occultism. The rumours and tales of their dark art and their insidious practice covers everything from evil deities to sacrifice, similar to the stereotype of the Satanist, though in a more tribal sense. The fundamental essence of black magic is similar to the common concept of entropy. The main thing to focus on at all times when practicing an art like this is attaining tangible or noticeable results. Do not just assume that anything has ever happened. One of the unfortunate stereotypes that follows black magic, aside from the perverted rituals of amorality, is lack of ability due to the mass influx of those interested in reaping the negative attention and shock effect. Because of this, I strongly advise practitioners to be diligent in their studies and casting and not allow the mystique to overwhelm pragmatic rationalism. Be sure that if you cast a degrading spell that something (perhaps not even your intended target) has deteriorated, shifted, or something to that effect. In the beginning, stick to simple spells that have only one mechanism to concentrate on (i.e. Things which are simply cause and effect, not manifest only after a chain of domino lesser effects). It must be done that way at the beginning or else future results run the risk of being crippled or barely noticable. Later, refine the amount of energy and the focus control thereof through experience. Focus on one type of magic at first, such as erosion. Do not attempt to begin by casting shielding and corrosive spells back to back, or alternating between physical effect spells and various hexes. Try to perfect one thing and then move on to something else. The Black Magician is to always increase their repertoire of destructive spells, but only after having attained some degree of proficiency in past attempts. Always seek out new spells and of a different sort. Do not be discouraged, even after a few minimal results (if it really comes down to that). The black mage has quite a reputation to live down, but it is nothing that stolid study can not solve.

Psi Mage: A Psi Mage has one of the most taxing arts of all, not because it is somehow intrinsically more difficult to perform, but because of psychological damage and the potential for severe self-delusion. Take some time to honestly consider how this skill will be used before temptation is staring you in the face so as to avoid moral qualms and crises. This all ties back to the The Three Questions of Magic presented on the first Beginning page, but it is most critical for a psi mage to know themselves before attempting to know the mind of others. Psi Mages focus on the mind with an approach not incredibly common in occultism anymore known as Zen. The quieting of one's own mind allows for interpretation of the emmanations of another's mind, and which in focus the psi mage must attempt to either bore through their own mental noise by some kind of force or to simply quiet themselves. Self-control by attaining a zen state seems to be the favoured method of the advanced psionicist due to the results it can bring. Many mages begin by attempting "charming" type spells in which the caster attempts to magically win the loyalty of another by empathically or telepathically touching their mind. It is an advanced type of telepathy and

empathy which allows the mage to truly understand their surrounding beings and be able to live at one with them. Also, this highly psychic tendency usually allows the skilled Mage to bring peace to an otherwise turbulent situation, or subversion and discord to what would otherwise be a serene and coordinated place. Once tuning in with the minds of another, the Mage becomes sensitive to the thoughts of those around them, sensing emotions more vividly, and suspecting feelings that are masked from others. Their magical abilities flow from understanding "the occult and hidden virtue of things" (as Solomon would say). To work seamlessly within their environment so as to cast a spell without disrupting natural order is a high power of the Mage, and that which allows them a peaceful existance wreathed in potent mystic workings. Using the sensitive arcane powers of Psi Magic, one may soon find that their lives become child's play compared with the the hardships others must simply endure. As adversity arises, the Mage will find themselves able to avoid most or all of these dilemmas (save for the obvious ones, like death) and thus spare a great deal of pain and frustration.

Nature Mage: The Nature Mage is part of their environment. Their intimate bond with nature affords them priveleges in communication and sensation that most people will miss out on -- things which can be beneficial to the mental or physical well-being of the caster in certain circumstances. The most curious thing about nature magics is the view that many of them tend to adopt concerning their position in the universe. Their cosmology tends to turn to a neo-wiccan or druidic stand-point, declaring themselves as one with the grand order of nature and born of the earth. Harmony and balance tend to be something strived for as well. With lesser emphasis on harmony, which tends to sway in accordance with the personal preferences of the caster, balance seems to be a universally key issue among nature mages. Finding their place in the world and in the cosmos by communicating with the earth, earth spirits, or the spirit of earth itself are among the many methods used. There are historical reflections of these methods in the druidic traditions of grove growing, the shamanic tradition of vision quests, and the ancient Greek methods of talking to the sprites of individual trees, stones, and areas. roves inhabited by many famous spirits of the trees such as the nymph, dryad, sprite, pixie, and the Green Man (who was somewhat of a patron deity to the druids, at one point) and others, the Nature Mage may be granted boons for their adept sensitivity and care for their environment in many literatures, and it is a continued habit of the modern nature mage to try to not excessively disturb their surroundings. For a Nature Mage, being in tune with nature and harmonious with all things is the highest calling. Their sensitivity to the "qi of plants" allows for understanding beyond the norm and a will to discover more of the world around us. The stolid druid, the solemn shaman, and the wise mystagogue are all part of the traditions of nature magic which live on in modern practice.

Enchanter: Enchanters has been given too little credit for their work throughout history. Often lumped in with standard witchcraft, herbalism, and other forms of magic which were popular at the time, Enchantment truly does deserve a

place in the occult realms as a separate and complete artform within its own right. It has often been seen in story, song, and in occult literature. Quite simply, the skill of an enchanter is to affect the properties of common material objects in such a way that they naturally bring a specified kind of result. Colloquially, enchanters have used a western five-element system to explain the potential imbued properties of any given item. Enchanting tends to be a waylaid art in favour of others because many people simply forget that it exists. It is not seen as being so flamboyant as many of the other popular arts -- specifically as being something you do not use on the spot -- though its uses are manifold and every bit as quick as any other art. One of the confounding factors of this art is the reason that many people attempt to get out of ritualism at all, however: reliance on items. The potential for enchantment of common items, as opposed to the mythical amulet and talisman, is often forgotten and tends to leave one's view of the art as a rather restrictive side-line interest rather than a topic to devote one's studies to. Despite that, there any many things that the enchanter has access to that can make the art one of the most practical available to occultists. The problem with most Enchanters is that they: a) Don't keep a useful Book of Shadows. b) Aren't result oriented. If you are an Enchanter, please do the opposite of the two points previously mentioned. An Enchanter has to look for physical results in the creation of magical objects, such as talismans, amulets, tools, etc. If an item is charged with a fire blessing (let's say it's a glove), be sure that it is capable of keeping the wearer warm. If it isn't 100% effective, the spell can be refined. Keep a record of the procedure used and the result reaped. This Enchanter's journal should be of sufficient detail that you can refine your magical workings to the point that even the most extreme results of the most complex enchantments are available whenever they are needed. Another dangerous pitfall encountered by Enchanters is over-enchanting or using a previously enchanted item. Never charge an item with two opposing spells or with more than four enchantments total until an understanding of the intrinsics of the elemental magics has been achieved. The ethereal backlash from over-enchanting an item is sufficient to cause great harm to the one so unfortunate as to be in the way. An item enchanted with two opposing charges is considered a curseditem. It is dangerous to the user, and usually everybody in the area too. Barring the creation of a cursed item, however, the Enchanter has an interesting and incredibly useful system to employ magic in their daily life.

Elemental Mage: The goal of an Elemental Magician, at this point, is to become familiar with the conduction of elemental energy. These are the very real and tangible energies that we deal with on an every-day basis. Hot, cold, kinetics, and stasis -- they all play a factor in the control of the physical elemental weather patterns and fluxuations that carry on around us in life. Water, air, heat, and mineral are all under the dominion of the accomplished elementalist. These types of energy are the most readily apparent type of all but also, bar none, among the most difficult to use. Elemental Magic focusses on the concentration and surging of these energies to achieve a specific purpose in accordance with the nature of the specific element being dealt with. Air tends to be the easiest to control since, by its very nature, it is always in a state of change. Earth tends, also by its nature, to be the hardest thereby resisting the

will of the magician. The "trick", so to speak, of Elemental Magic is to learn what personal techniques or methods work best for you to get the element in question to obey.

Diviner: The Diviner's main job is to find out what's going to happen. There are so many varieties of exactly how to do this that there will be no advanced page of this art. It is just too varied and difficult to pin down. As a general guideline though, Diviners use a physical medium of some sort to find out what they can about the future. Every form divination imaginable is out there for the taking. Among many many other types of divination are the use of clouds, tarot decks, runes, water, fire, earth, wind, sand, sticks, rocks, birds, cats, dogs, spiders, bones, intestines, blood, insects, weather conditions, feces, fingernails, palms, finger prints, the infamous crystal ball, head bumps, eye orientation, candles, saliva, spirits, fairies, sprites, hair, urine, body measurements, tea leaves, auras, dreams, wax drippings, stains, tooth alignment, eating habits, birthdays, zodiac signs, and a myriad more than I have room for on this page. Each Diviner has a different way of telling what will happen, but the basic gist is that regardless of how they do it, they do it. Diviners are often employed by magicians who have no divining power of their own to see what primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, etc. effects a particular spell will have on them, their friends, their target, etc. In the technological age, many people use online divination methods, such as the ones offered atFacade.Com. These sorts of services are everywhere, and can sometimes be helpful. Usually, it is best to take your future divining needs to a real diviner though, not a randomizer-based computer program (although many people see the computer as an equally legitimate form of divining). Books on fortune and future telling abound. One does not have to look far to find a place to learn Divination.

Summoner: Summoners have no limitations to their advancement except experience. The ability to call, at first, lesser terrestrial spirits is where every Summoner starts, eventually moving higher and farther than before with each progressive summon. Some focus on a specific type of earthly spirit, and some just summon whatever is nearby -- either method is acceptable. The power of the Summoner lies in a mental purity that can not be matched; the ability to sheild one's mind by constant self-discipline and concentration on mental stamina/ability to concentrate unbroken is key. After a short while of experimentation, different types of entities, be they angelic, demonic, olympic, or otherwise, can be summoned with little or no trouble at any given moment. To perfect the art of spiritual synergy is a draining one, but without question Summoners can still hold their own as one of the most powerful types of caster available.

Healer: Healer's are channelers of the body's energies. The Healer is a realigner of magical forces to the benefit of a living being. The theory is that when the physical body is cut the ethereal body is cut as well. Both wounds will eventually heal but the ethereal cut is usually untended to. The Healer must feel the

energy of the wounded, "soften" it, and mold it back into alignment with the rest of the body. Once the ethereal body is healed, the physical body will quickly follow. By the same token, the Healer can create wounds as well by disaligning the ethereal body of a target. This is rarely done, as a Healer is almost always interested in health and life (or else it's more common that someone interested in injury takes up Necromancy instead). The healing is usually not instant, but it isextremely fast. Nothing short of practice will improve a Healer in this art.

Necromancer: The art of the Necromancer is one which begins with the most simple goal: Understand the nature of Life and Death. However simple it starts, though, that goal instantly imposes a very complex nature on the practitioner. The Necromancer's prime energy is the Death Essence and the study of the energies present at death or during frailty is the beginning of knowledge. As the Necromancer becomes familiar with the twisting ethers of decay, it becomes apparent that one cannot escape their influence even as a practitioner. With the passing of time, the Necromancer gains an understanding of the true cycles of life, the afterlife, the netherworlds, and passingly even of the celestial realms. The study of disease, decay, illness, and of the nature of the soul will contribute to a full understanding of the nature of Necromantic Cursing. Also, after continued experimentation, servitors become a possibility. At the end of the line, the Necromancer learns the possibilities of soul manipulations and experiments of that nature. It is the appreciation of Death, and an admiration of the silent beauty of a life complete.

Sorcerer: The Sorcerer's dilemma is to shape, literally, the entire world. Everything in the life of a Sorcerer is fair game for modification. By modifying components of one's life with some of the unique powers available to a Sorcerer, the whole may be changed as the practitioner deems fit. A proactive modification of the world, the minds of those around, and in the spiritual realm leads the Sorcerer, ultimately, to the realisation of many goals which would be otherwise unattainable. By studying the methods of the mystic arts, one can begin to see a pattern emerge of why some proactive spells work and why some won't. The Sorcerer is aware of this pattern and works to perfect weaving it into their spells. Though usually dark arts, the Sorcerer also delves into some white arts for the ability to induce proactive change on their surroundings. Ventures into the Twilight realm prove the power of these other worlds and their impact on the mortal realm.

Wizard: As the Sorcerer, the Wizard uses changes in the environment to shape their reality. The difference is the energies used and the method they are employed. Instead of forcing their will on the environment, the wizard takes a more scientific edge to their use of power and examines the intrinsics of the interactions between the Astral Plane and this plane. Instead of creating changes and making things bend to them, they take normal physical circumstances and try to work within those confines using a magical touch. Things that already exist will simply be given a magical "spin" and be allowed to

continue by altering their astral form, thus making all the magics of a Wizard seem odd but natural. If a ball would normally roll straight, the Wizard would only make the ball veer left or right, not stop it in motion or whatnot. This extremely coy and natural form of mystic power is truly the spirit of "occult".

Celestial Magician: The Celestial magician takes many forms in the occult and religious world. There are a great many magicians of this sort who would not even consider themselves casters, but the fact remains that it classifies as occult phenomenon. The power of the Celestial caster is in otherworldly entities. Drawing from famous god-figures like the traditional Christian God, entities like Nuit, the Egyptian gods, the Roman gods, or any combination of any series from any culture of non-terrestrial higher self-sufficient beings is what defines the use of Celestial magic. The power of supplication and communication or understanding of the higher beings renders change on the natural world by the will of these creatures, sparked by the requests of their followers, much like standard prayer and peace offerings to the gods. Native American beliefs are largely Celestial magic, modern Christianity is deeply a Celestial magic religion, and many variants thereof. The key, in this art, is to find what the entity in question desires, and then to bring change to the world by using the deity's might and wisdom.

Satanist: Having already found the source of their power in themselves, the Satanic Mage is not concerned so much with the collection process as much as the ability to release this energy and manifest it in the form of magical results. Many times, the spell process is the creation of mental demons (as suggested in many modern demonolatry books) and sending them out for a purpose, or conversely in simply taking the natural forces within the caster themself and turnning them to a purpose. There are many good resources for Satanic Mages, but many poor ones as well. The trick, in this art, to finding decent information is looking for pages that cite other sources on the topic. The community tends to be tightly knit, even if not personable, because of the harrassment they get from using the term "Satanist" (which really ends up meaning Hedonism more than it has anything to do with Satan) in the presence of the monotheistic majority. The challenge for people of this art is to seperate the internal magic aspects of Satanic Magic from the demonological or religions aspects and learn to use their power purely. Best of luck in this endeavour -- you'll need it.

Choosing a Caste: Now, seeing that the castes are basically listed and explained in terms of which way the art usually develops, the hard part is often seeing if you actually fit into a caste or whether you'd be better off using a bit of them all as is necessary for a given situation (sometimes called Grey Magic, and, more commonly, Chaos Magic). The following set of "You might be" traits are not cured dogmas, but can be used somewhat as an indicator of what your practice might fall into if it is destined to move into a full-fledged caste. Notice that the premise of using this list is that before trying to identify an advanced caster class that you must already have a experience to compare these traits with. Do not use this as a pick-and-choose list for whatever sounds the most spectacular or fun but rather, after using magic for a while, use this as a gentle nudge in one direction to help you confirm your own analysis. Indications of White Magic: Your practice uses White Light energies. There is a tendency for self-purification before and/or during a spell. You have an affinity to cleanse your area, target, and self. Indications of Black Magic: Dark essences are being used, primarily. You find power in the emotional negativity of yourself and others. Indications of Magecraft: Your primary concern is in social politics or what people think. You are constantly trying to understand what people think and feel. Indications of Nature Magic: Your practice tends to beckon you to nature and the use of natural forces. You can feel a higher presence in things that most would call inanimate. Your magic is an extension of the natural world, not a conflict with it. You feel a different kind of power in nature and feel prone to harness it. Indications of Necromancy: Your practice centres around degrading health and physical well-being. You find power in the physical suffering of yourself or others. You use servitors but totally control all of their actions at all times. You can sense if a person will die or if they are becoming ill/diseased. Indications of Healing: You can feel your own internal energies. You can realign your internal energies if injured. You can feel the aura of others and can realign it as well.

Indications of Celestial Magic: You put your situations in the hands of a higher being. You believe in a god or gods and want to, or know how to, communicate with them. Your mystic practices incorporate the use of higher intelligences. Indications of Satanic Magic: Your power comes from yourself. You are not interested in ever letting power out of your own control. Your methods often include blessing/enchanting yourself. Indications of Elemental Magic: You are primarily concerned with physical manifestations. Your art works heavily with controlling the environment. It seems natural to you if you change the weather through mystic exertion. Indications of Enchanting: You are interested in the mystic potential of items. You can sense mana in items that have been handled by another magician. You try to magnify or nullify the powers put into objects. You have skill in imbuing normal things with special powers. Indications of Summoning: You do not want to use higher powers to control summoned spirits. Your power focusses on calling out to spirits, but not gods. You see or work with demons, yet do not feel afraid. You want servitors but also want to let them think on their own. You can talk to spirits of the dead by feeling their thoughts. Indications of Divination: You frequently experience Deja Vu. You see hidden meanings in atypical events. You can predict events spontaneously with a high degree of accuracy. Indications of Wizardry: You tend to see "the big picture" where everyone else is worried about trifles. You have the ability to move outside your body. You use magic to change small things which drastically effect larger things by "domino effect". Your can project yourself or thoughts of your own design to manifest on this level. Your art seems like a "pure" sorcery.

Indications of Sorcery: You tend to see even mundane things from a mystic standpoint. Your practices are fervent and full of emotion. You step into a dark plane to practice your most potent skills. Your art seems like a "dark" wizardry, or some form of "shadow magic". INDICATIONS YOU DO NOT YET FIT INTO A SINGLE ART: You rely on a variety of mystic abilities. You do not have a desire to commit to one path. You feel confined rather than empowered by using a single discipline. You see no need for devotion to extreme mystic abilities. Note: This is not necessarily a reason to panic. There are times when the practitioner is legitimately not prepared to take on the discipline strains of studying through a single caste. At first, in fact, it is recommended that things be taken slowly and that all paths are given a fair trial to ensure that there is no reminiscing or regret in the future. This is not a problem, nor a sign of weakness. It is a reality that many casters face. Using whatever seems appropriate for a situation and recording it in a journal (Book of Shadows) will eventually reveal trends in your casting that will allow you to see where your talent or need lies.

INDICATIONS YOU DO NOT NEED MAGIC AT ALL: There is a physical solution to your problems. You couldn't be bothered to study if there's no immediately achievable results. You already know of a few normal solutions to a problem without resorting to the occult.

Advancement to Higher Levels

Read this page very carefully. It covers the most important part of your magical journey: Spell creation! This page contains all the answers to "Can you give me a spell for ________ ?" and "Ok, so, practically speaking, what do I do first?" questions. Please read this and understand every paragraph since metaphysics and spells are the parts of magic you will continueto research for as long as you are a magician of any art!

By this time you have read all the introductory information necessary to begin the absorption of energy, energy storage, using energy towards a purpose, and have decided on a casting art to begin with. These are all key foundations and, to have made it this far, you must have had a great deal of dedication. Congratulations. Since the basics are covered and you have a firm mental and practical grasp on the use of that information, you will want to know, "How do I go farther? Isn't there a period between Beginner and Advanced?" The answer is, "Yes, there is an intermediary stage." The description of this stage will be kept brief for two reasons: #1. So as to avoid confusion and #2. Because from this point on, you are your own magician.

In the beginning stage you learned how to store energy. In the intermediary stage, you will learn how to make/use spells. I will not, as many may expect, herein list all the possible spells, the chants/phrases associated with them, or give any spell type or description for any art (save for the example later on). The key to progressing is to begin using your Book of Shadows. A Book of Shadows is an absolutely necessary part of learning in any casting art mentioned within The Library of Knowledge. It is, essentially, a journal of your experiments into magic, both successful and unsuccessful, which helps you determine in hindsight what you did, what you didn't do, why you did/didn't do it, why the spell worked/didn't work, and what you can do to improve/progress. Once you have a Book of Shadows (which, at first, will be nothing more than a blank journal book), you have to think back to one of the questions you answered in "Beginning Magic" to even begin studying. The question I refer to is, "What do you want?" It is the third question of magic, for those who do not remember.

Once you have found a purpose, you must then use the energies that you have learned to manipulate to attain a result which will effect that purpose. Remember that, with a few exceptions, spells are unintelligent and will simply do their duty, much like a discharged bullet. Think of the purpose, and then use the abilities available to your caster type to achieve that purpose. The creation of the actual spell is based on a simple scientific scheme of Hypothesis, Experimentation, Observation, Conclusion. A "spell" is initially created as a

theory that one may have on how to do Task A given Energy B is being used. In this format, theories are turned into solid understanding of the occultic arts by a Trial and Error refinement. Here is a simple example of a spell which may or may not be usable. It is an example, and I will not clarify whether this theory actually works or not.

Caster Type: Necromancer Purpose: Strength

A Necromancer, of course, works only with death, so things such as using the Fire element or calling on God or Zeus are out of the question. This isn't to say you are not "allowed" to try other disciplines, but that it is best not to play mixand-match when creating and casting spells. Necromancers work with Death Essence, so now the question is "How do I get strength through death?" Well, as normal people walk around and use strength in the process, a Necromancer does too. To get strength then, could be to rob their strength. In this case, the Necromancer conducts the power of death essence and uses it to switch with a target. While draining (some would say "forcing out") life force from a target, death essence is replacing the stolen life force. In this way, the target will become weaker and the Necromancer becomes stronger by infusing their aura. To turn this abililty into a bona fide spell, all you have to do is give it a name. Something simple and straight-forward, like "Life Drain". This, then, is the Life Drain spell. I must stress, at this point, that in this form the completed theory of Life Drain may or may not work. Treat this as a fictitious example. It may hold together in theory, but the job of the magician is to test it out in practice to see if this is real. If it does work, cheers! If it does not work, it means there is something wrong either with the theory, or in your casting of the spell. Try again, if it didn't work, and use a different method, or just try the same thing on another day to see if you were just having a bad day. If it still absolutely refuses to work, it can be assumed you are either not skilled enough to cast it, or it is impossible (yes, I firmly hold by the fact that some things are impossible. Sadly, this is a counterculture standpoint when considering the greater part of the occult community).

Never ask someone "How do I cast a spell for __________ in my art?" or "What do I do to get _____________?" The key to starting magic of this sort is that you learn the rules of spell creation and spell performance on your own without any help from anybody! Using your Book of Shadows you try something, record the procedure, record the results, and write down what you think went wrong/right and improve on it or, when satisfied, move on to another spell.

This then, in a nutshell, is intermediate magic: The ability to learn on your own.

Addendum: As a quick aside, I'd like to make a brief definition of what a spell is not. A spell is not a sequence of words which produce magical effects, it is not an effect produced by a stick, rock, or piece of metal that someone has fashioned into a "magical item", it is not a miscellaneous effect that is randomly considered mystical just because it is inexplicable on first analysis, and a spell is most definitely not a thing you buy from or trade with other magicians. It is, in reiteration of the material on this page, a comprehensive instruction on the manipulation of raw energies to achieve a desired effect. Please do not treat spells as though they are trading cards. The wider occult community plays with spells like it's a mystic fleamarket. I won't trade my Weakness and Sickness spells for a Psychic Vision and Healing spell.. It doesn't work that way, for obvious reasons.

Why Spells Don't Work

Common Troubleshooting Techniques for the Spellcaster

Sometimes during the study of magic you know something is possible, as others may have done it or you have heard authoritatively that it is possible, but the spell just seems to refuse to work. It should be noted that professional frustrations like this happen in every discipline: History professors who forget dates, mechanics who can't figure out what the problem is, musicians that have broken three strings in one day, and other such difficulties. It happens, and it's a fact we have to deal with; sometimes our struggle with a particular task, regardless of our effort or accuracy, seem to yield no results. The purpose of this page is to focus again on a fundamentalist view of spellcasting and re-evaluate the mechanics of spell creation so as to avoid error. Use this page somewhat as a checklist to compare your spells against if things seems determined to go awry. Many magicians have been there: it's well into the night, you've run out of ink for the second time, your page is a mess of scratch marks and failures, you're tired, you're itchy, you're hot, you're angry at yourself, perhaps on the verge of tears, everything seems a blur, you've tried the spell for the 3918749235609348th time, yet nothing comes from it. Perhaps this page will help cut down the frequency of such occasions:

1. Bleary Logic and The Hardware Magician

This is the first of the mind-gremlins to vanquish when attempting to create a usable spell. As I referred to on the Advanced Necromancy page, there is the habit of some to attempt to "think" things in or out of existence. As far as the dictionary is concerned, this was called, and still is called, "Imagination". The use of the term "visualise" in occult circles has led to the misuse of the ability to see ethereal operations and is a prime cause of Bleary Logic. Some magicians have the distinct privilege of being able to "see" the spells they are casting. Insofar as one can see their operations, though, it must be remembered that the driving force behind a spell is still the exertion of Will on energies. Though imagination can be a push in the right direction (somewhat like ritual tools keep one occupied, or like ceremonial garb keeps one's mind from wandering) it must be remembered that items or imagination are not the power of the spell. At best, these things are a focus. Avoid this most fundamental problem of spellcasting by remembering that imagination is still fake whimsy, at best being

a mental ritual, and that the proverbial cauldron is still only a pot with water. Visualisation is a mental template to help a person "plan" the way they are going to cast a spell. In itself, it is inert. Be sure to always concentrate on the movement of energy, regardless of how many aids or mind-tricks you wish to use as guidance.

2. "One, Two, Skip a Few, 99, 100"

An intrinsic problem to some spells is that a person attempts to jump from step one to step three then wonders why the spell didn't work. It happens often, and it's easy to see why. Once real results begin to come in from your workings of magic, it is very easy to want to overstep the boundaries and attempt to run before walking. In the creation and execution of advanced spells, one must first have a firm grasp of all the component parts to that spell. An advanced spell may contain components of many lesser spells and, like a mouse-trap, the absence of any component or combination of components renders the entire mechanism inert. As an arrow requires Head, Shaft, and Fletching to function properly, so a more advanced spell type may require a combination of many properly balanced and less complex spells to become a reality. Take a step back from your work and look at the spell again while analysing all the functions it performs. See if a part is missing, as often that is the only problem.

3. Armchair Mysticism

This problem is quite possibly the ugliest of all errors which the "magician" commits. This type of error is one created by following a "Theorize, Extrapolate, Repeat" method of thinking. Here is the problem with that method of working out spells: There is a finite amount of extrapolation that can be safely used in any system. For example, if 1+1 = 2, then 2+2 = 3, then 3 + 3 = 4, then 4 + 4 = 5... etc etc. This is an example of a natural extrapolation. The observation I based it on (by observing only the first statement, which I knew was correct) was that X+X = X+1, and then applied that to the next sequences. It was not bad logic for me to do so because it turns out to actually be a correct formula for the first sequence. When we test that out in practice, however, we can see that I becomes more severely off-target with each passing sequence. If I had tested the second sequence, I would have known instantly that the formula was inexact and therefore useless to proceed with. This, sadly, is what many wellmeaning magicians do; they apply a theory (X+X=X+1) to a principle they know as solid occult science (1+1=2), and then extrapolate like crazy and call it law because it made sense in the beginning. Even if it seems logical, as my theory of X+X=X+1 was a valid and logical attempt (though flawed), it must be put to practice to ensure that there are no unrealized variables.

4. "What did you expect?"

"The Gandalf Syndrome", as I sometimes call it, is another problem often associated with the "failure" of a spell. There are times when the magician will cast a spell, wait for results, then become frustrated because the room did not darken and lightning did not crack across the sky. Just because the area didn't set ablaze and the smell of sulfur and brimstone did not permeate the air does not mean that a Demon was not summoned. Too many people expect to see a dark figure with glowing red eyes and a raspy yet booming voice to appear, hail them in the name of Satan, address them with the screams of Hell in the background, and say, "What is thy bidding, Infernal Master?". Often, the expectation of the magician far exceeds their current skill level, thus causing disappointment. Be sure, when casting a spell, that you know what your practical limits are, what the spell will realistically produce, and what the actual signs of success or failure will likely be. Record in your Book of Shadows precisely what you think the results will be before you cast the spell, then compare that to the actual results later on. They may not match up, but seeing what reality produces is a way to refine your understanding of your own skill level and, moreover, to get a good grasp on the limits of the power you are working with. Remember that phenominal results are only brought about by phenomenal skill, and even then one must recognize that impressive results, though possible, are not brought about by flashy displays. Do not set an expectation level beyond your means, and keep in mind that the ability to affect the odds rarely means the ability to dictate the odds.

5. Magic Post Office

Another of the troubles that many spellcreators have is differentiating between intelligent or dumb-fire mechanics. In the arts of Celestial Magic and Summoning, there is an external intelligence available to coordinate spells, spell effects, and to change things as the situation may dictate. These are "intelligent" spells because they have enough cognitive ability to conform to a situation. Outside of these two arts, however, there seems to be a trend in sending spells "into the universe". This, needless to say, is a very bad idea when considering spells that have no intelligent guidance. Borrowing from spiritbased traditions, many are in the habit of spewing perfectly good spells into the great beyond hoping that the Universe will act like a mystic post office and, for some reason, deliver Spell A to Target A even though the target is halfway across the globe, sending the spell across distances that are not mystically neutral, in a city the caster has never seen, to hit a target the caster has never known, and then, above all that, still perform in the manner that the spell was originally constructed. Be sure that the energies of almost any art do not care either way where they are sent and will not snap to attention to hit a target if sent into the Universe Express (overnight delivery).

6. Material Precursor

Many magicians attempt to cast Something From Nothing spells which causes them a great deal of difficulty. The work-around for casting functional spells is to put yourself in a position where there are chances/variables to manipulate. It is true, there is a lot of power in pure occultism itself, but it isn't enough to cause change. Many people look to make effects purely by their own will and an energy, but it is one (crucial) step short of actual magic. The Will/Energy combination is, to make yet another analogy, like a craftsman trained in the use of tools. The tools are insufficient to cause change by themselves; something solid must be there to work with. To complete the analogy, the craftsman must take the raw material of their trade (such as Chance, in the case of magicians) and use their skills (Will and Energy) on the material of their training to cause an effect. Do not try to cause change based on magic solely. It is a way to enhance or manipulate the powers that be, as point of fact, not an end purely within itself. Some of this sentiment is also carried in the Mystic Post Office error. Also, to qualify this, Material Precursor is only necessary when attempting to make a tangible change.

7. Prepare Today, Cast Tomorrow

A difficulty that some people get rutted into is the idea that they are long-life batteries for mystic energies. With few exceptions, this is not so. Ambient energy is always in flux and always active around the caster. "Collecton/Volition" energy and "Continual Casting" are two ways to learn, but it should be noted that the "collection" time in for the former is extremely brief. "Energy" is a staggeringly fast phenomenon and will interact with ambient energies, thus crippling or eliminating the ability to cast if one attempts to "hold" it in place. We can use the understood energy of Light as an example. Lasers focus light energy to create a more concentrated beam (Collection/Volition). Floodlamps gather as much light as possible and flood it in one direction (Continual Flow Casting). We only play the part of the director -the lens or the reflective directional shields -- in the casting. Be sure to keep this in mind while spellcrafting.

An Isagoge of the Castes

When considering your involvement in occultism, it is perhaps the most noteworthy thing you will ever do to make sure that you finish what you start. Aside from trying and failing, which will certainly happen periodically throughout your practice, the most frustrating thing one can do is to pick a discipline to follow, be it from the direct magic system or from another strain of occultism, and end up giving up on it at some later date. Finding a path to follow that you are entirely comfortable with as soon as possible can save you an enormous amount of grief, time, and effort. Like the Christian who turns Evolutionist, one of the worst experiences in working with a magical discipline is to find that, after some time, you did not correctly evaluate yourself in the beginning and have to start over again with a new focus (and sometimes an opposite focus), thus negating the value of many of your previous efforts and effectively returning to square one. To correct this problem, a proper understanding of what the caste system really is, why it is in place, why you may want to choose a specific discipline, and when you should choose it should be attained before striking out into occult studies.

The caste system of direct magic is a way to put a name to the different skills within the world of magic. In terms of labelling effects, there is no occult ability that has not been accounted for within the caste system. The unique types of energy that exist in the practice of occultism have been championed, throughout history, by each of the respective castes. This intense dedication to unravelling the mysteries of a single type of magic has uncovered a wide variety of abilities and has allowed occultists to learn the properties of an energy, including both its limits and its advantages, and has proven to be an effective way to harness the world around us.

The caste system was created, over time, by various unrelated groups who yearned for a more potent system with which to manipulate reality. Many of the early magics that did not dedicate to a single energy were haphazard, riddled with religion, and clumsy for situations where magic would have been useful. Observing this, certain types of casters have taken a name for themselves (now known as the caste names) and have worked exclusively towards refining the ability to use this energy in a meaningful way at any given moment.

A person may want to choose a caste for a number of reasons. Among the top reasons are that many occultists are seeing through the old trickeries of systems that are choking in the snare of religion or cultural influences. Another is that they are interested in actually gaining real power that they can use and be proud of rather than having to resort to impotent jingles and rhymes or having to use imagination to fill in for the failures of a system. The number one reason

that a person wants to use a caste, though, is usually because they know they can step above the twisted "anything goes" systems, or, conversely, the dogmatic tunnel-vision systems that exist, and can work with a selected power unfettered if only they had direction. The caste system gives this direction by identifying the energies and giving them discipline names.

One of the criticisms of the caste system is that it is one of the tunnel-vision systems previously mentioned, though that comes from a lack of understanding. It is a lesser known fact that, despite using different energies and different methods, many of the same effects can be achieved by different castes in different ways. It is true that each caste has a few unique abilities that will never be replicated by any other caste, but the majority of abilities do have an equivalent to be found in another art. The Necromancer and Healer, though quite opposite branches of magic, do share powers over life and death which overlap to a certain point. The Summoner and Wizard, though different arts entirely and using totally different methods, likewise have some overlap if a particular effect is desired. The difference is in how the effect is achieved, not if it can be achieved at all. What, then, is the point of picking one art if the abilities can be replicated? The answer lies strictly in two factors: The caster's preferred method (based on their nature), and the few elite abilities that can not be replicated.

How, then, does one determine their nature and which of the abilities offered by the castes would suit them? When do you choose a caste? The only answer to this question is to give it time and begin your practices as an eclectic caster. Sadly, "eclectic" seems to be a defensive clichee phrase in occultism equating to "I don't know and I don't care", quite often, but to begin one's practice without rushing a decision is usually beneficial if you remember that the time is being used as an self-evaluation period. It allows some leeway to understand your nature, how you like doing things, what energies and methods you most frequently use to get results, and to understand where your true needs lie. Using an observant and self-conscious evaluation method is always more fruitful than picking a caste based on which is most popular or which sounds like the most fun. To sum it all up, however, I spent one night in a bit of a tizzy figuring out how to best explain the phenominal misconceptions regarding the caste system and came up with the following (harsh) explanation: Originally from http://www.powertrip.net/~viza/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=35

I can already see, given the undertone of certain responses, that it is seen as an Honourable thing to say "I don't fit [into a caste]", as though people thought they were breaking some superstitious codex and exceeding legalistic boundaries in a bold move of individuality, freedom, and higher mystic enlightenment and clear thought, blah blah blah...

It's disgusting.

I will once again clarify exactly what the caste names are about, why they're there, and their proper and improper uses.

First, considering what the caste names are not to be used for: Definition of a caster's abilities (!) Restrictions on spell types Classification of occult/spiritual/life philosophy

These are the most common misconceptions ever -- and specifically the first one -- which cause people to think they're doing themselves an intellectual favour by shunning the castes in theory yet adhering to the direct magic system. The castes are not there to cram a person into a specific regimen. The castes are not there to tell you what is not possible. The castes are not there to conform you in any way, be it spiritually, morally, intellectually, or otherwise. Castes are NOT a topdown cookie-cutter way to force a person into working with just one energy type or to set their goals for them. Can people handle that?!

What the castes are for: A way to identify trends in magic. (i.e. A book of shadows over the last... year, for example... containing a sparse 150 spells: 10 are nature magic, 40 are death magic, 5 are summoning, 5 are enchanting, 70 are psychic, and 20 celestial) The OVERALL result is that this person is a Psi Mage. It helps to give yourself a focus. Perhaps, if you use it so much, does it not follow common sense that you may want to hone your most common skills a bit more? Of course. If you know you will ride a bike to and from work most days of the year and will drive a car only a half dozen times, what are you going to do? Learn to drive or learn to ride a bike?

The castes are also a quick way to find other like-minded casters and be able to talk things over with them. The use of a title infers that you spend the majority of your efforts using one strand of magic and sheds the guessing games involved in trying to find someone who will understand what you are doing.

The castes are nothing more than what is stated here. Ever so many ideas that they inherently restrict what you do or how you think have been heaped on by the so-called intellects who like bucking at anything that, god forbid, says that their method is not as unique as they thought and that it can be broken down into component parts. With that in mind, the caste system can continue to be used for the purpose of clarification and identification of one's own mystic needs as a service and utility, not the shackle it is rattled up to be by sheer misconstruance.

So what are the castes then? They are a structure system devised to attempt to encompass all possible spells within the realm of what we call "the occult" constructed as identified habits that long-term practitioners will eventally find themselves using. Humans are biologically and psychologically creatures of habit -- this is a foundational princple of every form of psychology. We will find ourselves using methods we find successful and will continue to use those methods, which gives rise to castes which have been named so that practitioners can more readily identify their fellow casters by using broad title references rather than explaining the intrinsics of each individual variation of practice every single time. With this understanding of the true purpose and meaning of the caste system of direct magic, learning how to manipulate energy can be used to help determine where a person fits (or doesn't fit) in the realms of the occult.

[Black Magic] The Touch of Darkness

Since the Middle Ages, magic in the popular western mind has been associated with the Black Arts and with that which is forbidden and condemned by religion. The association of the color black with material reality in both its subjection to destruction and perhaps its sensuous impurity seems to be universal amongst human cultures, but an association of black with evil and with death seems to be most emphasized in western culture; in China it is white that is associated with death (and deaths purity) and black that is associated with life and fertility, which although sensual and real rather than ideal (impure) are regarded as largely beneficial. The confusion of these semantic correlations with ethical and moral ones has wrought great confusion in the development of magical terminology, but this confusion can mostly be blamed upon religious belief structures. Hence, it is not in fact inappropriate to regard black magic an inherently anti-religious, although this by no means necessitates that it be regarded as evil. Black magic, as an art, consists of the use of what are called the Dark Ethers. Its power dwells in the channeling of chaotic force, similar to the premise in certain interpretations of chaos magic that the chaos is a definable tendency that manifests in ethereal patterns. Though occasionally difficult to distinguish from Necromancy (as defined in modern practice and on The Library of Knowledge), the Dark Ethers can be understood best as the focus of negative energy and, to put a slightly scientific spin on things, as Entropy. Entropy here being defined as the tendency of an energy system toward inertness through the breakdown of organized structure and pattern. The black essences are the power of negativity congealed and put to work by the focused practitioner of Black Magic. Notice this does not mean that Black Magic can have no creative application, but rather that its effect on things is a hastening of the natural breakdown/decay referred to as Entropy. Thus it is the opposite of the integrative function of White Magic - which is not strictly creative (consider cancer which is growth run wild).

When a novice magician becomes angry they are often fuelled enough to cast a spell in the heat of the moment which leads to the destruction of their target, hence the tales that are often told afterwards of a magician being so furious that a person's life was brought to ruin. Accounts of magics fuelled by hatred and negative passions are the essence of Black Magic, and the basis of the use of the Dark Ethers. This emotional firebrand is the means through which many magicians find their release. It is a way, in psychological terms, to vent themselves in a meaningful way. Unlike other venting techniques, though, these power manifest in the form of destruction on a target or targets. They can be used to influence the mind of a sentient target through inundation, to destroy the animate or inanimate target by inducing a concentrated charge of entropic force, or simply as any other energy to manipulate things around them in a

more subtle way. The old saying "The best defense is a good offence" is the rally cry of the black magician, and their methods often revolve around this philosophy due to the proactive nature of the dark energies. The ease of influencing and controlling dark ethers through the use of hostile emotions does not mean, of course, that this is the only way such effects can be accomplished. Ultimately, it is an orientation toward negativity that is the black magicians source of power, and thus, the cold fury of ruthless concentration or even the detached callousness of a dispassionate predator can accomplish equivalent results, although the tendency of most people to be capable of utter malice only when emotionally aroused makes intense passion a popular method.

By channeling their own spite, hate, anger, or even a simple will for destruction (which may or may not carry the previously mentioned emotional baggage) into a sentient target, the black magician actually has a curious ability to replicate these feelings in a human target with results somewhat reminiscent of demonic oppression. This ability to recreate spite, or any other variant of bitter feeling, can leave the black magician in a very good position. By eliminating the competition, black magicians can often seize rare and unique opportunities that would pass by the average person. Much like the politician who wins office by default, due to all other candidates dropping out or other such disqualifications, the black mage can truly seize the day and tactfully maneuver hirself into advantageous situations. Such a skill is undoubtedly the reason this art will never die out, and a defining ability within this caste.

Turning to non-sentient targets, the black mage remains undaunted, not needing to balk at many of the trivial things which bother the average person due to a keen sense of bringing a quick end to the discomforts of life. Enhancing the decay process of obstacles or using other variables under their control to crush adversity, even the smallest things in life bend to this overwhelming power. The specifics of where this power is usually applied remain foggy due to the different needs of the individual, but the point remains that, for a black mage, the issue is not a matter of "what shall I do?" but rather "what shall I target next?".

In this caste, more so than many others, Ripple Effect is something to be mindful of. Like throwing a rock into a pond, a disciple of this art must be wary of what they target and how powerfully they decide to influence the target. A rock thrown a fair distance into the pond splashes only in the middle of the pond and sends out waves that have all but dissipated by the time they reach the shore, but one thrown with too much force or too near to the edge will splash back. Not to trivialise this awesome power with examples of rock tossing, perhaps think of it more like setting dynamite. Regardless of the example used, however, this is also a facet of using the dark ethers that a black mage must consider: how will the spell affect the caster in the end?

Finally, consider that it is wise to remember that simply because black magic relies upon a perspective of negativity, the black magician has no obligation to pursue particular aims or goals simply on the basis of these goals seeming to be destructive. The dark ethers are a tool for the magician to wield, not a master or even a philosophy, and certainly not a religion. The black mage, finally, is cautioned to recall that only that which is already null or void is free from the influence of entropy, so ultimately the black magician must develop at least to some degree a capacity for complete detachment in order to avoid experiencing degradation as a result of contact with the dark power.

[Celestial Magic] Practical and Divine Theology Meet

Celestial magic is one of the hardest arts to pin down to specifics due to the vast range of beliefs and methods it covers. Among these beliefs there are a few constants which can be found, however, which embody what has become known as "Celestial Magic". Many practitioners of the art do not even acknowledge that they are using a form of magic at all, yet undeniably their practice focusses on what is classified as "magical effects". To attach a loose definition on Celestial Magic, it is the study of the interaction between deity and mortal, and the process of invigorating a deity to cause earthly change. There are a few things which are universal to the practice of Celestial Magic, as well, which help to identify consistencies in the overwhelmingly wide variety of techniques and beliefs.

First among the consistencies which define Celestial Magic is the mechanism of the art itself. Commonly known as "prayer", the principle method of communication between a chosen deity and the pracitioner is a pseudotelepathic link, emanation, or synergy brought about to gain audience with the deity. Prayer is a way for the practitioner to contact whichever entity they are concerned with to perform any of a few duties. Among the common activities of prayer are worship of the deity, appreciation (common in Gaia faiths), purification, sanctification, entreating blessings, entreating favours, asking for guidance, giving cares and worries over to the care of the deity, or (rarely) asking the entity to withdraw from a situation. This is nowhere close to an exhaustive list but should give a decent idea of what prayer entails. Prayer is the primary method of communciation between magician and deity in Celestial Magic.

The second constant of Celestial Magic is that the deity is always "spiritual". Celestial Mages do not pray to one another directly, as this would be telepathy (Magecraft, if by some chance it worked at all). The Celestial Mage has been named "Celestial" because they pray to non-physical deities with intellgence, and usually some kind of power over and beyond the terrestrial realm. Some deities are ethereal, some are astral, some are stellar (living among the stars, reputedly), and some are infernal (sometimes called "sub-planar"). Other spirits exist in an undefinable space, perhaps because they exist on multiple levels or because they change levels. Among the undefined deities are the Egyptian gods, the Judaic God "YHVH" ("Yod-heh-vau-heh", which is anglicized "Yahweh"), and many other cultural gods. There are far too many gods and deities to list here, even given a lifetime of study. The definition of a Celestial deity can be summed as what is commonly called a "greater spirit". This is the differentiation between Summoning and Celestial Magic, as well. Summoning works with spirits that are

largely still within grappling power of the Summoner. If something goes awry, there is a very good chance that the caster has a fighting chance against it since the spirits of summoning are also terrestrial. In Celestial Magic, spirits far above and beyond the realm of the caster are called to intervene as they can.

The last constant is in the workings of Celestial Magic itself. There are typical skills attributed to many Celestial mages that define the abilities of the art, in a sense.

Among these common skills is that of Divine Intervention. This is the most notable skill of the Celestial mage because of the opportunities it present, and the distinct advantage of the allowed complexity of a spell. Praying to a deity assumes a few things, but chief of these are that the deity is an intelligent being. Most spells by other casting arts adhere to the "Dumb Energy" rule wherein the respective complexity of a spell is by conscientious design. In Celestial Magic, this is not an issue. Given that a deity can (usually) be trusted to have some degree of intelligence and ability to identify the many factors in a situation, the Celestial mage can send spiritual beings to perform full goals instead of only tasks. This is a incredible asset for the Celestial mage, since they can essentially give an entire situation over to the care of a deity and cease to worry about it any further, trusting that the deity not only can perform a function but keep tabs on changes which occur between their evocation and the fulfillment of their goal.

Second among these skills is protection from a deity. Many times, in almost any Celestial lore or scripture, there were occasions for a deity to protect the caster. Greco-Roman mythology is rife with examples of deities protecting those they take interest in, the Bible has many stories where followers were kept from harm, Once again, a defining comfort of this style of magic is that the deity can observe a situation as it progresses and, usually, can adapt to circumstances as they develop. Because of the nature of higher beings, they often can either work with energies that exist, somewhat like having an archimage at your side at all times, and causes changes which will make a situation safe, or can actually impose their own essence and being on a situation and cause change by exerting a portion of themself.

Lastly, a common skill among Celestial Mages is the overpowering of lesser spirits. Having the power of a greater being at one's disposal, terrestrial forms can be overpowered, lesser demons can be vanquished, and many simple servitors can be dispelled. Ensorcerelled and enchanted items can be negated, occasionally, and other disturbing factors can be alieviated from the Celestial Mage if the deity of their choosnig is willing to exert its power.

Overall, the mainstay advantage of Celestial Magic is that of having intelligent deities to aid as is appropriate. They may know more than we do. they may have existed longer, they may be more familiar with magic than we are, and have the ability to consciously care for our actions and lives. There is a downside to this, too: Intelligent beings, like human or any other creature, may not like you. They may decide you are not thinking clearly and will do as they see fit, or perhaps will deem it "in your best interest" to withdraw from a situation and allow the practitioner to weather things out on their own. These aside, however, many people prefer the relationship aspect of Celestial Magic and consider it a wonderful form of magic (or religion).

[Elemental Magic] The Four Great Powers

As long as magic itself, one of the most fundamental abilities of a magician has been to attempt to control the four raw powers of the elemental system. The four refer to Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. The ability to feel these energies, understand them, and to move them is the study of the Elemental Mage. Throughout their practice different casters will experience different degrees of success no matter which art is practiced, but Elemental magic is often considered one of the most difficult arts to progress in and thus there are few practitioners. It is also difficult because of the nature of the magic itself: it deals purely with the real and tangible facets of the four elemental powers, not with the ethereal correspondences of the elements as an Enchanter would. As such, it tends to be seen as an "all or nothing" art where you clearly succeed or fail every time. Also, as a matter of practicality, few have a real need for this kind of power anymore (due to many of the necessities being provided for by technology) and thus the caste tends to be left behind, to a certain extent. Regardless of this fact, however, many have felt the call to gird themselves with elemental knowledge and harness the natural powers around them.

Focussing only on the physical manifestations of the four elements, each has unique uses and capabilities when properly applied. "Heat" energy, as we know it, is not perfectly synonymous with Fire magic. Though to an Elemental Mage the two are very similar, there is a missing aspect in the concept of heat which restricts it to this level. For the Elemental Mage, all things which produce heat are also giving off the mystical equivalent of heat energy. In this way, Fire energy can also be used to metaphysically detect things which produce heat, and even, in extreme circumstances, to focus the ethereal form of heat into a physical manifestation of flame itself, thus creating pure flame from seemingly nothing. Keeping in mind the physical principles governing combustion it becomes readily apparent why feats of this nature are rare, at best. Through enough practice and concentration, however, the Elemental mage learns how to absorb heat energy from all things around them, as a unified action, and bring it to bear against a target. This can be to warm the caster, to warm an inanimate target, or a friend. It can be used to find things generating heat, and to control preexisting sources of heat such as flame and mirage.

Air is another of the elemental manifestations, and is usually the first element an Elemental Mage finds control of. Due to its already volatile nature and tendency to change the Elemental Mage can find their first successes, usually, in attempts to change wind direction. Breezes can carry smell, keep away noxious fumes, cool the caster or something targetted by the caster, and may be the edge required to start a fire that just will not light. There are far too many uses of wind and air to be listed here; truly, we see the effects of wind every day, as even now we breathe the air and can describe what the wind conditions in our area are like. It can be used to regulate heat, it can affect our senses in various ways, and is an overall good place to start. Wind constantly moves, constantly changes, and in that spirit we may influence them without much resistance.

Earth, however, is the difficult counterbalance to Air. It is firm and reists all kinds of change, hence the Elemental Mage must exert themselves to a rare degree to find anything more than a nominal skill with this element. Earth is the foundation of most life, and by this merit it can be used to lend aid to dying plantlife, choke out undesired plantlife, sense creatures within the caster's spell range, and to basically know that which the earth would be able to relate (not as an intelligent entity, but as an extension of one's own senses, such as feeling the tremors of other animals, feeling the stability of a certain area to step on, etc.) Some Elemental Mages claim the ability to predict and cause certain events such as earthquake, famine, drought, siroccos, frost, snow, hail, sleet, fog, and other types of natural manifestation by making full use the the Earth element to gain knowledge and control of the environment.

Lastly, there is the practice of controlling the water. Water can be used in much the same way as Earth in that the tremors it carries can be interpretted by the Elemental Mage to extend their range of sensation and know things they would normally be oblivious to. Water abides in many of the things that we see daily. The air contains some, the ground contains some, and various materials or substances (including human flesh) have quantities in them. Elemental Magic concerning water can be seen in a great deal of cultures which still rely heavily on agriculture, and in the history of cultures which did. The "Rain Dance" is a prime example of water elemental magic at work. To cause rain to fall at will, or conversely, as the Biblical characters of Moses, Elijah, and the Two Prophets of Revelation 11, to cause it to stop is the baliwick of the elemental magician.

The abilites of the Elemental mage varies greatly, and intimate knowledge of the elements gives intimate knowledge of the physical world around and its innermost mechanics. To truly understand the world around an Elemental mage is only a matter of learning and harnessing the ways of nature.

[Enchanting] The Fusion of Essence and Being

An Enchanter (sometimes spelt "Enchaunter"; esp. in Old English circa 1300-1500) has a system worked out that is strikingly similar to that of the Elemental magician. The Elemental magician works with the four elements in their raw forms, casting fire to set objects ablaze. The Enchanter, however, does not cast fire to obtain the warmth or destructive properties of fire, but rather uses "fire" as a title for an ideal or notion of being. "Fire" to an Enchanter means that one is trying to infuse the qualities associated with fire into an object or being. Fire's attributes include things such as Life, Aggressiveness, Rapid Healing, Health, Strength, Power, Inner Fortitude, Courage, etc, etc. The list is virtually inexhaustible. This page will attempt to explain, at length, the major uses of the four elements and then explain a highly refined form of Enchanting affectionately called "Wishcraft".

This page will not make sense unless you understand, or at least have access to, a table of correspondences. Two good ones are: The Mage Page: Correspondences or Ludvig's Tower: Commonly Used Spell Components

Fire: The Enchanter approaches "fire" from a vastly different angle than any other art. Instead of the base use of fire as an actual element, it represents active energy. Fire is most commonly used for two purposes (though there is a very wide array of possiblities for this element; do not limit it to these abilities alone): Healing and Strength. To heal, an Enchanter must (true to their trade) enchant something for the true target to absorb the spell from. Usually a piece of jewellery is used. All of the gemstone and metallurgical correspondences must be adhered to when preparing to enchant (so don't cast fire into a lapis lazuli stone). For example, a ruby stone set in gold would be ideal. The ruby stone has qualities similar to fire, as does the metal gold. With this combination, a mundane ring can be made into a ring of healing. The Enchanter would take this ring to a place where they could concentrate, and would hold it. While holding the ring, the power of healing, warmth, strength, vitality, and well-being would be channelled into the ring so that the bearer of it would receive the aforementioned benefits. The Enchanter should be able to see the warm and furvent power of fire flowing from their own body and solidifying in the ring. When the ring is no longer able to hold any more power it is given to the correct person.

Air: This element is usually associated with the following attributes: Psychism, mental ability, intelligence, invisibility, covert operations, illusion, secrets, speed, protection (to a lesser degree) and magic. To use the element of air is to imply something of a non-tangible nature being used to affect the tangible. Air is often charged into amulets of the appropriate correspondence, such as silver metal and an moonstone gem, to make people invisible, more psychically adept, or to increase the power of the mind, such as wisdom, intelligence, or mental endurance. It is possible, with the element of Air, to turn a normal mundane into a low-

level Mage by increasing their control over their own mind and the minds of others. By the presence of this element, it is possible for an Enchanter to "bestow magic" on a person who is not naturally a very skilled magician (or a magician at all). Air can be used to increase speed as well, be it physical speed, mental speed, or, in an advanced enough state, the speed of time itself. Air is a very versatile element, and as a result, is able to pass on its versatility to those things it enchants.

Earth: The powers of earth, while not actually referring to the physical movement or disruption of the ground, still harbour the qualities that we value the earth for: Solidity, power, stability, defence, strength, endurance, defiance, immovability, firmness, etc. The power of earth is usually used not to create new attributes, but rather to keep and strengthen existing ones. Notice that the attribute of strength is present in the element of Fire and Earth. The difference between the two applications is as follows: If strength were bestowed by using the element of fire, a person would become strong, even if they were not before. Their strength through fire enchantment would be quick, powerful, and would fade as quickly as it came afterwards. Earth strength, conversely, would only enhance the existing strength of a person, but would be more resilient and last longer. Earth is a slower and more stable form of enchantment which allows the user to reap benefits far longer afterwards than any other element (supposing any other element was cast with equal or lesser strength). The mainstay of Earth is the ability to bestow endurance.

Water: Water is the basic element of life on planet earth. It is the healing source that regenerates the body and refreshes the mind. In Enchanting, it carries the following attributes: Calmness, reflectiveness, spirituality, passive psychism, divining, healing, peace, serenity, quietness, muting, quiet power, passive defence, and one-sided adaptability. Water is used mainly for three purposes: To defend against other magician, to tune your spirituality, and to heal. As a defence against other magicians, water is a key device. The trick to water is that it can not, per se, be used offensively. To mute another magician's magical ability or to simply protect yourself from stray spells or powers, an Enchanter casts a globe of water energy around another magician to stop the in/out flow of energy from that magician. To protect, a sphere is made around the caster which allows only their own energy to permeate the barrier. To be used psychically or to tune spirituality, one would find/create a reflecting pool and bless it with the power of water. Lastly, as a healing device, water can be used to re-open blocked energy channels within the body. Water is a passive but powerful force.

Wishcraft: Wishcraft is a different spin entirely. The art of Wishcraft is a subdivision of the abilities of an Enchanter allowing the greatest flexibility in purpose. Essentially, it the accumulation of all the elemental powers (known in massed form as Ether, or the "Spirit" element), which is sent out to perform a purpose. This is distinctly different from using the individual elements in one major way: the individual elements focus on performing one *task*, but an ether cluster under the influence of Wishcraft is sent out to accomplish a *goal*. A goal may entail many tasks, and that is what makes it such a unique skill. But, to qualify this ability on an equal level with the other elements, an ether sphere which has been released under the influence of Wishcraft is not nearly as powerful as a single concentrated element and is very difficult to produce in the first

place (since it requires the storage of not one, but four elements at a time, all of which conflict with each other). Wishcraft simply collects a sphere of the four elements, implants a full purpose in it, and lets it imbue to perform a duty. The mechanism of this ability is the recreation of intelligence, to a lesser degree, much like creating an elemental. More of this can be found through practice, however.

Many of the current philosophies of Enchanting can be found in select portions of John Baptist Porta's work "Natural Magick". It was written during the Scientific Revolution, at which time Magic and Science were seen to split, but he does retain some very clear carryover from old thoughts of associations and other mystic properties.

[Healing] The Touch of Life

In advanced healing we try to step beyond the the normal cantrips, chants and spells to reach the true mechanics and skill involved in the art of healing. We also attempt to learn how to avoid sacrificing our own energy or aura to heal another. I will explain both the methodology and processes of healing, as well as some of the abilities one can use in this art.

No matter what view one takes on healing most agree that the outer etheric/auric or simply put "non-physical" body takes injury along with the physical body too. It's believed that when physical damage is incurred, the etheric body becomes misaligned and small fissures begin to open up. These etheric wounds heal much slower and sometimes not at all (often the cause of chronic or reoccurring pain). This is the Healer's purpose: to realign and bring harmony to this etheric damage so the physical body can heal more efficiently. This can be done through a number of methods including (what I've termed) Auric Transference and the more refined art of Auric Healing.

Auric Transference is when the Healer will sacrifice his/her own energy and strength to bind the etheric wound. Most Healer's start at this level until they learn to channel energy and move on to Auric Healing. This method can be both taxing and dangerous if you don't know when to stop.

Auric Healing is a much finer, less simple skill. During Auric Healing the caster draws elemental energy into themselves and then expels it to use in the binding process. Once it's decided which method is to be used (I advise the latter as it is less taxing on your own energy supply), the caster must decide which process to use. My two preferred processes are binding and aligning.

Binding and Aligning are merely two different approaches to achieve the same goal. During a binding, energy (preferably channeled energy) is used to cleanse, close, and then bind or "bandage" the wound. Cleansing is to basically ensure any negative energy is removed from the wound.

Closing of the wound allows the natural energy field of the target to again return to a natural state and cycle. The binding of the wound is visualized much like bandaging a physical wound, and has the same purpose -- to ensure the wound doesn't re-open. Aligning of a wound takes less time but more energy, so this should only be used once you've learned to channel energy into yourself. The basics behind aligning is that you create enough energy to cause the other field to become supple and soft (this will actually create a noticeable heat).The relaxed field can

then be manipulated back into a normal, healthy state. Because during aligning you actually fuse the field together, no bandage is needed. *NOTE* To efficiently manipulate a field you must allow your field to come into contact with it, and then use your mind to see the movement of the field. Movement of the hands can aid with this.

There are quite a few abilities that invaluable to a Healer. The first is more of a necessity: that is being able to sense the auric field. This can be done either with sight or touch. People who can see the aura will notice marks or "stains" on the field, these appear black, gray, or muddier coloured. These stains are sights of damage to the etheric bodies or sights of physical pain. If you cannot see the aura, despair not! The same way blind people can function by feeling their way through things so can you. The etheric stains often feel like knotted tissue or hard/rough spots and can often make you feel slightly pained or ill. This is the way you will find your wound to work on closing. Other useful abilities can be clairaudiance and the use of a pendulum.

Clairaudiance allows people to clearly hear spirits or etheric entities, these entities will often impart information onto the Healer. Pendulums can be useful in finding damaged areas in the auric field. Another skill the healer can use is converting energy. For example if you just channel white energy and then expel it there is no specialized strength. But if while cleansing a wound (for example) you expel red energy you can more effectively break and dispel negative energy and physical bacteria. The commonly used colours in healing are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Any questions to the usage of these colours (or anything else) I will gladly answer.

Lastly I reach a section on defense. Just as a healer can channel energy from the elements, so too can they channel energy out of a target. This leaves the target weaker and the caster proportionally stronger. As the skill is not simple to learn, it is best to get as much practice healing and drawing elemental energy before attempting draining the life from a target.

Using the reverse of the aforementioned methods so too can the healer rip and rupture the etheric body. In these days when new diseases seem to spring like wildfire, Healers are probably one of the most needed individuals. Healers often concern themselves with the well being of others before their own, and the principles of truth, life, justice, and harmony.

[Nature Magic] The Path of Harmony Through Balance

The art of the Nature Mage, arguably, has been around as long as human kind itself. The interface between human and nature has always been a topic of interest to those that wished to find harmony. From the innate interest in our surroundings humans have found a mystic method, as well, of working with the environment in the form of Shamanic and Druidic magics -- nature magic, in general. There are some common threads that run along all of these varied traditions, however, and these are the things which define the use of the Nature magics. In all of these magics, the constant has been the use of spirits, a synergy with the flow of nature, minor Elemental skills, and the use of nature to restore itself.

Long before the days of the fantasy genre as we know it now, there were the stories and legends and beliefs of the magicians of nature. One part of their art was a communication with the spirits of nature. The legends of creatures we now call mythological being, or names drawn from that which some call "otherkin" and "elemental spirits", stem from a much earlier time. Stories of creatures that existed in the trees, in the waters, in the airs, and in or around many other things can be traced back with ease to early Greek mythology, which at that time was mystic belief. This tradition of communicating with the fae and sprites has been carried over into the realm of the Nature Mage. Undine, sylph, dryad, pixie, sprite, faerie, and other nature creatures are a natural part of the workings of many of this type of magician. Some creatures, such as some of the types of dryad, are said to inhabit trees or lakes (depending on the sort) and will aid the magician attuned to their presence and who protects their habitation. These creatures have been noted, throughout the ages, to speak to the magician and related the tales of the forest, or to induce pleasant dreams while the magician sleeps. They are known to keep away trespassers from their beloved nature, to influence targets designated by keepers of nature, to relay information to and from the animals, and to soothe general cares, more or less.

Also the in the realm of the nature magician, and most particularly the Shaman, is the desire to create a unity of being with nature. Instead of working outside the bounds of nature or attempting to use nature in the cosmic clash of wills, the Nature Mage attempts to fully understand the innermost mechanics of nature and become part of the mystic workings within that system to their fullest capacity. Towards this end, the forces of nature will naturally be attuned to the magician and will aid them, thus mirroring, in a way, the sentiment expressed by King Solomon (?) in the Lemegeton when he said "Magic is the Highest, most Absolute, and most Divine Knowledge of Natural Philosophy, advanced in its works and wonderful operations by a right understanding of the inward and occult virtue of things; so that true Agents being applied to proper Patients, strange and admirable effects will thereby be produced. Whence magicians are profound and diligent searchers into Nature; they, because of their skill, know how to anticipate an effect, the which to the vulgar shall seem to be a miracle."

This sentiment -- of working inside the confines of the natural world yet appearing supernatural through a more perfect understanding -- is at the very heart of the natural philosophy of magic and the use of nature's energy. In Druidic lore, this power was even given a name: the Green Man. The Green Man is a male form of the same sentiment of Gaia, or Mother Earth. The Green Man is the spirit of nature itself, in a way, almost an entity, yet not truly conscious insofar as having directed will. Much like the art of sailing does not "control" the wind, so the Nature Mage does not "control" nature; it is simply the use of these powers to their utmost given the circumstances.

Also tightly bound into this art is the use of the raw elemental powers. Elementalism, to a lesser extent, is a key to power in the nature magic theory. A common tie with the natural powers allows the Druid to access the lesser Elemental effects insofar as their aide the power of nature to run its course. However, this is somewhat of a side-note in the larger scheme of things. Another lesser-mentioned ability of the Druid is that of shapeshifting. If granted blessings by the Green Man, or simply through their own adept skill in the natural arts, some Druidic lore indicates that the ability to change into a wolf was possible (this ability is known as "lycanthropy"). It is not mentioned whether this ability is the actual physical modification of body, or whether it is only taking on the mind of animals (usually more specifically a wolf). Most assume it was a combination of the terror of enemies of the Druids combined with the sight of their apparel (which would have been furs), but, even if not actual lycanthropy, the art of Berserking and taking on "animal spirits" remains even to this day.

The last notable skill of the Druid/Shaman/Nature magician is their ability to use the restorative and firm properties of the nature energy to heal and renew to the end of the restoration of the natural flow of things, or to end unnatural disruptions. This has been done, in almost all traditions (though going by different names), by creating a Grove. The creation of a central place in nature where the magician can work from, somewhat as a centre of operations, is known for its ability to aid in physical rejuvenation and to once again align the misformed energies that may be present in a body. It is an ability which provides strengths for the creatures of nature at a Shaman's command, which maintains a balance, and which enables the normal way of things to resume. This grounding ability acts as a canopy through which the magician may take comfort, shelter, and may restore their energies once more. The eternal struggle between nature and chaos is one which continues, and at both sides there are always contestants. Order and Anarchy are always at each other's heels, and it is Nature that finds the balance between them.

[Psi Mage] Mind Over Matter

The art of subtle domination of the environment and one's surroundings is summed most perfectly in the art of Magecraft. The Mage is a highly intelligent, peaceful, mentally focussed individual who seeks the purest forms of control over themself, their surroundings, the people they meet, and the beings they come into contact with (a mage must be mentally calm, collected, and have a mind free from distraction, as an angry, vengeful, confused, or otherwise highly emotional person cannot properly concentrate). Everything aspect of life that concerns a Mage from day to day is domineered so that the Mage is always in total control. Magecraft, as a whole art, consists essentially of Psychism and Temporal Magic (Psionics).

The highly psychic nature of a Mage lends itself well to being developed into a finely tuned art. To sway living beings, a Mage must learn to impose his/her will with care. Usually, what a Mage does, is to begin with becoming one with their environment so as to distinguish between "noise" and thoughts. This will be discussed at length later on, so I will leave the detailed explanation until then. After a Mage has become accustomed to their environment, a Psychic Thread is opened between the Mage and the Target. This is often seen, with the inner vision of a Magician, as a yellow-blue thread of light which extends from the Third Eye of the Mage, to the equivalent of their target. This is not strictly the colour you must see, if you see anything at all, but is often reported as the most common image. The opening of a psychic thread allows the Mage to listen to thoughts, perhaps more in the form of empathy, in most cases, see past thoughts and to insert notions of their own directly into the mind of their target. This does not mean the target will suddenly stop and drone "Yes, Master?", but that third-party influence is possible. The pure energy of a psychic link is a phenominal experience, and not one that is soon forgotten. At first it may be hard to link with another sentient being, and it may feel as though only the surface of the targets mind is being penetrated. It is a fine way to start. A Mage will know the instant a truly powerful psychic link is formed. It is like having lived two lifetimes, and instantaneously feeling overwhelmed, elated and very God-like. Once the newness of the linking sensation has subsided, the Mage can then concentrate and will find that their own thoughts can quickly and simply become the thoughts of their target, if circumstances permit. This is because of the highly focussed energy that is supporting the psychic bridge. With the ability to read and write thoughts, so to speak, comes a new paradigm for the Psi Mage. In one respect, it is the call to honour. Having such power, misusing it is very easy. In another, it is a call to wariness. Having the power to influence a mind makes humans seem like large computer disks, in one sense, and freely manipulable. Take care and remember this: When the two minds are linked, the mage can not escape the effects given to a target entirely. The Ripple Effect comes into play, in this case, and reminds us that telepathic links are intimate and intense. Ruining the mind of a target can also adversely affect the mind of the linked mage.

When considering the use of these telepathic energies, many supposed possibilities present themself. Not the least of these possibilities which first jump to mind is sex, mind-invasion, and emotion draining. Remember the first caveat presented on this page, though? "a mage must be

mentally calm, collected, and have a mind free from distraction, as an angry, vengeful, confused, or otherwise highly emotional person cannot properly concentrate" were the exact words, and are also the very reason that all of the above options are none too wise (or even possible). Maintaining the crystal sharpness of a psi-prepared mind will take all the wits of a mage. Things that will make the mind stray are out of the question during practice -- a fact which must always be taken into consideration. Because of this, though, energy "gathering" such as prescribed on the Beginning pages may become tedious or hindering. Mages tend to prefer the alterative "nexus" approach right from the outset, as it creates a continuous and sustainable pattern that the brain may more easily follow. One way to use these energies would be used to open a channel between the caster and the target and to turn themself into an ethereal flywheel. The minds of the caster and target(s) then, with each spell casting, continuously feeds a Mage so that energy is not spent on the casting of the spell itself, but rather only in the spells initiation. After that point, telepathic power is assumed to be equally distributed. A link between the Mage and the environment is opened with energy, like most other castes, but is maintained through the "nexus" method. The Mage filters emotion, stray thought, or whatever else might be available through the linking of minds and may be able to interpret what is being received, to some degree. In this fashion, a passive acceptance of foreign thought is received and the spell can continue (as long as the required concentration level is maintained). It can hardly be stressed enough to be sure to learn your limits and never attempt to push things too far or too fast. The best approach to linking of this nature is passive reception instead of trying to force information out of people. Take things slowly, as a precaution, and do not try to probe the secrets of the world in one day. Empathy and telepathy are two means of learning through others, and of encouraging decisions with a mental nudge in accordance with the desires of the mage. Examples of this kind of control are seen in stories and legends of mages with soothing and strangely persuasive voices throughout the history of magic which have used this kind of control to their advantage as opportunities came about. This is not the end of a mage's ability, though. The last thing a Mage does is Temporal Magic, which is better known as Psionics.

Temporal Magic is also known as "Psionics". As the name implies, these spells have no lasting effect but rather are used for unreal pseudo-results over a limited time span. These types of spells are mostly different species of hallucination or mind trick played intentionally to make reality distort itself for a person over a short span of time. In this sense, Psionic power is the ability to make one thing seem like another, and to shift what appears to be real into another form. It should be noted that these are not actual changes in reality but rather, as consistent to the art of the psi mage, are temporary changes of perception. In this branch of psi magecraft comes the occult artform of illusions. Impressions of reality which can be transferred from mage to subject allows for mistakes of perception and seeming distortions more likely, with varying benefits or drawbacks.

Magecraft is a powerful art but, above all other caster types, requires a great deal of mental control and concentration.

[Satanic Magic] Deities and the Cosmos

Foreword: It should be noted that the satanism discussed on this page, though loosely based around the La Veyan "Satanism" (which is used here only for the convienience with which it breaks down satanic magic), does in fact extend to satanism as well (which is actually the true focus of this page). It should not be inferred that I support La Vey, or that the use of his analogies or spell structures means that I endorse anything else he says.

Satanism as a magical or religious art focusses primarily on one question: Why are we here? This site being about magic, not religion (though it does occasionally impose itself into the magical framework, and mostly so in the art of Satanic magic), I will ignore the various religious answers and move straight to the magical philosophy behind that question. Pop culture indicates one of two answers to the reason of our existence: 1. We are solely for the purpose of worshipping God the Creator, or some grand entity therelike, and to base our existence around pleasing this cosmic entity by following rules of conduct and morality. 2. We are here because of a big explosion which was followed by gradient evolution, relying on a chemical soup of unknown composition and mere chance to cause sequence after sequence of minor change over a span of millions of years to produce everything now seen. Therefore the supernatural is either non-existant, or doesn't play a part in life.

A Satanist once told me that this only presents two options: Poof or Bang (respectively). To a Satanic Magician, both of these options are unusable. If the first is true, then we are here only for worship to an omnipotent entity who shows no physical manifestation on earth. The Satanist poses the question "Why doesn't God speak with a thunderous voice any more? Why, if He exists, does He not prove His existence anymore with loud speeches and fire from Heaven? Where is the concrete, easily found and undeniable proof?" The second option is unusable as well. If random energy were to cause order in the universe, why does entropy exist? The Laws of Thermodynamics (and particularly entropy) prohibit the possibility of the theory of evolution from being true (cf. ARN.org), as is becoming more and more apparent in scientific circles (especially in the different sub-disciplines of physics).

So, now having discluded the two major views of origin, one wonders where the Satanist stands on this subject. The answer is "in the centre of everything". Satanic magic is focussed on the worship and building up of your own soul as unto the potential of a major deity. Every person, in the Satanic view, is a god unto themselves and an eternal being of equal potential power to that of any existing entity. The Satanic Magician may or may not, in this view, believe in Satan or other demons, and may not even pay heed to the existence of any kind of spirit at all. The important part of any mystic operation, to the Satanist, is the accumulation of basic terrestrial power and using this energy to manifest itself in a tangible and usable format in the visible mundane world. Instead of seeking power from the external world or planes, the search continues on an intrapersonal level, or perhaps with terrestrial entities (such as minor demons). This is the contrast between Celestial magics and Satanic magics -- one seeks aid from the outside, and another from the person.

Satanic Magicians are not bound by the moral rules or laws that typical magicians must adhere to. Their magical methods include only spells which bring satisfaction to themself through the use of infernal and/or Satanic powers. According to The Satanic Bible (I can not provide a link to it, since it's a copyrighted work that can not legally be reproduced without giving royalties, etc.), in the book of Leviathan it states that there are three types of spells available to Satanic casters:
Spells of Compassion

Spells of Destruction Spells of Lust

As is common to form, each will be discussed in turn.

Spells of Compassion may seem to be a contradictory concept, given that the Satanic magics are focussed on the caster as beneficiary but, in actuality, it is quite feasible that the caster can receive pleasure from the joy of another. When casting spells of compassion, as with other types of spells in the Satanic realm, one must be entirely sure that they could be perfectly satisfied with the results. A wonderful briefing on the topic of definitive spell-casting is a book by Aleister Crowley called Magick without Tears. The concept of casting magic without any remorse can be condensed into one example: If you were, for

example, to cast a spell to make your ailing friend well again, would you be perfectly happy if they were back to full health in a couple days? This depends on a few factors. Do you like your friend that much? Is he/she a nice person? Is their presence better than their absence? Things of that nature must fully be taken into account so that every spell is picture perfect.

The second type of spell is a Spell of Destruction. Once again, exactly like the considerations necessary for a Spell of Compassion, the idea of "Do you really want your spell to work?" (i.e. Magic without tears) must be taken into account. Often, the destruction of one involves the destruction of many. If, for example, you hate your boss so much that you want to cast a destruction spell on them, take the time to consider that part of your boss' destruction might involve the bankruptcy of his/her company which, being your boss, would also be *your* company. Also, be sure that a spell of this power is never used as a joke. You must be totally, entirely, 100% certain that you wish the absolute obliteration of your target. No "just hurt, don't kill" mentalities. The ultimate end of a spell of destruction is the death of the target.

The last type of spell is a Spell of Lust. These spells are very peculiar, in that lust is not a naughty concept for the Satanic magician. On the contrary, using sex merely for pleasure and the acquisition of power is quite common. A real, dedicated Satanist/Satanic magician is not concerned about the moral trappings of having sex and is quite free with the sharing and use of their body for such a purpose. After all, chastity and morality are Christian virtues, not a Satanic ones. Though Satanism the religion does not conscribe to the wild orgies commonly attributed to it through the media, Satanic magic does. I should note at this point that it is not a compulsory component of Satanic Magic to use sexuality for power, but only that it is a method. Satanists are often not counterculture and would be uncomfortable performing these rituals. If that is the case, given that the object of these spells is Self, it should not be performed. When a lust spell is cast, as per The Satanic Bible, the Satanic magician does more than perform the act itself; energy is also absorbed. Sex rituals can comprise a large amount of the power base for the Satanic magician because of the large amount of energy expended in both members during a stimulation/copulation ritual. This energy, instead of being ignored and going to waste, is absorbed by the Satanic magician and is channelled into a new spell.

Finding a real, dedicated, and unashamed Satanist is rare, a Satanic Magician even more so, and a truly skilled Satanic Magician is the proverbial "diamond in the rough".

[Sorcery] Raw Power and Dark Energies

The Sorcerer is characterized by an inherent need to explore the deepest, darkest parts of his or her self. Few are willing to do so, and even fewer can readily accept what they find when delving into the hidden regions of their own psyche. The Sorcerer, however, finds the pain and effort to be well worth it. The realization of ones primal desires, obscure passions, and emotionality brings great power, and raw power is what a sorcerer strives for. As such, most Sorcerers adopt an aggressive stance in their magical works. They tend to ignore whether or not they use their power for good or evil, and often dismiss such concepts from their lives altogether.

Though most of the Sorcerers lesser abilities are shared by many castes, there are some powers accessible only to those who walk the path of Sorcery. The first of these unique abilities is known as glamour. Glamour, a form of advanced mind magic, grants its wielder immense powers of persuasion. As a result of exploring the darkest regions of ones own mentality, the emotions and desires of others become apparent to the observant Sorcerer. With a little ingenuity, one can learn to bend those emotions and desires to his or her will. This is the basic underlying principle behind glamour. Through glamour, a Sorcerer becomes the pinnacle of persuasive ability, able to cause desires and emotions in others. For example, a Sorcerer speaking in front of a crowd may use glamour to help illustrate a point and win the group over to his view. This Sorcerer says the word fear and at the same time his entire audience becomes afraid. Though this aspect of glamour is powerful and useful in its own right, when coupled with its other element, glamour becomes a truly awesome force.

It is common knowledge that each persons point of view is colored by his or her desires. The Sorcerer makes good use of this knowledge to create illusory changes in reality. Using glamour, one can effect changes in ones appearance or create illusory objects or creatures. This is a difficult ability to master, for each persons desires effect them in their own way, but the Sorcerer is up to the challenge. The potential uses for this power are innumerable. Glamour is a force to be reckoned with, but not one to be used unwisely.

Various myths, legends, and stories speak of sane and goodly individuals who somehow come in contact with their shadow-selves, beings with no regard for others who are obsessed with getting that which they desire most. Notable examples include the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the evil twin mythos, and tales of opposite realities accessed through mirrors. These ideas have a common root in the Sorcerers ability to create Shades. A Shade, also referred to as a shadow-double, is an external projection of the Sorcerers primal desires that has been imbued with aspects of its creators mentality. Shades are semi-intelligent constructs that have only one purpose: obtain what it (and therefore its creator Sorcerers) desires most through any means necessary. Shadow-doubles can be directly controlled by their creators, or they can be set off on their own, and allowed to use their own limited intelligences to fulfill their goals. Either way, a Sorcerer rarely creates more than one Shade at a time, because maintaining even one shadow

double for a long period of time can be taxing. This is no hindrance, though, for even a single Shade is an enormous asset to any Sorcerer.

As stated above, the Sorcerers power stems from hidden passions, primal desires, and emotional obsession. The ability to truly know and harness ones raw emotionality and desires, though a useful tool in its own right for increasing the potency of spells and for the creation of Shades, opens the gateway to an entirely new level of power. That level is Twilight. Called the waking dream by some, Twilight is a dark wonderland at the edge of consciousness where the real and the unreal collide to form a world of unparalleled, if twisted, beauty. This realm of the mind is characterized by its extreme distortive properties, roiling energies, and occurrences bizarre enough to shock even the calmest, most accepting individuals. The manipulation of reality from this abstract level is perhaps the mightiest of the Sorcerers abilities.

The Twilight has many uses, the first of which is fairly similar to remote viewing. It is possible to look back upon the material world from the waking dream, though one may not like what they find. A Sorcerers view of the material through Twilight is warped and often disturbing. The perpetual distortion of Twilight causes the world itself, the very fabric of reality, to appear to ripple and twist. Phantasmagorical experiences such as the melting and reformation of seemingly solid objects before ones eyes are commonplace. A majestic city can seem a crumbling ghost of its former self, and blood or flame (or both) may fall from the clouds during a storm. Virtually nothing appears in Twilight as it does in the material, not even the Sorcerers loved ones. In fact, people, when seen in the waking dream, often take on a form that expresses their deepest wishes and most hidden secrets. Many are wary to look in on those they care for, for that reason alone.

When the sorcerer is not focused on viewing the material plane, Twilight often appears even more chaotic and unreal. It is an unforgiving environment, and as such, must be explored with caution. Once in a while, one may come across another being while navigating the realm. Though by no means common, the entities that reside in Twilight can be a great asset to the Sorcerer. They are self-contained intelligences and have an intimate knowledge of the interpretation and use of their phantasmal realm. The familiarity and ease with which these creatures can navigate and manipulate the waking dream is truly frightening, yet the Sorcerer works among them with reverence and wisdom. It is unknown how long precisely how long they have existed, and it can not be determined precisely how they came into being, but the fact remains that they exist and are greatly resourceful within their native environment. As in all dealings with otherworldly entities, caution is a necessity, but the benefits of association with these beings can far outweigh the potential consequences.

It is not without good reason that Twilight is otherwise known as the waking dream. Being the border between the real and the unreal, it is a direct link between the mind of the Sorcerer and reality as we know it. This is the final, and most powerful, use of Twilight. The waking dream is affected by the desires and emotions of the Sorcerer, and reality is, in turn, affected by the changes to the waking dream. Creating change from this level is difficult due to the volatile nature of Twilight itself, but with practice, experimentation, and wisdom one learns to anticipate for this distortion. The creation of a dark and blighted landscape filled with decay and

death may manifest in the material as a spell to cause despair. With time, a Sorcerer may even learn to turn the distortive nature of Twilight to his advantage. Sorcerers may draw upon the power of the ethers of Twilight to enhance spells that they are already able to perform. Minor Necromantic functions, for example, may be given unique properties when cast from the waking dream. Restraint must be exercised in this practice, for even a slight mishap can produce disastrous results. Nothing short of intense study and cautious experimentation will make this use of Twilight worthwhile.

The unique art known as Sorcery is one which knows no bounds and has no limits, except those which are allowed by the user.

[Summoning] Concerning the Planes

The angels of God and the celestial beings of the Kabbalah have often struck some magicians as perhaps a bit too pure and rigid in nature to be truly useful. Purification rituals, prayer to God, and requesting holy or divine assistance in containing demons, as a Celestial mage might, strikes some as too much for too little. Furthermore, supplication to any deity to fight with or control another is seen as an ethereal injustice of the most intense kind. In the tradition of direct magics, a counterbalance was born to work with the spirits instead of against them -- as a sort of synergistic cooperation rather than playing "bigger guns" between entities. The Direct Magic method of summoning does not try to enslave spirits into service, but cooperates with them and has both the summoner's and the spirit's best interests in mind simultaneously.

The practice of summoning using direct magic stems back to the idea of pacts between the spirit and Summoner. While most methods of the time call on God or higher spirits to watch over the Summoner, the idea developed that instead of fighting with spirits much too high for one's own capability, perhaps a greater number of lesser spirits could be called for the same effect, or, just maybe, that calling the correct spirit the first time might be preferable. Demons would not be imposed upon with their supposedly stronger counterparts or forced into unwilling service by other beings, but would be given an opportunity to work their will as they usually would in a situation which is pointed out by the Summoner. If one wanted to see the death of another person, for example, instead of following the bloated and God-fearing rituals of Solomon or creating trinkets and adhering to the purity rituals of Abramelin, the Summoner would call a lesser demon of death and simply point out the target. Since this is a demon of death, which in the natural order of things would be in the business of causing death anyhow, the Summoner only asks that their particular instance be considered before the demon returns to random works. The demon obeys, in this case, not because they are compelled to by force but because they are compelled to obey their own nature. A demon of greed fosters greed, and that is its nature, and likewise a demon of lust fosters lust and that is its self-imposed duty. The Summoner plays the part of spiritual coordinator, in this sense, merely showing preferential targets to the appropriate demon through their refined skill to communicate with spirits on their level.

The trick then, as you may have wondered by now, is how the Summoner might avoid becoming the victim rather than the guide of these entities. The secret is in synergy. Whereas the arrogant high magicians command demons in the name of God, the Summoner submits their mind totally to the nature of their wish before attempting to summon. To stay with the same examples, a Summoner

would allow themselves to think of greed, meditiate on greed, feel of greed, and be consumed with greed during their pre-summoning preparations instead of attempting to purify themselves. They almost become the very essence of the demon they wish to make use of. This demonic synergy then is "vibrated" when the Summoner is ready. No circle is cast, no words are said -- only the emanations of the essence of the demons they wish to attract are radiated. This spiritual homing beacon may attract from one to many legions of spirits which are intent on increasing their dominion. Having come to the Summoner, who is already "pure" in their estimation, they will seek a new target. This is when the Summoner emanates what a good target would be. The demons then leave the Summoner to fulfill this new task and spread their dominion and the Summoner may relax and recover if they are able without having to worry about angry demons or closing circles or banishing or any other form of abrasive control methods. This method is seen as the proper way of doing things, in many cases, because of the fail-safety -- you cannot summon a demon stronger than your ability to radiate the vibrations, and the method itself is a guarantee of immunity from being targeted.

There are five mind-states that the Summoner utilizes in the execution of his art. The most fundamental and basic of these is disassociation, which involves the Summoner disidentifying with his usual egocentric personality structure, being able to observe it from a point of detachment. This both protects him from being bound in obsessions upon particular beings and gives him the flexibility of consciousness necessary for the other four states. The most important of the other four is what is known as transvocation. This occurs when the Summoner identifies with a summoned entity rather than his own personality, but unlike full possession never results in loss of control or loss of consciousness. The Summoner simply gains access to the perspective and powers of the transvoked entity depending upon how successful and complete the transvocation is. The next two states are those best suited to classical evocation and invocation. In evocation, the Summoner adopts an entirely impersonal consciousness, and by shifting his perception, aligns his will with his environment in such a way as to facilitate the manifestation of an entity externally. In invocation, he aligns his consciousness in such a way that the entity manifests internally, within the mind. Having experienced these four altered conditions of consciousness, the Summoner will discover that what seems to most to be normal consciousness is actually a fifth state called the Ipseic (from Latin Ipsus, meaning self.) The Ipseic state is the state of complete identification with a personality or point of view to the point of overcoming all disassociation. Experiencing the Ipseic state deliberately functions as a release of tension for the Summoner, as well as a supreme protection against potentially hostile influences.

Facility with these five states will tend to produce the experience that consciousness is simultaneously one and many, as well as the experience that the one can seem to be reflected in a way that appears to make it objective. This is known as casting forth the shade, which is also known as the fetch or

famulus and more popularly as the familiar. The meaning of this term seems to be related to the condition of the familiar as a perfect double of the summoners own personality-complex. To radiate one's own persona, in this sense, is to call a spirit that function as the ideal companion, ally, intermediary, and balancer. Having a spiritual counterpart, many summoners find they do not require the aid of other more specific powers because the Familiar can be consulted for all manners of information or aid. Familiars, to put not too fine a point on it, are the spiritual equivalent of the caster themself. Though the emanation of the entirety of one's personality is not small task, to put it mildly, it is a possibility that many Summoners have taken advantage of in a very practical way. The familiar spirit is considered one of the greatest assets of summoning because there is no need to "lie" about what you want or feel. The familiar understands the thoughts of the Summoner because, in essence, it is nearly identical to the Summoner in every respect, save for corporeality and experience. To describe the actual method of summoning the Familiar defies the constraints of language due to the necessity of the Summoner being able to multiply divide consciousness between various of the five states in a pattern particular to his own style of utilizing them, but the term Ipseity of Otherness comes close to describing the experiential moment of the Familiars manifestation.

[White Magic] The Spirit of Serenity

The term "White Magic" was coined, initially, so that there would be a diametric opposite in the occult world to the practice of black magic. Developing initially only as a counterbalance to that art, White Magic has come a long way and is now a fully developed art with a distinct characteristic: the use of White Light. The "White Light" is an energy form, of sorts, which has come to popularity in the last 50 years or so, progressing in equal measure as the New Age movement merges into society. With the New Age movement at full tilt, the use of White Light has finally achieved the recognition it so deserves. Often incorporated into healing works, spells for defence, as protection during attempts at psychism, and as a purifier, the White Light is primarily used to set right those things which would interfere with the normal operations of life.

Used in healing, there is a tendency for a White Mage to take a different approach than the standard Healer. Instead of realigning that which has fallen out of order, as would be common practice for a healer, the purifying potential of the ethereal light acts more as a benevolent chemotherapy, wiping out any and all foreign energies of any sort, thus granting a fresh start. This mighty boon is one of the many uses this energy is put to. There are no known side effects to using this energy, and those that practice with it on a regular basis can not say enough about the restorative powers they have gained. It is a flushing out of energy which might conflict with the interests of the ill host, and a replacement with the pure (almost holy) power of White Magic. It will not be the same as a conscious realignment of the ethereal body as a Healer may try, but it has been known, nonetheless, to achieve miraculous results. To calm the mind, the cleanse the spirit, and to refresh the body through the use of the potent energy of the White Mage has long been an inspiriation to many castes, and it is the foundational power through which some forms of psychism, wizardry, and summoning have found safety and security. Healing, for a White Mage, does not end at the body, though. Healing of this sort extends further to include what kind of vibration the host is emanating, the condition of their aura, and the state of their mind. It is a complete revival of one so imbued, and is indeed the definition of "blessing", to a large extent.

On top of the internal and healing aspects of this art is the ability to affect the outside forces. The world is filled with interference, and the White Mage understands this. it is their art's unimposing nature which fully brings to light this facet of life. Instead of falling victim to the whims of other casters, as indeed most magicians do, and instead of becoming the unfortunate target of some errant ripple initiated at some level, the White Mage hones the ability to defend themselves by refining defence techniques. The axiom often used in this

art is "It is easier to create one solid defence than to destroy multiple enemies." Taking this ideology to heart, as is easy to do in this caste, the White Mage often devotes at least a small amount of time in their studies in finding immunities against other types of magic. This is not (usually) so they can walk around and jeer other casters (as would be foolish to do), but to prevent the "helpless victim" syndrome that many fall prey to. The misconception is that the White Mage is defenceless, but indeed this could not be further from the truth. They are the most highly defended caste of any and tend to be the most mindful of making sure they are not being tampered with mystically. The means to this cleansing is found in another landmark ability of the White Mage.

Purification and cleaning of an area before attempting a mystic working is nearly tantamount to the casting of white magic itself. The purity of the nodal environments made by a White Mage allows them to sufficiently amplify their power enough to keep any and all other mystic influences at bay while ensuring the magician themself suffers no such impotence. This ability -- to purify an area through the use of the white light energy -- manifests in many forms. While casting a spell, many White Mages find it a benefit to first purify the area they are working in. This same sort of procedure is found in many ritual magicks, as well, thinking specifically of Wiccan and High Magick methods of creating consecrated space. Within this nexus the White Mage finds their strength and solace. It is an area where they can not be assaulted by the mystic noise of the outside world and where they can properly use their energy of choice in the most appropriate manner without hinderance. Likewise, when some thing or being which is not synched with the nodal powers of the White Mage, it either must align with, leave, or overwhelm the power of the White Mage; there is no compromise.

To understand the interaction of this energy with the other mystic and terrestrial energies of this world is vitally important. In discovering how these forces interact with one another, the White Mage can find themselves at perfect peace. The secret is in their ability to bring stillness to the other energies of this world. Often called a "mute" spell, the pure energies of the White Mage can be used as a cushioning against the malignant and chaotic energies of the outside world. Peace can be brought to a given situation, greatly in contrast to the Black Mage's ability to bring destruction, through mindful imposition of these powerfully sedating energies. Negating and sometimes even completely halting other mystic operations, supposing the caster has enough skill, the white light can be used to find a perfect peace in an otherwise chaotic and disorderly environment. The halt of the virtual mystic maelstrom that screams around most people as they obliviously continue through their day is said to be an experience of pure invigoration like no other. White Mages who have used this ability, according to one legend, find that time seems to stop. It is as though all the cares and worries of this world are left behind, the cacophony of life is silenced, and all things are perfect in the consecrated space of a white mage. Their perfect sanctuary, created through the application of the white light, is a haven and resting place for those lucky enough to experience it.

[Wizardry] To Tinker with the Multiverse

"When a lesser body enters a greater, though the two are inseperable, the smaller constitutes a fragment of the whole. The mind that returns to the source becomes the source." -- David Zain

The art of the Wizard is one that has always been buried in misconception, even from the first uses of the word in association with practitioners of magic. Etymologically, "Wizard" traces back to the meaning "Wise Man", more or less. The art of Wizardry has always consisted of a rather intangible concept -- that of being a master of the universe around them -- which keeps even the seasoned magician baffled. The far-seeing eye of the Wizard is something which has earned the caste a great deal of respect over the ages as wise men, soothsayers, and ones to turn to in the time of need. Having an adept understanding of the workings of the world, the calculating mind of the Wizard is truly something to admire. Their skills focus on the use of other planes in such a calculated and perfect way as to know the workings of this plane as well, and to be able to use this knowledge to their benefit as necessary.

The primary playground of the Wizard is the well-travelled, well-known "Astral plane". This is one among many planes which exist, and one which responds to the thought of the observer. The Wizard makes extensive use of the malleable properties of this plane and projects to it often as a means of gaining more information about a given situation. On the astral plane not only can a real and current situation be duplicated, but it may be played out in advance to foresee (albeit in a limited fashion) the outcome if variables do not change and supposing that the initial projection of the wizard was accurate. Though this ability is novel and useful in its own right, it would be much easier to simply turn to divination if that were the end of it. In addition to the current scenario being projected onto the astral plane, new objects, variables, and modifications may be added at will to use the plane as somewhat of a testing ground in which the Wizard may discern the most expedient means tocontinue in the mortal realm at no expense to themself. This can be done on a very small scale as in, for example, tossing a rock in a pond and seeing where the ripples go, or on a larger scale such as what a shower of boulders into an ocean might do. The example is obviously silly, but the point remains -- any scenario may be tested using the projective power of a Wizard. This special knowledge allows the practitioner to always be in the right place at the right time and be prepared for anything they might have foreseen. It must be noted and stressed, however, that an incorrect projection of the nature of the real world onto the Astral plane results in incorrect results and distorts the astral experiment. The art of the Wizard then, in this facet, is to refine emulation of the real world and the new variables (if any) introduced. This plane is useful for more than reality simulations, however. The fact that movement on the astral

plane churns at the speed of thought itself, and the other point that the mortal world is visible from the Astral plane makes it a splendid tool for remote viewing.

While foreseeing the mechanics of the mortal world and observing it in either its current state or its plethora of potential forms, the wizard is also given an opportunity few are afforded -- encounters with astral entities. The astral plane is not uninhabited if one looks closely enough. Encounters of all sorts with creatures of varying types are common enough on the astral plane. Among other things there are other humans out there, but report of demons, and moreso angels, are commonplace. The crystalline astral plane is a cosmic observatory from which many creatures influence earth. The why and how is left for the practitioner to discover, if they wish, but the fact remains that it is a definite advantage to be able to communicate with beings which have more knowledge and skill than oneself. It should be noted that, as with any entity on any plane, the truth of its information and discerning precisely what interests the entity has in revealing information is sketchy at best. Using plain sense, intuition, and deduction, a great deal of misinformation may be cast aside and the chaff may be separated from the wheat. Also with these entities, as with real life in the mortal plane, some may be hostile and some may be friendly. Being cautious in all cases is ever-important until one understands precisely whether the entity can be called friend or foe. In case of trouble, there is a distinct advantage: simply dropping back into the physical plane until trouble subsides. Though the astral plane does indeed affect the physical realm, it is rarely a powerful effect. Taking refuge on this level of existence is always a possibility in the beginning stages of experimentation while one is still unfamiliar with working on such a level.

Having the knowledge of the astral entities (of varying degrees of validity), the ability to work out the results of any given scenario (depending on the Wizard's skill), the only thing left is execution of change on the mortal world. This is also be done from an otherworldly vantage. Instead of sudden and blatant changes, minor modifications may be made to the mortal world which in the end make drastic change on the outcome of an event. The wizard so totally may master their environment through their foresight and ability to effect changes from the other realms that it seems like no effort at all to make huge changes without making a scene. The subtle perfection of making minor changes on the pristine astral plane allows for a grace not found in other arts. By influencing events one way or another, be it few or many, in different strengths and combinations, even enormous change can be effected. The precise mystic coordination of the Wizard, combined with their foreknowledge and pivotal tinkerings allows for the most genuinely subtle method of molding the world. In a plane where reality is shaped by thought, the wizard is Master. The ability to bring these changes down onto the physical realm enables for vast and varied abilities limited only by imagination and skill. The ability to cause these changes is perfected into an occultic science through Wizards, and in time their profound familiarity with the nature of interplanar changes allows for a respectable

repertoire of abilities and gifts. The eloquent beauty of appearing to do little but change much has earned Wizards honour and respect throughout the ages, and rightfully so. Best of luck to those who embark down this path, as the rewards are virtually limitless.

[Necromancy] The Study of Death

Death magics have been around for as long as humans have grasped the concept of using magic of any form. Even the most basic division of magics must include a segment for that which is known as Necromancy. Though Necromancy currently has a functional etymology to it, this was not always the case. In the medieval ages, "Necromancy" was called "Nigromancy", meaning "Black Magic" (interpreted as that which harms the person). Later on, as "Nigromancy" came to be altered into "Necromancy" through Greek and Italian influences, the art gained a new face. Now, instead of simply being an art of injuring the human, it came to also be associated with graves, graveyards, spirits, and primarily of channelling dead spirits like a medium and working with The Angel of Death (cf.http://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos195.htm) and heavily influenced by Catholicism and ritual myth or superstitious beliefs about bodies of the dead (cf.http://www.geocities.com/samedhi69/samedhi69.html). These associations, however, are clearly tainted by the early overwhelming dominance of Christian and Catholic thought, which turned the art into an "evil" sacrilege. As such, the beauty of the original Necromancies had been temporarily lost.

As time has progressed and information may now be more freely shared across the internet, the new breed of Necromancer is capable of once again delving into the secrets of death and of illness, as before. There is a quote floating around on the internet which fully expresses this new freedom by reflecting on past oppression: "Once there was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time is called the Dark Ages." Now that information can be freely spread, trends in the use of death magic can be seen and formed into a new and pure art of death magic once more with the creeds and cantrips left at the door. In contrast to the Healer, the Necromancer embraces those powers which kill, decay, and decrepidate, and attempts to put them to use. This power goes by many names, but primarily among true Necromancers as Death Essence. It is the power which kills, harms, and causes decay, and that which is of foremost interest to the practitioner of these death magics.

The Necromancer runs into a dilemma while using these essences, however. Regardless how one may try, the fact of the matter is that even Necromancers are living breathing human beings. As such, not even the seasoned practitioner can escape the baneful effects that these energies have on the body. Advanced aging, hair loss, sallow skin, and a gaunt complexion are all traits which are associated (in varying degrees) with the seasoned practitioner. Though the effects may only manifest as internal pains, as well, the fact is that to gain power in this art requires that suffering be present. The Necromancer's sacrifice for power is often scorned or considered madness, but for the practitioner it is worth the pain. To gather a sufficient sum of energy, the pain of the Necromancer's own suffering is channelled into a Necromantic Curse, or into a Servitor Summoning. These two components are the basis of every Necromantic spell. Traditionally, the entire art of Necromancy has been broken down into these two branches. The most infamous aspect of necromancy, without doubt, is the creation of phantasmals and undeads. The less flashy but more used aspect is the directapplication of the death essences in

curses, the imbuement of fetishes, and the decrepitation of organic entities. Addressing the problem of personal decrepidation, however, there rose a spin-off skill of necromancy: vampiric magic.

Vampiric magic is a particular fringe skill of Necromancy focussed on helping the necromancer survive the ordeals of coming in contact with death essences. Instead of simply locking down and bearing the ill effects of death magic, Vampiric magics were born to shoulder some of the weight by allowing a degree of rejuvenation as well as the effects of necromancy to coexist. Only this much is the truth behind vampire tales and the vampire cults that exist around the world. Though there are no "vampires", per se, there are those necromancers that have refined the ability to use death to drain from the life forces of others. The precise means of doing this is up to the caster to discover but, through absorption of the life forces of other creatures, the necromancer can waylay many of the adverse effects of their art and retain a relatively normal degree of health and well-being at the expense of others. Though there is no proof that this kind of magic can actually extend life beyond the normal duration, it has shown the power to counteract the negative effects of using death magics and to allow the practitioner to live normally. Historically, vampiric magic has taken many different forms. There are those that have consumed real blood in attempts to drain life, based on ideas as far back as the Bible's statement that ".. the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev. 17:11), sexual vampires (hearkening to Aristotle's claim that life is in the sexual fluids of either gender), and those that drain life force purely, somewhat reminiscient of the breathism and psychic vampire traditions 1. Note that vampiric necromancy does not mean you're a vampire, but is an appropriate metaphor for the nature of this skill.

A common mistake to make when attempting to utilize the direct applications of Necromancy is to get caught up in thinking of the effect. If the effect, for example, is to make a person go blind, the most common mistake is for the would-be Necromancer to attempt to try and "think" a person blind. Necromancy, as with all the other castes on The Library of Knowledge, contrasts from the Ritual Magicks because of its use of a) a distinct energy type, and b) a distinct methodology in using that unique energy. The would-be Necromancer's most common grief is that they can't "Think Blind" or "Think Sick" someone. The key is in keeping your mind on methods, not effects, and in working the methods of necromancy into an occult science. For example, as one may wish to use the blindness spell, there are a few ways to do it. All ways, however, require one to plan their spell out. That, by definition, is what makes a spell a spell. It's a mystical blueprint for the methods of magic. If I wanted to cause blindness, given that Death Essence is the energy a Necromancer works with, the most easy and obvious way to do this is load the eyes of your target with sufficient death energies. The absorption technique outlined on the Beginning 2 page works for Death Essence as well, and its the Necromancer's own pain and decay from absorbing these energies that is channelled into the target. It is much more complex than this example if one literally intends on striking someone blind, but the principles are there. The minor backlash the Necromancer receives throughout their entire body, however, is diminutive compared to the effect of channelling such a vast energy into a concentrated area of a target. With enough effort, this spell will cause permanent blindness, or with a bit of manipulation can deviate to cataracts or optical cancers. Kept in its undeveloped stages, which is sometimes preferable, the Necromancer can blur, dim, or outright blind whomever they choose (though never without consequence). Other effects are attainable by using the very same energy in different configurations and places on your target, and altering

properties of the energy's performance slightly. Blanket-effect spells are also possible, though they drain more from the Necromancer due to the greater amount of energy needed. Aside from the direct application of death energies to an organic being, however, there is also the unique ability to congeal the essences into a form or shape, thus allowing the famous Undeads and Phantasmal servitors.

Legends of the Zombie, Wraith, and Skeleton have been attached to necromancy for as long as it has gone by that name. Visions of the Dead and other such strange phenomenon have been attributed as commonplace to the Necromancer in myth and fable, often making the Necromancer seem insensitive, evil, and morbid. These creatures are used, however, in a manner that shows clearly a Necromancer understands the undead's psychological effect fully and that the caster truly feels and appreciates the terror in them. The existence of undead creations of a Necromancer are not fable, yet a few misconceptions of their origin, nature, and ability have arisen. As for origin, it should be noted that Necromancers are not able, nor have they ever been able, to raise the physical bodies of the dead to reanimation in any way, shape, or form. The flesh that has died is dead forever, and that is all there is to it. No amount of spellcraft can return the physical dead to physical animation again, for love, or will, or power. The Necromantic Undead is a creation of the caster's own mind as the result of concentration. Things such as form and motion are consciously preordained by the necromancer and are constructed in much the same way as an elemental servitor might be. Thought-forms given shape and empowered with the death essence may serve the caster in much the same way as a demon might, or some other independent intelligence, with the one exception that these servants are directly controlled by the caster and have no decision making ability outside of the caster's conscious guidance. These undead or phantasmal servants are given form purely as the Necromancer shapes them -- usually in the form of grotesque terrors of the mind -- and move, exist, or operate only as the controlling caster deems fit. They are unreal, in the sense of being self-sufficient or substantial, and are necessarily a hallucinogenic projection. As with any spell, the skill lies in the Necromancer's ability to manipulate these creatures to perform with some similitude of fluid movement. After they have served a purpose, concentration may be broken and the ethereal construct can vaporise.

There are many more surprises to be found in the art of necromancy, but at a price. Success is met with personal anguish and the price of victory -- pain. There is no way to sidestep the long hours of hard practice necessary to make this art work, but in the end it is the Necromancer who twists the death ethers to their will and stands as the scholar of magic and master of their own destiny.

: An excellent study in the historical and occult aspects of vampirism, aside from the RPG kiddies and pseudointellect vampire groupies, is The Natural History of the Vampire, by Anthony Masters, Granada Publishing, 1972.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Wow. I am overwhelmed with the positive response this site is generating. I actually have an email buildup every single day to reply to, suggestions for the site are a common thing, and sometimes people just send letters of appreciation. The enormous feedback really makes me feel like this whole effort was worthwhile.

Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and their respective responses) which should help out those who are beginning or travelling an already beaten path, metaphysically speaking. These questions should reduce the repetitive nature of email responses. If you don't see your answer here, feel free to message the appropriate Master for more information. Also, please forgive the first few questions and their rather blunt "No" answer, but I'd like to get them out of the way first.

Q: Can you help me choose an art? A: No. End of story.

Q: I really like the art of __________ but I also like the art of __________. Which should I pick? A: Why are you practicing magic, again? It's not about which is cooler or which one looks better or is more interesting to you. It's a pure matter of utilitiarian theory. Figure out why you need magic in the first place and choose the most appropriate route to claim that end. Not I nor any of the other advisors will be able to help you choose. (See also the previous question.) There are too many people that think they'll learn magic only to go blast their friends and be the talk of the town. The idea behind the fourteen castes is to create a functional nomenclature that can encompass the unique "strains" of occultism and give one's overall practice an effective blanket term based on the primary energy used to create an effect. Much like we say "teacher" or "doctor" or "lawyer" as a substitute for describing each component of our occupation to everyone who asks, the caste labels help us broadly identify where we fit in the world of occult cosmology and give a common ground for like-minded practitioners to discuss their art. See also the Intermediate 3 page entitled "An Isagoge of the Castes" for further explanation.

Q: Can you give me a starter spell to begin in my art? or Can you give me a spell for _________? A: No. Each magician's "first spell" should be intimately related to their answer to the third question of The Three Questions of Magic. Not even with a full, detailed description of your situation, desires, goals and whatnot could I ever

determine exactly how you should begin. The first spell sets the trend, often, for the rest of the magical workings you'll ever do; such an important thing should not be set by strangers. Also, spells can not be traded as though they were hockey cards. If you want a spell, you'll have to write it on your own. Your own ability will never exactly match that of any other person, so your spells may be anything from strikingly similar to vaguely related when compared to the rest of the spell-writing occult community. (See also the previous two questions.)

Q: Why is there such an enormous discrepancy between the PDF ebook titled "The Library of Knowledge" and this site? A: The PDF entitled "The Library of Knowledge" is indeed based off this site, as is obvious from the direct abstraction of many phrases from the pages, but it should also be equally clear that this PDF is barely speaking of the same thing in practice. It is a derivative work which is both unliscenced and which inaccurately portrays the views expressed on this site, yet still carries the site's title and large portions of the text. The Library of Knowledge has undergone a great deal of change over the last few years as the site has changed webmasters, ideas are re-analysed, semantics are tinkered with, and new ideas and feedback from practitioners emerge, but no amount of retrograde modification on my part has produced the abomination seen in the PDF version stolen and rewritten by "The Preacher". This copy is unauthorized because the site is not yet at the point where I am completely content with the way things are portrayed, and also because it is always being updated with new information as it becomes available, but mostly simply because it barely resembles this site in many respects and gives many people ideas, implicitly or explictly, that will likely hinder their progress. People familiar with the plagiarist "The Preacher", having looked at other works he has "converted" illicitly, will quickly notice the nasty habit of altering texts so they're more fun, perverted, or entertaining (such as his rewrite of the Papyrus of Ani). I do not endorse this PDF copy and would encourage people to delete the tainted PDFs (or, for that matter, any other site or book rewrites that The Preacher has spawned) so that queries concerning it no longer leak into my email inbox. This site is the one and only official copy of The Library of Knowledge and I am always working to improve the texts. It has been here for seven years at the time of my writing this FAQ answer and there is no indication or reason to believe that The Library of Knowledge will ever disappear; the PDF version is worthless and I am in the habit of disregarding emails concerning it since neither I nor any other writer for this site are directly responsible for it.

Q: Why are the advanced pages so small, and why is there a lack of explicit instructions on how to evolve through a caste? A: The advanced pages, and the beginning pages, are not meant as a comprehensive how-to. The introductory and beginning pages lay out the premise of the three pillars which comprise this site -- direct magic, caste system, and rational occultism -- and are meant, as the page names imply, to present an overview to occultists how they might remodel their personal casting system into something more effective or purposeful. Each of these

pillars can be taken individually, or as a bundle, but the site presents them as an intertwined amalgamation. The advanced pages, concomittantly, are not meant as manuals of the occult. The Library of Knowledge, in its entirety, is not (and never was) supposed to be a step-by-step instruction series, nor is it here to tell people what to practice or why to practice. It simply gives another view of how and the reasoning behind this approach. If someone is stupid enough to presume they can learn magic off this website, or any website, or any book, or any instructor, or by devoting themselves to any order or sect or cult or philosophy, they may as well pack up their tarot cards and go home right now to spare the rest of the world the trouble of explaining that magic, now and forever, is primarily based on personal exploration of a vast network of probabilities and forecasts that have been collectively called "the occult". The advanced pages are descriptions of what a person may or may not already practice. The descriptions, if they generally apply, indicate that there may be a connection between the caste and the practitioner's interest. Will it tell you what to do? No. Why? No. What? No. It is no one's place to tell these things to another person. What it simply does is suggest how by painting a portrait of potentials, and that is the entire point. Given that, by now, one should understand that the system is another way of doing rather than yet another revisionist rehash, if they find this system lacking, the best place to find out why is in the mirror.

Q: Why have you missed certain arts or components, like Dragon Magick and Thelema and Enochian script and .... ? A: This page series is dedicated to Direct Magics (i.e. Zero Rituals required); they are omitted by design, not negligence. I find there is more than enough information elsewhere on these things and that most of it is not at all hard to find, so try a query on any given search engine for things of that nature.

Q: Do you really have to [some ability here] to be a [some caste here]? A: The better question is "Why would you want the title if your abilities do not match that caste?" Sure, maybe it sounds more impressive to say you're one thing and practice something else, but that's not the point at all. The castes are defined by methodology. If you don't use that method, you are not of that caste. Flat. That's all there is to it. It would be meaningless to call yourself a Wizard, for example, if you don't work with the astral. If you don't decay the living, don't call yourself a Necromancer. Sorcery is not Sorcery if there is no ability to work through the Twilight. etc etc etc. The names, in themselves, are just labels. They are assigned to certain abilities for clairity's sake, not so people can take more interesting titles for themselves. Use the titles, if they fit, but don't pervert them so you can sound more amazing.

Q: Here's my life story. [insert enormous description of every major development from birth until tomorrow here] So what do you think? A: I'm pretty sure I don't care. Thanks for playing.

Q: I need help. I can't get the _________ spell to work. Can you tell me how it's done? A: I don't teach, but I (and probably most of the other advisors) will look over your spell and make suggestions if you send in a complete copy of everything you've tried so far in a proper (organized) BoS format. When all the components are clearly laid out, we might be able to help by looking specifically at what you have already tried and how you have tried it. This is a volunteer-based service, so please keep this kind of request very rare. It is time-consuming and difficult to create stable and usable spells, even for those that have practiced forever and a day, but we may help from time to time. Examples of things NOT to include are: Anecdotal Reminiscing, Life Stories, What Your Friend Said, Outside Philosophies (Eternal Balance, God, Fate, Karma, etc). Things you SHOULD include: Which Energy Used, How It Is Being Used, The Spell's Purpose, The Method(s) Already Tried, The Expected Result(s). I would like to reiterate, at this point, that these types of requests should be very rare. Supposing you've tried absolutely everything you can possibly think of and it still won't work, send it in to the appropriate advisor. This excludes requests to help with time travel spells, killing your parents, getting laid, and other such things; those will be ignored.

Q: I see magic as a whole system. You can't just make arbitrary breaks in magic and call them exclusive. Why have you segregated segments of magic like this when it is actually a whole system? A: Though it is true that, to an extent, magic is a whole system, the point of picking a single caster type or school of magic to specialise in is for elite ability. Though one is definitely allowed to choose any and all of the arts to practice, it just can not be reasonably done (See the answer to "Can I learn more than one magical art?" for more on that thread of thought.) In school, you take English, History, Chemisty, Biology, Physics, Math, Music, Art, Phys-Ed, and others. In the real world, for example, we know that English, History, Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology overlap a great deal, but are they taught as a single thread of thought? No. Of course not. Why? To attain any decent degree of mastery, the academic world has acknowledged that these disciplines are best understood when isolated. B.A., Ma., and Ph. Ds are assigned to people who have mastered these arts to varying degrees and have attained proficiency in their application. Along the road of studying History, for example, you will also cross English many times, but it is not a topic of primary concern. Likewise, the magics here are isolated as unique strands of study even though in real life they all interlace and concern each other intimately. They are related but it would be idiocy of the highest order to attempt to try to practice them all. Keeping with the academic examples I cited earlier, it would be like a person attempting to get their Ph. D. in every formal educational discipline.

Q: Why do the caste names on The Library of Knowledge seem to mirror the game Dungeons and Dragons? A: Back in 1974 a man named Gary Gygax created the game Dungeons and Dragons. It was a role-playing game that utilized many different types of

mythological characters of different backgrounds (whose strengths and weaknesses (within limits) are randomly generated by the roll of a die or dice). Gygax created these types of players and similar characters based on his love of fantasy and science fiction literature. Though Gygax took the artistic liberty of distorting what he found in his novels to fit a game scenario, as any true entertainment artist does, the fact remains that his source was fantasy literature with a twist of imagination. Now we look to fantasy literature and see where that came from. Fantasy literature, as a genre, draws mostly upon legend. Though "gremlins" appear in some fantasy literature, it has roots in devil-tales of England. Other terms, such as "elf", though often considered a relatively modern invention, can be found in literature as early as the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in the late 1300s. His description of many types of magic in his work, and later again in the works of Edmund Spenser and John Milton causes the reader and historian to rightfully believe that such ideas fell into common knowledge of the time and needed no explaination. References to "Enchaunter most fawoul", and the "dreded necromancies" show these terms and ideas far predate Gygax (with all due respect to his efforts) or other fantasy writers like J. R. R. Tolkien, and indicate the validity of using the classic names again to rightfully reacquaint them with their true mystic origins. Most basically put, Gygax's source's sources and my own (that being ancient/medieval/folk literatures) are the same, hence the similarities in caste names, though the purposes are vastly different. The names and origins are not from RPGs so I see no reason to be concerned with aesthetic similarities.

Q: Do you have or know of any additional links or books not posted on the site or in the Links page? A: No. That would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it? (Yes, I really mean it. I didn't put this here to fill up the page. If you have a good site, send it in, but most internet sites are thrown together with virtually no thought and are riddled in errors, hence I do not recommend them.)

Q: Why do you separate Psi and Chi on this site? A: Where have you ever seen it considered the same thing? That's what I thought. Dragonball Z and sites that play magic but use cartoons and fad as evidence are NOT a valid source of information. I realise there are sites out there that, in all seriousness, attempt to bring DBZ philosophy into real magic practice, but it doesn't change the fact that there is no historical weight to what they're saying and there is no power in that kind of philosophy. Things that sound nice in theory, such as "It's all how you perceive it" and "You can make your own form of magic" and "Psi and Chi are One!" are usually not so wonderful in practice. It sounds liberating and unifying and intellectual and freethinking and innovative and all kinds of new age click-words for Great to try to amalgamate things into one conceptual lump but that doesn't make it true. Chi of Chinese is equivalent of Life Force in Western Healing. There is no overlap with Psi, which is strictly the baliwick of the mind, championed by Psi Mages. There is absolutely no natural overlap and people that are saying otherwise, I'm

finding, are using pop-culture cartoons as evidence. Psi is Mind (not brain), Chi is Etheric Body (healing).

Q: Do you take students? A: No. Teachers defeat the purpose of using the Trial and Error method of spellcasting. Though they'll be able to guide you in the ways of magic, it will be their ways, so you'll end up learning things as they do, not like you may need or desire. As Cerberus once said, "... [advisors] are a supplement to your knowledge, not a replacement." I have been tempted many a time to simply say Yes, but the fact of the matter is that if I or any of the advisors ended up accepting students we would end up teaching the things we think are important and emphasising the points we think need most attention in the way we understand.

Q: Why do you have no spells on this site? Where are the spells for the specific castes? A: I do not go into extensive detail on such things for a few main reasons. The first and foremost of these reasons is that the site already devotes a great deal of attention to the art of creating one's own spells, regardless of caste, thus saving me the hassle of posting spells which may or may not mean anything to the reader or, moreover, may or may not be practical in a given situation. The second reason I do not post such fine details is that I firmly believe in the "No Pain, No Gain" philosophy. A master craftsman becomes skillful by taking raw and unfinished materials and making their own mistakes while learning to turn it into something beautiful/functional. The craftsman never becomes skilled by always being given the finished works. I have posted only one complete spell as an example, much like the craftsman may be shown a finished product as a template, so that, from that point, the practitioner's own style may emerge unimpeded by my own unique personal preferences, interpretations, sensations, and casting biases. Borrowing from another old axiom, I furthermore believe in "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime". What I attempt to do here is teach people to be independent practitioners, not clinging apprentices. Instead of always running back here to download spells off the internet (a vulgar and disgusting practice), I've designed this site to show people how to write their own working spells, thus side-stepping the Master/Apprentice relationship yet again. The overall pattern in this is that I hate spoon-feeding people and find that the most robust magicians are ones that learn the old way (through their own struggles) instead of being coddled and given everything. Instructions for energy manipulation (generic) can be found on the Beginning 2 and Beginning 3 pages. Spell writing and casting (generic) can be found on the Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2 pages. Identifiable energies to be manipulated are found on the Advanced pages (specific), and on the Beginning 1 page (generic and specific). Between these pages you have instructions on how to manipulate energy, and specific ones are mentioned separately without instructions. Taken as a whole, it is a complete system to train real magicians to solve their own puzzles, not create internet spell junkies or mindless apprentices who always

need "teachers" to write their spells for them. In short, I don't give away spells and certain other pieces of information for the same reason your school teachers didn't do your homework for you.

Q: I'm just looking for proof that magic exists. How can I know that this is real before investing time in it? A: This is the Great Divide between magician and mundane. You must be willing to sacrifice to learn, and this is the first one of those sacrifices you make while learning magic -- the disquieting possibility that it may not exist (at first). You should quickly learn otherwise, but before actually having done it and invested the time to learn, there is no way to tell.

Q: Can I learn more than one magicial art? A: Doubtfully. One would have to be immeasurably old to fully explore more than one art. Even one art is enough to fill a lifetime. Getting a true grasp on what it takes to Master an art may be a bit sobering. I personally immerse myself in a minimum of three and as much as ten hours of magical study per day, as time permits. This means 3 - 10 hours of perfectly quiet and uninterrupted study of only magic. I am wary to call myself a master even still. Two arts now, supposing you meant to match me in studies, would require you to spend from 6 - 20 hours of study per day (this has gone on for years). This, most obviously, is an entirely unrealistic aspiration (however noble). Another snag encountered while trying to learn multiple arts is the polarity or methodology of an art. If I were to take up healing, for example, it would be directly against my own practice which, at the time of writing this, is Necromancy. Necromancy depends on the power of death to be present, and healing requires the power of life; they do not rest well together and one will fizzle the other out.

Q: Do I have to practice that much to become powerful? A: No. If you want to spend 30 seconds every month on all the arts, go right ahead -- just don't expect much. The saying "Garbage in, garbage out" should be remembered, and know that the benefits of occultism are directly proportional to the time you spend refining your skill.

Q: What do you mean about "fizzling out" energies? How can you attempt to distinguish between Life and Death magics at all? Life is an integral part of Death, and Death can not be without Life! A: This style of observation usually comes from people that have read The Library of Knowledge but have attempted to weave its texts into a foreign system of thought rather than trying to understand it on its own merits. Drawing undue implications spawns this question. This site's information is not posted for people to manipulate as they see fit and try to cram it into their newest form of Galactic Dragons of the Sons of Eternal Harmony philosophy or similar nonsense. Evaluating the site and its content within the context provided

is the only way to interpret it as the authors have intended. Life and Death, as universal concepts, are never referred to on this site. Life magic (Healing) is not a way of tapping into the global processes of Birth, Renewal, Regeneration, and Growth. Death magic (Necromancy), likewise, is not about tapping the will of deified Death, or touching chaos/void/oblivion, or taking part in some spiritual aspect of Global Suffering. These are references only to two types of opposing energies which, though similar, are different and conflicting. They are terrestrial, common, and are oblivious to any philosopies we may have attached to them. They have opposing effects and, like hot and cold, will not coexist in purity. Hot and cold is a very good example, since only by the presence of one can we understand the other, yet we also understand that they do not co-exist. Dropping preconceived notions at the door, it will be seen that the site refers only to energy, not philosophical facets of the nature of life, existence, creation, harmony, balance, or other wider ideologies. I find this error common to other questions, as well. Remember not to read more into a statement than it directly implies. It is the duty of a good author, not the reader, to expand on a concept until it is clear. I have left the concepts where they stand by design with the expectation that people will read this "open-mindedly", though I usually abhor that term. "Open-minded" means to first listen then evaluate afterwards. Take it as it is to understand it and forget the rest until you are done reading.

Q: Where did you get all this information from? A: I have collected my information from one or more of three potential sources: Masters, Media, or Personal Experience. I have always required that authorities on the individual magical arts be forthcoming before I add them to TLoK. I have, as such, interviewed and gathered information from a Master of each of the arts. Media is another way to get information. This includes grimoires, university libraries, public libraries, and occasionally informative television documentaries (I place most trust in scholarly journals, books, articles and whatnot, lesser faith in grimoires, and least trust in documentaries). The last source is personal experience, through which I gained the knowledge I now have written in Advanced Necromancy page, the "Beginning Occult Magic" series of pages, the "Intermediate Occult Magic" page. I have knowledge, if not skill, in most areas of magic, having had an eclectic taste of all the arts before beginning one devotedly. I have an absolute abhorrence for sites that pretend one or two spells makes you a master. Too many people rely on angst-ridden or teen witch internet sites (!) for their information. Anyone may rest assured that no such thing was used for sourcing here. I find graphics applied to useful information to be very tasteful and stimulating, but too often absolutely worthless sources are used as scripture.

Q: Are you a Dualist or do you believe in Dualism? A: I was actually asked this question and I believe it to be an excellent one. For the short of it, no, I am not a dualist. The 14 arts, which can be balanced against each other in their practice and method, are simply what I have found to be fact. I do not find the fact that there is an even number of balanced arts to be compelling evidence to believe in dualism of any nature, though it has made me

stop to think about the possibility. Dualism, for what it is worth, is a fine concept but, no, I do not believe in it.

Q: Aren't you afraid of the Karma from using and teaching these evil magics? A: There are two elements in this question that I disgree with. The first is Karma itself, but I'd like to address the second one first. Evil, as a concept, is not something I believe exists. The reason that I do not believe in Evil is that I do not believe in Good either. Both of these concepts require some kind of higher moral authority to define which is which. Absolute good and absolute evil require an absolute authority which is above either to define their existence in any given situation (meaning some kind of absolute God figure, as I see it). To claim that either Good or Evil exists directly implies the presence of an omnipotent God which defines the two. To speak now of Karma, I can not believe in it either because of its implications as well. Karma is not to be confused with Cause and Effect, I should note from the outset. I do believe firmly in cause and effect which can be seen in every day life. Holding a bottle over the floor (situation), when it is let go (cause), will fall to the ground and shatter (effect). This is not an example of Karma. That is simple, scientific, Cause and Effect -- nothing more. Karma is the belief that actions on this earth will affect you in the afterlife and in the next life. That requires, much like the concept of Good and Evil, a higher intelligence which can coordinate these forces to be revisted upon the caster. Just for the sake of argument though, let's humour the "karma in this life" idea. For one, I can not simply accept the idea prima facie that retribution or reward will naturally, without any kind of guidance whatsoever, blindly find its way back to the magician who has acted as they saw fit. I see no evidence of governing intelligence in this universe and, as such, do not believe in its ability to revisit "good" and "evil" on the caster. Supporters of karma ignore this rather important point. Karma is not causation because that would make it a very easy system to cheat and thus the term becomes meaningless. Karma can not be understood properly without believing also in intelligent revisitation too or else we start trusting moralistic folk myths before reason. If karma is not one or the other, the only conclusion left is that karma simply is not. In essence, karma is a scare tactic. It is an infantile appeal to some wishful intellectual embodiment of justice which does not exist to provide emotional security for people who can not accept that there is no cosmic policing system out there to deliver X degree of good to Person A because they opened a door for someone (which already says something about their idea of what's "good" or not) and Y degree of vindication to Person B who slammed a door in someone's face. Karma follows the same error as "Universal Post Office", which is labelled and defined on the Spell Troubleshooting page.

Q: I see your point against ritualism, but that covers a lot of arts! Isn't it more realistic to believe in ritualism and less fantastic magics than you describe here? A: I've had witch, thelemite, cabbalist, pagan, neopagan, wiccan, satanist, and a few dozen other less mentionable magicians write me about this. With all due respect to most witches, whom I have more respect for than most other arts, this question comes largely from digruntled elitists or philosophical non-

occultists. To put it plainly: Little children can not expect to compete in the olympics -- only athletes. The concepts sometimes sound surprising or abnormal, but there's a very good reason for that: magic is about tapping the unknown (which is always surprising and abnormal) and is responsive to change. I won't apologize for mentioning extreme abilities because I clearly state on the index page that advanced magic is being discussed (did they think I was kidding?), not child's-play ritual-encumbered systems or structureless "anything goes" malarky. Furthermore, the scope of this site is fantastically broad. It is not only about one strain of magic, but 14 strains of magic construed to address all problems and possibilities of "occultism" (!). "Face East, Face North, Face West, Face South, Swing a Sword, Chant a Phrase, Sprinkle Salt, Praise the Lady, BOOM! -- magic." I don't buy that either, and for reasons I clearly explain on this site. I am just as digusted with hardcore ritualist and "there are no rules" sites as they are with mine. They say my site is harsh, narrow, or too critical, but I would definitely favour that particular "error" before wallowing in symbolism so thick it renders the magic inert. Call Lord and Lady if you will, and be satisfied that "Good Luck, Good Health, Light A Candle, Blessd Be" is the extent of magic if you have no more need for the occult beyond that, but many of us are capable of more, know it, and are tired of being hindered by superstition or ignorance. Plainly, this is the challenge: If I'm wrong, tell me why. Don't pick at semantics or labels -- tell me why I'm wrong on the conceptual and practical level. Some people have sent in letters to attempt this very thing but have rarely written back after I respond to them with critical analysis of their arguments. The point in all this, as with many things I teach, isthink for yourself. Don't be bullied by majority sway or mud-slinging -- only by sound argument and personal experience. For an insightful look at what is and is not a valid method of analysing material, try The Nizkor Project.

Q: If magic is real, why don't you see people throwing lightning bolts around on TV and in the newspaper, etc.? A: You won't ever see a magician doing things like that for quite a few reasons: #1. Such a raw display of power invokes the worst kind of fear. There is a chance that it will simply lead to the death or supression of the caster by one means or another. #2. The large amounts of energy required limits how often one can perform such powerful phenomenon (if it is possible at all). One display of anything and even an Elemental Master would be drained to nothing. #3. By the time you're powerful enough to do that, anyhow, you would have learned that showing people magic only brings trouble. Firstly, nobody would believe it if you show them. Technology can often gives results which are indistinguishable from magic, as Arthur C. Clarke so aptly said, so people will call you a hoax and say you use equipment that can't be seen. In this age of technology, most magic can be technologically duplicated. #4. Elemental Magic, the most flashy of the arts, is only one of fourteen, and the most commonly misunderstood. Before asking "Why isn't it done?" try asking "Can it be done?" #5. It's immature, plain and simple. #6. Most magicians would rather have their power but not have everyone examining them like a newly discovered breed of plant. To keep your powers sacred is something guarded by many magicians, and, even within the echalons of the occult, you'll find people willing to point their skills at an unruly

magus for the sole reason of making sure they won't draw too much attention to themselves. #7. There is simply no good reason to show your power. Aside from wow-ing a few friends and mystically wracking yourself in the process, potentially damaging yourself or others, there is no pay-off. #8. There is a principle known as "effect ratio" which plays a large part in trying to nail down occultism to single feats of fantastic power.

Q: If magic is real, why haven't people taken the cash prizes available for showing their power? Surely financial need overpowers any of the things previously mentioned, sometimes. A: I was emailed by one person who was deciding whether to take this site seriously or not and she pointed to the JREF Million Dollar Challenge as an argument against occultism. For feedback I've received about the JREF challenge, consider the material on this separate page I've created which directly counterpoints his reasonably extensive "challenge" :www.angelfire.com/mi3/tomekeeper/jref.html.

Q: Magic is fake, this whole site is fake, there's no such thing as magic and all of you people are liars. A: Go away until you have a more convincing argument than that. Here's a good spot. Click the spot if you're one of these creatures --->> <<--- Click the spot if you're one of these creatures.