High Magic

High magic is not something I use often as my magical practices tend to be more instinctual & intuitive. But I do occasionally use it for larger issues which need added oomph. It does mean that when the time comes to do said magic it is more considered & on things that need more focus it is useful, but there are times when my usual practices of low magic can intervene, as sometimes astrological correspondences are are counter intuitive to the physical properties of ingredients used. Astrological correspondences were generally formulated in the time when it was thought that flies had four legs & that there was only four elements rather than a whole periodic table of them. I do get accused of being over analytical with my practices perhaps this is why I tend mostly to low magic as an analytical mind tends fit with the logic of magic & the physical too. Also sometimes I feel high magic is over egging the pudding too which to me can seem a little time consuming & using more effort than is required. But then you need to consider what you are doing things for low magic can sometimes only work to make a scratch in the paintwork, so I'm not totally against it, it's just half the time life doesn't throw large enough fish for me to bother with it, thankfully. Have I just jinxed myself?

The Use of Low Magic

Sympathetic magic by some is considered low magic, but surely isn't it more like say no to a sledgehammer when cracking a walnut when you have a decent set of nutcrackers? It is true thgat with sympathetic magic you don't need a set of correspondences, it relies on will non the less. It also relies on knowledge of the matter that you are working with if using ingredients such as herbs as to what they do physically, herbs that boost the immune system are often used for protection as it physically boosts protection, herbs used in love magic have aphrodisiac effects etc. So low magic is not exactly simple even if the herbal side is called simpling. Then there is the physical side of it the making of poppets or using an etched name or personal effect, this maybe an easier thing to achieve, but the effort that has to go into it is just as great. The same rules apply to these magics in principle as to high magics & are equally as effective. So why is there such a snobbery to it? Perhaps it is because it allows a certain amount of flexibility or perhaps it could be seen as too reactionary, either way I don't feel it should be shunned by people of the usual high magic brigade as the essence of a situation is often as fluid as the situation. This is not to say that I don't use high magic from time to time but I do feel more comfortable with the low magic as to me it seems more intuitive yet cerebral at the same time.

Definitely feeling autumnal

I seem to be geeting in to the swing of autumn this year, perhaps it is the growing of crops that has done it, but so far the autumn has brought the brewing of the first batch of beer for me, stewing of apples, baking of bread & thoughts of jam & chuntney making. it also means that the likelihood of walking home in the dark or in the rain has increased & I shall look forward to kick about fallen leaves. This year I have felt more connected than I have previous years, possibly because I have felt more connected to the land having more opportunity to work the land. It has made me feel as sense of accomplishment as I get the I grew this feeling which makes your food all that more sweeter. Am I being all nostalgic as to what the wheel of the year means to people? Maybe, but I do like the feeling. Autumn is very much my favourite season, rich in colour & food from the land & to that I am greatful. But also it means it is yet another year when my PTSD related depression has not got the better of me through the summer months.

Music in Magical Practice

Something struck me a couple of weeks ago, though I never got around to posting it for some reason, which is I'm never usually doing magical practices in silence, whether it is to the accompaniment of birdsong or if it is at home something to drown out the everyday noise. It was after watching a documentary on catch up about David Attenborough & Bjork & how music works did it make sense. I tend to pick music that I feel appropiate to the cause, for instance A Brand New Me by Bitter Ruin for dealing with my post traumatic stress disorder (though it is not the original meaning of the song it helps me deal with the events that lead to it in my head). The tone of the song is just as important as the lyrics the afformentioned song makes it clear about the kind of message it is about by both its tone & lyrics, other songs don't do this, for instance if you sing Eternal Flame by the Bangles in a creepy voice, it becomes very sinister indeed. Does this mean the tone is the more important than the lyrics? Maybe, but some music can be subversive in it's sound to it's message for instance Baby Come Home To Me by the Scissor Sisters may sound cheery but the lyrics are antything but. So some music that I like makes the cut magically where as others do not. Music doesn't need to have lyrics to become appropiate, Adaggio for Strings by Barber brings peace for me if I need for the pace of life to slow down. So going back to the lyrics thing I have weaved them into magical workings, Feeling Good by Anthony Newly (always tend to have the Nina Simone version in my head when using it) I use to bring in the positive in my life. To me I have found singing albeit not very well more powerful than just saying something or if if it isn't something to be sung chanting it more than merely saying helps me focus my intent. It is said that song predated structured language & if you put yourself in extreme circumstances quite often what noise you make will still communicate feelings even if there is words there. I'm interested if any of the other people who read this are the same & what music they use.

Never Assume Someone is Fluffy Until Proven Otherwise

I had someone come to me who I'd met once before at a Pathworking meditation session I was hosting. The initial input from the person seemed a little fluffy the mention of pretty winged fairies came up, which raised a few eyebrows from the none Pagans in the room, I did my best to explain that they weren't weird & that some people put a face to spirit of place to feel comfortable, please see my older post on faires about that, which abaited the raised eyebrows & could see where the person was coming from in a way through my explanations. It also didn't go unnoticed by the person who spoke & the person felt I was non judgemental in my approach or too away with the fairies either. They had come to see me again, but the fluffy notion painted seemed a little inaccurate n this occasion. I can't go into the initial reason of contact as that was a personal issue, but a question afterwards is what had changed my mind about them, it came to the subject of spiritual blockage & going through the magical & meditational practices didn't seem to ring as suitable as the practical solution of just unburdening yourself of worries & stresses by talking. It appears as I misjudged completely & that for once taking someone at face value did not work, I could blame many a thing but mainly the buck stops with me. I should know better than to think of people who put a face to spirit of place will automatically think things can be cured by unicorn-rainbow-dolphin-reiki-crystal therapy.

For Frack Sake

I'm a little pissed off with the government on their response for finding newer forms of energy, actually that's not true I'm more than than just a little bit peeved. For goodness sake replacing a fossil fuel that will run out soon with another that will do exactly the same thing knowing the world's energy consumption levels is ridiculous. What is more worrying is the environmental impacts, the pictures of places from America where there has been fracking should indicate it is not a good idea. The planet has only so much of these resources & they do affect the environment that they are extracted from as well as the fact that it is not carbon neutral either kinda misses the point of the governments renewable energy targets. If we concentrate on creating reliable renewable & biotechnologies, then surely that has got to be a better answer & a better way for our planet.

Lammas tide reflections

This Lammas tide has felt like it has had more significance to me this year as my vegetable plot started to take shape this year. Yesterday was the first harvest of broad beans & although it wasn't the traditional wheat which I turn into a corn dolly which hasn't happened this year it was no less a significant harvest & the fact I grew them myself gave me a sense of achievement. I was starting to feel a little less connected with the seasons & although I still don't fully gel with some of the festivals, ones centred around growing & harvesting do have more of a significance especially now I have more of a chance of growing my own. I am far from finished on my plot so hopefully the work on a spiritual level yesterday will help as a bit of a boon to my physical travails on the plot. I have also been thankful to see more of our native insect life recently which has taken a battering, but hopefully with the largely good whether we've had, that it will help to perk up their numbers. I also baked a loaf which I haven't done in a while which certainly brings the taste of Lammas back to me, especially as I have gotten better at baking it, so I did do something a little traditional for it.