Llewellyn Publications's Blog, page 76

The other day I was at a friend’s house and we began talking about books. I have several thousand books on various occult topics. Some are very old. Others are quite new. My friend and I both knew of people who had well over ten thousand books, although most were fiction, especially fantasy or science fiction.

I started wondering about why people keep large quantities of books. For me, it is so I can do research. Why people keep vast quantities of fiction, since I don’t do that, I can’t say.

But when you go into someone’s home and there are shelves that make the place look like a bookstore or library it’s, I don’t know, impressive? weird? It certainly tells you a great deal about the person. It tells you they like to read and their interests. For example, if a person has a lot of history books, you know they like history. A person with shelves of books by Barbara Cartland is probably different from a person with shelves of books by Isaac Asimov.

But still, why keep carloads of books?

For me, part of it may be my upbringing. My mother used to sit me on her knee and taught me phonics and reading before I was four. She would take me to the public library and I would marvel at the rows and rows of books. That library, in the little town of Mar Vista, the suburb of Los Angeles where I grew up, moved its physical location two times before I entered high school. Now, it’s still in it’s final location on Venice Boulevard, about a third of a mile from where I lived (on Stoner Ave. Really!). Even when I was very young I would bring home a bag full of books, read them, and go back for another load.

There was something about those rows of books that was…magical.

The Mar Vista library was better than my grammar school, junior high school, or high school libraries. It had a wider selection of books and much better hours, too. But when I attended UCLA, I abandoned the local library. The UCLA libraries were astoundingly enormous. Some universities don’t let you wander the “stacks.” Rather, you select the books you want through the use of their filing system and someone gets them for you. In some instances, instead of people, machines actually find the books and bring them to the area where you can collect them. It’s amazing.

With my occult interests, however, the libraries didn’t always have what I wanted. So I started my own library. I sometimes refer to my home as a “library with a bed” rather than a house with books.

Rediscovery

Many years later, I returned to school, attending cross-town rival USC. They have wonderful libraries there, too. I spent hours wandering the shelves and looking at books I hadn’t even known existed.

You may wonder why, in this age of tablets and book readers, where tens of thousands of books can be accessed using a device smaller than just one book, why anyone would use a library, even a big one. First, there is the joy of discovery of books previously unknown to you. Second, not all books have been digitized. Third is something I only discovered when I was at the library at USC, a magickal tool only available due to modern technology known as interlibrary loan.

There was a book I had been seeking for well over five years. It never appeared on any of the many websites offering used books for sale that I frequent. It simply wasn’t available at any price. On a whim, I looked for it in the USC library’s digital catalog. There it was! It was listed and I could check it out! I was almost trembling with excitement. I took the information to the counter only to learn they didn’t actually have it. It was at a library in Arizona.

“Hmmm,” I thought, “that’s only a couple of days of driving. I could get there.” To my surprise, the librarian told me they could have it delivered to the desk right there in just a few days. The cost: nothing. A few days later I was actually looking through its pages. Bliss!

Eventually I left USC and moved to a small area northeast of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. There were two public libraries nearby, and I went into one of them. It was smaller than public library near where I grew up.

But they had a digital book catalog and were part of the interlibrary loan system. I obtained a rare occult book from a library on the East Coast. The charge for getting a book that was unavailable anywhere else was just a couple of dollars. It was an incredible bargain.

Public Libraries?

Yes, Public Libraries!

In this day of digital everything, the concept of public libraries seems quaint, a product of a time before cheap paperback books and .pdfs and Kindles and Nooks. I’m not putting electronic devices down as they are very valuable. I read books on my computer, my Kindle, and my smartphone. But I think it’s time to rediscover libraries. They are still valuable research tools. Online resources have immense value, but so do modern libraries.

In many of the workshops I present I stray from my main topic for a moment and encourage people to buy at their local occult shop. It’s good for the local occult community and it supports your local area as a whole.

To that I want to add that you should consider going back and using your local library. Public libraries and university libraries are often free to use or have very small fees. With the interlibrary loan system you can obtain books that you never dreamed you would see.

Getting More Occult Books Into Your Library

If your local library doesn’t have a book, request that the librarian order it. Usually, most libraries have a budget that allows the librarian to choose books to order. Requesting books will encourage them to order them. The more requests they get the more likely they are to make the purchase.

Now, one bit of bad news. I had purchased some of my own books with an intent of giving them to local libraries so they’d have my books on the shelves. To my surprise, I learned that when you give a book to a library they generally do not add it to their collection. Instead, they make it available at book sales to raise funds for the library. As you may guess, I’m in favor of libraries receiving more funds. A good way to add to your local library’s funding is by giving them books you no longer want or need to own. In this instance, giving them my books so they could resell them at a huge discount was not my intent. It was, however, their practice.

If you have a book you like and want the library to have a copy or two for their shelves so others can read it, don’t buy some copies of the book and donate them to the library. They generally won’t shelve it or add it to their system. Instead, make requests of the librarian to obtain the book. Have your friends do the same. The more requests they get the more likely they are to obtain the books. On the other hand, do consider donating books to the library with the understanding that they will sell the books to raise funds for operating expenses, salaries, and the purchase of other books.

Libraries are there for all of us to use. I believe they deserve our support.

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Sharing Information

Libraries are great for sharing information. When I first became involved with occultism and magick, the way occultists, Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans communicated with through what we now call snail mail. Some people and groups even set up newsletters that were mimeographed (ahhh, that smell) or photocopied and then the pages were left loose or stapled together. Later, communication advanced to electronic bulletin board systems or BBSes. Ah, the joy of trying to communicate over 300 baud modems with BBSes that only allowed 4 people on at a time.

Well, times have changed, and now many groups are communicating with others over the internet. However one person, Jason Pitzi-Waters, has made it a point to present information about many different groups, books, events, music and more. If you’re not reading his blog, The Wild Hunt, you should be. It’s one of the most read and most valuable blogs for Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, magicians, and occultists of all traditions.

As with most blogs, The Wild Hunt is free to read. However, they have lots of expenses and a minimal budget. Therefore, if you can, I would urge you to make a donation to their Fall Funding Drive. They’re asking for as little as five bucks, and that’s a small amount for all of the information, news, and commentary you’ll receive.

If you’re not reading The Wild Hunt, I hope you start to do so. And if you can make a donation to keep them running, it will benefit the entire occult community.

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Do you live in Los Angeles?

Come to the Last 2 Days of Llewellyn Week at

Mystic Journey Bookstore!

1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

310-399-7070

Information: LINK

Celebrate the last two days of Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore, the favorite metaphysical bookstore on the Westside of Los Angeles. Tess Whitehurst, author of Magical Fashionista, was here on Wednesday and Lon Milo DuQuette, author of Low Magick, was here last night. You can hear and talk with Karen Page tonight. Karen is a renowned professional psychic with more than forty years of experience. Her U.S. and international clients include heads of state, CEOs of major corporations, celebrities, law-enforcement professionals, individuals, couples, and families. Regularly featured on national radio and TV programs, with guest appearances on numerous daytime television shows, Karen has hosted syndicated radio programs broadcast across the country. Tonight she’ll be talking about her new book, My Life Across the Table, which includes the most inspiring, uplifting, and unforgettable stories from her extraordinary career.

Tomorrow night I’ll be giving a talk on my book, Modern Magick, how it came to be, what’s in it, how to use it, how it’s evolved, and more. Of course, both Karen and I will be more than happy to sign our books for you. Here is the remaining schedule:

• 10/25, Friday, Karen Page - My Life Across the Table 7-9pm

• 10/26, Saturday, Donald Michael Kraig - Modern Magick 7-9 pm

I’m planning on being there both nights! I hope to see you there, too!

Scorpio, The Scorpion

October 23 to November 22

Modality: Fixed

Element: Water

Ruler: Pluto (Mars)

Keywords: Intense, ambitious, perceptive, determined, focused, secretive, jealous

As a Scorpio you are intensely determined, and are rarely deterred from achieving your goals (though this can be seen at times as stubbornness). Shrewd and intuitive, you have a mysterious aura that can be interpreted as secretive (which you indeed are at times).

Scorpios are choosy about their friends, and often have many acquaintances but few close friends; you prefer spending time with these close friends to large social events. When it comes to love, romance is essential, but you must be careful not to become too possessive or jealous. Your opposite sign, Taurus, would make a good match, as would other the water signs (Cancer and Pisces). Family relationships can be either closely bonded or detached, and often you have relationships with both types with differing family members. With children, be careful not to be too giving and to set boundaries.

When it comes to careers, Scorpios strive for influence, and do well in leadership positions; you value a fast-paced environment, but must be careful not to push yourself too hard. You have the potential for great earning power, but do have the tendency to splurge, so be sure to budget and think each purchase through.

You are kind-hearted and do all you can for those close to you.

For the year ahead:

Affirmation: Facing change with a take-charge attitude serves me well.

Jupiter has been in Cancer (your ninth house of travel and higher knowledge) since June; it will remain in that sign until July of 2014, when it moves into Leo, your tenth house of career. Jupiter in your ninth house is a good time to take classes, travel, and expand your horizons; Jupiter in your tenth house is an auspicious placement for career advancement and new opportunities.
Saturn advances in your sign, until December of 2014. This could be a time of reflection, and possibly regret. You may feel the urge to begin something new, or return to a project that was once left unfinished.
Uranus continues its long tour of Aries, your sixth house of health and employment. This means that for the next seven years or so you can expect changes in your work life; these changes and shifts can be both positive and negative, so be sure you consider all signs of each situation before making a decision.
Pluto continues in Capricorn, your third house, where it brings about a desire to discover your inner self, whether through study or creative pursuit. Your third house is also associated with family and neighbors, so you may become more involved with these individuals as well.

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Linda Raedisch, author of Night of the Witches and the new Old Magic of Christmas.

In Coming of Age in Samoa, anthropologist Margaret Mead coined the term “postmenopausal zest” for the creative energy that seizes women once they are freed from the responsibilities of childcare. Coming of age in New Jersey, I noticed that some of my mother’s friends, the ones with grown children, had started putting up what I have come to think of as “postmenopausal Christmas trees.” No, they weren’t decking the halls with Samoan bark cloth, but instead of hauling out the usual toy trains and macaroni angels, they were buying new and sticking to strict color palettes. One trimmed her tree all in red bows and another in silver and gold, while yet another filled her second floor bathroom with snowmen.

In our house, the postmenopausal Christmas tree, or “crone’s tree” if you prefer, remains an elusive thing. My daughters are widely spaced in age, so there’s always been a little voice in the house insisting that the Model Magic ornaments she made when she was four have to be front and center. And then there’s the cat. No, I won’t be able to put up my own crone’s tree for a while, but in the meantime, I can dream . . .

The Valkyrie Tree



The oldest valkyries were more bird than woman, lighting on the ground only in the aftermath of battle. These frightful ladies decide who will live and who will die, so the turning of the year is a good time to honor them. The Valkyrie Tree is not a spruce or a fir, but a bare birch branch hung with black felt birds, while the accompanying Valkyrie Wreath features the feathers of swan, crow, raven, and turkey (in place of the endangered eagle) bound to a base of birch twigs or grapevine. It is hung on the door at Halloween and kept up through the thirteenth day of Christmas. In place of a ribbon, there is a long strip of paper bearing, in calligraphy, a sampling of valkyrie names: Hrist, Mist, Hildr, Thrǔðr, Randgrið, Reginleif, Svanhvita, Kâra, Sigrdrîfa, Sigrûn, Ailrun, Rota, and Göll.

The Oriental Tree

The skirt is black velvet spangled with silver, and on the tree there are camels embroidered with sequins and silk thread. There are ornaments depicting the Magi against the starry skies of Bethlehem and ornate little boxes that might contain gold, frankincense, or myrrh. There is even a blown glass boy in a sparkly turban and baggy blue trousers. (He’s a real ornament, you know. Nicknamed “Little Haji,” he was misplaced during one of our moves. If you’re out there, Little Haji, please come home!)

The Hogwarts Tree

Make that “Trees,” one for each House: red and gold balls for Gryffindor; blue lights and black feathers for Ravenclaw; gold bows and black tulle for Hufflepuff; and sinuous ribbons of green and silver for Slytherin.

Of course, if you’re a woman of a certain age, you don’t need me to tell you how to trim your tree. Decorate as you will! Should your Yuletide guests dare to question your style, you can change the subject by fanning yourself with a gingerbread valkyrie and saying, “My goodness! Is it hot in here or is it me?”

Our thanks to Linda for her guest post! For more from Linda Raedisch, read her article “Spirits of Christmas: Visions in White.”

People ask me a lot about court cards, about how to interpret them in a reading. I’ve written about this before, on other people’s blogs, in my books, in articles. But just in case you don’t know my method, I’ll share a short version of “here’s how the court cards work” speech with you here.

I do think that the court cards represent people involved in the situation being read about.

I think that the role represented by the court card is the important information. Focusing on running down a list of personality traits or professions until we hit on someone we recognize is less helpful than figuring out what role the person plays and how to work with that person.

Knowing the role played lets you know how much influence you (or your querent) can have in the situation.

Knowing the suit lets you know how to approach the person for maximum influence. I don’t mean manipulation…I mean communicating effectively.

Oh, and gender in court cards (aside from perhaps outdated symbolic meaning) is meaningless. But you all know that, right?

Roles People Play

The roles played are determined largely by a card’s rank: Page, Knight, Queen, or King. The rank also determines the extent of influence the person has on the situation. For example, the ramifications of the actions of a Page will be very different from that of a King or even a Knight. Rank also indicates how easily you can enlist the support of or change the actions of a person represented by that court card. Again, you are likely to have an easier time talking a Page into doing something than a King.

Pages

Pages usually stand in for someone who either needs guidance or who can provide support that will play a role in the development of the situation.

Pages usually do not have powerful or far-reaching influence. It is unlikely that they, by a decision or action, can upset or radically alter your life. Instead, they are more likely to request your help or guidance. And although they are not commonly considered powerful, they can be a great support and help, if in no other way than bringing fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to the situation.

Knights

Committed to following whatever Holy Grail they are serving at the moment, the Knights rush about, incredibly focused and almost blind to everything else going on around them.  They are in the middle of pursuing a goal that may or may not have anything to do with you. However, during their pursuit of that goal, the Knights may wreak havoc that will affect your situation.

The best way to keep a Knight from running roughshod over everything is to get their attention focused on something productive. Knights can, in the right circumstances, have a powerful affect on a situation.

Queens

Finding a Queen in a reading is like finding a Fairy Godmother. More than any of the other Court Cards, the Queens actually want to help you and have the wisdom, and sometimes the power, to do so. They often wield a quiet, behind-the-scenes influence that is nevertheless formidable.

Gaining her favor is not always easy, though. Queens may inexplicably take a liking to someone, solicitously offering help. Or they could just as easily take a dislike to someone, playing instead the role of an enemy. Part of the Queen’s allure and mystique is that she is like an iceberg: most of her power works below the surface.

Kings

Kings are people with authority that will affect the outcome of the situation.

They make decisions, delegate tasks, and have responsibility for others. Their actions have ramifications and consequences for others.

There are areas of our lives over which we have no or little control, areas where other people make the decisions. The Kings are the people whose decisions may very well directly affect your life. Jobs, scholarships, loans, or opportunities may be lost or gained. Laws may be enacted that determine whether or not you can live as you please. An insurance agent may approve or deny a medical treatment. It is likely that these decisions will be made without the King having a direct conversation with you. Gaining access to a King isn’t always easy, and once gained it must be used in the most effective way possible. Out of all the courts, the kings are the most difficult to influence.

What Motivates People

Most tarot readers have a good understanding of the suits. By applying what you know of the suits to the ranks, you can easily determine what motivates a specific court card.

Say you have the rare opportunity to try to engage a King’s influence. You know the King is looking at a larger picture and making decisions that involve a framework of processes. A personal appeal isn’t likely to work, go in with a plan that benefits the greater good rather than a personal appeal. The King of Pents would respond to a bottom-line/resource-focused appeal; the King of Swords, a logical plan is the best approach, and so on.

It’s All Part of a Bigger Picture

My ideas about court cards grew out of my philosophy about tarot readings, so while I think my court card theory makes pretty good sense on its own, it makes even more sense in the context of what I think tarot readings do and how to make the best use of a reading. And to get that, I’d need to write a book. Oh, wait, I did. 

When I was very young, I loved to watch and listen to baseball games. I’d fall asleep listening on the radio to Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett* call the Dodgers games. I started playing little league baseball, and in my last year I had the highest batting average in the league. Today, I find listening to baseball or even watching it incredibly boring. For me, there is just no way sitting on your behind and being passive can compare to actually playing the game.

When I first started studying magick and occultism, I didn’t know anyone who was actually trained in the subjects. As a result, I did a lot of study out of books. Some of the books were really good. Others, I came to realize, were simply invented from the author’s imagination, and I would salvage from them what I could.

There came a time, however, when I realized that simply reading about magick and occultism wasn’t enough for me. I had to actually do something.

The Curse of One More Thing

By the time I was ready to start working magick, rather than simply read and think about it, I had made a lot of friends with interests in the occult. I noticed, however, that virtually all of them suffered from what I now call The Curse of One More Thing. They kept telling me how they were going to actually start practicing magick as soon as they had one more thing. That thing may have been a book or a wand or a dagger or an altar or something more specialized. But even when they obtained it, they would discover that they still needed one more thing. I started to actually do the work. Some of my friends also either had started doing the work or began to do so. Most, however, did not.

For me, this clearly indicated the difference between the armchair magician—someone who talks about magick, theorizes about it, and studies it—and the practical magician, someone who actually practices the techniques and performs the rites. It was a clear division, and whenever their are such clear divisions, there tend to be disagreements.

Over time this developed into almost an us vs. them, good vs. bad attitude. The practical magicians looked down on the armchair magicians.

          They were all talk and maybe afraid to actually practice what they were studying.

The armchair magicians looked down on the practical magicians.

         They didn’t know what they were doing, went against all the rules, were likely to make

         mistakes and have dangerous problems.

Over time I observed that these attitudes had resulted in a war-like attitude between the factions. They were speaking to each other less and less. The armchair magicians (perhaps calling them “theoretical magicians” might be more appropriate) were advancing new concepts and the practical magicians were ignoring them. The practical magicians were making new discoveries and were being ignored by the theoretical magicians because they didn’t follow the “rules” of magick.

End the War

A couple of theoretical magicians criticized my Modern Magick because I had dared to suggest that if something in the tradition didn’t work for you it made sense to alter it until you were able to get the desired magickal results. The ultimate problem with accepting this concept is that the rules the theoretical magicians held so dear become less standardized. They become guidelines rather than laws and are written on paper rather than hewn into stone by the finger of God.

A couple of practical magicians criticized my Modern Magick for being old school. It’s just the same old stuff, written by an old codger, who doesn’t get what practical magick is all about. Of course, they’ve made up their minds and aren’t even looking at the section in the 3rd edition on Chaos magick and other leading edge magickal systems and techniques.

I guess if you’re criticized by both sides you must be doing something that has had an effect on both of them, so I’d say I’m doing pretty well.

The truth is, I believe it’s time to end this silly, invented war. Occultists of all kinds are on the same side. The theoretical magicians have ideas to share and knowledge to share that can help practical magicians on their paths. The practical magicians can test out the theories and see what works and what doesn’t, allowing the theoreticians to correct and clarify their concepts. By working together rather than being at odds we can move magick and occultism forward.

Where are you now?

Are you a theoretical (armchair) magician or a practical magician?

Do you want to move into the other camp or stay where you are?

Or do you want to be part of both camps?

Or do you want to avoid both camps completely?

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Do you live in Los Angeles?

Come to Llewellyn Week at

Mystic Journey Bookstore!

Wednesday–Saturday, October 23–26, 2013

Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore

1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

310-399-7070

Information: LINK

Celebrate Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore, the favorite metaphysical bookstore on the Westside of Los Angeles. There will be four nights of fun with Llewellyn authors. Come hear them talk and meet them in person. Here is the current schedule with their topics and times:

• 10/23, Wednesday, Tess Whitehurst - Magical Fashionista 7-9pm

• 10/24, Thursday,  Lon Milo DuQuette - Low Magick 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• 10/25, Friday, Karen Page - My Life Across the Table 7-9pm

• 10/26, Saturday, Donald Michael Kraig - Modern Magick 7-9 pm

I’ll be talking on Saturday night, but be sure to attend all four evenings. I may pop in to see my friends! I hope to see you there, too!

 

 

 

 

* If you’re a fan of the “X-Files,” the creator of the show, Chris Carter, admitted that he picked the names of agent Dana Scully and later, agent John Doggett, as an homage to the two announcers whom he, like me, had listened to while growing up.

The Full Moon in Aries occurs this evening, Friday, October 18 at 7:38 pm Eastern (11:38 pm GMT) at 25 degrees. Full Moons represent the culmination of those things that were begun with the New Moon (in this case the October 4 New Moon in Libra), which found us focusing on balance between work and home, as well as potential new partnerships.

The Aries Full Moon opposes the Sun in Libra; we are reminded to check ourselves in the progress we made towards our goals set during the Libra New Moon. Have we begun to initiate necessary change in our lives? Have we moved toward balance between our work lives and personal lives? Have we initiated positive new partnerships or personal relationships?

Today is also a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, reaching its deepest at 7:50pm ET (11:50pm GMT). The eclipse will be visible (weather permitting) to viewers in the eastern part of North America, as well as Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Here’s to some fantastic viewing!

Keep in mind also that eclipses are times of heightened energy. The Moon rules our emotions, so be prepared to deal with any emotions that surround the issues you’ve been working through these last couple of weeks.

Good News

I begin this post with some good news. Twenty-five years ago, while I was deeply studying the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, I was looking for aspects of the tradition that few people were researching. I came across a complex divination system used by that Order known as Enochian Chess. Enochian Chess is a completely unique system. Although it uses a standard-sized chessboard, each square was seen as a “truncated pyramid,” looking like a pyramid with a square bottom and its top cut off. That resulted in each square having five spaces for information on it.

Truncated Pyramid as Seen from Above

But that’s not all. Enochian Chess has four players instead of two, the pieces are Egyptian deities, two pieces begin in one square, and moves are determined by the throw of a standard, six-sided die. You begin by placing an additional piece on a square associated with the question you have in mind and play the game. Each movement has divinatory meaning, much as each card you put out in a Tarot spread has a meaning. If this sounds a bit bewildering and complex, it is. So naturally, I wanted to make a set.

There are actually four Enochian Chess boards, each associated with one of the elements and all of them derived from a large image used in Enochian magick, the system developed by John Dee and Edward Kelly in the sixteenth century. I figured that I could get four chess boards and, uh, a lot of styrofoam or wooden pyramids. I’d then cut off the tops of the pyramids, paint them the appropriate colors, and glue them to the boards. I wanted to go in full 3D. I soon realized this was going to be an enormous task, and I hadn’t even begun to work on the pieces that would balance on my pyramids.

In these early, pre-internet popularity days, communication among occultists was challenging. But as a result of buying a magazine from England, I found out about a company known as Aztral Games. They were actually making a full set of Enochian Chessboards and pieces. I saved up my money and ordered a set. They came several weeks later.

The boards were simple and flat, colored appropriately (but with no guiding written words or symbolism). The pieces were outlines printed on cardboard. I had to paint them, cut them out, and insert them into the included wooden supports. When finished, it looked amazing. Just one problem—it required four people. Where would I find four people interested in this obscure game/divination system?

I finally found some people and we played a few times. The owner of Aztral Games, Steve Nichols, had also devised a way to play Enochian Chess as a much simpler game. We tried that and we also tried the divination. It was still very complex.

I had been living in San Diego, and moved up to the Los Angeles area. My new apartment looked rather empty, so I mounted the boards on the living room walls, each on its appropriate direction (Fire board on the south wall, etc.). Almost instantly I could detect a powerful flow of energy coming off of each board, meeting in the center of the room. I would often put a chair there and meditate, bathed in the energy.

When guests would come over they’d remark about the boards. If they weren’t involved in the occult I would just describe them as some artistic pieces I had picked up. It so unnerved some people that I eventually had to take them down.

I still have the boards and pieces, although I haven’t used them in awhile. If you are interested in learning more about Enochian Chess, you can read about it in Israel Regardie‘s classic book, The Golden Dawn (see the section of the book that starts on page 683).

It turns out that since those days, Mr. Nichols has been hard at work looking at the history and development of Enochian Chess. My guess is that he is currently the world’s leading expert on the subject. It turns out that he has discovered one of the most famous members of the Golden Dawn, William Butler Yeats, became deeply involved with the system and created a form of Enochian Chess based on Celtic Mythology and symbolism. I am very honored to publish the good news of  his announcement:

Steve Nichols was the first to publish the four Mathers-Westcott board Enochian chess sets back in 1982. After much further research, Steve is now delighted to be able to make public WB Yeats’s sixteen (16) Sub-Elemental Enochian chessboards. These ’Celtic’ twilight board designs look and resonate very differently from the four Golden Dawn ‘Egyptian’ pyramid Enochian Chess boards…

The boards can be used for game-play or ‘active’ divination (using standard Enochian Chess pieces), or used ritually for Ceremonial work (when placed on the 16 compass points they form an ‘astral temple’ or protected space). They can also be used for Skrying. In addition these boards can be framed and hung or displayed as striking art-works when not in use. All of the distinctive and highly colorful 16 chessboards are printed and hand-numbered by Steve on the reverse (this FIRST edition is limited to 500). Each set of sixteen is supplied with a Certificate, plus some basic information about the boards not given here.

On the inevitable eBay listing (LINK), Mr. Nichols adds, “…[T]he specialist high-gloss printing inks used should remain colorfast indefinitely. These boards are both thick (260gms) and flexible.”

I have not seen these boards yet, and of course, neither I nor Llewellyn can guarantee their quality to you. But the price (less than $10 per board) seems reasonable, and this could be an entirely new development in the history of Enochian Chess and Enochian magick, one that is of great value for Celtic Pagans as well as ceremonial magicians and Yeats aficionados.

Sad News

It was years ago, at a book convention, that I had the honor of meeting Nevill Drury. An art publisher and occult writer and movie producer, his brilliant books covering the history of modern occultism and sharing information on occultism in Australia are important for historians and researchers. He single-handedly brought to the public’s attention that astounding art and occult beliefs and practices of Australian Roseleen Norton. I would encourage readers to go to this LINK to view his many valuable books.

It is with a sad heart that I must announce his passing on October 15. His full obituary can be found HERE. He will be missed by occult students around the world. Requiescat in pace.

Appearances

Finally, I’d like to remind you about two appearances I’ll be giving over the coming week. First,

Hear Me Interviewed LIVE

Saturday, October 19, 2013

11:00 p.m. Eastern——8:00 p.m. Pacific

Live Interview with me on The Church of Mabuse Radio

Tune in and listen: http://churchofmabusradio.com

I’ll be talking with host Jeffery Pritchett on a variety of occult topics, leading edge politics, and more.

Be sure to listen in!

 

And then…

Do you live in Los Angeles?

Come to Llewellyn Week at

Mystic Journey Bookstore!

Wednesday–Saturday, October 23–26, 2013

Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore

1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

310-399-7070

Information: LINK

Celebrate Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore, the favorite metaphysical bookstore on the Westside of Los Angeles. There will be four nights of fun with Llewellyn authors. Come hear them talk and meet them in person. Here is the current schedule with their topics and times:

• 10/23, Wednesday, Tess Whitehurst - Magical Fashionista 7-9pm

• 10/24, Thursday,  Lon Milo DuQuette - Low Magick 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• 10/25, Friday, Karen Page - My Life Across the Table 7-9pm

• 10/26, Saturday, Donald Michael Kraig - Modern Magick 7-9 pm

I’ll be giving a workshop there Saturday night, but be sure to attend all four evenings. I may pop in to see my friends! I hope to see you there, too!

The Kings and Time Management

In addition to playing important roles in readings, the court cards can help us learn about ourselves, show us how to shine our brightest, and clue us into weaknesses that might, if unchecked, get in the way of our happiness or success.

As a freelance writer juggling many projects, I’m often asked about time management skills. And sure, I can say how I do things, but my way isn’t the only way. It works for me because it highlights my strengths and helps minimize my weaknesses. Some of my Facebook friends suggested that it might be fun (and useful) to explore various time management tactics through the court cards…and I agree.

So let’s imagine how the Kings might manage their time. I picked the Kings because they are usually seen as mature and successful, so they have experience and have proven they can get things done. Most of you know that although you may identify with one suit more than others, we are complex, so you may find it better to blend a few of the Kings’ methods to come up with a plan that works for you. I consider myself as a Swords/Pentacles King-blend.

These are my ideas…what are yours?

Images from the Tarot of the Hidden Realm by Julia Jeffrey.

 

Tips from the King of Swords

Schedule everything and do what is on your schedule.
The King of Swords prefers to do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is not his style. Do the thing, do it well, and move on to the next. Keep everything clear and concise. It’s easier to think about and do one thing at a time.
Make lists: Yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily.
At the end of the workday, make the list for the next day, so you can enjoy your down time without worrying about forgetting anything.
At the end of the week, make the list for the next week and go enjoy your weekend.
At the end of the month, look at the month ahead. Make sure to schedule some “blank” time to allow for unexpected opportunities or emergences.
Schedule tasks for specific times and don’t fret or worry about them outside of that time. Be careful of letting incoming requests interrupt your scheduled workflow (unless it is really an emergency, in which case, adjust your schedule before moving on). When a new task comes in, immediately schedule a time for it and make a tickler to remind you. Now you don’t have to think about it until then.
Group tasks in ways that make sense. It is quicker to record a week’s worth of receipts than to record each one as it comes in. But don’t let them pile up too much or it’ll become overwhelming and unwieldy.
Clutter is distracting for the King of Swords. Keep your inbox as clean as you, creating folders for like items or individual projects (making sure you have scheduled them in your calendar first. Don’t keep everything in the “inbox” thinking “it will remind you to do it later.”
Always, always cross things off when accomplished. The feeling of crossing things off is so fulfilling.

Weakness check: All of this list making and scheduling can make for a dull and rigid existence. Schedule time for spontaneity. I’m not kidding.

How does the King of Swords measures success: that satisfied feeling that everything was done well and the list is completely crossed off.

 

Tips from the King of Pentacles

Time is a resource, and a precious one. Make sure you spend it wisely.
Prioritize. Look at everything that needs or wants doing. What is the most important? What is expendable? Do the most important things first. Make sure to include downtime, family time, fun time…and sleep!…on that list.
Make efficient use of your resources and don’t reinvent the wheel. When looking at new tasks, think about what can be recycled (in a useful and creative way) from past taks.
What is going to get you the most return for your effort (whether that return is money, enjoyment, health/wellness, etc.)? Focus on those items.
When looking at generic “things that need doing,” consider the most effective way to achieve that thing. For example, for exercise they say interval training is effective, bringing both strength and aerobic training together to create a good workout in a short amount of time. On the other hand, if “enjoy the last sunny days before winter comes” is also on the list, going for a long walk or jog or bike ride would be a way to combine both exercise and the “enjoy the outdoors.”
Learn to say “no.” Because your time and energy precious, only accept projects, opportunities, or invitations that bring something into your life that is of value to you. For example, if you earn your living by writing, doing a writing job for free isn’t worth it…unless it gets your name in front of a new and viable group of clients. An invitation to lunch with an acquaintance that you would accept only out of obligation or wanting to avoid any awkwardness by declining takes several hours out of your day. Is avoiding a fleeting feeling of guilt or awkwardness worth taking two hours out of the middle of your day?
Think of your time as money and budget accordingly. Spend your time only on what is valuable to you.

Weakness check: Keeping your eye on the bottom line might cause you to miss some of the smaller pleasures of life, or unexpected pleasures. Once a week, once a month, whatever works for you, indulge in something completely frivolous.

How does the King of Pentacles measures success: that satisfied feeling that you got more out of your day than you put into it.

 

Tips from the King of Wands

The King of Wands is the King of Multitasking! For him, passion and some level of chaos creates more energy and somehow stuff manages to get done.
Plan your day by picking one or two larger projects to be your focus and build in enough time to go from the main project to smaller ones throughout the time block. For example, writing a chapter in a book as a morning task, but in between sections or paragraphs, check email or make phone calls.
Start your day by doing the tasks or projects that excite you the most.
The King of Wands is great at idea generating but realizes that follow through is not necessarily his strong point. In that case, team up with someone who can share the vision and is willing to join in on the project.
Passion is important but passion can lag during a long process. At the planning stage, break the task into smaller pieces. Make sure that each section has something to stir excitement. At the end of each segment, celebrate the finishing and start savoring the next juicy step.
If you have tasks that need to be done but you don’t want to do them, promise yourself that you can do a fun task afterward as a reward.
The King of Wands is driven by an inner fire. Learn when that fire burns brightest and do creative brainstorming, storyboarding, dreaming during those hours. When the fire is lower and easier to focus is the best time to work on more mundane, detail oriented, or necessary but not thrilling tasks.
Your brain and creativity are not a calendar or a clock. If you don’t have to keep to office hours, do your work when and where you feel inspired. Don’t worry about the “working hours” of the Kings of Swords and Pentacles. They are doing what works for them, so you do what works for you.
Keep a notebook or sketchpad handy to jot down ideas that come to you and may distract you from the task at hand. Promise yourself you will give yourself time to explore the idea after you finish this task.
Make a list of things that you must do but might not want to do. Set a timer and do as many as you can in a very intensely focused 15-minute chunk. Do this twice a day or as needed. Always give yourself a reward of a fun task for every 15-minute success.

Weakness check: Your creativity and passion burn bright and strong, but can get out of control. Find ways to build some structure into your day…not enough to kill the fire, just to keep it contained. At least buy a calendar and try to look at it once in a while.

How does the King of Wands measures success: that satisfied feeling of your passion manifesting in very real and very wonderful ways, not just swirling around in brain.

 

Tips from the King of Cups

For the King of Cups, To Do Lists and tight schedules go against the grain. Although most lives require some scheduling, this King, like the King of Wands, finds ways to shine his personal style of doing things within the confines of a schedule.
Being driven by feeling more than anything else, having a strict daily schedule is not the best option. In fact, step back to the bigger picture, the yearly calendar. If you know that you are more energetic during the spring and summer and tend to be more reflective during the winter, plan your larger projects accordingly. For example, do research in the winter and writing in the summer.
At the beginning of each week, look at what needs to be done and group those items by both priority and the feeling that you associate with them, such as mundane tasks (housecleaning), extrovert tasks (phone calls, lunches, meetings), creative tasks, and analytical tasks. Then each day that week, assess what you are feeling and do the tasks that suit that mood.
Scheduling is not your favorite thing, but pretty things are…so invest in organizational tools that are attractive and that you’ll want to use, ones that have creativity activities built into. So instead of a regular calendar or To Do List that you just write things in, maybe get a huge white board and draw a calendar on it each month or create lists on. Let yourself draw images and use colors as you complete tasks.
How you feel affects how you work. Have a cover sheet or just a little space on your To Do List where you can write down how you feel going into a task. When you are done, as you cross it off, write down how you feel when you are finished. No need to analyze, if you don’t want to…just take time to acknowledge your feelings, although it may be interesting to note, especially if you go in feeling hesitant or lacking in confidence and finish by feeling satisfied or proud.
At the end of the day, tidy your workspace. You are attracted by fine things and attractive settings, so keep your space inviting so you want to spend time there.

Weakness check:  Daydreaming can eat up more time than you can afford. If you find yourself daydreaming or becoming distracted, set your timer for 5 minutes, give yourself that time to think about whatever, and get back to the task at hand. Promise yourself another 5 when you finish.

How does the King of Cups measures success: that satisfied feeling after flowing through a day with grace and gentleness while accomplishing what is necessary.

It’s my observation that many people are looking into their pasts. These pasts may be genetically based (“My great-great grandparents came from…”) or spiritually based (“I feel such a pull to the ________ tradition…”). This can be a great thing or it can be a horrible thing. This was brought up in a wonderful post by Taylor Ellwood entitled “Cultural exchange vs cultural appropriation.”

Although I agree with Mr. Ellwood’s conclusions, we have some disagreements over the details that get there. He states that “[c]ultural appropriation is the wholesale stealing of a given culture’s practices.” I respectfully disagree. For example, if someone who was not of a particular culture immersed himself or herself into the practices of that culture, and then authentically brought the entire thing, “wholesale,” to a wider audience, I would respect that. In fact, I would think that most people brought up in that culture would love to see an authentic presentation of the beliefs and practices of their culture brought with integrity to a larger audience.

The problem with cultural appropriation is that it specifically doesn’t bring a culture’s practices to a wider audience in a wholesale and authentic way. Instead, cultural appropriation steals sections of culture’s beliefs and practices, often blending them with practices foreign to that culture, and presents it as being the totality of that culture’s system. In my opinion, what makes cultural appropriation a horrible thing is not that it exposes the traditions of a different culture, but that it tries to blend in a bit of that culture with other concepts and presents it to the public as an authentic representation of the original culture. Some people put on buckskin, go to a Native American Pow-Wow, pray to the “Great Spirit,” and think they’re following “the” Native American path.

Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It describes acculturation or assimilation, but can imply a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture. It can include the introduction of forms of dress or personal adornment, music and art, religion, language, or social behavior. These elements, once removed from their indigenous cultural contexts, can take on meanings that are significantly divergent from, or merely less nuanced than, those they originally held.

—Wikipedia

Years ago I saw three manuscripts from the same author, each purporting to be the Pagan tradition of an ancient culture. On close examination, all three manuscripts were the same, only the names of the deities had been changed. If people followed the ideas in those manuscripts, thinking they were following the ancient teachings, they would have been misled. If they thought they were following traditional practices and ways they would be disappointed. They would have false beliefs about that original culture and direct descendants of that culture would be misunderstood and perhaps even discriminated against because of beliefs based on the cultural appropriation of part of their culture.

There is a man who claims to teach secret sexual traditions of a Native American Nation, however actual leaders of the Nation have denounced him and his teachings as having nothing to do with the culture. He does use various trappings of the culture. I know several people who claim that what he teaches is very positive for people who need that work. That’s fine, and I see no reason why he shouldn’t share his ideas. It’s just that what he shares is not from the tradition as he claims. It misrepresents the culture to people who are studying with him, leaving as wrong an impression as the many Western movies that misrepresented various Native American traditions and history.

The Keys Are Research, Integrity and Honesty

Mr. Ellwood shares a story he heard from R. J. Stewart. A Lakota Shaman said to Stewart “she didn’t want white people trying to take the practices of her people and make them their own, but rather that she wanted them to find their own practices and then meet with people from other practices and share what each of them was doing.” Mr. Ellwood refers to this as a type of cultural exchange, and something he believes is good. I agree. But…

What good is cultural exchange if you don’t put it to use? “Wow! I’ve been doing an hour of ritual every day and haven’t noticed anything, and here’s a person who says they get significant effects within a few minutes. I think that’s great, but I’m going to go back to my own practices and ignore what that other person does because I don’t want to be involved in cultural appropriation.”

I don’t think so.

Mr. Ellwood writes that he studies “Tibetan and Taoist meditation practices. I am not of the cultures where those practices originated and I don’t try to be. I study those practices to learn from them and implement them in my life, without trying to identify with the culture.” This is exactly what my subhead above suggests: he’s doing research, does it with integrity, and is honest about what he’s doing. To my mind that cannot in any way be considered cultural appropriation any more than eating kung pao chicken means you’ve taken over all of Chinese culture.

To sum up, I see nothing wrong with learning certain aspects of another culture and adopting them as long as you don’t try to fool yourself (or others!) into believing that your minor adoption which is influenced and altered by your upbringing and beliefs is either the original beliefs or a complete representation of the culture.

Hear Me Interviewed LIVE

Saturday, October 19, 2013

11:00 p.m. Eastern——8:00 p.m. Pacific

Live Interview with me on The Church of Mabuse Radio

Tune in and listen: http://churchofmabusradio.com

I’ll be talking with host Jeffery Pritchett on a variety of occult topics, leading edge politics, and more. Be sure to listen in!

Do you live in Los Angeles?

Come to Llewellyn Week at

Mystic Journey Bookstore!

Wednesday–Saturday, October 23–26, 2013

Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore

1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

310-399-7070

Information: LINK

Celebrate Llewellyn Week at Mystic Journey Bookstore, the favorite metaphysical bookstore on the Westside of Los Angeles. There will be four nights of fun with Llewellyn authors. Come here them talk and meet them in person. Here is the current schedule with their topics and times:

• 10/23, Wednesday, Tess Whitehurst – Magical Fashionista 7-9pm

• 10/24, Thursday,  Lon Milo DuQuette - Low Magick 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• 10/25, Friday, Karen Page - My Life Across the Table 7-9pm

• 10/26, Saturday, Donald Michael Kraig – Modern Magick 7-9 pm

I’ll be giving a workshop there Saturday night, but be sure to attend all for evenings. I may pop in to see my friends! I hope to see you there, too!

I have been studying the Tarot and giving readings with it for many decades, thousands of readings. I used to give readings at psychic fairs for as many as forty people a day. That can be really exhausting.

The Tarot was one of my earliest occult studies. I’ve read hundreds of books on the Tarot. I wrote the introduction for one book on the subject (The Rabbi’s Tarot), use the Tarot as part of the work in my own books, including Modern Magick, and wrote an entire book on the subject, Tarot & Magic. My novel, The Resurrection Murders, includes the use of the Tarot, too. I was awarded the title of Tarot Grandmaster by the American Tarot Association.

I’m sharing these bona fides because I want you to know that I’m not a Tarot neophyte. Nor am I focused on just one limited approach to the Tarot.

And that brings me to the subject of this post.

As a writer, hypnotherapist, and Master Practitioner of NLP, I pay very close attention to words.

I do not like the word querent.

An enormous number of books on the Tarot describe the person asking a question of the cards as the “querent.” The word means “a person who is asking a question.” According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word first appeared at the end of the 16th century and was associated with astrology. That makes sense because, at the time, people would come to an astrologer asking questions about the timing of events.

I don’t see many astrologers using that term any more. Today, astrologers do so much more than answer questions about timing (although for some astrologers that’s an important aspect of their work). Astrologers have become guides, “astrotherapists,” confidantes, advisors, educators, and much more. They have moved into the modern era and often refer to the people who come to them for astrological counseling as clients.

Mike Quinn via Wikimedia Commons

That makes far more sense to me. When people seek a Tarot reading they generally are looking for far more than an answer to a question. In psychology, a person may come to a psychologist asking one thing (known as the “presenting problem”) but actually have many other issues. Likewise, when a person comes for a Tarot reading, the question(s) they have may be the presenting problem(s), but merely answering the question isn’t enough. The person is looking for approval, external guidance, advice, support, counseling, goal setting, and much more.

The term querent is antique and archaic. I don’t think it accurately represents the nature of a person who comes to a Tarot reader today.

I think it’s time to retire the creaky, old, “querent” and replace it with the accurate, modern, and in my opinion, far more appropriate term: “client.”

What do you think?

Please share your ideas in the comments section below.

•     •     •
—Tomorrow: Saturday, October 12—

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern——12:00 noon–2:00 a.m. Pacific
An Exciting, Worldwide Webinar

Topic: How to Make and Use Talismans and Amulets

There were some severe technical glitches when I gave this webinar a few weeks ago. As a result, many people who wanted to attend could not sign up and were left out. I am glad to say the problems have now been resolved, but this still prevented many people who had wanted to attend the webinar unable to do so. After talking with the great people at Thelesis Aura we decided two things: first, we decided to give this workshop again so everyone who want to can attend. Second, we’re giving it at a different time so those people around the world who had difficulty attending due to time differences would be able to do so.

Remember, this webinar is not a recording. It is a live, online training event. You will hear me live, just as I am talking. You’ll see my presentation slides, live, right on your computer. You’ll be able to download handouts. You’ll be able to ask questions during the webinar. You’ll see everything and hear me giving the webinar live. It’s as if you were in a room with me, only you can participate from your location anywhere in the world.

This webinar covers talismans and amulets. Throughout history, humans have used objects to bring health, safety, good luck, and to fulfill desires. Today, these objects are known as talismans and amulets. In this live, worldwide webinar, you’ll learn how to create them, how to turn them into powerful magickal tools, and how to use them effectively and safely. Topics include the three necessities of magick, differences between talismans and amulets, timing, designing effective magickal goals, types of talismans, how to prepare a talisman, what to do after you create a talisman, and more. When completed, you will have the information you need to create powerful talismans that will help you achieve your goals.

I want to repeat: this webinar is not a recording. It is a live, online training event. You will hear me live, just as I am talking. You’ll see my presentation slides, live, right on your computer. You’ll be able to download handouts. You’ll be able to ask questions during the webinar. You’ll see everything and hear me giving the webinar live. It’s as if you were in a room with me, only you can participate from your location anywhere in the world.

In this online workshop-webinar, I’ll be sharing practical techniques you will be able to use to make positive changes in your life. You’ll be able to create and use talismans for any purpose, including healing and improving your luck. This is invaluable information with techniques that can be used by individuals and groups.

Please note that this is not a recording. It is a live event you can attend. You will be able to interact with me, live, from anywhere in the world. Therefore, please make sure to check the time. It’s 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern U.S.; 12:00 noon–2:00 p.m. Pacific U.S. time.

Registration is now open. Here is the LINK. Due to software limitations, attendance is limited to only 200 people, so I would urge you to register as soon as possible.