On Feb 2, 10:20 am, Aftermath Fan wrote:
> I'm a skeptic. I've read probably two dozen books on magick and chaos
> magick but I don't see a lot of discussion about the actual *results*
> of all these magickal operations people are carrying out.
>
> So let me ask bluntly: what results have you seen?
I have a much greater understanding of my essential nature than before
practicing magick and thus am more able to live accordingly. By
living a life that is aligned with my nature, it has become fairly
easy to accomplish my will without friction or interference.
> - In other words, why aren't all magi millionaires? ;-) I know,
> queue the "money isn't everything" stories, but I would think a
> financially independent magus would have even more time to work on his
> craft and there are all sorts of "prosperity" spells and such out
> there.
Who needs a prosperity spell when you have a well-paying job that you
love to do?
And how do you find such a career? By figuring out who the fuck you
are. Practicing magick is one method for accomplishing such a task.
> - Have you ever done any love or attraction magick and had an actual
> result with it?
Yes
> So are they bad magicians? Or is it all hooey?
Some of it is hooey, some isn't. If you're looking to experience
something like in "The Craft" or "Charmed" or HP, you're not going to
get very far. If you're interested in discovering the underlying
nature of your self, the universe and your perception of reality, then
practicing magick has potential for you. It's through discovering
that nature that provides you with the power to achieve wonderful
accomplishments and seemingly miraculous acts, not through manifesting
spirits to physical appearance or picking winning lottery numbers.
> I'm skeptical because
>
> - a lot of descriptions of results seem really vague, as I mentioned.
That's because a lot of people have no idea what they're talking about
and are living in a fantasy land filled with dreams and delusions.
> - a lot of "methods of gnosis" are what we used to call "getting high"
> in college.
So? The methods serve a useful purpose. It seems that you've just
been misguided on what that purpose actually is.
> Yes, I've read enough chaos writers to understand what
> they're driving at with gnosis, but if the only time you see any
> effects ("I summoned an infernal servant!")
See what I mean? The point is not to summon an infernal servant or
whatnot, the purpose of those states of gnosis is to gain
understanding of the nature of the self and the universe.
> If the homonculus
> cooks you breakfast the next morning when you're sober, that's
> something else.
Why create a homonculous for THAT? It's much easier to just pick up
someone in a bar and fuck them so well they can't wait to reward you
with a nice breakfast.
On the other hand, most so-called magicians barely have any of the
necessary skills even for that simple task.
> I'll share my own experience, briefly. I have cast magick three
> times, all using what Grant Morrison calls "the wank technique" - the
> basic stuff right out of "Practical Sigil Magick," Osman Spare, etc.
> All three times I was shooting (no pun intended) for money. The first
> time I won $6 in the lottery. The second and third time, nothing.
> Perhaps my novice magickal ability to enhance the probability of this
> event was weak, but I didn't really have another path for gaining
> money. It was just an experiment. I've certainly won $6 in the
> lottery many times in my life before (it's the lowest prize).
You don't have another path for gaining money? What about getting a
fucking job? That's not magical enough for you? It worked for me.
And now I own my own home and a good car, and I can buy whatever the
hell I want whenever I want too, and I'm only 37. Magick is not about
instant gratification. If you have the will and patience and
commitment to doing the work, you may be able to achieve a state where
instant gratification is possible. However, at that point, you no
longer feel the need for it. Kindof a catch-22, but that's the story,
take it or leave it.
