Coming Forth By Day

I mentioned in the early days of my blog that I was at one time involved with a “Vampyre” organization known as the Strigoi Vii. I am not active in the community anymore, but I did meet some exceptional and dynamic individuals there. While I don’t include any of their esoteric concepts in my work anymore, one thing that did stick with me was the notion of the “Dayside”. This is something that was inspired by and borrowed from the “Temple of the Vampire”. They describe it as follows:

The Vampire by Day

The Dayside is a fundamental part of our religion.The practical side of the Temple is our Dayside. This is the common sense view of reality shared by most people. This perspective includes our emphasis upon achieving and maintaining success with regard tosix critical issues in life. These include:

• ·        Emergency survival planning and skills acquisition.
• ·        Increased self-understanding and self-acceptance.
• ·        More effective communication skills and strategies.
• ·        Gaining control over personal finance and achieving wealth.
• ·        Improving and protecting your physical health.
• ·        Scientific life extension leading to physical immortality.

Replace the word vampire with sorcerer, and you have a decent list of areas to focus on outside of, or to be backed up by your magical work.  I don’t put much focus on scientific life extension, or survival planning myself. I have actually been on a magical hiatus for the summer and been focusing on dayside concerns which I have let slack for the last couple of years.  Within both the ToV and Strigoi Vii system, Dayside mastery is meant to come before any Nightside practice. The reason begin that when a person has their day to day affairs in order, especially financially, it makes for sounder base to begin magical practice. Far too often, I talk to people that are sure spell casting is their path to riches and success. That someone where out there is a spirit, or spell that will solve all of their problems.  I could be wrong, but in my experience there isn’t one.  To make matters worse, usually the same people that are looking to strike it rich through sorcery often end up spending vast amounts of money on unnecessary tools, books, and charms, in their pursuit. This money could have been invested in more worthwhile ventures, and then backed up with a little magic as well. To me, a good working can come from strong desire, but not from desperation. A sorcerer is a master commanding their universe, not a slave begging from it. 

To some readers of this blog it may seem that I have been losing my “faith” in sorcery. Honestly for a while there I did. I needed to take a step back from it for a while and reevaluate my reasons for practicing. I see it as a weapon in my arsenal of personal advancement, and success. It’s not always the best tool for the job, or needed in every case. I also feel that the same sense of power that one might feel during ritual should carry over into every aspect of their life. If not, what’s the point in doing this in the first place? I don’t consider myself a powerful sorcerer. I consider myself a powerful person that utilizes sorcery as one way of directing that power.

That got a bit rant like at the end. So yeah, consider your Dayside.

Brother Ash

As always.....

“Don’t quote me boy, cuz' I ain’t said shit.” Eazy-E

Doing Magick and Getting Results by Grant Morrison

This is an "oldie but goodie" that has been around for a while. It's an excerpt from Grant Morrison's talk at the first Disinfo.Con back in 2000. Every once in a while I come across it again and get inspired to do some magic. This short section focuses on the basics of sigil magic. If you have some time, watch the full 45 mins talk as well.

13 Reasons

I came across this pic on imugr the other day while I was being guilty of reason#10. I wanted to share this with my readers because I feel that being aware of things such as this are just as important as honing your spell craft.


#1 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Laziness

I don’t think there’s an easy way to put this. I have to assume that you’re lazy. Every single successful person works their butts off to get where they are. It’s ok to be lazy. Just admit it. But don’t whine about not being rich and successful, ok?#2 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – EntitlementOnly a few people in the world are part of the lucky sperm club. You and me? We gotta work to get what we want. Quit thinking you are owed something. You’re not. Get to work. #3 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Fear

You are afraid, plain and simple. Afraid of looking silly. Afraid of what your friends and family will say. Afraid of everything. Look, you’re either going to stop being afraid, or you’re not. Nobody can convince you to stop. Imagine though... what awaits you when you stop with the fear excuses? #4 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Negativity

You may not realize it, but the people you associate with might be negative [orifices]. They could be soul-sucking beings who don’t want anyone to be successful. Get rid of them, now! Surround yourself with successful people. People you want to be like. 

#5 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Stop Thinking

How much do you want to bet you have paralysis by analysis? You think way too much about what you could or should do. Doers get what they want, and everyone else gets what they get. Stop analyzing and start doing. #6 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – No Goals

You plan nothing. You believe that someway, somehow, everything you always wanted will just magically happen. So you “play it by ear” and wait. You need goals to shoot for. Otherwise, you’re just treading water. #7 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – “They”

There’s no “they”. There’s no secret group of people that controls your success or failure. You’ve made that up to make you feel better about yourself. The truth is you, and you alone, control your success in life/business/everything. It’s easy to blame “them” though, isn’t it? Weak. #8 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – No “X” Factor

You can’t do it because you’re not pretty enough. Or don’t have a strong personality? You don’t have the “X” factor? Wow, what an unbelievably lame excuse. The truth is even jerks, idiots and boring people can be just as successful as anyone else. Your problem is you don’t believe it yet. #9 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Time Waste

You’re a classic time-waster. You spend hours and hours every day working on not-working. You do things that aren’t productive. How are you ever going to get anything done, or reach any goal if you keep wasting time? You’re not. So you might as well give up now if you’re going to keep this path. #10 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Social B.S.

You spend way too much time in social media land.  You waste probably about 50% of your productive hours of the day doing this. The sad part is, you know it, but you can’t stop. So you can’t get anything done that matters. #11 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Think Small

You think way too small. You are constantly looking only a day or a week ahead instead of years ahead. Because of this, you never get anywhere, and you never lead; you always follow. #12 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Don’t Want It

You don’t really want to be successful. Sure, you like to dream about it like everyone else. But in your heart you are afraid of what might happen if you really get it. That’s B.S. fear your brain is feeding you. Success is change, and it feels really, really good. Tell your brain to shut the [foolishness] up.

#13 Reason You’re Not As Successful As You Should Be – Don’t Believe

You never believed that it’s possible. Society taught you that only a few “exceptional” people get what they want. Everyone else should just settle. If you really want to believe that, go ahead. The rest of us will be at the front of the line because we believe.

http://www.nfib.com/business-resources/business-resources-item?cmsid=61035

"Your body language shapes who you are"

I dig Ted Talks, and stumbled across this one by the other day on Netflix. If you have a Netflix account and have watched all the "Dr. Who" episodes, take some time to enjoy a few of these great talks. This talk covers the way that your body language can not only have a subtle internal effect on you, but also the way that those changes can effect the way that other people perceive as well. This is the kind of technique that could be backed up with some commanding, power, or "bend over" conjure workings. Check out the video. I am a fan of the phrase" fake it until you become it". That's a good mantra.

The Compleat Sorcerer

The Eye of Agamotto

I have been going through another one of my quiet phases where I don't have much to say. Recently I have thought of something that I want to so say, but not sure if I had the right words to say it. So instead of waiting for the right words, I am just going to rant this one out the best that I can. First I will start with an apology of sorts. When I started this blog my goal was simple:

"...to do my best to present my views on the art of sorcery and give clear instruction on my methods that can be reproduced by those that are willing to roll up their sleeves and do work."

I do not feel that I have been successful in that aspect, and for that I apologize. The main reason I have not been successful is because most of my posts were focused simply on how to cast spells. While I believe that spell work is a very powerful tool for a modern sorcerer/ess to achieve their goals, it is not by far the only tool that they should possess. Far too many people turn to magic in hopes of finding an easier way to realize their dreams. Easier, as in less real world effort. It is of my opinion that there is no "magic" bullet.  I get so many requests from people asking for spells to make them rich. The only way to get rich with spells is by telling other people that you can make them rich with a spell, and then charging them a lot of money that they probably do not have to do so. Or I will get request for love spells from men that are afraid to actually approach and speak to their love interest. You get the idea

But this post isn't about people that want to have someone do work for them. This post is directed at individuals that wish to direct their power and control their fate. The key word here is POWER, which seems to be the missing ingredient from a lot of people's lives. I have met quite a few people that can proficiently talk about spell casting for hours, and will even try to convince you of how "powerful" and successful their workings have been. However none of that power seems to carry over into their presence outside of their working space or altar room, in my opinion, that is not sorcery. For me sorcery is every action that you take to manipulate situations, people, and circumstances to conform to your desire. Spell casting is only small tool in the arsenal of a competent sorcerer. There's other things like understanding body language/no verbal communication, being able to establish rapport, goal setting, and time management, just to name a few. I just don't believe that anyone is knocking it out of the park 100 or even 80% of the time with spell casting alone. In fact I will say that in my opinion and experience, sorcery is actually about 30% spell casting, and the rest is other forms of empowerment and manipulation. There are clues hidden in the lore of legendary conjure and cunning folk that this has been a secret part of the formula for some time. 

The focus of my post for the near future will focus on what I call becoming a Compleat Sorcerer™. Trust me you will be hearing more of this phrase in the near future. I am by no means saying that I have mastered these other tools. I have been experimenting, and will continue to researching, and share what I learn with you all. 

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
- Ernest Hemingway

"The Secret of Luck"

I found a fascinating video recently that I wanted to share and discuss with you all. It's an episode of Derren Brown's "The Experiments" titled "The Secret of Luck". The goal of the experiment was to spread a rumor in a small town that a dog statue had to power to grant a person good luck if they rubbed it's head. They wanted to see if the belief would take hold, and if rubbing the statue would have an effect on the lives of those that believed. The rumor certainly took hold, and some people did report having their luck change for the better. Of course it is metaphysically possible to endow an object with that kind of power through collective thought and belief. That's not what I found to be the most interesting part of the experiment.

To me this experiment was as much an act of sorcery as an ritual or spell. It is the reminder that deceit and manipulation are a useful skill to have at your disposal. When used the right way it can be used to gain influence over one person, or a group. In my opinion, the difference between a rumor and reputation is how much of the information that you get to control. There are some that would say that this kind of thinking has no place in African American Conjure. To them I would suggest digging a little deeper into their history.

Another interesting thing that this experiment touched upon was the nature of "luck", and those that feel that they have bad luck. The local butcher was sure that he had bad luck. "If it wasn't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all" was the cliche that he gave. What Brown's team found was that due to his personal views, the butcher often overlooked clear opportunities for good things to happen to him. They tested this on different occasions, first by mailing a fake scratch off to him that had he actually scratched it, he would have won a free television. Next the set up a street survey/contest that would have given him $50 had he only stopped and completed the simple task of naming 5 different cuts of meat. Lastly the just put money directly on the ground in his path, and he didn't even see it! This is an important lesson to consider when using a good luck charm. It is important that you are also on the lookout for opportunities. Even with sorcery you can't just wait for things to fall into your lap.

Here is the full episode for you to check out:

Ask Brother Ash #2

Recently someone on Facebook asked me an interesting question, and it is something that came up again while I was on “Candelo’s Corner”. The gentleman wanted to know if he could work Hoodoo even though he is European. To be blunt, anyone that tells someone that they can’t practice Hoodoo because of their skin color is being an asshole. There are enough examples of well known Hoodoo workers from Dr. Buzzard, to the present day Brother Moloch that aren't African American. People like to portray Hoodoo as being for more Afro-centric than it really is in my opinion.  Hoodoo is not an African Traditional Religion (ATR) so it’s not tied into ancestral lineage in anyway. It’s just folk magic practiced by the African Diaspora here in America. Also to focus solely on the African roots of the work and ignoring all of the other influences leads to a lesser understanding of Hoodoo. I often joke that I am about as Afro-centric as NASCAR. That doesn't matter though, because sorcery is about the individual, your mindset, style, philosophy, and personal power. So do your thing, and let the haters do what they do. 

Clothes Make the Mage

Virginia Postrel: On Glamour

I want to talk about a tool with the potential for influence that is often overlooked in conversation on sorcery, that being personal style and presentation. I recently discovered an older lecture on "Ted Talks" by Virginia Postrel about Glamour. I would like to touch upon a few of the points that she made and expand upon them here. First let’s look at her definition of glamour:

"Any calculated, carefully polished imaged designed to impress and persuade."

Many magical operations are designed to impress and persuade. I some cases the spell has been directed at an individual that the worker is attempting to persuade or influence in some way. Attention given to personal glamour can be a deciding factor in the outcome of that working. Studies have shown that most people make a decision about a new acquaintance within the first thirty second to two minutes of interaction. It is within your power to influence that decision not only with magical action, but with a carefully crafted image, as well as communication skills.  This naturally applies to interactions of both a personal and professional nature.

When I was in New Orleans this past fall at the Folk Magic Festival, one of female attendees of the festival approached me and commented on how I was "The most elegantly dressed man there". I don't say this to brag, because trust me when I say that I won't be featured in a Calvin Klein ad anytime soon. After she made the comment I began to try and explain to her that I consider personal image another tool of sorcery. She nodded her head in agreement, but it seemed clear that it had never occurred to her to utilize it as such. Some magicians will dismiss the notion of mastering glamour as an art. They feel that if a working is powerful enough than that is all that matters. More experienced workers know that magic works better on a path of least resistance. Proper glamour application can provide just that. No point in creating a mojo hand to command respect and power, when your entire wardrobe comes from Hot Topic. I was once guilty of that myself. Unless of course the circle that you are attempting to influence and image you are attempting to project is of a gothic nature. 

What many tend to forget in regards to glamour, which Postrel pointed out in her presentation is that glamour was once thought of as being rooted in magical practice and witchcraft. Consider the etymology of the word itself:

Glamour (n.) 1720, Scottish, "magic, enchantment" (especially in phrase to cast the glamor), a variant of Scottish gramarye "magic, enchantment, spell," alteration of English grammar (q.v.) with a medieval sense of "any sort of scholarship, especially occult learning." Popularized by the writings of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Sense of "magical beauty, alluring charm" first recorded 1840. As a verb, by 1830s, from the noun. Via. Etymonline.com

The way that is applied may have been changed, but the intent has not. Your chosen look can project an air of enchantment, magical beauty, or alluring charm if you craft if that way. As Postrel states, "Glamour is all about transcending the everyday". People are rarely drawn in, attracted to, or impressed by the average or every day. Be it mystery, beauty, power, success, or sex, people are attracted to and long for the things that they do not encounter on a usual basis. If you can successfully embody and project one or a combination of these things, than you can influence and persuade a great many of people. 

Two things to remember when crafting your image which Postrel also points out are that glamour is an illusion and should appear effortless. This is the balance that has to be understood and mastered. As an illusion it is essentially a deception, or misdirection, like a stage magician performing a sleight of hand. Also much like a sleight of hand maneuver it should be practiced and honed until it seems as if no effort is needed to pull it off, until appears to the target to be magic. Practice in front of a mirror, work on your mannerisms, walk, body language, posture, etc. Do t his so that nothing about you ever comes off as unauthentic, forced, or awkward. Glamour is enchanting and elegant; you should strive to be as well. People will often ask, "why not just be yourself"? You are being yourself, just cultivating, practicing, and projected a beneficial aspect of yourself that few take the time to do. There is a part of everyone that is sexy, mysterious, powerful, and so on. You are merely tapping into that with your image ad when done successfully those that are attracted to such things will respond. Look around you, glamour is used all around you to influence and persuade, and marketing, and the like. Shouldn't you tap into that power?

I have never seen glamour mentioned in connection with conjure practice. However if you look into the old lore, and descriptions of many conjure men and woman, you will see that they created images for themselves that projected power and mystery to attract and persuade clients. Actually being able to project that onto a client is one of the secrets to being able to help them. I will let you all ponder that for a while. I know that I learned to importance and of image presentation early on from my mother before I ever learned any conjure. I remember asking her once, why she was going through the trouble of doing her hair, makeup, and the rest just to run to the store. She replied with the old phrase, “you never get another chance to make a first impression". I have heard people exclaim, "I ain't trying to impress anybody". Well the fact is no matter what,   you are leaving an impression, as a sorcerer you should be in control of that that impression is at all times. 

Also we all know that feeling that washes over us we know that we look good. Look good and you feel good. Feel good and you begin to attract good, in whatever way you perceive it. Looking good effects us and thus those around us on a metaphysical level. 

"You will like the way you look. I guarantee it." 

Thailand "Black Magic"

I have recently been trying to devour all of the information that I could find on Sak Yant magical tattoos and other uses of yantra in sorcery when came across this interesting documentary on Youtube. The film covers the making of various charms and forms of magic done by Buddhist in Thailand. I found the similarities to other forms of folk magic fascinating. When the sorcerer in the first part makes a name paper based on the husbands birth date, and then uses the as part of the petition along with wax poppets to reconcile a marriage and break up his love affair, I thought that's pretty much how I would do it too. I am also intrigued by the use of the "child ghost" as spirit helpers. I may just have to track one down. I believe that a trip to Thailand is in my future next year. Well here is the documentary, enjoy.

5BS #4: Commanding Oil

Commanding oil is not exclusively an enemy work item, but I am fond of using it as such. If you have someone taking actions against you one of the best things to do is to simply command them to stop. Not ask nicely, or make a strong suggestion, but command them to cut the shit. Commanding oil and powder will do the trick. I usually use commanding oil in candle workings and the powder to dress poppets. As always they can also be deployed in foot tracks magic as well.

For commanding oil you will need:

Licorice Root

Frankincense

Calamus Root

Bergamot Essential Oil

A Glass Jar

A Carrier Oil (Almond, Jojoba, or Olive)

 

Break off Some Pieces of Licorice Root

Add the licorice root bits and a few pinches of frankincense and calamus root to the jar. Cover with oil.

Add Four drops or so of Bergamot oil to this mixture, Cap it tightly and shake it. Store this in a cool dark place. Shake daily and allow to seep for at least a week or until the oil has taken o the scent of the other items. Strain through a cheesecloth into another glass jar. Add a few pieces of licorice root to the finished oil. Also you can add a few drops of tincture of benzoin to the oil to prevent it from going rancid. See previous post for instructions on how to make that tincture. 
Want a limited edition, hand painted box containing all of the items in this series crafted by Brother Ash ? Click (Here)

You Say You Want a Revolution?

Are We Anonymous ?

I have to say that I really dig what the collective known as Anonymous stands for. I have been wondering recently why there isn't a magical equivalent of this group. We as magicians are also "Hackers" of sorts. We also have just as much  ability to effect the world around us and our communities for the better. Should sorcerers get involved magically in a sociopolitical aspect? Is this an abuse of what we are capable of, or exactly what our skills were meant for? I don't claim to have all the answers to these questions and I try to avoid pontificating on this blog as much as possible. Instead let me provide a quote for you:

"And thou shalt be the first of the witches known;

And thou shalt be the first of all i' the world

And thou shalt teach the art of poisoning,

Of poisoning those who are great lords of all

Yea shalt make them die in their palaces;

And thou shalt bind the oppressor's soul (with power)

 And when ye find a peasant who is rich,

Then ye shall teach the witch, your pupil, how

To ruin all his crops with tempest dire,

With lightening and with thunder (terrible),

  And with hail and wind...." Aradia : Gospel of the Witches

I am not a Witch in any traditional sense of the word but these words strike a chord with me. Is it time for sorcery to once again fulfill its role in civil rebellion? Again this is just a question  that I don't yet have an answer for. I would love to hear others thoughts on this so please comment. Below is a recent video by Anonymous that inspired this post. Also check out part 2, 

My Ancestral Altar

I can't believe that I have blogged this long without talking about the importance of having an altar to your ancestors. Shame on me!

The practice of honoring one's ancestors goes back as far as man can remember and spans all cultures. The spirits of our ancestors are always near us and continue to watch out for, guide, teach, and care for us. The shared knowledge and energy of those that have come before us is always available to those that seek it. This is why it is important for practicing sorcerers to have an altar dedicated to, give regular offerings, and converse with their ancestors. Chances are if you have been drawn to the magical arts that someone in your family along the line also practiced even if you aren't aware of it. Having the spirit of practitioners that have passed on is of obvious benefit to someone performing magic on a regular basis. As one of my ancestors said to me, "What we know, you know. What we can do, you can do". That pretty much should tell you all that you need to know about the importance of maintaining this relationship. Our ancestors have love for us, and do what they can from the other side to ease hardships in our lives. Once you have a relationship with them you will be able to tell when they have had a hand in nudging things in your favor. They lend their hands in all aspects of life such as money, success, love, peace, and protection. They do this even if you aren't aware of them. However honoring and giving thanks to them for what they do certainly makes them more inclined to work on your behalf. I know that some workers send their ancestral spirits on certain tasks and then hold off on feedings and offerings until the task is complete. I don't prefer to work this way myself. I draw upon their energies and knowledge to utilize in my own workings.

Ancestor Altar Covered

Setting up your altar is very simple and personal process.  The altar cloth should be white as should the candles. I keep on white candle, and one reed to symbolize the bond and importance of blood. There should be at least one glass of fresh water that you change every week. Some keep one large glass of water surrounded by 9 small glasses. I don't have room on my altar for that, so I don't.The altar can also be decorated with pictures of your family that have passed on, and items that that they preferred in life (personal items, bibles, etc). One can also include items that represent the cultures and ethnicity of your their ancestors.   You can set it up on a table, dresser, or anywhere that you see fit. Some keep their altars in the living room so include their ancestors in their daily life. I keep mine in the altar room. Do what you think is best.

Close Up Detail of Altar

I personally don't have a lot of close ties with my living family so I don't have access to pictures and the like and I prefer to keep my altar simple. So I have one red, and one white candle, my Ancestral Skull Fetish (see earlier post), a coffin shaped incense burned that I made, and two offering glasses. I also keep my altar covered with a patterned fabric with a skull floral pattern that I use as a head wrap during workings. That is pretty much it. I will be adding a cross soon as they asked for that.  I always keep one glass of fresh water and use the other for offerings of rum or whiskey. They really like whiskey, but I ran out and substituted rum today which I always have on hand. For incense I burn Mayan copal resin on charcoal and also burn a cigar in their honor. I blow some of the smoke onto the skull from the cigar. You can also offer favorite foods, drinks, and even music to your ancestors. Once the offerings are given I proceed with a simple invocation and follow that up with communication via pendulum, or some form of divination. This is the invocation that I use:



We hear your whispered voices speaking words of wisdom into our unconscious minds. Your whispers awaken our dreams, our hearts, our desires. You who are our ancestors who once walked upon the earth and were part of our shared life eternal, we praise you with all that is sacred in our lives.
You who planted the seed of knowledge, you who sought inner peace, you who claimed your love for the Gods and Goddesses of old, we give you honor and praise your name.

Grandmother, without you I would not be here. Grandfather, without you I would not be here. People that have come before and gone ahead, without you I would not be here.

I give you honor and praise your name. We ask you for guidance, for you have the power of knowledge. You have been born in us, part of our being. We draw upon your strength so that we may move ever forward. Your footsteps, we follow as all children will. You are our family and with all the love in my being, I give you honor and call your names.

Ancestors, I praise you with the earth in my palm. I praise you with the fire in my heart. I praise you with my breath as I give offerings to your greatness. I praise you with the blood and water of life within my body. I call forth for you with honor for all eternity.

I believe that originally found that through the Moloch Sorcery site, but have no idea where it originates from. I like it, but free to write your own or just speak from the heart. When working with your ancestors heartfelt offerings, and sincerity are what is really important. It's not about protocol, but honor and reverence. Talk to them, have honest conversation with them and be prepared to really listen to what they have to say. You will be glad that you did.


With Regards,

Brother Ash
"You must have the Devil in you to succeed in the arts." Voltaire
"Don't quote me boy cuz I ain't said shit." Eazy-E

DIY: Do work!

I had a conversation with someone recently that set me off a bit and inspired this post. This individual has already paid good money for an apprenticeship with a well known sorcerer which is a step in the right direction. However they continue to spend serious money on copious amounts of books, and charged items in search of a magic bullet that will make them the next sorcerer supreme. This person came to me recently asking if I could make a talisman or amulet charged with the powers of the Goddess Hecate to provide wisdom and guidance in the magical arts. I suggested that it would be more of a benefit if they made their own offerings to the Her and asked for guidance. There responses was that they"didn't have time". I "politely" pointed out that they had been conversing with me online for more than an hour, they could find the time. If they don't have time to do the work how would they benefit from an increase in magical knowledge anyway?I ended up telling him that if he couldn't find the time to put in the work then this may not be the art for him. He didn't take that too well.

On a recent trip to my local spiritual supply shop I had a long conversation with one of the shop's owners who is a long time rootworker. He tells everyone how important is that they do the work themselves. A petition to the universe or a particular spirit, deity, etc is much more powerful when it comes from the individual with the need. I couldn't agree more. I am of the opinion that conjure or rootwork is not hard work, but it does require work. One doesn't need to perform a daily meditation, LBRP, or middle pillar exercise to be successful at it. But when the time comes to get things done you roll up your sleeves and put 110% into it. The time put into study and more importantly practice does pay off. That is it, there is no big secret formula to it, just do work.

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The "Satanic Bible: Giving The Devil his due

I have often been asked what is my favorite book when it comes to sorcery or what would I recommend for beginners on the subject. People are usually surprised when I say "The Satanic Bible" by Anton Lavey. While most of the book is geared toward the would be Satanist, Lavey also takes a no nonsense and practical approach to the art of sorcery or what he terms "Satanic Magic". Lavey defines Satanic Magic as:

"The change in situations or events in accordance with one's will, which would, using normally acceptable methods, be unchangeable." 

He goes on to separate the magic into Lesser and Greater. It is the information Lesser magic in particular that I highly recommend to anyone looking for more ways to get results with their workings. To Lavey lesser magic is essentially psychological manipulation. His methods for manipulation requires one to take an honest stock of their own skills, gits, and limitation, as well as having good intel on the target to devise a solid plan to manipulate them to your will. His methods are inspired by a concept called the "Command to Look" originally developed by photographer William Mortensen. Lavey feels that in order to successfully manipulate a person you must be able to effectively  attract and hold their attention, I couldn't agree more.

The command to look is then broken down into 3 main types. sexual (usual physical attraction to seduce and manipulate), sentiment (using a persona that is familiar, disarming, perhaps even whimsical), and wonder (utilizing an image that while odd or unusual, draws a person's curiosity and lures them in). The sorcerer/ess can use either one or a any combination of these categories to draw in their target. Again it is all about preying on their weaknesses while playing to your strong suit. I feel that the art of subtle manipulation utilizing techniques such as these, or things such as NLP and conversational hypnosis are ignored far too often by those relying solely on spell casting to achieve their goals.  I have been utilizing a combination of sentiment and wonder myself for years with good results.

Lavey also goes into detail on ritual or Greater magic.  I find his views on "the balance factor" and the ritual, or "intellectual decompression" chamber. I agree with his assertion that ritual chamber is no place for self consciousness. All of the intellectual part of the working should be done during the planning stage and prior to the ritual. once within the chamber it should be a time of pure emotion, and psychodrama aimed at expanding your will and commanding your goal to manifest. The book contains five ingredients for Satanic magic which are, desire, timing, imagery, direction, and lastly the balance factor. While the first four may not be a terrible revelation to those already practicing magic, the balance factor can serve as a wake up call for both the newbie as well as some seasoned practitioners. I find this concept to be so crucial that I will include it here in it's entirety:

E. The Balance Factor

"The Balance Factor is an ingredient employed in the practice of ritual magic which applies to the casting of lust and compassion rituals more than in the throwing of a curse. This ingredient is a small, but extremely important one.

A complete knowledge and awareness of this factor is an ability few witches and warlocks ever attain. This is, simply, knowing the proper type of individual and situation to work your magic on for the easiest and best results. Knowing one’s own limitations is a rather odd bit of introspection, it would seem, for a person who should be able to perform the impossible; but under many conditions it can make the difference between success and failure.

If, in attempting to attain your goal through either greater or lesser magic, you find yourself failing consistently, think about these things: Have you been the victim of a misdirected, overblown ego which has caused you to want something or someone when the chances are virtually non‐existent? Are you a talentless, tone‐deaf individual who is attempting, through magic, to receive great acclaim for your unmusical voice? Are you a plain, glamorless witch with oversized feet, nose, and ego, combined with an advanced case of acne, who is casting love spells to catch a handsome young movie star? Are you a gross, lumpy, lewd‐mouthed, snaggle‐toothed loafer who is desirous of a luscious young stripper? If so, you’d better learn to use the balance factor, or else expect to fail consistently!

To be able to adjust one’s wants to one’s capabilities is a great talent, and too many people fail to realize that if they are unable to attain the maximum, “a half a loaf can be better than none.” The chronic loser is always the man who, having nothing, if unable to make a million dollars, will reject any chance to make fifty thousand with a disgruntled sneer.

One of the magician’s greatest weapons is knowing himself; his talents, abilities, physical attractions and detractions, etc., and when, where, and with whom to utilize them! The man with nothing to offer, who approaches the man who is successful with grandiose advice and promise of great wealth, has the alacrity of the flea climbing up the elephant’s leg with the intention of rape!

The aspiring witch who deludes herself into thinking that a powerful enough working will always succeed, despite a magical imbalance, is forgetting one essential rule: MAGIC IS LIKE NATURE ITSELF, AND SUCCESS IN MAGIC REQUIRES WORKING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE, NOT AGAINST IT."

While I personally agree with some of the other philosophies within this book, I can understand how the Satanic Bible as a whole may not be for everyone. However in regards to magical philosophy and strategy it is an essential tome and I highly recommend it.


With Regards,

Brother Ash
"You must have the Devil in you to succeed in the arts." Voltaire
"Don't quote me boy cuz I ain't said shit." Eazy-E

Graveyard Dirt: Dig Deep

One of the traditional methods of gathering graveyard dirt for hexing purposes is to dig “one arms length” deep near a grave and obtain the dirt from there. Dirt closer to the grave was believed to possess a particular quality essential to successful cursing. As Zora Neale Hurston explains in her book “Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica”, this was based on more than just mere superstition. She writes:

"Sir Spencer Wells ( "The Disposal of the Dead") Shane found germs of scarlatina in the soil surrounding a grave after thirty years.
Dr. Domingo Foriero of Rio de Janeiro,"If each corpse is a bearer of millions of organisms specific of ill, imagine what a cemetery must be in which new foci are forming around each body! More than twenty years after the death of the body, Shane found the germs of yellow fever, scarlatina, typhoid, and other infectious diseases."

Usually a powder would be made by grinding other poisonous and symbolic ingredients in with the dirt along with any personal items of the intended target. The powder could be administered a number of ways, the most common being sprinkling and blowing. Sprinkling would be done either in a person’s “foot tracks” or within a path that they would be known to walk and step in it. A blown powder would be blown directly into the face of the victim. With the toxic elements in the dirt and other ingredients it is easy to see how harm could befall a person that came in contact with them either from inhalation or absorption through the skin via pores or open wounds. But what about in cases where the body or bloodstream does not come into contact with the poisons? That’s where pharmacology ends and sorcery begins.

Through ritual the powder is charged with the malevolent intent of the black magician as well as the energy of any spirits that they may call upon to aid in the working. Also each physically toxic ingredient carries an equally deleterious subtle energy signature in itself. Once the victim’s astral body comes in contact with these energies the baleful elements go to work a psychic level until it ours over into the physical which should result in illness and in extreme cases even death. So even if a doctor manages to treat each physical ailment that presents itself they will never eliminate the real problem. Dr. House M.D. may be a damn good doctor but a Houngan he is not, the victim is screwed.
So in essence if you plan on doing some good ol’ fashioned goofering with graveyard dirt, dig deep and get to the real poison. May heaven help your victim, or not….That’s the subject for another blog, and another time.

With Regards,

Brother Ash
"You must have the Devil in you to succeed in the arts." Voltaire
"Don't quote me boy cuz I ain't said shit." Eazy-E

Frag Out!

About a week or so ago I came across someone asking what they were doing wrong when it came to spell casting and in particularly casting to get a job. Of course he was bombarded with replies to the tune of "you are doing it wrong", or "you may have astrological elements against you" etc. These things may indeed be a factor. The person also mentioned that they only cast one spell which in this case was a candle spell. I advised that he cast multiple targeted spells and recounted my own process that I used last year to acquire a job. Here is that process.

1. First I fixed and burned a 7 day glass candle for a job spell. I laid copies of my resume under the candle. Within the week I had two interviews. For each interview I took one of the resumes that was charged under the candles.

2. I carried charged gravel root in my pocket on the interviews which is traditionally used in getting a job .

3. One job I liked in particular so I decided to do another spell directed at the hiring manager. During the interview I got her full name , she also commented on me being a libra so I knew her sign as well. I decided to do a "sweetening" spell on her. In a shallow bowl I laid down a name paper with her name and my desire anointed with libra oil. I then covered that with job getting herbs and poured honey and commanding oil and fast luck powder over it. I stood a white candle up in the middle of the honey anointed with commanding oil and set it light on my Baron Samedi altar. I let that candle burn all the way down and lit a new candle in it's place each following day. I got the job 3 days later but kept lighting candles on the spell until the new hire paperwork was all finished. Of course I called on the aid of Baron Samedi which was certainly a help, but this spell stands on it's own. One could also direct prayers to a saint, angel or higher power of your choice.

That's pretty much the entire process I took. While you can completely knock it out of the park with one spell it never hurts to utilize a number of strategically targeted workings to achieve your goal. Of course backing these magical acts with as much physical/"real world" effort as possible. Jason Miller champions this sort of approach as Strategic Sorcery and I highly recommend that you check out his blog and book for a better understanding of his technique. I like to call it the sorcery frag grenade myself.

As always...

With Regards,

Brother Ash
"You must have the Devil in you to succeed in the arts." Voltaire
"Don't quote me boy cuz I ain't said shit." Eazy-E

By The Book (A Rant)

I apologize up front because this is about to get ranty. But hell, what's the point in having a blog if you can't vent now and then?

About a week or so ago I posed a question over at Evocationmagic.com . I wanted to know why some Goetic magicians place so much emphasis on summoning spirits to full physical appearance, and assert that somehow achieving this feat ensures a greater chance of success of the goal for that evocation. A few people actually stayed on topic, but like most topics in the realm of evocation eventually it came down to an esoteric pissing match with at least one person proclaiming that they get better results and full manifestation because they do everything "by the book". This person went on to elaborate about his experience with spirits moving objects, breaking things within the room, etc. I am not going to reject that this is all possible, and certainly once you start calling spirits into your working space things will get "weird". But what do those theatrics have to do with Sitri getting me laid, or Bune bringing me some money? Nothing, zilch, nadda, zero.

I think what irks me most about the holier than thou by the book Goetes is that when you ask them if they get by the book results, mums the word. What I mean when I say by the book results is, have they had a spirit instantly transport them from one place to another? Have they had a spirit build them towers and then fill them with munitions and weapons? Of course not. They will then tell you well not everything in the grimoires should be taken literally. It's so easy to pick and chose which things to take literally isn't it, and then pass it off as an initiated point of view?I say screw the books for the most part. Work in a manner that feels right to you, with respect to tradition, and most importantly respect for the spirits. Let your results speak for themselves. If you are not getting the expected results. Go back to the source material, but most importantly ask the spirits. The book won't tell you anything. Results are all that matter. Experiment, and adjust accordingly.

As always...

With Regards,

Brother Ash
"You must have the Devil in you to succeed in the arts." Voltaire
"Don't quote me boy cuz I ain't said shit." Eazy-E

Path of the Poison Taster

Usually when someone finds out that I do client work that includes hexing I am confronted with a question about karma. “Aren’t you afraid that it will come back on you?” they’ll ask. The simple answer to that is would be no, because I don’t believe in any form of karma or cosmic judgment or retribution of that sort. That does now mean that I feel that hexing work isn’t without its dangers. I have come to compare the practice of hexing to that of a poison taster. Eliphas Levi touched upon this in his “Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie.” When he wrote:

“There is a story of a jealous and infamous man who, toavenge himself on a rival contracted an incurable disorder and made it the commonscourge and anathema of a divided bed. This atrocious history is that ofevery magician, or rather of every sorcerer who practises bewitchments. He poisonshimself in order that he may poison others; he damns himself that he maytorture others; he draws in hell with his breath in order that he may expel it by hislungs; he wounds himself mortally that he may inflict death on others; but possessed of this unhappy courage, it is positive and certain that he will poison andslay by the mere projection of his perverse will.”

My personal opinion is that hexing can and is spiritually poisoning by nature. To accomplish this task one usually calls in (invokes) and brings forward (evokes) dark, chaotic, or destructive energies. If an individual isn't already acclimated to these types of energies, or skilled in how to deal with them, there can be adverse effects to the worker. Many paths attempt to offset the possible side effects by following up a hex with a spiritual cleansing. I liken the practice to that of a poison taster because I feel that with experience and practice one can become immune to this type of poison. The sure fire way to develop immunity to something is through exposure in some form. Through the practice of ritual invocation a sorcerer can gain deeper insight into these potentially dangerous and powerful energies. I would recommend that they do this before they call on the forces for hexing work. Many people try to avoid the darker forces at all cost due to deeply instilled fear but finally turn to them for the first time when wish to strike out at their enemies. Usually at that point fear combined with guilt and preconceived notions create the self fulfilling prophecy called karma.

The darker natural forces can play just as pivotal a role in one’s personal development as any other forces. It’s beneficial to work with these forces outside of your typical hexing and curse works, thus contributing to one’s spiritual growth while building a much needed immunity if the need may arise for you to use their more destructive aspects. Much the same way as people shouldn’t take a martial art simply for the sake of being able to kick someone’s ass (unless you joined the Cobra Kai Dojo!). You do yourself a disservice by not working with the darker forces for their wisdom that they hold while still learning to kick someone’s ass if need be.

"invoke often" Aleister Crowley