Hello folks and Happy Halloween. I hope you've been enjoying Samhain and the related festivities as I have. As a worker, this is a pretty busy time, as spirits have a lot to say during the darkening of the year.

This past weekend, I had a wonderful conversation with a friend of mine, and it sparked inspiration around a topic of some interest to me. By and large, we as a people are constantly looking for "permission" to do things that redefine our lives. We seek approval to "transgress" by taking steps that aren't necessarily appropriate for others, and we can often get bent out of shape when we don't receive the validation we seek in response. 

Conversing about this got me thinking about this in a magical context. Folks often come 'round to ask "is this ok?", "did I do this right?", and other things of this kind. There are times where this kind of thinking is totally appropriate, as you don't want to screw up your relationship with your spouse or family or friends, sure, but there are also times where it's more appropriate to throw caution to the wind and make the changes you're after. 

Sovereignty is what you make of it, and while I'm not suggesting that you go around intentionally pissing spirits or people off, I would urge you to recognize that they're not here to give you approval. They're beings in their own right, and they're imperfect in their own right....same as we are. So if something feels right, go for it. Do the thing, make the changes you seek, and then bask in the benefits of having done so. 

You'll probably screw up along the way, but who among us doesn't? So if you're looking for permission to live your life, I give it to you. Live life, have fun, and GROW! ;)

-Chris/SE

Hail and welcome, folks. Lovely to have you here. As a tertiary result of the multitude of evocations I've been performing of late, I have been moved to communicate an idea through this page, and I hope it catches on. In short, I'm here to talk about the mark of a magician as it applies to one's intellect. 

In the Lemegeton/Ars Goetia, there are a number of spirits who are known to "make men wise" or "teach astronomy and liberal philosophy" or otherwise educate us fleshy persons on matters of higher thought. Despite their prevalence, this concept is largely glossed over, often to the point where no mention is made of just how incredibly beneficial this can be.

My own observations have generally indicated that folks want to obtain the result they desire but don't really want to educate themselves around the object of their affections. As a result, spirits like Jazar (educated in matters of love), Marax (teaches astronomy, liberal sciences, the virtues of plants and minerals), Marbas (educates us on hidden things, makes men wise in medicine, and assists in "changing the shape of man") and so forth are largely ignored, their virtues cast aside as being paltry and pointless. 

This is a viewpoint that I stand in opposition to, as I rather believe that the mark of a mage is, in part, their intellect and understanding. I've been conjuring, working alongside, and conversing with spirits for essentially as long as I can remember, and for that they've made me wise. I won't profess to be the foremost scientific authority on interstellar phenomenon or a theoretical maths genius, but these interactions have caused me to see and understand the world differently. 

How could they not? Your average human being isn't all that inclined to talk to noncorporeal beings of massive force and intellect beyond  the scope of humanity despite their lack of manifest form. The thought is, to most, rather terrifying, but for those of us who dare to do so, I would posit that we should well seek out these alternative educations. 

Sure, these learnings won't miraculously end with a doctorate in medicine, but you could well go on to such achievements with the appropriate help. Even if you're simply content to learn as much as possible without the associated degrees, it's entirely possible to apply that knowledge in satisfying ways that also benefit your career immensely. 

Case in point, when I was working in Information Technology, I started out as a lowly peon. I had plenty of opportunities to assist folks in a hands-on fashion, remedying everything from forgotten passwords to applications and systems troubleshooting. It was satisfying to be so helpful, but it wasn't challenging, so when an opportunity arose for career advancement, I took it and landed myself in a specialized field wherein I was a complete novice. 

As with all promotions, you sink or you swim, so I leveraged my past experience with the application class I was expected to manage and my skill at conjuring spirits to learn how to do my newfound job more effectively (in addition, of course, to studying textbooks and guides on the subject matter). In so doing, I received the respect of of my peers and, more than that, I'd impressed my boss' higher-ups and was offered a 30% raise roughly six months in, and then yet another at a year. 

I should stress, too, that during that time I did not spend much time enchanting for a raise. Instead, I focused on performing my function as effectively as I could & worked to earn the respect of those I worked with. Raises and accolades came as a result, but I was far more concerned with ensuring that I could learn how to perform such an incredibly complicated job with success. I did so with a good deal of aplomb, too, and even had moments where spirits would walk me to the answer I sought when puzzling over a difficult problem at work. 

As a result, I was often able to find solutions to troubles that others were unable to solve. And when I couldn't do that on my own, I would enchant to work more effectively with my team so that we could solve the trouble & receive praise as a group. 

You see, this doesn't seem like a hugely Important thing at first glance, but if you're willing to apply some cleverness, you can do great things with your life and reshape it. You might not be able to return to school to do something different with your life, but if you work with a spirit like Sitri to learn what designs and room flows are aesthetically and emotionally pleasing, you could well become an interior designer as a result.

This is only one such example of how best these spiritual assistants might be applied. While it might not seem quite as powerful or poignant an application at first, the transformative impact can be impressive. I urge you to apply this in your day-to-day life and see how things evolve. ;)

Blessings,
SE