Hello folks and happy Monday, I hope my post finds you well. The week before last I wrote about the topic of making offerings simple with the goal of making the practice more approachable, and now that we've got the basics out-of-the-way, we can dig in a little bit deeper into the practice of offertory magic.
Just as one can provide very simple offerings, the offerings themselves can be quite complex. Generally, they become an art form in & of themselves, particularly as they become a part of your daily practice. We are all familiar with the idea of providing food, shelter, and warmth, and those are principles upon which these advanced practices are built.
We making offerings, it is important to consider the nature of the spirit you are working with and your intended goal. If you are simply saying "hi", it doesn't require a lot of effort or thought. What about when you're asking these spirits to do something on your behalf? It is at that point when you need to consider what you were offering & the intended effect, as spirits can be riled up, calmed down, guided to specific experiences and moods, and interfaced with on a number of levels.
The first level is that of materia… What is actually in the mixture that you're offering? When formulating offerings, the attitude and nature of the spellwork and that which fuels it each matter, as those individual ingredients each change the nature and intent of the whole. If your goal is to be well paid, then the offerings should naturally prime the spirits you're engaging with towards financial increase. Materials like copal, orange peel, dragon's blood, frankincense, myrrh, cinquefoil, chaparral and sassafras each have a part to play & should be mixed according to your aims and the nature of the spirit itself.
If the spirit you're connecting with is watery in nature, stay away from fire. Stay away from the act of ignition if you can, as that naturally runs counter to their experience & essence. Likewise, if an entity is more wrathful in behavior and temperament, take that into account. There is such a thing as too much rambunctiousness, and there are times where you will want to call those entities down in order to get everyone on the same page. There is a great need for an inherent harmony & it's observance. Every act of magic seeks to work with this underlying harmony to change the balance in your favor.
This calls in the second point of importance: nature and essence. If materia can affect the emotions, disposition and manifestations of the spirit, then your emotional state can most definitely do the same. Every entity has their own disposition and experiences… They are not the same, and any attempt to pigeonhole them for your own convenience will work out badly. When you interact with these entities, you need to consider what you're bringing to the table.. if you are making offerings to a spirit with the goal of creating peace, then part of the offering is setting any warmaking behavior to the side. Choosing not to bring that into the ritual space and the area of life you intend to improve is crucial. Otherwise, that energy creates a disharmony that will not advance your hands.
Likewise, if you're working with a spirit to heal your own pain, offer that pain up. Allow that emotion to be understood and comprehended through offering so that these entities know exactly what you're going through. This act can be used to humanize spirits & help them to recognize and appreciate our struggle, thus motivating them to act on our behalves.
We see this present in a number of magical practices, tracing as far back as both early
Vedic & Sumerian traditions, and so there's some meat on those particular bones. It's been my experience that this creates a kind of emotional literacy with the spirits around us, making it easier for us to experience and comprehend them in turn.
Over time, the goal of this practice is to be able to share joy as well, as the act of doing so is inherently magical and expansive. It creates and reinforces connective tissue, but that can be a very difficult place to start. Misery loves company, however, and we are very good at sharing that misery with those around us, making this a very accessible magical practice provided one can adopt the mindset that this pain is shared so that it can be appreciated and understood. It's not to be shared with contempt in your heart, as we do not wish to teach hate.
We're not looking to turn any of these spirits into the next Tay AI.
The third aspect I'd like to touch on is that of acting like a deity, but before I do so, I'll convey a warning here first: !!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS PRACTICE LIGHTLY!!!
One of the hardest things to do is to invoke a spirit's tone and attitude so that it can guide us ***without taking us over***. The moment you lose your sovereignty, the jig is up, as you're no longer in control. Never give that over to a spirit entirely. Don't give yourself over to a spirit entirely either. That should only be done by an expert who trusts the spirit called implicitly. Otherwise, it's a big no no and you'll usually require professional help to un-pretzel yourself.
Warning aside, this is where evocation and invocation go to die, as this practice is neither and both concurrently. When you realize that there's no functional difference between space and time, there's no difference between your space and the space of spirits. The two overlap CONSTANTLY, and so they can be permitted to occupy space in our bodies and mind. When this occurs, there's a harmony of action and the two intelligences (your own and theirs) can become seamless in nature. Think of it as being yourself +1 and you'll have the right of it.
As you try to uphold the nature and virtues of a specific spirit, you become more and more like them. This change can be temporary or quite prolonged, and it should nearly always be the former. The latter gets into lifetime issues because we're not Gods.
As we act as these spirits do, we develop an affinity for them and comprehend their essence. As we approach the emotional space they reside in, this literacy becomes a two way street which can then allow for them to act within us as a guide.
When this occurs to and for me, I lose myself in the process a bit. I'm always here in some capacity, but someone else is also influencing my actions and words, leading to extremely powerful acts of benediction, magic and prophecy. I've had spirits literally take my hand and guide me to places and things that I wouldn't have found otherwise. I've used them change my sight so that I could see specific features on the landscape and appreciate their meaning. I've had data dumps come through that made me grow in years. The possibilities are probably endless, but so too are the risks.
When we approach this third kind of offertory magic, there's a very steep learning curve. It's not for everyone, and most people will struggle with this endlessly. If it doesn't jive for you, meditate daily. Start to become aware of your own patterns, because the wheels falling off on this practice is ***always* a "you thing". Our processes and the temperaments drive all of these magical acts, so that's the starting point.
Wrapping up, if this just blew the doors of the hinges for you, GOOD. If it didn't, read it again, as magical acts like this become almost shamanic in nature and change the way you connect with the whole of magic. This is what makes offerings so powerful - you could literally do nothing but that and have a substantial increase in life. All it takes is dedication, and we have plenty of time right now. ;)
Be blessed & raised up folks.
-Chris
Just as one can provide very simple offerings, the offerings themselves can be quite complex. Generally, they become an art form in & of themselves, particularly as they become a part of your daily practice. We are all familiar with the idea of providing food, shelter, and warmth, and those are principles upon which these advanced practices are built.
We making offerings, it is important to consider the nature of the spirit you are working with and your intended goal. If you are simply saying "hi", it doesn't require a lot of effort or thought. What about when you're asking these spirits to do something on your behalf? It is at that point when you need to consider what you were offering & the intended effect, as spirits can be riled up, calmed down, guided to specific experiences and moods, and interfaced with on a number of levels.
The first level is that of materia… What is actually in the mixture that you're offering? When formulating offerings, the attitude and nature of the spellwork and that which fuels it each matter, as those individual ingredients each change the nature and intent of the whole. If your goal is to be well paid, then the offerings should naturally prime the spirits you're engaging with towards financial increase. Materials like copal, orange peel, dragon's blood, frankincense, myrrh, cinquefoil, chaparral and sassafras each have a part to play & should be mixed according to your aims and the nature of the spirit itself.
If the spirit you're connecting with is watery in nature, stay away from fire. Stay away from the act of ignition if you can, as that naturally runs counter to their experience & essence. Likewise, if an entity is more wrathful in behavior and temperament, take that into account. There is such a thing as too much rambunctiousness, and there are times where you will want to call those entities down in order to get everyone on the same page. There is a great need for an inherent harmony & it's observance. Every act of magic seeks to work with this underlying harmony to change the balance in your favor.
This calls in the second point of importance: nature and essence. If materia can affect the emotions, disposition and manifestations of the spirit, then your emotional state can most definitely do the same. Every entity has their own disposition and experiences… They are not the same, and any attempt to pigeonhole them for your own convenience will work out badly. When you interact with these entities, you need to consider what you're bringing to the table.. if you are making offerings to a spirit with the goal of creating peace, then part of the offering is setting any warmaking behavior to the side. Choosing not to bring that into the ritual space and the area of life you intend to improve is crucial. Otherwise, that energy creates a disharmony that will not advance your hands.
Likewise, if you're working with a spirit to heal your own pain, offer that pain up. Allow that emotion to be understood and comprehended through offering so that these entities know exactly what you're going through. This act can be used to humanize spirits & help them to recognize and appreciate our struggle, thus motivating them to act on our behalves.
We see this present in a number of magical practices, tracing as far back as both early
Vedic & Sumerian traditions, and so there's some meat on those particular bones. It's been my experience that this creates a kind of emotional literacy with the spirits around us, making it easier for us to experience and comprehend them in turn.
Over time, the goal of this practice is to be able to share joy as well, as the act of doing so is inherently magical and expansive. It creates and reinforces connective tissue, but that can be a very difficult place to start. Misery loves company, however, and we are very good at sharing that misery with those around us, making this a very accessible magical practice provided one can adopt the mindset that this pain is shared so that it can be appreciated and understood. It's not to be shared with contempt in your heart, as we do not wish to teach hate.
We're not looking to turn any of these spirits into the next Tay AI.
The third aspect I'd like to touch on is that of acting like a deity, but before I do so, I'll convey a warning here first: !!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS PRACTICE LIGHTLY!!!
One of the hardest things to do is to invoke a spirit's tone and attitude so that it can guide us ***without taking us over***. The moment you lose your sovereignty, the jig is up, as you're no longer in control. Never give that over to a spirit entirely. Don't give yourself over to a spirit entirely either. That should only be done by an expert who trusts the spirit called implicitly. Otherwise, it's a big no no and you'll usually require professional help to un-pretzel yourself.
Warning aside, this is where evocation and invocation go to die, as this practice is neither and both concurrently. When you realize that there's no functional difference between space and time, there's no difference between your space and the space of spirits. The two overlap CONSTANTLY, and so they can be permitted to occupy space in our bodies and mind. When this occurs, there's a harmony of action and the two intelligences (your own and theirs) can become seamless in nature. Think of it as being yourself +1 and you'll have the right of it.
As you try to uphold the nature and virtues of a specific spirit, you become more and more like them. This change can be temporary or quite prolonged, and it should nearly always be the former. The latter gets into lifetime issues because we're not Gods.
As we act as these spirits do, we develop an affinity for them and comprehend their essence. As we approach the emotional space they reside in, this literacy becomes a two way street which can then allow for them to act within us as a guide.
When this occurs to and for me, I lose myself in the process a bit. I'm always here in some capacity, but someone else is also influencing my actions and words, leading to extremely powerful acts of benediction, magic and prophecy. I've had spirits literally take my hand and guide me to places and things that I wouldn't have found otherwise. I've used them change my sight so that I could see specific features on the landscape and appreciate their meaning. I've had data dumps come through that made me grow in years. The possibilities are probably endless, but so too are the risks.
When we approach this third kind of offertory magic, there's a very steep learning curve. It's not for everyone, and most people will struggle with this endlessly. If it doesn't jive for you, meditate daily. Start to become aware of your own patterns, because the wheels falling off on this practice is ***always* a "you thing". Our processes and the temperaments drive all of these magical acts, so that's the starting point.
Wrapping up, if this just blew the doors of the hinges for you, GOOD. If it didn't, read it again, as magical acts like this become almost shamanic in nature and change the way you connect with the whole of magic. This is what makes offerings so powerful - you could literally do nothing but that and have a substantial increase in life. All it takes is dedication, and we have plenty of time right now. ;)
Be blessed & raised up folks.
-Chris