In the Dresden Files book series, the wizard Harry Dresden finds his own powers and abilities refined through the act of taking on an apprentice. In teaching someone else “the basics” he is able to refocus on them himself and improve his technique and performance. I do not have an apprentice. Of the three people […]
Solipsism
I don’t like shrimp. When I tell people that I don’t like shrimp, many people have the same reaction: “How could you not like shrimp?” This reaction follows the inevitable rationalization that shrimp-lovers always resort to: “You just haven’t had it cooked right! You should try it like …” I’ve been a cook in one […]
Goibhniu
“Goibniu who was not impotent in smelting,” – Lebor Gabala Erenn
Goibniu, or Goibhniu is the Irish God of smithcraft equated to the Welsh Gafannon. His name is derived from the word for smith; Old Irish gobha, Modern Irish gabha (O hOgain, 2006). It is said that…
Book Review – Speak Irish Now! (Of Language Study)
Authors: Patricia Delia Pugnier and Brian Lee Pugnier
Publisher: Speak Irish Now LLC
Published: 2012, First edition
ISBN: 9781481842389
Pages: 480
Synopsis: Speak Irish Now is designed to get you speaking Irish quickly and effectively, even if you have little or no experience with foreign languages. With over 200 short and powerful lessons, Speak Irish Now will teach you the building blocks of Irish, and can be used for both self-study and group-study.
Review: Continue reading…
Invocations, part 2
Continuing with invocations…
Invocation to an Dagda
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Continue reading…
Witches in Hekate’s Garden
What makes a witch a witch? Is it someone selling their soul to a devil, or is it a pact with the spirit world? Are witches shamans or sorcerers? All of those things appear to be true. There is a diverse world of witches out there, all of them…
Magical Wording
Magic is very caught up in language. It seems to be the best way for us to encode our desires for processing during the act of magic. Our words and metaphors for magic reflect the importance of language: we cast “spells” and keep them in “grimiores.” But there’s a problem. Because our language embodies a […]
Retroactive Enchantment
Chaos Magic, especially the variety that depends upon the equations of Pete Carroll, has some interesting things to say about how time works. Specifically, Chaos Magical Theory posits that the past isn’t set, and instead is a “probable past” that can be as variable as the probable future that is not set even as we […]
Magical Combat
I’ve been re-reading some advice from the great Frater Stokastikos regarding magical defense. Some of that advice is in line with what I have discovered or observed to be true on my own. Servitors are your best bet for magical defense. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m big on wards. I have constructed some pretty elaborate […]
Invocations part 1
I’ll be honest with you all; when I invoke* deities in ritual or devotional offerings I almost always use extemporaneous invocations. However I’ve been told that invocations are challenging for many people, so I thought I’d offer a selection of different ones here for a variety of the deities I honor. You’ll see pretty quickly the basic pattern I tend to use, and my approach to invocations. I’ll include a half dozen here and more next time. Feel free to leave a request for a specific deity in the comments if you’d like to see an invocation for one.