I've not been ignoring this journal, I promise.  I've just been doing most of my work on the plane of disks lately.  It's been exciting and exhausting in turns, to be so successful.  I set my will towards something and achieved it.  That's not enough, though, is it?  Success must be maintained.  Uhg, I hate feeling like I'm talking in code,  I'll drop it.

Anyway, expect a at least a couple of posts in the next week.

If you cobble a ritual together from various sources, does it count was writing it or arranging it?  Oh well, this is a ritual I wrote several years ago because I found other people's attempts at too be to long and wordy. 

Frankly, lookng over it,  I'm not terribly happy with it.  I think the language in the beginning is terse, and I think it requires too many people.  What's more, I wonder if it's even necessary.  Well, I'll post it any way and let you decide.




 

You know how it is, after all.  No one really takes you seriously if you have a LiveJournal.  That's something of a joke by the way.  Anyway, the two places will vary in content some what (but not much, and the same thing will generally be posted on both places).  I will update you here if I add something there that doesn't appear, uhm, here, and vice versa.  Sound complicated?  Well, I like to think I'm a complicated guy.

Anyway, I'm already working on an essay that will completely (completely) violate the  Mission Statement.  Or at least appear too.  In point of fact, it will not, but I will explain in the essay.  Still, it may take awhile, because I want to make sure that essay is as perfect as I can possibley make it.

Anyway, the site is here.  Please, add to your favorites, and stay tuned.

Keep up the Great Work,
Fr. A.M.P.H.

Usually when someone decides to experiment with a new god form, the first step is to research every aspect of that god.   The usually method involves weeks of research and the building of a highly detailed image of that god.  Usually, what this means is, people have remarkably similar experiences with invoked deities.  What if, however, a group of people chose to invoke a deity of which they knew nothing? 

Try this with your group (assuming you have one).  One volunteer will choose an obscure deity (African, South American and Asian deities might be best), and do all the appropriate research.  After gathering all the appropriate data, the volunteer will design the invocation as simply as possible (the best might be simple repeatedly chanting the deity's name), in no way refering to the diety's attributes or mythic deeds.  The volunteer will also design the appropriate imagery for the group to use.   The goup should then decide on the ritual around which to frame the invocation, and a number of days to perform the experiment, invoking the diety once per day individually.  During the experiment, the individuals should keep records of their experiences, and not discuss them with each other.  At the end of the experiment, the group should come together and discuss their individual experiences, comparing and contrasting them not only to each other's, but also to the volunteer's research.

So what's the purpose of this?  Well, it could be used to increase group cohesion.  A way of showing that individual work, and group work aren't mutually exclusive.  It might also help some people understand (for themselves at least) the nature of deity.

It should, also be noted, that remarkably similar experiences doesn't necessarily prove the objective existence of the deity invoked.   It could just as easily show the power of certain shared archetypes, or be indicative of a strong group egregore.  Jumping to any of these three conclusions could be intellectually hazardous.  This experiment, after all, is hardly "scientific."

It is up to the group as to whether the volunteer should participate in the actual experiment or not.  Allowing it, however, may allow for something resembling having a "control."

Had a semi-lucid dream last night.  Semi-lucid in that, I was oddly aware I might be dreaming, but despite my reality testing, I could never cross the threshold to actual lucid dreaming.  I don't recall the exact details, I'm very bad at keeping a dream journal, but what I do recall is looking repeatedly at a clock on a wall, trying to see if the time would change.  I knew something was wrong, so I would look at the clock, look away, then look back at the clock thinking If it tells a different time, I must be dreaming.  This, of course, is a classic technique, that usually works.  But it didn't!  The time remained the same everytime I looked back at the clock!   I share this only as an example of how well the mind plays tricks on itself.  I mean, it's just shows how easy one part of our self can manipulate another.  Which itself has some very bothersome implications.  If it's that easy for us to manipulated by our own mind, imagine how easy it must be for others to manipulate us!  

Anyway, enough of that.  Later tonight I plan to cross post an outline for a group experiment.  I've not worked out all the details yet, but keep an eye out. 

EDIT = Also, during Dragon*Con was probably not the best time to start a new journal and then try and add a bunch of friends.  Everyone is in Atlanta!

Hello, I am Frater A.M.P.H.  Some of you already know me as from my short lives and somewhat popular blog "The Modern Thelemite."  I have started this particular blog  as a place to put my more serious occult thoughts and opinions.  I intend to try and focus on the Work (that is, the Magick) itself, and try to avoid all that obnoxios played out relgious debate.  

What I mean is, you'll see commentary on various existing ritual, book reviews about Ceremonial Magick, thoughts on technique, original ritual, experiment ideas, etc...  But you won't see me discussing what exactly I think about, say The Tunis Comment.  Sure, there will be the occasional over lap, it's unavoidable, but I promise to at least try.

Constructive criticism, honest and open debate are welcome.  Flamming, trolling, and name calling are not.

-Fr. A.M.P.H. 

EDIT = About my friends' list.   I'm getting some weirdness today when I search interests, so I just went through and added names I recognized, were or are on my other journal's friends' list, and chicks I thought were hot.  Sorry, I promised myself I'd be serious.

Also, in the next two or three months I intend to start a Vlog along these lines.  Stay tuned.

I should also note, this is not the sort of journal that will be updated every day, although, I do expect to parsel out a few things over the next few days.  Stay tuned.