On Duality

Solar angel
Bound to lunar spirit:
Two sides of the same coin.
Copper
Laughing
Sunny and shady sides of a hill.
One and zero:
Digital.

- 5/3/2009

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The 'Spectrum' of Opinion

What do Pravda and The John Birch Society have in common? Not too much, I'd wager. But they are a part of the backlash that is building to the Light Bulb Ban of 2007. Across the political spectrum, from the Libertarians on the left to conservative pundits, people are noticing that this is an ill-conceived government smackdown.

Outlawing light bulbs. I'm against it. Besides trashing one of our greatest inventions, the 100+ year-old incandescent light bulb; the list of downsides is enormous: the main replacement, CFLs are poisoned with mercury, start slowly, and have trouble dimming. Their color cast is hideous and arguably unhealthy. LEDs aren't ready yet and there are questions as to whether they are susceptible to EMP. And, of course, there is the simple fact that instead of the market deciding when a new product is ready to replace an old one (CDs and DVDs anyone?) the feds have shoved this down our throats. Wonder why? Concern for the environment or lining their own pockets? What does the historical record say is most likely from 'their honors?'

It's time to say that simply pouring green paint over your head and adorning your website with verdant shades does not mean you are saving the Earth: it marks you as a camp follower at best or a cynic out for their own personal or corporate advancement at worst.

Edison made the first public demonstration of the incandescent light bulb on December 31, 1879. So shall the light bulb’s epitaph read “Born 1879, Died 2014. Taken Before its Time?”

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Ophiuchus, the 13th Sign

Sidereal astrologers, who deal with the movement of the planets across the real constellations in the sky, have a twist: there are thirteen signs in that zodiac. The extra is Ophiuchus, the serpent carrier. Rather than being a recent invention, the "problem" of Ophiuchus goes back a few centuries. An interesting article from a astrologer's point of view: here.

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Music for Grimoires, Part the First

If one doesn't subscribe to the "electronics are bad during rituals" crowd, you may have had some suitable background music on during a ritual; you may have even used suitably atmospheric electric lights (LED "candle" lighting is very appropriate for this). But what's some quality, non-distracting music for a ritual? In my mind, it needs to be a drone without too much variation, sans vocals and with a mood suitable to the ritual. In these iPodian days, it's easy to set it to repeat until you are done.

Here's my first suggestion: I'm calling it music for dark rituals I and suggesting Lustmord, Where the Black Stars Hang. Just because it's a dark ritual I don't think something that sounds like horror movie music would really work (but if that floats your boat: do it!) and this Lustmord CD is a dark yet not gloomy space travel wash of sounds. The first song is even call Sol Om On (Solomon? Music for Grimoires?). If you're not familiar with them, Lustomrd might sound like a German black metal group, but really "he" is the master of dark ambient.

Recommended.

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Make a Magic Carpet

How To Make The Magic Carpet Proper For Interrogating The Intelligences, So As To Obtain An Answer Regarding Whatsoever Matter One May Wish To Learn

Make: a Carpet of white and new wool, and when the Moon shall be at her full, in the Sign of Capricorn and in the hour of the Sun, thou shalt go into the country away from any habitation of man, in a place free from all impurity, and shalt spread out thy Carpet so that one of its points shall be towards the east, and another towards the west, and having made a Circle without it and enclosing it, thou shalt remain within upon the point towards the east, and holding thy wand in the air for every operation, thou shalt call upon MICHAEL, towards the north upon RAPHAEL, towards the west upon GABRIEL, and towards the south upon MURIEL. After this thou shalt return unto the point of the East and devoutly invoke the Great Name AGLA, and take this point of the Carpet in thy left hand; turning then towards the North thou shalt do the same, and so continuing to the other points of the Carpet, thou shalt raise them so that they touch not the ground, and holding them up thus, and turning anew towards the East thou shalt say with great veneration the following Prayer:

AGLA, AGLA, AGLA, AGLA; O God Almighty who art the Life of the Universe and who rulest over the four divisions of its vast form by the strength and virtue of the Four Letters of Thy Holy Name Tetragrammaton, YOD, HE, VAU, HE, bless in Thy Name this covering which I hold as Thou hast blessed the Mantle of Elijah in the hands of Elisha, so that being covered by Thy Wings, nothing may be able to injure me, even as it is said: “He shall hide thee under His wings and beneath His feathers shall thou trust, His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” After this thou shalt fold it up, saying these words following: RECABUSTIRA, CABUSTIRA, BUSTIRA, TIRA RA, A; and shall keep it carefully to serve thee at need.

When thou shalt be desirous to make thine interrogations, choose the night of full or of new moon, and from midnight until daybreak. Thou shalt transport thyself unto the appointed spot if it be for the purpose of discovering a treasure; if not, any place will serve provided it be clean and pure. Having had the precaution on the preceding evening to write upon a slip of virgin parchment coloured azure-blue, with a pen made from the feather of a dove, this Character and Name; taking thy carpet, thou shalt cover thy head and body therewith, and taking the censer, with new fire therein, thou shalt place it in or upon the proper place, and cast thereon some incense. Then shalt thou prostrate thyself upon the ground, with thy face towards the earth, before the incense beginneth to fume, keeping the fire of the same beneath the carpet, holding thy wand upright, against which to rest thy chin; thou shalt hold with thy right hand the aforesaid strip of parchment against thy forehead. and thou shalt say the following words:

VEGALE, HAMICATA, UMSA, TERATA, YEH, DAH, MA, BAXASOXA, UN, HORAH, HIMSERE; O God the Vast One send unto me the Inspiration of Thy Light, make me to discover the secret thing which I ask of Thee, whatsoever such or such a thing may be, make me to search it out by the aid of Thy holy Ministers RAZIEL, TZAPHNIEL, MATMONIEL; Lo, Thou hast desired truth in the young, and in the hidden thing shalt Thou make me known wisdom. RECABUSTIRA, CABUSTIRA, BUSTIRA, TIRA, RA, A, KARKAHITA, KAHITA, HITA, TA.

And thou shalt hear distinctly the answer which thou shalt have sought.

GreaterKey
ofSolomon
16th-17thCent.

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