next »

[Yvsaph]

Greetings,

I was just wondering what all of your firsts were in regard to magick and energy--your first supernatural experience, the first time you heard someone else talk about magick, energy work, or "the occult", the first book on magick that you purchased, the first time you performed a ritual, the first time a spell actually worked for you, or any other 'firsts' you might happen to think of that I have forgotten--and I am also interrested to know some of your general progression in fringe beliefs, and your influences.

As for myself, the first time I was exposed to magick was through my great-grandfather, who could tell fortunes both through Tarot cards and a regulation poker deck, and was quite skilled at doing so. Unfortunately for me--or it seems in retrospect a misfortune, considering my deep fascination with arcane practices--my mother objected to him "corrupting me" with such such things, so I was unable to be taught anything on the subject--although, at the ages in which I spent any real time with him I had no real interest in the subject--and now that my interest in this stuff has developed greatly since then I can't be instructed because he died about four years ago.

One of my initial sources of general energy work was through anime, (as Michelle cringes) particularly Dragonball Z, which lead me into studying Eastern philosophy, especially martial arts, through which I was introduced to Ki, and while I never expected to be able to shoot giant blue streams of energy from my hands and destroy mountains like in the show, the act of focussing energy and forming little balls in my hands was rewarding, nonetheless, at that time. Philosophically and psychologically, the later episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion also play some role in my personal gnosis. And, finally, I also gain influence with Full Metal Alchemist (as Michelle cringes further), which lead me to purchase my first "magickal" book: Saint Germain on Alchemy: Formulas for Self-Transformation, which focuses on the spiritual tradition of Alchemy, and is where I was introduced to the Great White Brotherhood, the Ascended Masters, and the Higher Self. Again, I did not expect it to say "Imagine what you want, clap your hands, and thrust them forward, and what you want shall be" like in the show, but I found things in there that resonated with me.

I have always been interested in different world mythologies, and I read Bulfinch's Mythology, a great deal of the Norse myths--with which I relate the most--including the Eddas, both The Saga of the Volsungs and The Nibelungenlied, and Beowulf--which was very good. I still haven't been able to find anything by Joseph Campbell, but I'm still looking. I read a lot of Lovecraft, which influenced my a lot, as well as--if only from an imaginative standpoint--the works of Lewis Carroll.

I think I might have digressed from my original thought, but now it's your turn, and I'll probably contribute further throughout the dicussion.

[ktbrady]

I went to a metaphysical church that had a psychic development class,  it was basic, but you would read unmarked envelopes with a question or statement  in them,  they would get mixed up so you did not know which one you received.  That helped me to trust what I was seeing,  you would open up the envelope in the next session and the person would confirm or deny what you wrote on the back of the envelope.  Psychometry as well, was used.  The first time I described an object and got it right in its aspects, I was happy I actually was able to go with the flow.  I had a teacher who wanted us to learn how to read without depending on outside tools, but I always liked to use my tarot cards as a focus, still do, although I can do without if need be.  I like using  my cards.
My first books were  Buckland's Book of Witchcraft and Positive Magic. 
One of my first serious efforts was a protective amulet for my daughter when she was in a dangerous spot in her life.  Sounds silly, but I used a strip of fabric from a coat I wore all the time when I was pregnant with her,  a feather to envision her away from bad places, and pine cone segments to use as barbs for protection against those that would hurt her.  It was simple.

[Yvsaph]

Hm. . . I have no experience in the psychic field. I have been told that I am very intuitive when it comes to "feeling people out", but it's nothing that I've pursued in terms of developement.
But I have made--or at least attempted to make--talismans or amulets. In grade school I was always carving little symbols in dominoes (the wooden kind), or some other such thing, and giving them to my friends. At that age (from 7-10) my friends didn't think it was wierd or anything, and I just made things up to put on there, but a couple of them actually ended up having some impact on their lives, which is pretty cool in retrospect.

[ktbrady]

"I just made things up to put on there,"  Yvsaph

Yvsaph, sounds like magick to me, sometimes the simplest is the strongest .

[Shimmer]

My first contact with magick that I can remember was when I was about three years old, but my grandmother didn’t call it that.  She preferred to think of her little rituals as being superstitious, but looking back now, I can see it was magick.  When I was four, my mother told me that she could ‘see things’, and that she had a vision of me being killed whilst riding a bicycle.  As a result, I’ve never had a bike - riding a skateboard without a helmet was fine with her, but not a bike.

My grandmother decided to give me an Ouija board when I was about 10, and then set about showing me how to use it.  Although I wasn’t working much magick back then - just copying a few things that grandma did - I got pretty heavy into the Ouija.  What was it Michelle said once: “children shouldn’t play with dead things”?  Oh, boy, she was right and after a few really freaky things happened, I stayed away from anything like that for a long, long time.  I only started to get back into some light spell-work (heck, that makes it sound more important and ritualistic than it actually is) about ten years ago.  No Ouija board though.  Threw it away.

[Yvsaph]

Yvsaph, sounds like magick to me, sometimes the simplest is the strongest .

Yeah, I remember hearing something about that on the last episode, when MIchelle said that some of the rituals/signs/symbols (I can't remember which at the moment) in the Kephrian House were simply made up; so there is truth to that.

Shimmer: Oddly--especially considering I was very interrested in them when I was younger--I've never come into contact with a Ouija board, but I can certainly understand when the adage 'Children shouldn't play with dead things' is said on the show as I found other ways of getting the dead to speak.

[Jarhog]

Hello fellow night crawlers. I just noticed the time on most of these is midnight to 4 am. Just an observation not an inditment. I uaally do most of my posting in the wee hours too. But, tonight i have places to be and spirits to talk to so I thought I would get it done now.

So, the fist time I had a supernatural/paranormal/psychic experience that I remember I was five. My father was having a business dispute with this man and he attempted to abduct be as collateral for payment. As he was attempting to stuff me in the trunk of his car I saw that he was what I can only describe as Lucifer. The closest thing I can compare it to is the devil and demons in the movie Spawn. In it's eye I could see a black crystalline form that was absolutely devoid of emotion and stunningly beautiful. It was so cold it burned and the black light that shown from it burned with cold in my heart and soul. I understand how a heart could be turned to stone if one channeled that light. This could be dismissed by some as just a terrified child's imagination but my mother saw it too from a different the side and she did not look in it's eyes. My mother would only admit that to me when I was about 30 or so. I showed her the movie and she agreed that was it.  Years later I heard the remote viewer Major Ed Dames told about his viewing of Lucifer and it struck a cord with me. I went to take his class in Vagas just so I could talk to him. I know we saw the same thing and that is the only other person that I have met that had that experience.

About 4 or 5 years ago I was renting a piece of equipment for the company I worked for. The sales rep brought it by and when I shook his hand I got a flash of those events. Then I realized that he looked like a younger version of the abductor. I did get a bit spooked and went back to my desk to see something and sure enough his name was an anagram of the abductors. I heard he died in prison 30 years ago or so and this guy was 30ish. That guy did not work at the equipment company any more when I called to return the equipment a month later.
  

[Jarhog]

 [/quote]
Shimmer: Oddly--especially considering I was very interrested in them when I was younger--I've never come into contact with a Ouija board, but I can certainly understand when the adage 'Children shouldn't play with dead things' is said on the show as I found other ways of getting the dead to speak.
[/quote]

I just had to ad this of Ouija boards. The strangest house I have ever been in had one painted on the hardwood floor in the living room. I don't mean the game size but about 10ft X 20ft one. The house was a huge 3 story Victorian on 8th or 10th street in Albuquerque. I have no idea why anyone would do that but it was weird.

[Yvsaph]

I just noticed the time on most of these is midnight to 4 am.

Yes, we all appear to be insomiacs.

To your post. . . I don't think I have ever encountered--or experienced--anything or anyone like what you described with mysterious Mr. Morning Star, but sometimes I am able to percieve the mindset of others. It's only happened emphatically a couple of times--it's more a vague feeling, or vibe, than anything else. I'm not sure if that's related or not, though.

I just had to ad this of Ouija boards. The strangest house I have ever been in had one painted on the hardwood floor in the living room. I don't mean the game size but about 10ft X 20ft one. The house was a huge 3 story Victorian on 8th or 10th street in Albuquerque. I have no idea why anyone would do that but it was weird.

That is extremely strange. I wonder if they had to use a glass table for the pointer?

[NyteMuse]

What was it Michelle said once: “children shouldn’t play with dead things”? 

LMAO. If you heard Michelle saying that, she was probably giggling behind her hand the whole time. Chris is more the no-dead-things person.

[Shimmer]

Shimmer: Oddly--especially considering I was very interrested in them when I was younger--I've never come into contact with a Ouija board, but I can certainly understand when the adage 'Children shouldn't play with dead things' is said on the show as I found other ways of getting the dead to speak.

It wasn't the speaking that bothered me, it was all the other stuff that began to happen that freaked me out.

LMAO. If you heard Michelle saying that, she was probably giggling behind her hand the whole time. Chris is more the no-dead-things person.

Children. I didn't know what the heck I was doing back then. 

[Yvsaph]

It wasn't the speaking that bothered me, it was all the other stuff that began to happen that freaked me out.

Ah. . . well I might be familiar with that stuff as well.