Any scary experiences that did NOT scare you away from the occult?

[theseawitch]

I see a lot about ex-occultists online who "dabbled" (usually their first mistake, I don't really think just "dabbling" is any way to go about it) and had something frightening or unfortunate happen (regardless of whether it actually had anything to do with whatever spell or ritual they attempted) and then got scared away from the occult and even, in some cases, become extremely Christian and then go around saying how bad and dangerous the occult is and that no one should ever practice it for any reason in any way. That drives me crazy. Take Dave Mustaine. Attempting drunken angry magic as a horny teenager, doing a coercive "sex hex", and he was surprised things didn't go great, he got freaked out and ran back to Jesus and now says that "You don't want to know about witchcraft"....as though he actually knows so much about it.

So, my question is, have you ever had anything happen during or as a result of an occult practice that DID scare you but did NOT scare you away from the occult altogether? Perhaps it actually proved for you what you were searching for so it made you want to go deeper, not run away. I have had some unnerving things happen but nothing especially "scary", and anything I've experienced has only made me want to explore and experience more.

 

[Morell]

If occult is who you want to be, scary stuff doesn't make you turn away. Just like with any other path. Ask nurses about theirs cary experiences, Some patients are really scary but if they stay nurses, they have reason to be nurses. If you turn away, then I must ask what is it that you were seeking there, since it is not worth it dealing with the obstacles.

Me?
I had poltergeist in my room I had to destroy
A sleep paralysis multiple times caused by spirit that regretted it after the paralysis went off.
I was attacked by another occultist or ritually created scary spirit that could form portals/wormholes to travel, but that one didn't pass the defenses...
I risked life by driving unknown path to work after ritual which indirectly caused me to oversleep. (I was very very rusty driver)
A vampiric parasites tried to drain me from precious life energy when I was reading Violet Throne.
A remnant of soul of some dead drug addict came to me for drain, causing me to have drug dream I woke up freezing in room warmed to 30°c...

So? No matter. I have my heart in my path, it's what I desire so I won't turn around because I stumble upon a pile of shit. In life you simply get to obstacles and it's up to you to deal with it. If you turn away, either the path wasn't worth the trouble, or it's you being useless. Either deal with shit or find a workaround. If you find no obstacles, you find no real growth. You can only grow through dealing with problems and challenges.

 

[josuequiros777]

I think is a great filter. Having so much power over one's destiny and being aware of it so as to not overuse it requires some courage. People who can't fight their fears and run from them can't be good Magick Weilders, because of their own mental limitations.