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That it actually works. I started magic from a scientific atheist mindset and the fact that the rituals worked and worked shattered my paradigm on how the world works. Since then its been an ongoing journey of mind blowing experiences, but there isn't anything quite like that first crack that lets the light in... or darkness... which ever path you are on, lol.
Probably my 3rd degree initiation . Due to elements in it , and things presented for my consideration and subsequent meditation on it all , I saw how a whole range of past, seemingly diverse, experiences , occurrences , tendencies , etc were not so separate and happenstance ... they all pointed to or were significant pieces of a 'jigsaw puzzle ' that all came together in a bigger picture of my life's work and reason for being here .
It got me into poetry and singing. I never used to care about poetry and didn't have the courage to sing until I realized the awesome power of these two skills when combined and used for a sacred purpose. Like, for one thing now I get why people go to church and really look forward to the worship and they do it with their hands up, something I never understood when I was younger and just thought that was stuff for crazy people. I thought the sermon was obviously the whole point of going, but that was just like, my opinion, man, you know? Now it's changed and I actually agree with the crazy people, that the worship session is definitely the best part of going to church (if you go).
Probably my 3rd degree initiation . Due to elements in it , and things presented for my consideration and subsequent meditation on it all , I saw how a whole range of past, seemingly diverse, experiences , occurrences , tendencies , etc were not so separate and happenstance ... they all pointed to or were significant pieces of a 'jigsaw puzzle ' that all came together in a bigger picture of my life's work and reason for being here .
I get it. By chance have you ever believed in predestination?
That reminds me of something I read the other day that said “decisions made in the present can alter past events” by looking at exactly how every little moment of life has led you to this reality, how many things repeat themselves until you accept the path, and how you can see even the most turbulent things as 'something positive' in this present moment
That it actually works. I started magic from a scientific atheist mindset and the fact that the rituals worked and worked shattered my paradigm on how the world works. Since then its been an ongoing journey of mind blowing experiences, but there isn't anything quite like that first crack that lets the light in... or darkness... which ever path you are
I was very skeptical, too. For many years, I rejected the idea of god, esotericism, paranormal phenomena, or anything else related to those concepts. But now that I look back, I realize that I didn’t fully believe myself when I said I “didn’t believe in anything” It turns out that I place a lot of trust in other people’s experiences and what they say, and at some point I became frustrated thinking that other people were experiencing things I couldn’t even imagine, and so curiosity and coincidences led me to investigate
Something very special, the shift in the atmosphere is indescribable
It got me into poetry and singing. I never used to care about poetry and didn't have the courage to sing until I realized the awesome power of these two skills when combined and used for a sacred purpose. Like, for one thing now I get why people go to church and really look forward to the worship and they do it with their hands up, something I never understood when I was younger and just thought that was stuff for crazy people. I thought the sermon was obviously the whole point of going, but that was just like, my opinion, man, you know? Now it's changed and I actually agree with the crazy people, that the worship session is definitely the best part of going to church (if you go).
When I was little, my aunt used to take me sometimes to a christian church on “praise” days, they had different days for different intentions. And I thought it was so much fun; so I totally get it jajaja
For me it was how much Christianity connects with occultism. I know this may sound controversial for some. I used to believe that Psalms are simple gateways for Divine Energy, and even though I believe that, somehow the way I previously understood it was quite low. Studied the Shem HaMephorash system and I found out how the Psalms are connected to Angels serving God and how various their functions are, and of course, my understanding of the Psalms is much deeper. One other example I can give about how Christianity connects to the occult is the verse from Mark 4:22: "For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open". Connecting this verse with the fact that the word "occult" comes from the Latin "occultus" / hidden and "occultare" / to hide, it means that occultism is rather hugely allowed and worth to be discovered.
Another good example is also related to the Tree of Life and Sephiroth. At first I could not understand the nature of the soul, but thanks to practicing the Hermetic Kabbalah I managed to do so quite well.
Not as such due the definition of the word being a technical term in wetsren Christian theology , and I am not Christian nor ascibe to the associations of that definition. I am a Thelemite and a 'Neo - Zoroastrian ; the concepts there that might be similar to what you are asking would be ' True Will ' and Khvarenah .
That reminds me of something I read the other day that said “decisions made in the present can alter past events” by looking at exactly how every little moment of life has led you to this reality,
For me it is the other way around ; decisions made in the past have created current events , or decisions made now will underpin or even cause future events . But yes, each past moment and decision has led to where I am now .
Sometimes I am asked if I could change anything in the past what would it be ? I leave it alone , one never knows the outcome of 'fiddling' with such things .
with 'things' its probably a great number , 'they' are very patient with us . But regarding contact with 'them' , maybe not so . I am very rational and skeptical by nature , always trying to find alternative reasons before I commit to 'supernatural' or 'mystical answers ' . 'They' finally got annoyed and impatient with me and gave me a 'one last chance demo and proof ' ... well that blew even my socks off ... I could see no other explanation for what happened , it was so unusual and so accurately predicted it left me without a doubt . ... thank goodness !
A word about the above 'prose and song ' . I love this part , Our group would concentrate on that a lot , being somewhat Thesbians . Also our initiation rites were 'dramatic rituals' . We also joined in with other groups , once we had an amazing Beltane , with orators ( I LOVE Swinburne ) , dancers , musicians , even had a full orchestral harp and harpist in the circle .
And we did many years cycles through the rites of Eleusis - one example there was we got our female members to sing this art in chorus
from the rite of Jupiter ( I put it to music )
.....
AGAVE. Silence, O girls, and peace!
The God's most holy presence asks the hymn,
The solemn hymn, the hymn of agony,
Lest, in the air of glory that surrounds
The child of Semele, we lose the earth
And corporal presence of the Zeus-begot.
AUTONOE. Yea, sisters, raise the chant of riot! Lift
Your wine-sweet voices, move your wine-stained limbs
In joyful invocation!
MAENADS. Ay, we sing.
AGAVE. Hail, child of Semele!
To her as unto thee
Be reverence, be deity, be immortality!
Shame! treachery of the spouse
Of the Olympian house,
Hera! thy grim device against the sweet carouse!
Lo!~ in red roar and flame
Did Zeus descend! What claim
To feel the immortal fir had then the Theban dame!
Caught in that fiery wave,
Her love and life she gave
With one last kissing cry the unborn child to save.
And thou, O Zeus, the sire
Of Bromius–hunter dire!–
Didst snatch the unborn babe from that Olympian fire:
In thine own thigh most holy
That offspring melancholy
Didst hide, didst feed, on light, ambrosia, and moly.
Ay! and with serpent hair
And limbs divinely fair
Didst thou, Dionysus, leap forth to the nectar air!
Ay! thus the dreams of fate
We dare commemorate,
Twining in lovesome curls the spoil of mate and mate.
O Dionysus, hear!
Be close, be quick, be near,
Whispering enchanted words in every curving ear!
O Dionysus, start
As the Apollonian dart!
Bury thy horned head in every bleeding heart! ....
