How your magic affects your art/music?

[AlfrunGrima]

Not sure if I use the right forum for this, but here the start of a conversation for musicians, art makers, painters, writers etc. Are your magic or altered mind states affecting your art, how you perform and practice your art, does it affect how you train your mind for your art, does it affect the freedom that you feel in your art? And the other way around?

 

[Audiolog Edu]

Yes, it does affect my art, I produce Electronic Music, play Piano and practice Chi Qong/Kung Fu and since I started with magick, I was a lazy person, not very bright, I mean I am smart being Mexican, but I have seen way smarter people around me, and when some person recommended me Golden Dawn Magick, I started practicing and few weeks after I did the rituals I noticed my imagination was more active, and the "minds eye" was working better, now I have changed to Ogdoadic Magick and find out that for example Invoking Air it helps directly with Music.
The people that recommended me Golden Dawn also speak of doing Chi Qong to energize the body, feel subtle energy, so is like part of my ritual, and Ive been doing it almost daily for 3 years and I love to get better at moving myself in a way is called Martial Arts.
For the Piano I heard from Magick books that some Gods associate to Arts, Science like Hod/Hermes so I try to keep in mind that I play the Piano for them, as a sacrifice, showing that I ve changed and I am a better person, so I can one day dedicate music to the Gods, I produce Electronic Music, but I would love to make Piano song for the Gods.

 

[PolishTruthSeeker]

I wish I could say how much progressive rock and heavy metal bands influenced me in diving into occult.

 

[HellenaHex]

My spirituality and occult practices do greatly influence my art. In fact the entire reason I took sculpting in college was so that I could create sculptures for my altar that fit how I perceive the divine and spirits I honor. I often create illustrations as well as design ornate Sigil in my personal practice which helps me focus my thoughts and energy. Since I have congenital aphantasia (meaning that I can’t see images in my mind. There is only darkness.) it helps me to better experience the sorcerous mind set needed to properly preform ritual task.

I also use my spiritual beliefs to inspire my silver smithing, the creation of ritual tools, poetry, and songs. I often create rings, pendants, circlets that honor specific energies. When designing them I keep in mind what type of workings they will be for or what individual entity are they intended to honor. From there I chose appropriate crystals, symbols, and other materials. For example I often make resin cabochons or pendants with appropriate flowers, berries, seeds, fur, bone, blood, graveyard dirt, etc in them that will be an important part of the magical intent of the piece. My favorite resin project to make is probably pendulums for that reason. I like to be able to control how they look and the rare ingredients I add to them to enhance them. One of my favorite ones is made with some black goat fur, a small part of a raven feather, a hare’s foot bone, an apple blossom, a datura seed, and a tiny garnet. It’s based off of black Phillip and is useful for readings with necromancy, dark fae spirits, speaking with the fetch mate/fetch beast, the witches man in black, apple tree spirits, hare and goat spirits, raven spirits, etc… I can of course do readings with any pendulum but I find having these specialized ones enhances my natural ability. For fae readings specifically I use one with foxglove, apple blossom, heather, clover, elecampane, ands tiny green amethyst.

Making use of symbolism, color associations, scent, and sound associations is very helpful in my practice. In truth my practice is filled with art of various sorts. From divine imagery, sculpture, paintings, hand crafted incense, poetry and songs, and more. I think all practitioners use art to some extent and are influenced/inspired by their spiritual/occult practices to create art. After meeting new spirits I like to sketch them since I won’t be able to close my eyes and see them with my minds eye the sketch helps me focus on them and their energy. In fact art of a spirit being can often act as a link or portal to them. Which is why for the Diné it is taboo to get tattoos because they feel they act as portals and are dangerous, allowing various spirits to influence the person. The most offensive tattoo to them would probably be a snake.