Pop Culture Paganism -An Occult Weapon For These Troubling Times?

Sooo…. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Pop culture and it’s use in magic and the influence it’s had on our political and global situation, as well as what kind of magical work I, or other magicians, can do to help protect the people who need it right now. A timely blog posting by a favorite pagan writer referenced another article about the Magical battle of Britain.

In gross summation, Dion Fortune rallied together other occultists like Crowley, Gardner, and even Ian Fleming to create some a major magical protection over the country and it’s people. It came at a very high price, as many members were physically drained by the effort and some died within a year or two after the war ended, but what they did worked to keep the Germans out of Britain. I encourage people to read this article, and the book (I’ve got it on order right now), but the key information was summarized here:

 

“Dion Fortune’s magickal act worked on several sound magickal theories:

1) She believed that trained ritualists could combine their efforts to influence the collective Will of the British people, not any one individual.

2) She utilized easily-recognizable culturally-based spirits and egregors whose meaning would be intuitively understood by thousands of people.

3) She drew upon spirits and egregors already associated with the purpose for which they’d been called.

4) She created simple acts of magick that could be easily imitated, and contributed to, by a wide range of individuals in disparate geographical locations.

5) She was doing a Working in a cause that thousands of people were passionate about.

 

It seems to me that any act of magick intended to influence the actions of such a large group of people would do well to keep these principles in mind. Trying to get a large group of people to do something complicated is challenging. Trying to get them to do something simple that they feel strongly about is much easier.”

 

If Dion Fortune and her fellow occultists could turn the tides of war and keep their home land safe utilizing the thought forms/spirits of St Michael, St George, Merlin, and King Arthur, why couldn’t pop culture pagans do something similar with our spirits and gods? Captain America, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, all of our super heroes who not only have a historical precedent established of punching Nazi’s in the face, but are already symbols of hope and heroism. Could we actively utilize their energy and channel it into a self-recharging spell that gets reinforced every time someone reads a comic book or watches a superhero movie? I think we could. And because of the globalization of the Internet, and the sheer volume of pop culture influence in the minds and hearts of our generation, I think we could put it into action with less severe consequences than Dion Fortune and her colleagues received for their resounding success.

All magic comes with a price, but that price can be negotiated.

Shadow Work Spread- 1/27/17

Question:  What does the USA need to survive itself?

1) What do I need to accept?

2) What do I need to forgive?

3) What do I need to release?

4) What can I learn?

5) Where can I seek healing and recovery?

6) Where can I get help?

Additional cards pulled for clarification:
7) Most likely outcome as of right now?

8) How long will it take for these events to become evident?

This is a 6 card spread, created by @dreamintuition.
I added the last two cards for my own clarification and kept them because well, you’ll see…

1) Page of Pentacles – Accept the fact that we as a country are still learning. We haven’t been paying attention to earthly matters and have instead been arguing over politics and false values. we have neglected the tangible and real for the intangible and desired.
2) Nine of Pentacles – Forgiveness of our past successes that were bought from the deaths and restrictions of other humans. We accomplished great things by stepping on others and imposed heavy restrictions on the survivors. “Comfort and refinement versus a rapacious instinct”, this is what America was built on. We were never truly “great”, we merely appeared so. We must forgive that part of our history is soaked in blood.
3) The Moon – Release the fears and anxieties and illusions that have clouded our collective eyes. By looking deeper at our history we see the atrocities we have been complicit to. We must release our fears of the unknown and hidden things. By releasing the illusions and seeing beyond their facade, we may find the key to saving ourselves.
4) Knight of Wands – We must learn how to be daring again. Once upon a time. America was known as being a fore-runner of intelligence and innovation. Now we are a stagnant morass of putrification. We must learn to take risks and go boldly forward. There is a risk of brash and reckless behavior, another trait Americans are known for. If we can learn how to be bold and wise, we may have a chance.
5) Ace of Swords – Healing and recovery can be found in new thoughts and ideas, and putting them into action. However, a double-edged sword is a danger to all who would wield it; not so much for the blade itself but by the hand of the person who takes it up. Who ever grasps the sword and leads the charge will set the theme for the coming battle.
6) Temperance – Help can be found in balance. We caught between extremes and by finding the middle ground, we can find the means and method by which to save ourselves from ourselves. This may be the most difficult of tasks, given the ever-widening gulf between people right now.

Additional Cards  (optional):
7) The Tower – At this moment in time, we will not be saved. This may still change, but as of now…
8) Page of Cups – By next November, or sometime in the Autumn, we will see where we stand.

Daily Tarot – January 26th, 2017

Seven of Swords – Rider Waite

Knight of Pentacles – Shadowscapes Tarot

Seven of Cups – The Glass Mountain – Fairy Tale Tarot

 

Today is about making plans and dogged determination to see them through. There’s a struggle that is going on and it is up to us all to organize, plot, plan, and account for all possibility, but also be flexible in our thoughts to entertain less orthodox methods for unseen challenges yet to come. The Knight of Pentacles is steady in his pursuit of his goals. He doesn’t deviate and he plans out every careful step. In “The Glass Mountain”, the hero faces a seemingly impenetrable castle atop a glass mountain by using special climbing spikes. Along the way up the mountain, he is attacked by a giant bird. Thinking quickly, the hero grabs a hold of the bird’s legs and is flown to safety farther up the slope, landing in a tree of magical golden apples. He collects a few for the rest of his journey. He then faces the dragon guardian, that turns out to be an illusion, vanishing with one well-thrown golden apple. The hero did not take the direct route of brute strength of his predecessors, but thought carefully about how he was going to get up the challenging mountain. No one had made it that far, so when he was confronted with the dragon, he was flexible enough in his thinking to take a slightly=less orthodox approach to the problem. The Seven of Swords reminds us that sometimes we must be devious in our plans, and to not be so high-and-mighty as to discount the validity of sneakiness. We can get more accomplished in the shadows and sneaking around backstage than being in the center limelight.

Daily Tarot – Januray 25th, 2017

Nine of Pentacles R            The Magician              Five of Swords –
The Fairies of the Mountain & the Moon
Rider-Waite                     Shadowscapes Tarot        Fairy Tale Tarot

Today is one of those days that feel icky from all angles. Your may be feeling insecure or threatened about your finances, worried that all you’ve worked for could be taken away, or now that you have your riches they no longer hold the same luster. If you are feeling this way and you’ve been taking care of your finances, then the anxiety may not be your fault, just a reflection of the macrocosm of financial chaos and executive deprivation. However, if you’ve been careless and allowed things to go unchecked (like credit cards or past-due bills) then now it the time to fix things as best you can. Call your creditors and see if you can renegotiate a payment plan that works for your situation. If you act quickly, you may be able to save yourself some strife down the line.

When Silent Anger isn’t Enough

Today I’m angry.

I am so goddamn angry.

I am so goddamn motherfucking angry. 

You may have noticed I’m a little upset.

Why, you may ask? Because apparently I’ve found myself in a goddamn motherfucking B-rate post-apocalyptic horror movie where a fascist congealed pile of orange pond algae someone glued googly eyes to has managed to be elected as president of the goddamn USA.

I’m angry and you should be angry too, even if you don’t live in the USA. Even if you did vote for this piece of tangerine shit because of emails or something? Everyone should be pissed.

Unless you are a Nazi, in which case, this all probably seems awesome to you, in which case, fuck off.

This has been a wake up call, like this worst sort of wake up call. Like someone threw a bucket of freezing cold urine on me sort of wake up…

View original post 148 more words

Daily Tarot Reading – Jan 24th, 2017

NIne of Cups – R   Queen of Pentacles      The Wheel – The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Rider-Waite        SHadowscapes       The Fairy Tale Tarot

 

Disappointment and thoughts of rampant greed are the emotional forecast of the day. You may feel discouraged by things you cannot control, other’s actions against you or people you care for, restrictions, over-indulgences, or otherwise feeling like happiness is a struggle. Take any meds or supplements you need to function, practice some self-care if necessary, but know that happiness is a choice; You can either see the good things still in this world, or get bogged down by the bad. This could also be indicative of relying on outside influence to bring happiness, and finding it lacking.

The Queen of Pentacles (first time I’ve drawn that card in this deck) and the Wheel of Fortune offer us a generous reminder that these days of deprivation aren’t going to last forever. The Wheel backs this up; fortunes come and go in the cycles of creation and destruction. And unless things get shaken up once in a while, they will stay as they were and get neither better nor worse. The Queen holds the symbol of creation and strength in her hands; an oak leaf from the shining boughs overhead. She and her maidens are ready and willing to take us under the shelter of those branches so we may find the beauty still in this world. Take some time out in nature and find a friendly tree to lean against. Ask the tree to share some of it’s strength and resilience with you as we weather the storms of Human Life. The trees have seen it all and they know these things too shall pass.

Tarot Reading – January 23rd, 2017

Justice                        Five of Wands            Chariot -The Flying Horse
Rider- Waite Tarot            Shadowscapes Tarot           Fairy Tale Tarot

Today is about balance. Be aware that our choices will have consequences, and right now there will seem to be many choices in our path. It may feel like an insurmountable pile of obstacles to pass through first, but if we hold fast to our goals and driving desires, we can make the choices to find balance. Be true to your self; your values, your sense of fairness and decency. The concept of Justice has been called into question lately, and it is up to each person to uphold that inner sense of rightness. The obstacles in front of us are many, and for some people, they may well prove to be overwhelmingly against all that we hold dear. Luckily, we have the energy and drive to face these obstacles, as well as the quick wits to make decisive choices. We are being judged by our actions, and there will be a cost to each of them. Be bold, be strong, but also be mindful of our our actions ripple out and effect others. In all things, strive for greatness and remember your place on the scales of balance and justice.

Daily Reading – January 21st, 2017

Ten of Cups – Rider-Waite Deck

King of Pentacles – Shadowscapes Tarot

Ten of Swords “The Flying Trunk” – Fairy Tale Tarot

                               DAILY THEME      CHALLENGE/LESSON       DAILY WISDOM
                                  Ten of Cups             King of Pentacles            Ten of Swords –                                                                                                                                                The Flying Trunk

Today, celebrate the riches you have in your life, both material and spiritual. Spend time with your loved ones, let them know how much you appreciate them and their contributions to your life. Count your financial blessings as well. This is a time of economic uncertainty and what we have in abundance today may be flying off into the sunset later, so make sure your savings account (or emergency cash jar) is to your liking and make any changes needed to ensure stability. The King Of Pentacles is the seed of generosity and growth; whatever he blesses will prosper. And we will need prosperity in the times to come. The Ten of Swords, and the Tale of the Flying Trunk, warn us to be cautious and not cocky with our actions. Keep your hands and arms inside the trunk and hold on for dear life in the times ahead. Be wise in how you spend your money, be generous in your affections, and know that today you are truly rich.