After a long while of not having classes at Sticks and Stones, the local new age/earth-based spirituality store I do readings at, the lovely owners and I finally came up with a few classes and workshops for me to teach through the rest of 2013. After all, being one of the few ceremonial magicians in the area, I’ve got a lot of experience and knowledge under my belt (though by no means enough) to share around with folks willing enough to hear me out and pay a small-but-reasonable fee. With that in mind, here’s my teaching schedule for the first half of 2013. All the classes will be on Sunday afternoons.
Greek Alphabet Divination ($30), Sunday 9/29, 2pm ~ 4:30pm
Alphabets and letters have always been held as magical tools and powers in their own right, and have been used as a form of divination in countless cultures. Much like the Nordic runes, the ancient Greeks had their own method of letter-based divination or “grammatomancy”, where each letter has a particular oracular meaning. When combined with the other astrological and magical meanings that the Greek alphabet has gained over the centuries, this can become a powerful divination and magical tool indeed! Join yours truly in discussing the origins, development, and use of the Greek alphabet for easy-to-use divination and magic. A copy of his first 60pp. publication, “De Grammatomanteia”, is included with the course for reference and study. No prior knowledge is necessary, though a familiarity with the basics of divination and magical ideas would be helpful.
Introduction to the Headless Rite ($30), Sunday 10/13, 2pm ~ 4:30pm
Written 2000 years ago in Egypt, the powerful ritual known as the Headless Rite has been used for exorcism by mages in the Mediterranean, knowledge and conversation of the higher Self by Samuel MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, and empowerment over harmful forces by countless other magicians. Join yours truly in discussing the origins, development, and use of this ritual as he shows participants how and where to use the ritual to get the most out of it, both in the physical and the astral. No prior knowledge is necessary, but a desire for ultimate cosmic power would be appreciated.
Basic Magical Tools and Supplies ($15), Sunday 11/3, 2pm ~ 4pm
Magic can be seen as the use of higher forces to attain lower ends or vice versa, and has been practiced differently by countless traditions, groups, lodges, and people across the ages. That said, you don’t need to be a Wiccan to use an athame or a Christian to use holy oil! Some magical supplies can be made, created, or adapted for any practitioner of magic for fantastic results. Join Sam Block to discuss what forms magical tools can take, how to create basic tools and supplies, and methods to augment and empower yourself with everyday blessings and items you wouldn’t otherwise consider magical. No prior knowledge is necessary.
Thinking With Planets ($15), Sunday 11/10, 2pm ~ 3:30pm
A lot of modern magical traditions focus on using the four elements of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, occasionally with the fifth element of Spirit, as the primary or only forces of their work. However, even a few hundred years ago, magicians of all kinds used another set of forces: the planets! With the powers of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon, magicians were able to accomplish a lot more a lot faster, including directly affecting the elements themselves. Join yours truly to learn how to introduce the use of the planets into your own work, basic magical timing, and how to connect the planets to the elements and vice versa. No prior knowledge is necessary.
Introduction to Angelic Conjuration ($30), Sunday 12/8, 2pm ~ 4:30pm
When you hear about “conjuration”, do you think of pompous magicians in ruined castles wielding swords and hurling imperious threats at misunderstood spirits bound in arcane circles? Then stop by with yours truly and learn the truth about ceremonial magic’s most famous type of ritual! He will go over how conjuration really works, its history and roots in shamanic practices, proper conjuration etiquette, and a complete and easy introduction to conjuring and chatting with angels. With little more than a circle and a glass of water, you too can start a magical practice with some of the most powerful and easily accessible forces in the cosmos! Some knowledge of planets and spirits in the Western Mystery Tradition would be appreciated.
Dear readers, you have a good idea of what I know, do, and write about. If you were (or are) able to stop by for a class or two, what other classes would you like to see taught? I’m planning my two-day geomancy class for sometime early in 2014, but I also have a few other ideas. What might you think would go well for a broadly introductory or basic topic for workshops?
