Category: Kabbalah

Creativity, Magic and the Genius @ ConVocation 2020

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Creativity, Magic and the Genius at ConVocation 2020

 

Seeking inspiration? Use magic to enhance your creativity!

The very word “inspiration” is rooted in the belief that invention is a force that comes from outside the self—even from the spirit world.

To the Romans, the word “genius” once meant a guiding spirit.

Several important grimoires provide guides to unite the initiate with a higher, perfected self or powerful spirit being capable of endowing formidable skills, knowledge, and power.

More immediate methods include scrying, tarot, bibliomancy, dream incubation, and many others.

In this class we will survey how magicians have used the spirit world for creativity and brainstorming in these and many other ways. Delve into historical practices and learn effective modern methods for cultivating your creativity.

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Magic of the Lunar Mansions @ PantheaCon 2018

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Magic of the Lunar Mansions at PantheaCon 2018

 

 

The Arabic Mansions of the Moon are often described as a Lunar Zodiac; a division of the passage of the Moon into 28 zones, about one per day.

Each “Manzil” foretells the life of those born under it, but plays an important role in the creation of talismans in the tradition of Scholastic Image Magic. Picatrix, Cornelius Agrippa and many other grimoires detail their astrologically timed creation for countless purposes.

These talismans are perhaps the simplest examples of this system, explaining their ubiquity.

In this class we will discuss how to select and make basic Mansion talismans.

Please note that this lecture is substantially different from the ConVocation lecture of the same name. While the other lecture is more streamlined, this lecture covers more sources and traditions.

If you find this video useful, please subscribe to http://sorcerer.blog and http://www.youtube.com/GrimoireTV , give thumbs up and Like posts. Your feedback matters.

Magical Medicine @ ConVocation 2019

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Magical Medicine at ConVocation 2019

 

Since prehistoric times, magic has been used to heal the sick and revive the dying.

The historical line between enchantment and medicine is elusive at best. A mind-boggling array of methods and theories have been employed throughout the ages.

Grimoires which banish the demons of disease, enchanted poultices, wound talismans, amulets and mojos, baths and potions—all are based on the seductive premise that the spiritual can restore the corporeal.

In this class we will explore many of these systems, survey healing recipes, investigate eras when the doctor and witch doctor were one and the same, and discuss methods which may be used as complementary medicines today.

If you find this video useful, please subscribe to http://sorcerer.blog and http://www.youtube.com/GrimoireTV , give thumbs up and Like posts. Your feedback matters.

Spellbound: Love Magic Through the Ages

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Spellbound: Love Magic Through the Ages @ ConVocation 2018

 

Love magic is arguably the most universally practiced form of practical magic. Different spiritual traditions approach love magic differently and reveal their worldview through the way they bring two (or more) people together.

It’s often said that all magic is love magic; that cosmic eros is the sacred principle which orders all reality. But taking the abstract and putting it into practice is often tricky, and ultimately none of that matters without results.

In this lecture we will survey the different goals and methods used in several traditions of magic and highlight those which have a reputation for strong results.

If you find this video useful, please subscribe to http://sorcerer.blog and http://www.youtube.com/GrimoireTV , give thumbs up and Like posts. Your feedback matters.

No Trespassing: The Magic of Wards

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

No Trespassing: The Magic of Wards @ ConVocation 2018

 

Wards are magical defenses that prevent a designated space such as a room, home, or property from injury or trespass by inimical forces, spirits, or persons.

Typically focused upon enchanting liminal spaces such as thresholds, property boundaries, chimneys, weathervanes and foundations, wardings take the primal essence of territoriality and give it metaphysical heft, protecting oneself, family, and pets.

In this class we will explore the themes of the protection of spaces in several long standing magical traditions as well as some innovations, analyze their features, and help you create effective defenses for your personal space that are both powerful and uniquely your own.

(There is some drumming noticeable from a nearby musical performance nearby. My apologies for the distraction.)

If you find this video useful, please subscribe to http://sorcerer.blog and http://www.youtube.com/GrimoireTV , give thumbs up and Like posts. Your feedback matters.

February 2017 Convention Schedule

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

I will be lecturing at both PantheaCon in California and ConVocation in Michigan this February, along with many other esteemed colleagues and friends. Please consider attending either or both.

PantheaCon 2017

On Saturday, February 18th at 1:30pm–

Eat Me: Magical Recipes in Medieval Astrological Magic

Though better known for the creation of talismans, medieval and Renaissance astrological magic texts contain further recipes and instructions. Many are intended to be consumed, buried, or burned, with numerous purposes and means of creation. Yet they all point towards a forgotten view of the universe and magic. From counting olive pips to cure illnesses to the creation of wax talismans or incense pills for evocation and influence, such mysteries depend on the philosophies of Al Kindi and his contemporaries. Explore how the outlook of the ancients can enhance our spiritual practices.

ConVocation 2017

On Thursday, February 23rd at 8:30pm–

DIY Talismans

Astrological talismans from the Scholastic Image Magic tradition often seem as challenging to make as they are powerful. After electing the window of time in which a talisman can be created, one must confect incenses, select appropriate sigils, and obtain tools and materials for the talismans. We will discuss how to create a talismanic laboratory, the process of practical considerations including choosing the best combinations, knowing which substitutions do and don’t work, and time and money saving strategies. Take the theory of talismans into real life creations and applications.

On Friday, February 24th at 4:00pm–

About Time: Basic Chart Calculation

Invaluable to numerous systems of magic, the astrological horoscope is a Swiss army knife for divination, classical medicine, and much else. One of the most advanced achievements of the ancient world, the horoscope can often be perplexing for beginners. This class will focus on the basics of erecting a horoscope chart. We will attempt to demystify the process and render the math easy, while also explaining the essentials of its parts, some of history of its development, and the rationale of the chart from the traditional (pre-1750 AD) perspective.

On Saturday February 25th at 4:00pm–

Fearless Magical Protection

It’s a jungle out there. In most magical systems one of the first things you are taught is basic protection against spiritual attacks, and for good reason. A magical life is a perilous one at times. As you become more proficient, the need for protection grows and takes new forms. This class will survey practical methods of protection from a variety of spiritual systems and methodologies. Some of these techniques are unpublished anywhere and likely to be unfamiliar, but have proven very effective. Magical protection will help secure your success.

 

Jewish Numerological Meanings of Ten

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Jewish numerology is different from those developed in other ethno-religious cultures, and it does have some key magical connotations which should be paid attention to.

  1. Keter: Crown. The Sphere of the Primum Mobile. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” The Plague of the Slaying of the Firstborn.
  2. Khokmah: Wisdom. The Sphere of the Fixed Stars. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image– any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them…” The Plague of Locusts.
  3. Binah: Understanding. The Sphere of Saturn. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” The Plague of Fiery Hail. Seder Tohorot (Purities.)
  4. Khesed: Kindness. The Sphere of Jupiter. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy…” The Plague of Boils. Seder Kodashim (Holy Things.)
  5. Gevurah: Severity.The Sphere of Mars. “You shall not murder.” The Plague of Pestilence. Seder Nezikin (Damages.)
  6. Tifaret: Beauty. The Sphere of Sun. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” (The 5th and 6th Commandments are flipped for some reason.) The Plague of Wild Beasts.
  7. Netzakh: Eternity. The Sphere of Venus. “You shall not commit adultery.” The Plague of Lice. Seder Nashim (Women.)
  8. Hod: Splendor. The Sphere of Mercury. “You shall not steal.” The Plague of Frogs. Seder Moed (Festival.)
  9. Yesod: Foundation. The Sphere of the Moon. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The Plague of Blood. Seder Zeraim (Seeds.)
  10. Malkut: Kingdom. The Sublunar Sphere. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” The Plague of Darkness (oddly out of order here.)

Picatrix as a Kabbalistic Talisman

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Page 57 Picatrix Rubeus:

“All that we have said in this context we say only to sharpen the intellect and illuminate awareness, because the aforesaid words and reasons that we have stated are spiritual images and the word that Adam received form the Lord God. They cannot be understood except by the sages who have labored faithfully in knowledge and have understood how created beings attain truth. You should understand all of this and retain it in your intellect, because what we have said up to this point in this book of ours constitute the foundations of the art of magic, if you understand it well.”

  1. So, basically he’s saying that large chunks of Picatrix are talismans of a kind in textual form. What do they do? Probably helps the student comprehend the rest of the text– and man, do we need that help sometimes.
  2. The word given to Adam is a veiled reference. According to Jewish folklore, Kabbalah was given to Adam by God after the expulsion from Eden because the punishment was too severe, with the intent that it be passed down to his favored sons for their succor. Since Kabbalah is a largely non-astrological form of magic (in its practical expression) which is almost exclusively textual, this makes sense that it be referred to when describing a text-based enchanted object. A book on magic, which is itself a magical book.
  3. Some would say that Judaic Kabbalah was a medieval phenomenon, but I strongly disagree and think there is evidence for its existence during the development of the Talmud. So a reference to it in a 700AD text would not be anachronistic.

Moses’ Magical Rings

Posted on by Clifford Hartleigh Low

Everything is interconnected.

So, this quote from Agrippa: “In like manner Moses, the lawgiver and ruler of the Hebrews, being skilled in the Magic of the Egyptians, is said by Josephus to have made rings of love and oblivion. ”

…led me to look up the history of the word “oblivion” in the OED…

Which has:

“1. a.1.a The state or fact of forgetting or having forgotten; forgetfulness.

1390 Gower Conf. II. 23 Which Ring bar of Oblivion The name.”

Which, if it’s not clear, is Gower’s Confessio Amantis– which has that amazing section on the Behenian stars and their magical usages.

Too funny.