The Alt.Magick FAQ
by tyaginator (tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com)
CONTENTS:
The alt.magick FAQ may be obtained at:
- (HTML) http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq.html
- (ASCII) ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Usenet/FAQs/FAQ.amgkfaq.9510
- Look for the newsgroup REF files also:
- (HTML) http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq/REFref.html
- (ASCII) ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/
This section pertains to the most commonly asked questions about the newsgroup itself; specifically the newsgroup's name and its customs.
2 Why do you spell magick with a K?
Alt.magick was created with a 'k' to avoid confusion with stage magic. @01 [@##'s are footnotes; see the end of this file.] 'Magick' is popularly associated with Aleister Crowley, yet the spelling precedes him by hundreds of years. @02
Many people presume a difference between conjuring tricks and occult spells; between magic and magick. There may be grounds for comparing them metaphorically to chemistry and alchemy. Sr. Virakam and others maintain that it separated Crowley from his competitors (and thus served as a marketing or elitist scheme).
@03 Symonds and Grant contend that the 'k' is a conceit of Crowley's and that it is related to potentially dangerous ("demonic and chaotic") energies, as well as life-oriented symbols such as 'khu' and 'kteis', for which they say it stands, "the complement to the wand (or phallus) which is used by the Magician in certain aspects of the Great Work." @04
3 Shouldn't there be limits to what people can post here?
There has been some discussion of moderation through the years, and alt.magick.moderated was formed by a few of the interested.
There are many subgroups of alt.magick to which specific types of discussion should be taken if you wish to cooperate with newsgroup regulars. Here is a list of the discussion-oriented subgroups to get you started:
alt.magick.ethics (philosophia:ethics) alt.magick.order (politicos) alt.magick.sex (eros/tantra) alt.magick.tyagi (synthesia)
There is a comprehensive list of posting suggestions in the document called 'Alt.Magick RULES'. These are quotes from Usenet authorities about posting content: ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/Web/amgkfaq/ruleref
With regard to limiting the *substance* or *topic*, some copyrighted files have been under intense heat from occult organizations to keep them from being posted to the newsgroup. There is often a great outcry anytime someone posts a ritual or suggestion which conflicts with the morality or maturity of participants, yet as alt.magick is not moderated, noise- levels and savvy folks who know how to cancel posted messages will be able to keep a single post from being seen, discussion of it carrying over into one of the sub-forums at most.
In short, there are no technical limitations, but there are some factions (participants, occult groups) who have a very sincere interest in affecting what is posted.
There are a few questions about magic(k) which arise consistently. These concern an analysis of magick, its workings and principles and relationship to morality, science and religion.
5 What is magic(k)?
Magick has been defined by many people in many different ways. One infamous mage defined it as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in comformity with Will." @06
Some see magick as a kind of energy which pervades the cosmos. Others see it as a psychic tool by which one may influence the material world using symbols and ritual. Many see it as a means of coming to unite with the divine, and some consider it to be the exercise of will or Will.
Whatever the word means, 'magick' is the subject, generally, of the newsgroup, and will likely be given many differing and contradictory meanings during discussions there.
6 Is magick real, how does it work, what influences it? etc.
Many have suggested the differentiation of magical 'currents' or 'energies' based on style and/or intent. Some posit the notion of principles, a la scientific structure, 'laws of magick' and whatnot. Others approach it more subjectively, considering all knowledge about the elements of magick to be personal and therefore particular only to the individual condition, variable of form.
All of these are popular responses to this question, though more inventive theories would be welcomed. Conventional approaches may be cross-posted to sci.philosophy.meta.
7 Is magick black/white? Should we do black magick?
For discussion about the ethics of magick, see alt.magick.ethics.
8 Is magick compatible with modern Science?
An oft-asked question, particularly with reference to Heisenberg and Chaos theories. Hang around a little before getting into one of these discussions. They can take quite a while to untangle.
9 How are magick and religion/mysticism related or different? etc.
There have been a number of different discussions on these subjects. The hypotheses which I can remember are the magick/individual:religion/group model and the idea that religion is the degeneration of magick. Some do not seem to discern between magick and mysticism at all, and many have never considered the subject, being unexposed to the latter.
Thelemites might equate magick with will and mysticism with love, and the association has been made between mysticism and theurgy, magick and thaumaturgy. For more on mysticism, see the Mysticism section of the _Mage's Guide to the Internet_ (MaGI (WWW)): http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/magi.html
Spells may be obtained from several offline sources, the folk and ceremonial varieties maintained at times with diligent care. The spells contained within the following sites may be dangerous to your health.
11 Love/Lust
I collected a file of spell responses in alt.magick.* over a period of months and placed them in a REF file at:
ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/fukspls
Other contributions would be welcomed (preferably linked, HTML documents).
12 Summoning/Cursing/Death
Demon-summoning, curse- and death-oriented spells were collected from alt.magick.* over the last few years and these have been placed in a REF file (again, additional contributions welcome):
ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/owspls
13 Role Playing Game Spells
If you are looking for role-playing game magic, you can find it in the Great Net Spellbook. @05
How to learn about magick and what ought be considered the best sources are frequently discussed topics in the newsgroup. Occasionally someone will compile a REF file of newsgroup posts for a common topic. Make a collection and assist in the project yourself:
- ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/
- http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq/REFref.html
- 15 How should I start learning about magick? teachers? etc.
As CHenningsson (ceci@lysator.liu.se) writes:
"Books are one answer. There are actually books which try to take you from your first tentative attempts at relaxation into holding a ritual.... "Other than that.... Just do it! If you like to, you can see this as one of the very first exercises in Will; you Will yourself into making a ritual."
Some recommend the use of particular mechanisms or tools, such as tarot, a magical diary, meditation or dreamwork. Some recommend particular books or teachers, others place more emphasis on the aptitude and imagination of the student.
robin (robin@winternet.com) provides marvellous advice:
"Resist the temptation to believe what anyone else tells you. Try to invent ways to find out things for yourself. Remain skeptical. "Look for ways in which you have may have been doing magick without realizing it. Think about what it might mean if you could use it with intention, and how you might go about that."
MKampe (markk@cypress.West.Sun.COM) offers:
"if you have clear notions of what magick is all about, it might be better for you to pursue your inner course and avoid outside contamination [from teachers/books/etc.]."
I wrote an essay about learning magick online, which you may enjoy browsing. @07 Teachers, masters, adepts, etc. are recurrently discussed in many newsgroups, and magical organizations may wrangle out their political issues in alt.magick.order.
I would echo Lilith Darkchilde (lilith@slip-1.slip.net):
"Take heed of those who say that they can teach you all about what is magickal. Especially if you must join their "coven" or group to do so....
"I hold the key to my own self knowing."
16 What are some books for a beginner?
There's a booklist available at:
ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/bookref
17 Where is online information about magick to be found? etc.
There is quite a bit of information available. Provided below, please find reference to many good starting places.
WWW Alt.magick REFs (WWW)
http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/amgkfaq/REFref.html
Mage's Guide to the Internet (MaGI) (WWW)
http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/magi.html
FTP Alt.magick REFs (FTP)
ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/Web/amgkfaq/
Funet FTP Site
ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/doc/occult/
Lysator FTP Site
ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/magick/
Mage's Guide to the Internet (MaGI 2.0) (ASCII)
ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/OMNet/magi
Mage's Guide to the Internet (MaGI 1.0) (ASCII)
ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/OMNet/magi.old
OMNet FTP Directory
ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/OMNet/
TEL Divination Web
telnet://densan.math.uconn.edu:9393
USE
EMAIL FiatLVX
text: "subscribe fiatlvx <email address> <real name>"
OMiNous
text: "subscribe omnet-l <first name> <last name>"
Thelema93-L
listserv@nosferatu.cas.usf.edu
text: "subscribe thelema93-l <first name> <last name>"
After consulting the various resources listed in this FAQ and lurking in the newsgroup for a few weeks, feel free to bring up any relevant subjects there.
19 General Occult
See the MaGI (listed above) for much occult-related information. Usenet newsgroups which you should check out before being completely sure that alt.magick is the best place to post regarding any subject are:
- (occult-related)
- news:alt.astrology
- news:alt.chinese.fengshui
- news:alt.divination
- news:alt.magick.chaos
- news:alt.tarot
- (neopaganism/shamanism/witchcraft)
- news:alt.pagan
- news:alt.religion.asatru
- news:alt.religion.wicca
- news:alt.religion.shamanism
- news:alt.shamanism
- news:alt.techno-shamanism
- news:soc.religion.shamanism
- (darkness and power)
- news:alt.necronomicon
- news:alt.satanism
- (eastern things)
- news:alt.astrology.asian
- news:alt.philosophy.taoism
- news:alt.yoga
- news:soc.religion.eastern
- (psychology and parapsychology)
- news:alt.consciousness
- news:alt.paranet
- news:alt.paranormal
- 20 Card Game Magic ("the Gathering"/Obsession)
There are many newsgroups in the rec.games.trading-cards.* hierarchy from which to choose.
FOOTNOTES
@01 - alt.magic (Stage Magic)
@02 - Due to his many publications and the orders he crafted, Aleister Crowley is revered by many and despised by as many more, and his magical treatise (_Book Four_, recently reissued assembled by the OTO) may likely prove his most popular text.
@03 - Aleister Crowley (if Soror Virakam may be relied upon) is said to have adopted "the old spelling of MAGICK... in order to distinguish the Science of the Magi from all its counterfeits." (_Magick_, eds. Symonds/Grant, p. 45 note).
@04 - _Magick_, p. xvi.
@05 - ftp://ftp.win.tue.nl/pub/games/spells/html/gnsb.html
@06 - _Magick_, p. 131.
@07 - ftp://ftp.hollyfeld.org/pub/Esoteric/FAQs/REF.lrnonln.9505
Those that assisted in reviewing the FAQ whose ideas I utilized:
- oispeggy@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
- ashton@netcom.com (Ashton)
- kim@newton.apple.com (peter kim)
- dshoem@aol.com (Dshoem)
If you have suggestions for changes or additions to document, send them to the Editor (tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com).
This document is Copyright (c) 1995, tyagi nagasiva. All rights reserved. Permission to distribute the collection is hereby granted providing that distribution is electronic, no money is involved, reasonable attempts are made to use the latest version and all credits and this copyright notice are maintained.
Other requests for distribution should be directed to the Editor or to the individual authors of the quoted materials.
tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (tyaginator)
Editor, alt.magick FAQ (WWW/ASCII) EOF
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