Are you a mage?

[DragonLord]

Eh?
I'm reffering to reality.
If so, what type of magic do you specialize in?

[Technocrack]

Ehh... I know how to summon and commune with spirits... But I'm too scared to actually try it.

My older sister, however, is a practicing White Wiccan.

[DragonLord]

Me too. I've been trying to excite Tempests but I couldnt get it to work. As it turns out the translation of the Grimoire I was reading was slightly off, they translated the square that contains the spell which was probably a bad idea. I found the non-translated square that was actually drawn out but I havent bothered to repeat the process, plus I might need a wand (from what I've read, made of ceder)

[Technocrack]

All I need is a darkened room, a bit of concentration, and a mirror.
I've had a connection with spirits since I was a little kid.

[DragonLord]

Well Tempestry effects might not be visible in a room, unless the room your in has weather.

[Technocrack]

Exciting tempests... That's basically elemental magic, right?

[DragonLord]

More for controlling weather, making magical storms.

(1) To cause Hail.

(2) To cause Snow.

(3) To cause Rain.

(4) To cause Thunder.

[Technocrack]

Nice! That would be a handy skill...
I'm in the process of learning how to control energy... I just started today.

[DragonLord]

What book are you reading from?

[Technocrack]

I'm actually learning from a website: http://thepowerswithin.com/index2.htm

[DragonLord]

I've been reading from this book (and a little bit from others)

http://www.esotericarchives.com/abramelin/abramelin.htm

http://www.sacred-texts.com/download.htm

http://altreligion.about.com/library/weekly/aa010403a.htm

[shiney]

Can I ask you guys to take this conversation to PM? It's become rather one-track and would probably be much easier on all involved if you'd just discuss directly.

[Poru]

Um, I've got a cloak and a pointy hat. Does that count?

[Dynamite220]

I'm agnostic in such things, but if you actualy succeed in casting a spell, let us know. I might be more inclined to believe. I will absolutely believe if shiney says claims to cast. I trust him more than most.

[Kitty Cannonade]

I'm not a mage, but one of the guys I'm dating claims to be one.

(I'm a changeling.)

[Massacre]

Actually, no. I'm not. I would give almost anything to have one tiny iota of the kind of powers I exhibit within roleplay. (One tiny iota would be enough to rule the friggin' world.) But alas, I have no such power of magery, sorcery, cursary, or even incantational necromancy. I spent a long time looking for the true Necronomicon, owned by H.P. Lovecraft himself, but failed when the trail became too cold...

So, what am I? Well, I'll tell you. While I have no spellcasting abilities, I am a Dark Prophet, a person who can accurately predict bad futures. I see bad things, all the time. It's fueled by cynical behavior and paranoia, but it also happens to be as potent as spider-sense.

[Kei_Shugojin]

Well, I don't officially practice it, but I believe I have the capabilities to become a time mage. I exhibit precognitive abilities, and I'm able to slow time around me when I'm not focused on reality (i.e., when I close my eyes and try to meditate).

I think, with training, I could become a pretty good mage, but I don't know how to train with that and I don't have the time right now (I just started my first year of college).

[Derfel]

Im with dynamite, is there any success in such matters? If anyone believes they have worked with magic please do share with us

[MasterOfMagic]

Kei dosen't have the time to become a time mage... ah, the irony.

I don't mind saying I'm pretty skeptical about this stuff... when I see it happen, then I'll believe it.

[Aeria]

And MoM beat me to the punch... One would think that the time spent learning time magic would allow you to have greater time to spend on College.

As for myself? I can see the future in dreams, and an uncanny intuition that is almost always right. Magic? Naw... Not in the REAL world. I'd like to though.

[DragonLord]

Aeria, how can something have had so much effect on a large amount of the cultures in the world for so long and not have any connection to reality?

Massacre people have copied down the original Necronomicon before I could probably find it for you if you wanted. But its not a spellbook its an autobiography.

[Kei_Shugojin]

lol. Give me an hour to master sailing, and I'll be good enough to sail us into orbit!

uhh....

Orbit, I say!

We don't exactly have an hour!

Ha! Give me six hours to master time magic, and we'll have all the time we need!

... you're not a very good tactician, are you red mage?

[Dante]

I can curse computers into working. I'm serious!

[Mr. Wind-Up Bird]

I hope no one here actually thinks they are a mage.

[Lost in Time]

No, I am not, I wish I was, but my Best Friend claims to be one, and I believe her.

[Ravenhurst]

The Necronomicon was made up by Lovecraft. Any book that purports to be the Necronomicon was written after Lovecraft. As for being a mage, we're all mages. Magick is brain-change willed, the art of manipulating the reality around you. Because you construct the reality around you, anytime you manipulate this reality or your belief-set (to relieve cognitive dissonance, altering your perception through drugs, etc.) you are being a magician. As for weather-control, what the hell, go for it.

[ghen]

I'm officially agnostic in these matters, but i've experienced spirits, more than i would like to, precognitive dreams, and astral projection. So there is definitely something out there, I just dont know what/how.

[DragonLord]

Was Lovecraft a priest?
(Necronomicon (Al Azif; Of The Mad Arab Abdul Alhazred) means , quite litteraly, "things that once were, but are now dead and gone" and from what I've heard was originally written in an arabic language)

I remember reading the first page, it was quite mad. Something about acolytes beyond the alters of madness, quote "mankind knows not what awaits it, for this is the book of the dead"

I've just read that there was a book known as the Necronomican even before Lovecraft, hundreds of years before Christ.

But I will never research this.
God help you.

[Archbio]

Was Lovecraft a priest?
(Necronomicon means, quite litteraly, "things that once were, but are now dead and gone")

I don't think so. But I think the best hint that he invented the Necronomicon is the supposed author. It's, reportetdly, a persona Lovecraft had invented himself when he was a kid (the Mad Arab).

[DragonLord]

I CAN HEAR THEM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

[Thanatos]

The Necronomicon was made up by Lovecraft.
Actually this is false. I have read the true Necronomicon. It is an ancient egyptian work, but pratically useless. It is a collection of spells and prayers for the dead to use in the afterlife. No good to us that are still living.

On topic: If you mean do I practice magic of some form (i.e. Wicca, witchcaraft, druidism, Kabbalah, etc.) then no, not anymore. If you mean do have have abilities that could be called supernatural, then yes. Here is a small list of abilities that I can do:

I can dream travel. I can actually leave my own dreams and enter into those of others, if I know them.

I can astrally project.

I am a master at reading: the Tarot, Runes, Ogham, and other divinatory devices.

I can commune with spirits. I have worked with paranormal investigation agencies as a psychic receptor. I have also been able to channel spirits.

I can sense lay lines.

I am able to remotely view places and things from a limited distance usually, but have actually done this cross country on a couple of occasions.

I have limited control over weather (i.e. I can make it stop raining if I consentrate hard enough).

I can do past life regressions, by making physical contact with an individual.

So does this make me a mage? Possibly. This is a short list of things I am able to do. I did at one time practice traditional Pellori Witchcraft. This is usually a family tradition, and those outside the families are rarely accepted in, I was made an exception because of my innate abilities. Every one of the things I mentioned above, I discovered I could do by accident. Very few things that I do, was I taught. Those that I was taught, I no longer practice.

Ok I'll shut up now. By the Way don't ask me to enter your dreams. It can be rather unpleasant for both parties, and I don't know any of you well enough. Also don't ask me who you were in a past life. I must have physical contact, and you would probably be disappointed anyway. Most of us were just ordinary people.

[Archbio]

Actually this is false. I have read the true Necronomicon. It is an ancient egyptian work, but pratically useless. It is a collection of spells and prayers for the dead to use in the afterlife. No good to us that are still living.

You do mean the "Book of the Dead", right? It's the first time I hear it called the Necronomicon (altough Necronomicon meaning Book of the Dead seems pretty obvious now). It is not the same Necronomicon mentionned by Lovecraft (not same content at all), so yes, Lovecraft did make up the Mad Arab's Necronomicon. He probably thought the name sounded good (and was appropriate, altough in a twisted way).

[adamark]

I am not a "mage." What I AM is a human being that trusts science and technology, not false mysticism invented by the imagination of a fourteen year old.

This is a quote from a site someone posts called thepowerswithin.com


Final Flash

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and clench your fists and put your arms straight, either side of you. Like a letter T. Visualize liquid Ki in your tan tien, then bring your arms up above your head so your fists are touching above your head. Visualize a blockage in your wrists. This can be anything solid. Like a piece of wood or a coin.
Bring energy up to the blockage. Keep doing this until your arm is shaking rapidly because of the pressure. Bring your arms down and shout "Final...Flash...ATTACK!!!". Open your clenched fists so your palms are facing the target. Visualize the pressure getting too much for the block and pushing the block out of your palms to the target at amazing speeds with the Ki blast following it. This beam should go through the target to cause any damage.
This attack will leave your opponent gasping for air.

Amazing, he knows how to do an "attack" that is done by Vegeta in Dragonball Z.

That whole site is a joke.

[Technocrack]

Heh. I'm starting to agree with you, Adamark... The more I read that site, the stupider it seems...
Damn me and my gullibility!

[adamark]

If you want to learn about something interesting research the mystic Crowley.
He is a mystery to history and if anyone could do magic it would be that man.

[Technocrack]

The name sounds familiar... I'll look it up.
And, once more, I apologize for believing in such a stupid fugging joke-site. :mad:

[Ravenhurst]

Before reading any Crowley, I recommend the following article for a little background:

http://www.rawilsonfans.com/articles/GreatBeast.htm

The problem with Crowley is that people read him either A.) out of context, or B.) without a sense of humor.

As for the Egyptian Book of the Dead, that's not the Necronomicon Lovecraft wrote about.

[Thanatos]

As for the Egyptian Book of the Dead, that's not the Necronomicon Lovecraft wrote about.

Never said it was. I may have interpreted what I read in an earilier post wrong, but to me it was saying there is no such thing as the necronomicon. However, where as we who speak English call it the Book of the Dead, in ancient times, it would have been called the Necronomicon. That is where Lovecraft got the name.

[Massacre]

Just to clarify, when I said I was looking for the Necronomicon, I meant this...

A book of ancient origin that is supposedly a tome of necromancy, hence the Necronomicon title. I was not referring to H.P. Lovecraft's work in specific, but rather the fact that I was led to believe that he was in possession of THE Book of the Dead, an actual book of ancient spells, procedures, incantations, and such like that. It's the sort of thing John Constantine runs into from time to time. I was looking for a trace of actual sorcery, that there may be some truth underneath all the fiction. I'm sure that if I looked hard enough, I'd find a deep-set study into it all saying that something like this may have, in theory, existed.

But that little quest has never turned up anything useful. I decided to stick with what I've got and be satisfied with it.

[DragonLord]

Grimoires, sacred ancient texts, manuscripts and the like:
Yes I am insane sorry; and no I am not a religious zealot I am a person of science

Texts:
Archives
The Internet Sacred Text Archive
http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm
Downloads
http://www.sacred-texts.com/download.htm
Twilit Grotto: Archives of Western Esoterica
http://www.esotericarchives.com/

Necronomicon/Book Of The Dead (articles from a website)
Actual Website:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/necpage.htm
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/nechor.htm
"Fake" Books of the dead
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/necfake.htm

The Pentagram
http://altreligion.about.com/library/weekly/aa100102a.htm?once=true&

Manuscripts:
Archives:
Twilit Grotto: Archives of Western Esoterica
http://www.esotericarchives.com/
The Internet Sacred Text Archive
http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/download.htm

Grimoires:
Grimoires
http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/index.htm
Grimoires
Articles & Resources
http://altreligion.about.com/od/grimoires/
The Grimoire
The magician's manual
http://altreligion.about.com/library/weekly/aa010403a.htm
Solomonic:
The key of Knowledge
http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/ad36674.htm
ANCIENT FRAGMENT OF THE KEY OF SOLOMON
http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/kos/kos59.htm
The Legemeton, or Greater Key of Solomon
THE KEY OF SOLOMON THE KING
http://altreligion.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.sacred%2Dtexts.com/pag/kos/index.htm
The Goetia, or Lesser Key of Solomon
The Lesser Key of Solomon
http://altreligion.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.sacred%2Dtexts.com/grim/lks/index.htm
Pope Honorius:
GREMOIRE DU PAPE HONORIUS
http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/grimhon2.htm

Downloads
http://www.sacred-texts.com/download.htm

[Archbio]

However, where as we who speak English call it the Book of the Dead, in ancient times, it would have been called the Necronomicon. That is where Lovecraft got the name.

It sounds like [what] the Greeks would have called the Egyptian Book of the Dead. There's also a Tibetan Book of the Dead.

I find the general concept of Egyptian magic to be fascinating [Edited for lack of proper syntax. Ugh... why did I use the word fascinating?]

[Dragonsbane]

I'm a Black Mage with the ability to conjure up fiends from Baator to do my bidding!

Really, I just have some telepathy and the weird ability to affect probability...more of a Psion than anything.

[Ravenhurst]

You forgot the most important one of all

http://www.hermetic.com/

which hosts the (almost) complete works of Crowley

http://www.hermetic.com/crowley

[Hiroshino]

No, I am not a mage.

Do you all actually think that you are mages and can handle the consequences of using magic? You open up doors to things that the human mind can't even handle. Yes, magic is real, but some weird shit will happen to you. I've had a friend two years back tell me that she got into some witch craft and she said that some weird things happen. I was thinking, "Well duh, Tiffany. When you delve into the super natural and the occult, weird shit is going to happen." I'm sorry but that kind of stuff freaks me out as it is. And just out of mild curiousity, are you mages sure that you are not under the influence of some form of acid or illegal/legal substances? Many people in the past who have thought they were witches and such had been under the influence of certain plants that were highly potent hallucinogenic's. I even have the name of the book and author of the book that gives you specific information on these kinds of things.

The Devil's Garden: Facts and Folklore of Perilous Plants
By Edward R. Ricciuti
Copyright 1978 by Edward R. Ricciuti

It's a very interesting book, old as it may be, you should read it. Mages and non-mages alike. It has information on different plants, drugs, etc.

[C-dog]

'Magic' is not real. Everything that happens in the universe has a scientific explaination, even if the science has not been discovered yet. 'Magic' is simply a way of explaining away things we have yet to understand. Telepathy, for example. There may be some sort of field surrounding us that allows energy from our brain-waves to interact. There may not be. It could be a total load, or it could be real after all. In any case, there is as yet no scientific explanation for telepathy, but it doesn't mean there won't be in the future. You wouldn't believe the crazy sh*t on the frontiers of scientific research. Read Stephen Hawking's "the Universe in a Nutshell", it'll blow your mind. Truth really is stranger than fiction.

We don't live in a magical fairy world where things happen for no reason. You can't dance around and yell jibberish and expect a hail storm to appear out of nowhere (unless you watched the weather report the night before.) There's a scientific reason for everything. I believe even spirituality has a scientific explanation. It doesn't make it any less mysterious or 'spiritual'. If heaven/ghosts/souls/gods exist, there's a scientific explanation for it. We just haven't found it yet.

[Archbio]

If heaven/ghosts/souls/gods exist, there's a scientific explanation for it. We just haven't found it yet.

I sure can't explain why you chose to exclude "magic" from that enumeration. If it exists it has a scientific explaination, I'm sure, and to define magic in opposition to science is really not considering everything the word "magic" has been attributed to.

[C-dog]

I sure can't explain why you chose to exclude "magic" from that enumeration. If it exists it has a scientific explaination, I'm sure, and to define magic in opposition to science is really not considering everything the word "magic" has been attributed to.

Err, well, I guess you could add it to the list. My point was that "magic" is used to explain things we don't understand. "Magic" is accepted as the answer when no better answer is available. As scientific research proves or disproves a "magical" phenomenon, it stops being magical and becomes fact. Scientifically proven or disproved.

On the other hand, you could argue that magician magic (card tricks, vanishing acts, etc.) is based on non-magical principles (slight of hand, distraction, etc.) but because we as an audience don't understand how the magician is doing a particular trick, we call it magic for lack of a better explanation. In this case, the magic itself has a scientific explaination.

It's the end of my work day. I'm gonna miss the bus if I don't stop now.

[My Lead Airbag]

It sounds like [what] the Greeks would have called the Egyptian Book of the Dead. There's also a Tibetan Book of the Dead.


Wow Archbio, and I can get the whole set for just three easy payments of 19.95, plus S&H? (not meant to zing, there just seems to be a lot of dead books)

My stance on 'true' magic the same as my stance on ghosts and creatures of folklore, namely I won't believe in anything thought up a few centuries ago by some crazy peasants.

[Archbio]

Err, well, I guess you could add it to the list. My point was that "magic" is used to explain things we don't understand. "Magic" is accepted as the answer when no better answer is available. As scientific research proves or disproves a "magical" phenomenon, it stops being magical and becomes fact. Scientifically proven or disproved.

I disagree with that definition of [the word] magic, and it fits better the word "superstition". That doesn't mean that magic hasn't [been] used out of supersition, but equating both so much? I don't think so.

[Edit: lets take "weather magic". If it is superstition, then no link between the "mage" and the phenomenon is ever proven. If there happens to be a link (the mage causing the phenomenon through previously unknown means), and it is scientifically explained, why couldn't it still be called "weather magic"? Would telepathy be renamed, because telepathy referred to the thing when it was unproven?]

[C-dog]

You're right. That's not really the point I was trying to make though. I didn't mean for everything to revolve around the definition of 'magic'. All I'm really trying to say is that everything has a scientifc explaination. Everything in this universe is backed by science. I'm not saying all these 'magical' (there's that word again) skills people seem to have in this thread are real and are backed by science. I'm saying that in the event that some of these skills ARE real, there is a solid, scientific explanation for them. It doesn't matter what you want to call them.

Myself, I don't believe anyone can control the weather, slow down time, raise the dead, shapechange, etc. It's goofy to think someone would be able to do such a thing.

My stance on 'true' magic the same as my stance on ghosts and creatures of folklore, namely I won't believe in anything thought up a few centuries ago by some crazy peasants.


I agree with MLA here. Much of the magic spells and abilities being discussed here were made up by people who didn't have a clue about how the world actually worked. They made up these things to explain phenomenon they didn't understand. Today we have a better understanding of the universe (though not even close to a complete one, I should say) and have no need of these false explanations.

I'm open minded though, and if someone can proove to me with plenty of evidence that they can control the weather with their mind or communicate with their dog, I would be *very* interested in discovering the scientific principles at work behind their skill.

[Hiroshino]

I don't know, I mean, I acknowledge the possibility of the existence of magic, but I have doubts that it actually exists. If I actually see somebody perform magic, real magic, with no tricks or anything, then I'll believe its existence. No offense or anything, that's just my view on magic as a whole. Either way, you will never see me attempt to cast, or actually cast, magic. I will never delve into that kind of stuff. Most of what I have been raised to be and what I was taught (yes, religion), and from my own personal views, it freaks me out. Anything related to the occult and shit, it gets under my skin.

[Xellos]

All I need is a darkened room, a bit of concentration, and a mirror.
I've had a connection with spirits since I was a little kid.

I remember when I first heard about that. I was like, ten. I wouldn't go infront of the bathroom mirror for months.

Ghosts have always fascinated me to no end. Whenever I get the chance, I try to read somthing new about them. My fascination with them comes close to and possibly even excels my fascination with vampires. However, whenever I finish reading about them, it's usually at night and I get all catious and easily startled. However, i'll just go back to my reading the next night.

My two friends are witches. They apparently slowed down time once. I was over at one of their houses when they did something similar to how they discribed the time-slowing thingy. I couldn't be sure. All I know is that I felt like I was there four hours instead of two. I was having fun, too.

Even though I am a devout Catholic and am opposed to the use of magic, I don't mind seeing my best friends do their little ceremonys. objecting, in any case, would only lossen the problem that they have with Christians in their community.

[ClkWrk]

I'm a Technomancer...

[Xellos]

That's cute.........Okay, acually I just wanted to say LOOK! IT'S THE MAD MAJOR!!!

That is all......

[Hiroshino]

Even though I am a devout Catholic and am opposed to the use of magic,..

Just be careful dude. No offense to the Catholic religion or any Catholic, I heard they are usually the ones who turn bad or delve into that shit. I guess it's the strict rules and guidelines that are in the Catholic religion, although I am not sure, but it makes sense to me.

Geezer Butler, Bassist in Black Sabbath, was the one who delved into the Occult in the early 70s and he's Catholic. That's where their first song, Black Sabbath, came from. The frightening experience he had from experimenting with the occult and the warning of what could happen. I read some story that Ozzy gave Geezer this mythical book because Geezer was into that stuff, and one night Geezer had done something and this black cat appears in front of him. The book had been on his lap or in front of him, but when he looked down, it was apparently gone. Then I think the cat disappeared too. Geezer didn't say what the cat was, but he said he knew what it was. Scary if you ask me. My point being, is that I heard that Catholics are the first to do that stuff because their religion is strict (don't take my word for this because this is what I heard, and I am not trying to offend anyone), and weird shit happens when you get into all of that stuff.

Xellos, you should ask your friends if anything strange happens to them. I don't know what specifically happens, but you should still ask them. I can almost guarentee that bad things could happen.