OccultForum.org

Hi there, my name is Tony. I live in Vancouver in Canada and I'm joining the site to learn about the occult. I've read a few books but I figure that it would be far more interesting to be involved in discourse on the subject. I don't follow any particular belief system and in reality I'm a very sceptical person. I don't expect to change my mind on much but I'm looking forward to learning and engaging in discussion with you all!

I am particularly interested in biblical apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, gnosticism, satanism, celtic mysticism, black magic, hellfire clubs and philosophy.

Hello GFV,

I hope you enjoy the forum. There are some well informed people here.

I can't help but mention, though, something about what you wrote. "I don't expect to change my mind on much" seems to defeat the purpose of exploration & discussion, at least to me. If someone where to tell you a technique that would enable you to actually perceive spirits, for example, and you have already decided it will not work then even with practice to 'test' it the power of suggestion will prevent you from succeeding. So you deny yourself a key to a wider world that is right in your hand.

The only magical experiences that will convince you are your own. What we report is simply hearsay.

Hello and welcome to the forum. [cool]

Asurendra wrote:I can't help but mention, though, something about what you wrote. "I don't expect to change my mind on much" seems to defeat the purpose of exploration & discussion, at least to me. If someone where to tell you a technique that would enable you to actually perceive spirits, for example, and you have already decided it will not work then even with practice to 'test' it the power of suggestion will prevent you from succeeding. So you deny yourself a key to a wider world that is right in your hand.

The only magical experiences that will convince you are your own. What we report is simply hearsay.

Maybe I didn't phrase what I meant well enough. I'm certainly not coming here with a resolutely closed mind. I didn't 'expect' the weather to clear up this evening but it has!

I'm very interested in learning about other's techniques, beliefs, and methods of interpreting existence. Whether or not I will use or adopt them personally is a different matter. I am a strong believer in a subjective universe. What works for some people may not work for others. I have techniques to interpret and manipulate my world that I am comfortable using yet I know they are useless to others. If I come across an idea here that interests me, I won't hesitate in trying it.

Hello and welcome

GFV wrote: I have techniques to interpret and manipulate my world that I am comfortable using yet I know they are useless to others.

Not necessarily. Just as you wrote that you would like to listen to others and (maybe maybe not) adapt things, others can do the same with your techniques. Magical Brainstorming! [yay] I hope you don't hesitate to post about them