I'm New. Should I Be Screwing Around With This?

[TotalSkeptic1000]

I'm 14, and I've started to take an interest in the occult. Ceremonial magic seemed interesting, but it also seems a bit dangerous. I was reading about demons ( the 72 in the Goetia especially), and it made me wonder if I should even dabble in this. Will this screw me over? Will it bring harm to my loved ones?

[Asurendra]

Hello TotalSkeptic1000,

Welcome to the Forum. Your skepticism is a good thing. My stance is to try and not be so closed minded that my brain suffocates and not so open minded that it falls out. There are many claims out there about the occult. But, the only experiences that REALLY matter are your own.

I would not advice you to begin attempting to work with the Goetia at this point. I say that for purely practical reasons. Think of it this way; scientists who work with radioactivity do so only with training. They have to understand the materials and they have to have and know how to use protective gears to keep them safe. If you found some Plutonium of Ebay and tried to smash some atoms in your bedroom it might not turn out all that good.

There is something else to consider too. The demons of the Goetia are not all 100% evil but they are all 100% thugs. So, think about those big guys who do car-jacking, would you put a sign outside your house just inviting them in? Imagine strong, invisible thugs knocking around the kitchen & your bedroom. You need some muscle to back you up so they don't break the cookie jar and steal your laptop. That muscle is your connection to angelic and Divine power. Also, real important, you need a strong will, too. Think about that one for a while.

Make the Goetia a goal.

So, how do you reach it and satisfy your skepticism at the same time? The good news is you need just two things, a knowledge base and a skill set, then you can do it. Here's the bad news: lots of study and lots of practice. To develop the clairvoyance to see the entities takes practice, but it can be done. It's the same with working with energy. It is true you are young. But, personally I think that if you are serious enough you can begin to take your first steps now. If you're that set on it, it's better to have some guidance than none! You just have to prove yourself.

I have pasted two links, one to listen to and one to watch from an established Ceremonial Magician. After you're finished with them, let us know what you think.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-hermet ... -hermetics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTJBWMFRO6g

[Myrkkal]

I'm 14, and I've started to take an interest in the occult. Ceremonial magic seemed interesting, but it also seems a bit dangerous. I was reading about demons ( the 72 in the Goetia especially), and it made me wonder if I should even dabble in this. Will this screw me over? Will it bring harm to my loved ones?

If you ask those questions, you shouldn't be, no.. then you are worried about it for some reason, and things are much more likely to turn bad. You already have some idea it might be dangerous, which isn't uncommon, but you don't lie to yourself (or others) about this, which is very good. I've seen things go bad because people did just that and then when they thought something happened their fears really flared up, even if what happened wasn't at all related to magic.

It might sound very unfair but to some degree things are as safe as you feel they are, and this doesn't mean 'as safe as you want to feel they are'. Only speaking from personal experience, of course.. I think almost everybody will have their own view on this.

[DawningSun777]

I'm 14, and I've started to take an interest in the occult. Ceremonial magic seemed interesting, but it also seems a bit dangerous. I was reading about demons ( the 72 in the Goetia especially), and it made me wonder if I should even dabble in this. Will this screw me over? Will it bring harm to my loved ones?

This is a complex question, one of the few gems that immediately dives right into the heart of occultism. Let us start with the concern of it harming your family: your practices cannot harm your family, nor anyone from anything that you can do occult wise. The only way that your practice can harm your family is if they know that you are practicing occultism and they believe that it will cause them harm. In short, they will cause themselves harm through their own belief, nothing of your doing. Sadly, that is not all that comforting. I am not sure of the nature of your family, mine was totally fine with my exploration, but we are conservative/reformed Jews. If your family is something like religious Christians, or they do not understand occultism and believe it is evil, keep your practice hidden or, at the very least, ween them into it.

Now, the question of if it is dangerous to you is more difficult to answer. Again, do YOU believe that occult practices are evil and dangerous? If so, do not dabble in occultism or, if you truly desire to, before practicing you need to look into it and come to the understanding that it is NOT evil and will NOT harm you. You hear often the magick is dangerous, especially to dabblers or new practitioners. This is not because of demons that are hard to control, laws of return, anything of the sort but rather it has to do with the mind of the occultist. You need to start with things like meditation and gain some control over your beliefs, thoughts, symbolism, desires, etc before practicing. I do not believe age is that big of a factor, but you are truly young psychologically speaking, so just be careful.

The thing to keep in mind is that your mind is the center of occult practices, not external forces or entities. That is the MOST important lessen to learn.

[thestudyingalchemist]

I'm 14, and I've started to take an interest in the occult. Ceremonial magic seemed interesting, but it also seems a bit dangerous. I was reading about demons ( the 72 in the Goetia especially), and it made me wonder if I should even dabble in this. Will this screw me over? Will it bring harm to my loved ones?

Well you know there are two important things in occultism to me. The knowledge and the philosophy used to apply this knowledge. In each thing there are positive and negative points, in my idea you have to accept them and learn how to use things for your individual but not against others. Nothing is poisonous in itself, but only the way you use it define if it is or not. There are plenty type of occultism you know it is a very big stuff. Most people that qualify it as dangerous never in fact understood it. You have to make the difference between what you call "evil" and what you call natural that gives you pleasure. I do not believe in the concept of "evil" as I do not believe in the concept of "good". I only believe in relative positive and negative aspects of each things depending the way you use them. But no your family has absolutely no reason to get harm. Between them and occultism the only thing that harm them is their own belief. And the only way you can get arm is also your own belief. Do not just reject something because stereotypes...

[mph33rd]

That muscle is your connection to angelic and Divine power. Also, real important, you need a strong will, too. Think about that one for a while

that is some very serious ignorant talk. what makes angelic and or "Devine" power greater than the other? like evil just magically manifested. one can not survive without the other. wow. typical Wiccan. i bet you believe in white magic to

[Nahemah]

That is some very serious ignorant talk. What makes angelic and or "Divine" power greater than the other? Like evil just magically manifested. One can not survive without the other. Wow. Typical Wiccan. I bet you believe in white magic too

Fixed this for ya. [grin]

This is not a smart post.

Two posts in and you're looking like a troll already.It's perfectly possible to disagree,without insulting another member like this.

Must try harder,or troll smarter.

Remember this also please:punctuation is a handy tool,especially for the cheekier comments. [thumbup]

Just saying.

[Asurendra]

I'll answer the question not so much for him but because, although poorly placed, it may be helpful to other. What makes the Divine power greater? Here is something to think about and weigh in your mind:

Since roughly the 14th century, that's 700 years and about 233 generations, Goetic magicians have worked this system and have direct, personal experience. What exist now is the culmination of that experience. So, whatever your metaphysical quibbles the empirical data is that the Divine power is greater.

On the other end of the scale is a guy in an Internet Forum who wants to evoke a demon as a tool for masturbation. Which side of the scales will carry more weight? What are the experiences of others who have been on this Forum and did not take precautions?

I am not Wiccan. I am a Shaivite and Tantrika of the Kaula Sadhana or Left-Hand Path (by the standards of Indian philosophy) and magically Gray. I honor the Devas.

[manonthepath]

I'm 14, and I've started to take an interest in the occult. Ceremonial magic seemed interesting, but it also seems a bit dangerous. I was reading about demons ( the 72 in the Goetia especially), and it made me wonder if I should even dabble in this. Will this screw me over? Will it bring harm to my loved ones?

Well, at 14 there are better things you could be doing with your spare time. Young and inexperienced practitioners are quite vulnerable without a trusted mentor, usually an experienced family member, to help them. The dangers for you to get into this alone are huge. Others might disagree, that's their business. Why not wait a few years and if you are still interested, then get into it? Why not learn a martial art? Why not take up a language? French or even Latin would help with later occult research. There is always homework to be done as well. In any case, guard yourself against internet predators, who are filled with seemingly helpful advice.

[manonthepath]

What are the experiences of others who have been on this Forum and did not take precautions?

I have stumbled around blindly quite a bit along my path as a meta-physician. I have been lifted into the air an body slammed once because
I committed an error while preparing for a major ritual. Then a voice literally spoke in my ear: Consider yourself lucky that I'm not the god of the christians. He would have put a plague on you." I've had physical encounters with dark entities three times, once one actually restrained me.There have been other positive and negative encounters. There are some, who have very strong opinions about this stuff and they have strong confidence in their powers of reasoning. If there is anything my years of practicing the occult have taught me it is this: "The only thing I truly know is that I can know nothing." I merely have the impressions of my experience sometimes augmented by the energetic tools of clairsentience and clairvoyance, as well as a few additional skills that I can bring into the game, but none of this makes me any kind of an expert in anything. "Experts" make me nervous. My words are not intended as any kind of attack on anyone in this forum for any reason. A question was asked, and I gave an open and honest answer in the spirit of mutual growth and understanding.

[sonko]

I'm 14, and I've started to take an interest in the occult. Ceremonial magic seemed interesting, but it also seems a bit dangerous. I was reading about demons ( the 72 in the Goetia especially), and it made me wonder if I should even dabble in this. Will this screw me over? Will it bring harm to my loved ones?

The thing is if you are new to magic activities, I think you should start with first steps. learning how to deal with spirits before you jump into invoking demons, i believe there are many ways of attaining positive spirits and still succeed with whatever you have interest in.
Even demons themselves if other people does even you can do it but you need to go through step by step until when you gain the required knowledge about the all practice.

[Asurendra]

Hello Sonko,

Thanks for echoing the initial advice that several people gave to TotalSkeptic. Hopefully, the more this is repeated the more likely it is that others who have similar interests and read this post will take it seriously. We never heard back from TotalSkeptic so we don't know what happened.