“I believe in magic; why? because it is so quick”
(Arthur Lee, The Red Telephone, Forever Changes, Elektra Records, 1967)
Well, apart from being from possibly one of the finest records ever made in the entire history of phonography, it is a great line that has always held a morbid fascination for me. Being of a rather literal cast of mind, it does seem strange to me that I can believe that particular string of words to be quite true; not only that, but to, on first hearing it, feeling sure that it was in fact an affirmation of many thoughts that I held both dear and close - before, then and now.
How can this be - an intelligent, mostly rational, if emotionally imbalanced, adult believing in unseen forces with a power to change the Universe in accordance with one’s Will? It all started, like most things, quite some time ago in childhood. My world, my view of it and it’s of mine was (and still is to some extent) quite beset by forces that I could not quite understand , with causal links being at best random, if not perversely counter-intuitively set against me. So, small & powerless, filled with self-doubt and loathing, armed only with a prodigous talent for words and numbers, I came across what could be called Black Magic. Mostly hocus-pocus. admittedly; but with an enquiring and mischivous mind. I set about its study. Like many people, I wanted the immediate stimulus-response gratification that the Art seemed to offer. Try as I might, plagues of things, death of the fourth-born and stopping anything the size of a celestial orb in its tracks proved beyond me. To counter these shortcomings, rather than give up in a huff and find something better to do, I set about even more study, learning passable amounts of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and other languages of the Ancients*, their numbering systems, patterns of belief and of those things beyond sight. Tarot cards were interesting and helped give insight but afforded no direct chance of manipulation of reality. Uncle Crow’s gymnastic conjurations and comic rituals of bells, spells and smells, however fun, were fairly diffuse in their effect.
Something more direct and immediate was needed and - at the ripe age of 22 - I discovered for myself the power of the Runes. Finding quite rapidly just how effective and potent such Magick was - getting myself sacked and causing a flood (separate incidents!) - I set about the Work with a greater diligence and care than hitherfore. Spells were cast: wounds were healed, ills prevented, love found and kept, computers stopped from crashing, and evil kept at bay, amongst many other beneficial tinkerings. This left me feeling more positive about my ability to make a difference in an otherwise incomprehensible or even intractable situation.
Through inner exploration, therapy and occasionally catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I understand more some of the reasons for my practice of the Craft. My Art lessons have helped me find more ways to “cause an effect at a distance” through painting, dragging powers and talents buried deep within me to the surface, somewhat purifying myself in the process.
From my understanding of the world’s media sources, we are all now living in quite possibly the most unpredictable, dangerous and uncertain of times, many of us wracked with impotent rage at our inabilities to understand or affect our situations. In such times, people generally turn to organised religion, less organised thuggery or disorganised drink, drugs and debauchery. My gentle presdigitation avoids things of such tremulous nature and now seems to be the ideal time to offer it more widely beyond a small circle of friends and bemused onlookers.
As we have been assured by the recent American Presidential Candidate (failed) that we should all be making our living on eBay, what better way to spread the Work?
Updates will be forthcoming in the new year. If you need any Runic Spells wrought, just drop me a line.
* “Enochian is weird!” (Chaos Diary entry, 1992) One of my first Runic jokes … make of it what you will.
