Occult Confusion Admission The concept of the occult is often shrouded in mystery and confusion. It refers to practices, beliefs, or phenomena that do not fall within the realm of mainstream science or religion. The word "occult" itself comes from the Latin word occultus, which means hidden or secret. Throughout history, the occult has been associated with supernatural powers, divination, astrology, alchemy, and other esoteric practices. One reason for the confusion surrounding the occult is its diverse and multifaceted nature. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices that can vary greatly in their ideologies and methods.
It encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices that can vary greatly in their ideologies and methods. From ancient practices like divination and spellcasting to modern belief systems like Wicca and New Age spirituality, there are countless interpretations and approaches to the occult. Another source of confusion is the association of the occult with negative stereotypes and Hollywood portrayals.
Witchcraft symbolism in the unconscious mind
Technologically Inclined Eclectic Witch. Gemini. 26. Allegedly the Martha Stewart of Witches. I post and reblog spells, grimoire ideas, witchy humor, and asthetic. My ask box is always open for any curious witchlings!
Witchcraft and the Placebo EffectA few days ago, an anon asked multiple witchcraft blogs, in short, “isn’t witchcraft/magic just the placebo effect?” I understand some witches’ hostility towards this question (some witches may involve appeals to a deity in their craft, etc). But it’s worth noting that some witches- myself included- actually embrace this notion. American psychologist, author, and self-described agnostic mystic Robert Anton Wilson said “Magick has many aspects, and can act as a dramatized system of psychology.” An appeal to your conscious mind in the form of, let’s say, a spell to start a new habit or a spell to get over someone, if done with sincerity and a clearly expressed course for change, can be helpful in making these changes a reality. Pagan therapy is an emerging field. So, yes, there are many systems for magic, but devaluing one system— this “dramatized psychology”— isn’t helpful to the discussion. After all, doesn’t the placebo effect prove that we can heal ourselves? It can help us to effectively reprogram our own minds. This can be a valuable tool for personal healing— and to some witches, even a sacred tool.
On the rare occasions when I do magic (they are very very rare) this is exactly how I think of it. That, and sometimes as an extended form of prayer/request to the divine or the universe in general.
I’m barely even a fledgling witch, but this is how I usually see magic.
Filmmaker, tarot reader, and mystic Alejandro Jodorowsky wrote an entire book on the premise that physical actions can have an effect equal to magic on the unconscious mind. His concern is using symbolic actions to create psychological healing, but he also hints that ritualized acts can bring about all kinds of magical effects (and are in fact the source of magic, as they impress your will upon the unconscious in a way it can understand).
From Psychomagic: The Transformative Power of Shamanic Psychotherapy:
It is easier for the unconscious mind to understand dream language than rational language. From a certain point of view, illnesses are dreams, messages that reveal unsolved problems. “Folk healers” develop personal techniques with great creativity; ceremonies, spells, strange medicines such as cafe au lait laxatives, rusty screw infusions, mashed potato sanitary napkins, animal excrement tablets, or moth eggs. Some have more imagination or talent than others, but all, if consulted with faith, are useful. They speak to the primitive and superstitious individual, whom we all carry inside.
It feels like I’ve been running into this idea (symbolic actions+power of the unconscious=magic) everywhere lately. The train of logic usually goes something like this:
- the universe is mental, and all physical reality is a projection of the universal mind
- the universal mind is accessible to humans through the unconscious
- the language of the unconscious is symbolism
- symbolic actions communicate will and desires to the unconscious mind and thus to the universal mind
- the universal mind responds to this act of will by bringing about change in the physical world
I’m still not sure what to think. This is all very theoretical. grimoire-of-geekery, I’d be interested to hear what you have to say about this.
I was reading Psychomagic and I need to get back on it!
I think the “placebo effect” phrasing implies that there was nothing to their magic beyond a mental trick and so it makes people react badly who might otehrwise agree with a statement such as: “magic can focus and change your will and intent to make yourself do something.” This is a powerful tool when the magic is self-focused in any way (even a way that focuses on changing yourself in a way that effects others), incorporating its effects on your mind is basically factoring in magic on another deeper level that does impact you. There are a lot of chaos magic principles that apply to this, and there’s a huge chunk of Goetic demon workers who believe that the demons they work with are parts of their consciousness made manifest in a way that they can be directed and learned from.
Buuuut “isn’t witchcraft/magic just the placebo effect?” The question here basically writes off any witchcraft and magic that’s not placebo-based as not existing or not being real or not working beyond the placebo effect. I think this is where we get a lot of conflict in many communities - a theory’s proposal is often worded in a way that automatically invalidates and erases other methods and belief systems. Instead of replacing, we can add.
“Can witchcraft and magic work via the placebo effect?” This asks about a possible mechanism instead of writing off tons of practitioners and traditions. It’s also a mechanism that can be combined with all sorts of methods. I constructed a devotional to Eligos that I read every day. I know it partly works via repetition, the wording reinforcing certain attitudes in my mind, the reassurance of the words themselves. But I also get Eligos talking to me throughout the day about how the devotional’s subject matter is going, and because I work with demons from the perspective that they are separate individuals with their own existences, I feel they are not my mind talking to itself. (I’ve entertained the idea of whether they are parts of my mind but so far that theory hasn’t squared up with my observations.) I also can feel when Eligos helps me according to the devotional’s terms, and from my perspective he is definitely an outside influence adding his aid as opposed to me just making a commitment to perceive things in a certain way. The changes that have taken place are not something I feel I could have engineered mentally considering the way the devotional was engineered and structured.
But yes, brain-hacking, chaos magic, placebo magic, intent-based workings, these are all possible ways of tackling a problem. It’s just that their existence doesn’t disprove the existence of other ways of doing magic/witchcraft, and that flimsy disproving premise is an assertion I’ve heard a lot from skeptics.
(A wobbly parallel to the anti-science version of this fallacy: Piltdown Man was a hoax “missing link” constructed by a racist scientist to combat the theory that humanity’s ancestors originated from Africa. Piltdown Man being a hoax is proof that Piltdown Man is not an ancient ancestor to humans and also lends support to humanity’s african origins. Anti-evolution peeps claim Piltdown Man as proof that evolution itself is a hoax even though that doesn’t carry over at all. So one evolutionary theory being disproven does not equal all evolutionary theories being disproven, and some magic being placebo-based does not equal all magic being placebo-based.)
I think the biggest deal with this is that placebo magic can really only effect people who know about it. The whole operation is based on the idea that someone knows something has been cast and then changes their will/self to match it. This can even be the basis of a curse, in fact, because it gets someone to curse themselves by messing their own head up. But once that magic affects an outside person in a way that can’t be chalked up to a placebo effect, placebo stops being the mechanism by which magic is operating and something else is going on. If I cast a spell on someone (a banishing for instance) and they leave town when I set the spell to activate, and they had no idea I cast that spell and not even any contact from me or those I influence, it’s hard to see that working via a placebo mechanism anymore. Even if the placebo caused me to change my will in a way to facilitate the action, if the person themselves is the one who left, and I didn’t engage with them at all on it in any meaningful or even third-party way, then some other mechanism is at play and my will is causing magic to happen in a way that’s not just placebo. I’m psychically connecting to them, a deity is involved, causality is getting rearranged to facilitate their leaving - there’s all sorts of possible mechanisms, but I think at a certain point we can rule placebo out as a causative factor, even though it may facilitate some processes along the way.
I’m barely even a fledgling witch, but this is how I usually see magic.
Popular media often depicts the occult as dark and sinister, with practitioners engaging in black magic or making pacts with demons. While there are certainly individuals who practice harmful or unethical occult activities, the majority of occultists are simply seeking personal growth, spiritual enlightenment, or a deeper connection with the universe. Furthermore, the occult is frequently misunderstood due to its overlap with religion and spirituality. Many occult practices and beliefs have roots in ancient religions, such as ancient Egyptian or Greek mythology. They may incorporate elements of paganism, hermeticism, or ceremonial magic. This confluence of influences can make it challenging to draw clear lines between what is considered occult and what is considered religious or spiritual. It is important to note that the occult is not inherently good or evil. Like any belief system or practice, its moral implications are determined by how it is utilized by individuals. While some may use occult practices for personal gain or manipulation, others may use them for personal growth, healing, or the betterment of society. In conclusion, the occult is a complex and multifaceted concept that can be confusing for many. Its diverse nature, association with negative stereotypes, and overlap with religion all contribute to this confusion. However, it is essential to approach the occult with an open mind and recognize that it is not inherently good or evil. Instead, its moral implications are determined by the intentions and actions of individuals..
Reviews for "Exploring the Occult: Uncovering the Truth"
1. Jennifer - 1 star
I found "Occult confusion admission" to be a complete waste of my time. The plot was convoluted and confusing, with no clear direction. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it impossible to connect with them on any level. The writing style was also very dry and monotone, leaving me uninterested and bored throughout the entire book. Overall, I would not recommend "Occult confusion admission" to anyone looking for an engaging and well-written read.
2. Michael - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Occult confusion admission" after hearing all the buzz surrounding it, but I was sorely disappointed. The story started off promising, but quickly became a jumbled mess of occult references and confusing plotlines. The author seemed more interested in showing off their knowledge of occult symbolism than actually telling a coherent and engaging story. Additionally, the characters were incredibly flat and lacked any real development. Overall, the book left me confused and frustrated, and I would not recommend it to others.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I struggled to get through "Occult confusion admission". The writing was pretentious and overly complex, with long-winded descriptions that added little to the overall story. The plot jumped around too much and failed to maintain a clear focus, making it hard to stay engaged with the story. The characters were also poorly developed, making it difficult to care about their fates. Overall, I found "Occult confusion admission" to be a confusing and unenjoyable read. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a well-executed occult-themed novel.