Caliban and Witch: An Exploration of Power Dynamics and Colonialism The characters of Caliban and Witch, featured in William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" and Sylvia Federici's book "Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation," respectively, offer a deeper understanding of power dynamics and colonialism. Both Caliban and the Witch are embodiments of oppressed identities, serving as symbols of the marginalized and silenced voices. In "The Tempest," Caliban represents the colonized indigenous people, stripped of his land and culture. He is depicted as a wild and monstrous creature, often referred to as a savage by the other characters. This dehumanization of Caliban reflects the devaluation and demonization of indigenous cultures during the era of colonialism. Caliban's relationship with Prospero, the malevolent colonial ruler, exposes the power dynamics at play within a colonial context.
There are seven major types of magic:
In keeping with the upcoming Halloween holiday, I have decided to compose this week s blog post on a theme that discusses the magical traditions of the Subtle Realm. We point out that suggestive means temptation, seduction, exploitative persuasion, misleading advertising, subliminal messages, and distortion of the truth to make you do what someone else wants don t work if there are no karmic impressions in your unconscious mind that can respond to these attempts to induce craving and desire in your mind.
Caliban's relationship with Prospero, the malevolent colonial ruler, exposes the power dynamics at play within a colonial context. Prospero exploits Caliban's labor and attempts to control him through physical and psychological means. Caliban's desire for freedom and resistance against his oppressor is evident, illustrating the struggle for agency and autonomy in the face of colonial dominance.
The Seven Types of Magic
In keeping with the upcoming Halloween holiday, I have decided to compose this week’s blog post on a theme that discusses the magical traditions of the Subtle Realm.
There are seven major types of magic:
Two of them are well known to most people, what we might call popular applications of magic.
Five of them are hidden secrets of the esoteric branches of the magical and occult schools of the Lower Astral Plane.
The two types of magic that have been popularized in modern culture include stage magic and divinatory magic.
Stage magic uses illusion, sleight of hand, and attentional misdirection; utilizes ingenious props; and creates a background of dramatic music and stagecraft to entertain people. The popular magic shows performed in theaters and on television feature this type of magic.
Divinatory magic uses structured divinatory methods such as the Tarot cards or the Ouija Board to evoke guidance and elicit information from the subconscious and unconscious bands of the mind. In some divinatory magical systems, they may invoke the spirits of the dead—the Ouija Board used in séances is of this type. Others may have cards that invoke the angels—for example, the angel cards. Tarot cards draw upon powerful archetypes of the unconscious mind. Carl Jung attributed the ability of divinatory magic to mirror psychological states to synchronicity.
There are five “hidden” forms of magic that are utilized on the Lower Astral Plane.
- Ritual magic – Ritual magic enacts a series of structured actions coupled with affirmations or spells to provide protection or invoke powerful forces. The candidate for occult training learns ritual magic on the Magicians Subplane of the Lower Astral Plane. Examples include Building the Armor of Light, used for protection from psychic attack; and the Greater Banishment Rite, employed to clear a ritual space to perform the rites of magic.
- Suggestive magic (spells) – This is a verbal statement or intentional suggestion that activates the creative ethers of the Lower Astral Plane. This type of magic is featured in the television show, “Merlin,” and the popular Harry Potter series of books and movies. Wiccan groups of the first Subplane of the Lower Astral Plane primarily practice this type; Celts and Druids also tap this level to do their own forms of suggestive magic.
- Spoken word magic (fiat) – In this form, the Soul Spark declares a command that directs the entities of the Lower Astral Plane. The anchoring phrase, “And so mote it be,” can be added to ordinary spells to empower them and magnify their power. This type of magic draws upon the power of the octave of volition we call the Magical Will. Occult initiates draw upon this power of the spoken word when they intone the secret names of God and angels in the Third Occult Initiation.
- Intercessory magic – This type of magic is applied in traditions that bind and control spirits on the Lower Astral Plane. Through the practice of magical containment or entrapment, spiritual entities can be made to carry out certain actions at the magician’s command. The popular image of the genie in the lamp derives from this type of magical intervention; the jinn magic of Arab cultures makes use of this type of intercessory magic. A wide variety of entities can be made to carry out the magician’s bidding. This type of magic is typically first encountered in inmost circle surrounding the presence of the Hermit, which dwells at the doorway to the occult mystery schools.
- Hypnotic magic – This anchors suggestion into the minds of other people without their consent. This can make them do specified actions, speak selected words, believe suggested content, or alter their perception. While clinical hypnotherapists use hypnosis for therapeutic purposes with the consent of their patient, occult initiates do not. Varieties of this ability to bypass the conscious mind and implant suggestions in the unconscious mind of others during the First Occult Initiation, where the candidate learns the method of controlling others through anchoring suggestion in their unconscious mind; the Second Occult Initiation, where the occult initiate is trained in using sexual attraction, seduction, and temptation to control others; and the Fourth Occult Initiation, where the advanced occult initiate can use fear, coercion, and intimidation to control an entire nation.
If you are doing your spiritual development beyond the Lower Astral Plane, you will normally not encounter these occult forms of magic. Those who are doing their spiritual work in the Middle Subtle Band and the Lower Astral Plane, however, are susceptible to these forms of magic.
There are four major types of defenses against these forms of occult magic.
- Shielding – This create an impenetrable barrier that magical suggestions cannot enter. Building the armor of light is an example of this type of defense.
- Deflection or mirroring – This deflects the magical force back to the sender, so they become the target of the spell they cast.
- Transformation – This transforms the suggestion into something benign or silly, so the suggestion is neutralized and becomes harmless.
- Destruction – In this scenario, a great force overwhelms the perpetrator of the magical attack, which neutralizes the magical spell, may paralyze or entrap him or her, or in rare cases, he or she may even be slain. This mighty power becomes activated when the Soul Spark migrates onto the Subtle Illumined Mind: the inner wizard becomes empowered to counter magical attempts to control you.
The marker of occult work is to force one’s will upon others through fear, intimidation, physical violence or psychological coercion, torture, or uninvited, unwanted magical suggestion.
To become a Light Worker, you must abandon all attempts to force others to do your bidding, and instead, serve their Soul through ministry and sharing your God-given gifts. To pass beyond the Lower Astral Plane, you must renounce these means to control or coerce others for your personal gain.
We point out that suggestive means—temptation, seduction, exploitative persuasion, misleading advertising, subliminal messages, and distortion of the truth to make you do what someone else wants—don’t work if there are no karmic impressions in your unconscious mind that can respond to these attempts to induce craving and desire in your mind. For example, if you have lost the craving for sugar, you are not tempted to go into a doughnut or pastry shop.
Through the use of transformational meditation, many of these karmic desire impressions are removed from the unconscious mind. When this occurs, these suggestions no longer have any effect, and you can no longer be manipulated covertly. For those of you that are interested in removing these karmic impressions, we teach these transformational techniques in our intermediate meditation courses, the in-person Mudrashram® Master Course in Meditation and the by-mail and online Accelerated Meditation Program.
We encourage you to have at least a cursory knowledge of these two popular and five occult forms of magic. You need to know how avoid the influences of occult magic. You need to be able to align yourself with the Forces of Light, and stop engaging in any occult practices that cause harm to others.
In keeping with the upcoming Halloween holiday, I have decided to compose this week’s blog post on a theme that discusses the magical traditions of the Subtle Realm.
Similarly, Sylvia Federici's book "Caliban and the Witch" illuminates the intersection of gender, race, and capitalism within the context of early modern Europe. Federici argues that the witch-hunts during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were an integral part of the capitalist system and the consolidation of power by the ruling elite. The targeted persecution of women, particularly those who were economically independent, served to suppress and control female sexuality and autonomy. The witch trials acted as a means of societal control, exploiting and diverting the masses' attention from the oppressive structures enforced by the ruling class. Federici's analysis connects the witch-hunts to the violent process of primitive accumulation, which laid the foundation for capitalism and imperial expansion. The narratives of Caliban and the Witch are essential for understanding the continued legacy of colonialism and oppression in contemporary society. Both highlight the historical and ongoing struggles faced by marginalized communities, emphasizing the importance of dismantling power imbalances and challenging dominant narratives. Through examining these texts, we gain insights into the complexities of power dynamics, colonialism, and resistance, ultimately encouraging a more inclusive and equitable future..
Reviews for "The role of Caliban's mother, Sycorax, in shaping his identity"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I found "Caliban and Wotch" to be a disappointingly predictable and cliché fantasy novel. The characters were flat and one-dimensional, lacking depth and complexity. The plot felt overused and lacked originality, making it difficult to truly immerse myself in the story. Additionally, I struggled with the writing style, finding it to be overly descriptive without adding any substance to the narrative. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unengaged with this book.
2. Alex - 1 star
"Caliban and Wotch" was a major letdown for me. I had high expectations for a thrilling fantasy adventure, but instead, I was greeted with a slow-paced and uneventful storyline. The lack of character development made it hard for me to connect with or care about any of the protagonists. Furthermore, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, hindering my ability to become fully invested in the conversations. This book simply didn't live up to the hype and left me feeling unsatisfied.
3. James - 2 stars
I struggled to finish "Caliban and Wotch" due to its tedious and meandering plot. The narrative lacked direction and failed to engage me as a reader. Additionally, the world-building felt shallow and incomplete, leaving many aspects of the story unexplained and confusing. I had hoped for a more immersive and well-developed fantasy world, but unfortunately, this book fell short in delivering that. Overall, I found "Caliban and Wotch" to be a lackluster read with little to offer in terms of entertainment value.
4. Michelle - 2 stars
As a fantasy enthusiast, I was highly disappointed with "Caliban and Wotch." The pacing of the story was sluggish, and the action scenes lacked the intensity I had anticipated. The character relationships felt forced, and their motivations seemed contrived, making it difficult to invest in their journeys. Moreover, the world-building was half-baked, leaving me with more questions than answers. I had hoped for a captivating and immersive experience, but unfortunately, this book failed to deliver on its promises.