These excerpts from works by Ramsey Dukes explore concepts of magic and spirituality, often contrasting them with science and religion. The author discusses Johnstone's Paradox, suggesting a mechanistic universe makes our experience of it unlikely to be mechanistic. Dukes also examines a cyclical view of societal thought, moving between periods dominated by magic, art, religion, and science. The texts touch upon the nature of demons as internalized patterns or societal forces and reflect on a personal attempt to engage with a traditional magical ritual, the Abramelin operation, highlighting the challenges of discipline and the wrestling with inner conflicts and phantasies during the process.
Who is Ramsey Dukes / Lionel Snell
I am interested in magic.
For me the word âmagicâ includes not just ceremonial magic, the occult, Thelema, Chaos magick, witchcraft etc, but also astrology, tarot and all forms of divination, most alternative healing systems and self-development processes such as individuation, NLP, Scientology etc. I also think that marketing and advertising and most forms of psychological therapy are basically practical magic, even when pretending to be scientific. Conjurors and mentalists call themselves âmagiciansâ and I think they are right â even when they merely claim to be exposing fake magic.
My particular interest is in the interface between magic and other cultures Why does religion fear magic? Why does reason despise it? Why does art mock it?
So my explorations usually begin with everyday experience â rather than jumping straight into weird realms. I look for cracks in the smooth surfaces of material or consensus reality, and prise open doors to those weird regions beyond. I wish thereby to offer my readers a richer life experience, with endless opportunities for a lifetime of exploration.~ From Ramsey Dukesâ Homepage
On YouTube
BRIEFING DOCUMENT: Themes and Ideas from Dukes & Snell
Subject: Review of key concepts in selected works by Ramsey Dukes and Lionel Snell.
Sources:
* Excerpts from "BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$ with my SECRET Sex-Power Formula" by Ramsey Dukes (2000)
* Excerpts from "How to See Fairies: Discover Your Psychic Powers in Six Weeks" by Ramsey Dukes (2011)
* Excerpts from "My Years of Magical Thinking" by Lionel Snell (2017)
* Excerpts from "SSOTBME Revised - an Essay on Magic" by Ramsey Dukes (2011)
* Excerpts from "The Abramelin Diaries" by Ramsey Dukes
* Excerpts from "The Little Book of Demons" by Ramsey Dukes (2005)
* Excerpts from "Words Made Flesh" by Ramsey Dukes (2000)
Executive Summary:
This briefing document summarizes key themes and concepts from selected writings by Ramsey Dukes and Lionel Snell. Central to their work is an exploration of reality, consciousness, and magic through unconventional and often paradoxical lenses. They frequently employ analogies from computing, physics, and everyday life to illustrate complex ideas. Recurring themes include the nature of reality (potentially virtual or information-based), the limitations of purely rational/scientific approaches, the importance of intuition and sensory awareness, the concept of "demons" as internal or external forces, and the relationship between masculine and feminine principles. The authors maintain a pragmatic and often humorous approach, emphasizing experimentation and personal experience over dogma or blind belief.
Key Themes and Ideas:
1. The Nature of Reality: Information and Virtual Universes
A significant thread running through the sources is the exploration of the nature of reality, particularly the idea that our universe might be information-based or even a form of virtual reality. Dukes introduces "Johnstone's Paradox" which suggests that if even artificial intelligence can replicate aspects of reality, it becomes plausible that our own reality could be an information-based construction.
* Core Concept: The universe could be a form of computation or simulation.
* Supporting Detail: Dukes uses the analogy of a super-calculator creating a conscious universe within its processes. "From the above example it can be seen that the deviceâs inner world may deviate a little from ârealityâ. My friendâs husband has taken this into account by attempting to ensure that at least its âworldâ will be an improve-" (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 9).
* Related Idea: Just as a digital recording can encapsulate a symphony, a binary sequence might encapsulate a universe. "just as a digital recording of a Beethoven symphony encapsulates the entire musical experience in one binary sequence â ie as a single very large number â so might one digitally encapsulate an entire universe..." (My Years of Magical Thinking, p. 51).
* Paradoxical Conclusion: This perspective leads to the paradoxical conclusion that if AI can perfectly reproduce reality, "the most likely possibility seems to be abandoned the idea of a ârealâ material universe." (Words Made Flesh, p. 65).
* Implication for Magic: This view suggests that magical action might operate on informational or virtual layers of reality, offering a new framework for understanding its mechanisms (Words Made Flesh, cover blurb).
2. The Limitations of Rationalism and the Importance of Intuition/Senses:
Both authors express skepticism towards purely rational, scientific, and dogmatic approaches, advocating for a more holistic understanding that incorporates intuition, feeling, and heightened sensory awareness. They see over-reliance on intellect as a barrier to certain types of perception and experience.
* Critique of Science/Rationalism: Science, while valuable, is seen as potentially detached from reality when taken too far. "At its best, scientific culture is both reasonable and sensible. But, like any culture, when it has been in power for too long it becomes a line of least resistance for lazy people. In the case of scientific culture, it becomes an excuse to opt for reason and become less sensible, or more detached from reality." (How to See Fairies, p. 23).
* Barrier to Psychic Perception: An over-developed intellect is presented as a significant barrier to psychic abilities. "It is all too easy to put the full blame for blocked psychism onto an over-developed intellect, without recognising that there is a puritan tendency that can also form a barrier." (How to See Fairies, p. 30).
* Emphasis on Senses: The ability to perceive subtle sensory data is crucial for developing psychic perception. "In that first lesson we deliberately didnât try to go for clairvoyant or psychic perception, because that might provoke resistance from the rational parts of our mind. The other reason was that, if we did get clairvoyant phenomena early on, they could excite our curiosity so much that we would be tempted to concentrate on those results rather than learn to open up to all impressions." (How to See Fairies, p. 59).
* "Cup and Dagger" Metaphor: Dukes uses the Cup (receiving impressions without analysis) and the Dagger (analyzing and classifying) as metaphors for different mental states. To see fairies or other subtle phenomena, the Cup state is emphasized. "For the Cup, when we tell a childrenâs story using tarot cards, it is meaningless to ask whether the cards gave us the story, or whether it was made up by our imagination, all that matters is how well the Cupâs contents taste..." (How to See Fairies, p. 116).
* Body Wisdom: The body is presented as having a superior understanding of its own needs than external advice. "How then do we address the bodyâs superior understanding of our own needs? By first listening to it." (The Little Book of Demons, p. 4). This applies particularly to diet and health.
3. The Concept of "Demons" as Internal/External Forces:
Dukes explores the idea of "demons" not necessarily as purely supernatural entities, but as forces, patterns, or aspects of the self that exert influence, often subconsciously. These can manifest as self-sabotaging behaviors, repeated negative patterns, or even societal trends.
* Defining Demons: Dukes suggests looking for extremes or repeated patterns in one's life as potential signs of demonic intervention. "So you begin a hunt for extremes that point the way to demonic intervention." (The Little Book of Demons, p. 45).
* Internal Conflict: Demons can represent conflicting aspects of the self, such as the tension between Dukes' Sun in Aries (wild, martial nature) and Capricorn rising (cautious, conscientious self). "In the postscript pages I discuss the way that Sun in Aries, versus Capricorn rising, created a demonic split between my wild and potentially dangerous martial nature and a more cautious and conscientious capricornian self..." (The Abramelin Diaries, postscript).
* Dialogue and Understanding: Rather than simply trying to suppress demons, Dukes advocates for understanding their nature and role, potentially even engaging in dialogue with them. "When a sense has been gleaned as to the nature and role of the demon, then the dialogue begins." (The Little Book of Demons, p. 40).
* Societal Demons: The concept is extended to societal phenomena, such as terrorism, which can be seen as a "demon" that feeds on psychic energy and becomes empowered by focusing on it. "Terrorism has fed upon the social equivalent of psychic energy to become a major demon - publicity feeds terrorism, terrorism raises publicity." (Words Made Flesh, p. 133).
* Law as a Demon: The legal system is also presented as a demon that ensures its survival by classifying more people as criminals. "Beware, however of jumping to legal solutions, for the law is another such demon and its character is due partly to the low company it keeps." (The Little Book of Demons, p. 46).
4. Masculine and Feminine Principles:
The sources explore the interplay and interwoven nature of masculine and feminine principles, not just in gender, but as fundamental forces or qualities present in all phenomena. This analysis often extends to abstract concepts and interactions.
* Interwoven Nature: The masculine and feminine are seen as endlessly layered within everything. "Such analysis shows how tightly the masculine and feminine are interwoven - cut anything open and you find endless layers of each..." (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 101).
* Contextual Roles: The same entity or action can embody both masculine and feminine roles depending on the context of the interaction. For example, in conversation, one person speaking is masculine (out-pourer) and the other receiving is feminine (receiver), but the listener interpreting and generating new ideas is also masculine. "Take another example: you are speaking to me at a party. Words are leaving your mouth and entering my ear, so you are masculine and I am feminine. But I am taking the sounds you make and interpreting them, so I am masculine and those sounds are feminine." (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 101).
* Sexuality and Magic/Spirituality: Sexual energy and fantasies are seen as powerful forces that can be engaged with, rather than merely suppressed, as part of a spiritual or magical practice. Dukes describes using sexual fantasies to "burn up thoughts" and seeing lust as "the breath of life" during his Abramelin operation. "Again, sex was king. I'm a bit puzzled as to what to do. The tarot trump âStrengthâ shows the jaws of the lion being closed gently. It seems clear that I must âcontrolâ to some extent... But I do not want to banish it because this lust is the most delicious thing I have known..." (The Abramelin Diaries, July 7 entry).
* Gender and Societal Roles: Dukes speculates on a world where traditional gender roles are reversed, with women dominating spheres like the Law, Arts, and Media, and men in technological husbandry. However, he questions whether this would fundamentally change human behavior, such as going to war (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 106).
5. Pragmatism and Experimentation in Magic and Spirituality:
The authors emphasize a practical, experimental approach to magic and spirituality, prioritizing personal experience and results over rigid belief systems.
* Magic is not Belief: True occultism and magic are contrasted with religion and superstition, which are seen as relying on infantile desires to "believe in" something. "The phrasing of this question insults the intelligence of the occultist. It assumes that he is motivated by an infantile desire to âbelieve inâ something. This is the coin of religion and superstition, not of occultism and magic." (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, footnote on p. 127).
* Experimental Approach: Learning to see fairies or develop psychic abilities is framed as a process of experimentation and tuning the senses. The course in "How to See Fairies" is presented as a guide to experiencing something "truly extraordinary" by following exercises (How to See Fairies, p. 12, 23).
* Dowsing and Pendulum Use: Dowsing with a pendulum is presented as a method for accessing intuition and body wisdom, with an emphasis on calibrating the pendulum and learning to interpret its movements as a form of dialogue (How to See Fairies, p. 82, 91; The Little Book of Demons, p. 7-8).
* Personalized Practice: In Abramelin magic, candidates are encouraged to devise their own objectives within the framework of set work, ensuring a deeper understanding (SSOTBME Revised, p. 107).
* Questioning and Doubts: Dukes encourages questioning and exploring doubts, suggesting that only when doubts are dispelled can one proceed in areas like magic cube divination (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 67).
6. Language, Symbols, and Perception:
The way we use language and symbols is seen as shaping our perception of reality and can even have a magical effect.
* Layers of Meaning: Language can operate on multiple "layers," from the physical sound to abstract meaning and even Platonic forms (My Years of Magical Thinking, p. 9).
* Magical Sigils in Everyday Life: Abbreviations and acronyms (like AIDS or WMD) are presented as modern-day magical sigils that carry significant emotional and societal weight. "These magical sigils can take many forms and need not include recognisable symbols such as letters of the alphabet." (My Years of Magical Thinking, p. 52).
* Words Made Flesh: The title "Words Made Flesh" suggests the power of language and concepts to manifest or become real in some sense. The book explores whether reality is material or information-based (Words Made Flesh, cover blurb).
* Interpretation and Projection: Seeing auras or other subtle phenomena can involve projecting human characteristics onto them initially, and the ability to allow this projection without censoring is important for receiving information. "Allowing myself to do this, I stop censoring my imagination from allowing more information to come through." (How to See Fairies, p. 146).
7. The Spiritual Path and Personal Transformation:
The authors touch upon the idea of a spiritual path that involves confronting and integrating different aspects of the self, moving beyond limitations, and potentially achieving a form of self-awareness or connection to a "Higher Self."
* Overcoming Limitations: The goal is not to be "above" worldly things by being bad at them, but potentially to achieve mastery or integration. Dukes questions the value of transcending "world" and "flesh" if it means being ineffective in those areas. "I am very suspicious of becoming âaboveâ things of the âworldâ and âfleshâ if it means being no good at them." (The Abramelin Diaries, July 7 entry).
* Confronting the Shadow: The Abramelin operation is presented as a process of confronting and integrating demonic aspects of the self. "This was another of many demons that I began to meet and came to terms with in the years that followed my Abramelin operation." (The Abramelin Diaries, postscript).
* Finding the "True Will": The spiritual path can involve discovering and aligning with one's "true will," which may be buried under distractions and illusions. "at birth, God planted a seed in me, which was my true will, but instead of tending it I have lost it under a rubbish heap of lies, illusions, fears, misunderstandings, malice, and feeble distractions." (The Abramelin Diaries, confession).
* Enduring Visions and Knowledge: The Abramelin operation aims for visions of angels and the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, suggesting a form of higher connection or self-realization. (The Abramelin Diaries, confession).
* Connecting to Life: A profound experience of connecting to a part of himself that wanted to live is described as a turning point, overcoming suicidal ideation. "But now I had at last made a proper connection to a part of me that really wanted to live. Since that day, I have never again ever seriously considered committing suicide." (The Abramelin Diaries, concluding entry).
8. Humor and Playfulness:
Despite the serious topics, the authors often employ humor and a playful tone, encouraging a less rigid and more open approach to these concepts.
* Self-Deprecating Humor: Dukes often uses self-deprecating humor, as in the anecdote about filling in a football pool coupon and asking Fate to make him a millionaire to become the Antichrist, but being left in financial straits due to unconquered ego (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 227).
* Jokes and Analogies: Complex ideas are often introduced through humorous analogies, such as the calculator universe or the scientists experimenting on digits (BLAST Your Way To Megabuck$, p. 49-53).
* Playful Approach to Magic: "Magic clearly exists because we have just spent the last four weeks developing our own magical powers. But the point is this, although magic clearly exists, we all know that it does not really exist. That means there is always a spirit of play when we are doing magic, and the spirit of play is the best ever defence against superstition." (How to See Fairies, p. 119).
Conclusion:
The reviewed sources offer a compelling and often entertaining exploration of reality, consciousness, and magic. Dukes and Snell challenge conventional scientific and religious paradigms, encouraging readers to engage with the world through a broader spectrum of perception and experience. Their work highlights the potential for a more nuanced understanding of reality as potentially information-based, the importance of trusting intuition and sensory awareness, the dynamic nature of internal and external forces ("demons"), and the interwoven nature of masculine and feminine principles. The emphasis on pragmatism, experimentation, and a healthy dose of humor makes their exploration of these complex topics accessible and thought-provoking.
Additional Questions
How do different magical, scientific, and religious perspectives influence understanding of reality?
Based on the sources provided, understanding reality is significantly influenced by whether one adopts a magical, scientific, or religious perspective, among others like artistic. These perspectives can be viewed less as watertight compartments and more as orientations or directions.
Here's how each perspective influences the understanding of reality:
Scientific Perspective:
* The scientific perspective views reality as an objective, material world. It is seen as an absolute and real world of Truth, partly discovered and largely still to be discovered.
* The scientific culture aspires to Truth.
* Understanding is primarily based on observation tested through the senses (empiricism). This leads to the idea that "seeing is believing".
* Scientific understanding requires repeatability and peer approval. Experiments are considered valid if they happen in a "real world" accepted by the scientific culture's consensus.
* It relies more on left-brain sequential thinking (logic, reason, analysis of cause and effect). It tries to eliminate the unpredictable.
* Scientific culture is strongly based on a faith in the existence of one objective material reality where the laws of physics are universal, eternal, and unchanging.
* Scientific theory is described as "imperfect" and "progressive," meaning it is forever changing and makes advances. Scientists compete to disprove or reject ideas.
* From a scientific viewpoint, magic is often dismissed as delusion, fraud, illusion, or self-deception because it lacks objective truth and repeatability. Discussions of "other realities" may cause scientists to smell a "subversive Magical rat".
Magical Perspective:
* The magical perspective views reality as less about absolute objective truth and more about a subjective, perceived reality. It can see the world of the senses as an illusion.
* It aspires to Wholeness, which involves embracing polarities like truth/falsehood, good/evil, and beauty/ugliness. This embrace of polarity makes it unacceptable to scientific (truth) and religious (goodness) cultures.
* Understanding is based more on subjective observation, feeling, pattern recognition, and intuition. Magic gives final authority to right-brain processing.
* Magical thinking adds a "Games Layer" to existence, where "truth" is not absolute but different models or myths are available to be chosen and "played" with. Reality itself can be considered just another useful myth.
* Belief in magical thinking is often a gift or choice to accept something (a myth, a theory) that "works" or "feels right," rather than requiring external, objective proof. Acting "as if" a theory is true is the correct approach if it "works" as a practical tool, without necessarily assuming it is "true" in a scientific sense.
* Magical theory is described as "perfect" and "static" in principle. Magical theories tend to be infinitely translatable, applicable anywhere.
* Magic has no interest in scientific causality. The test of a magical theory is whether it fits one's own experience, not objective facts.
* Magical thinking is presented as the brain's way of handling complexity. Techniques like personification (treating objects/patterns as "alive") are used to gain insights and handle complexity. Magic seeks to integrate perceived problems ("demons") rather than banish them.
* Magical thinking encourages exploring subjective experience and being open to anomalies that don't fit other worldviews. Language may be chosen for impact rather than just meaning.
* The scientific worldview is considered a powerful myth that often leaves no room for many magical phenomena. Superstition is seen as a result of trying to apply scientific or religious concepts of absolute truth to magical experiences.
Religious Perspective:
* The religious perspective often views reality through a divine or spiritual lens. It can see human experience as a "shadow cast" from a "higher" divine reality.
* It aspires to Goodness.
* Understanding is based on faith in scripture, authority, or intuition. Like science, it relies more on left-brain sequential sense.
* Religious theory is described as "perfect" and has a sense of progress, described as a ripening process. It relies on authority and tradition as criteria for significance.
* Religion often sees magic as evil or a diabolical manifestation, particularly because magic embraces evil alongside good.
* Religion and magic share a concept of "spirit," but religion tends to work from the material world towards the spiritual, whereas magic tends to work in the opposite direction.
* Prayer for a result (e.g., money, healing) is considered by the author to be Magic rather than Religion proper.
In summary, these sources describe distinct ways of understanding reality based on fundamental differences in what is valued (Truth, Wholeness, Goodness), how knowledge is acquired and validated (objective observation, subjective experience, faith), and the underlying cognitive processes emphasized (left-brain logic, right-brain pattern recognition). The clash between these perspectives, particularly science's demand for objective truth and religion's focus on goodness, reveals why magic, with its embrace of subjectivity and polarity, is often rejected or misunderstood. The idea is also presented that there can be a cycle of cultural dominance among these ways of thinking, suggesting shifts in how reality is collectively understood over time.
How does magical thinking relate to creativity?
Based on the sources, magical thinking and creativity are presented as closely related, often sharing cognitive processes and potentially evolving into one another.
Here's how magical thinking relates to creativity according to the sources:
* Shared Cognitive Processes: Both magical thinking and artistic culture are strongly associated with "right brain" processing. While scientific and religious thinking lean more on "left brain" sequential logic, magic relies on observation and feeling, and art relies on feeling and intuition. The emphasis on feeling and intuition connects magic and art as modes of understanding that are distinct from purely rational or logical approaches.
* Pattern Recognition: A fundamental aspect of magical thinking is pattern recognition, particularly the ability to see patterns in complex or chaotic phenomena. This goes beyond simple cause-and-effect and involves recognizing connections where logical links may not be apparent. This agile pattern recognition is also a core element of creativity, allowing for the discovery of novel relationships and insights. The sources give examples like recognizing patterns in events (traffic lights turning red when in a hurry), or seeing visual patterns like circles in random dots, which are attributed to magical thinking and also mirror creative perception.
* Metaphorical Language and Symbolism: Magical culture uses language metaphorically and for impact, rather than solely for its literal meaning as in scientific language. Magical systems are described as "alternative languages", and language itself is viewed as inherently magical, especially in its origins, as naming things creates patterns and brings a sense of power. This creative manipulation of language and symbolism is central to both magical practice and artistic expression. Magical thinkers can also repurpose terminology from other cultures, including science, as metaphors.
* Operating in Fantasy/Subjective Worlds: Magicians operate in what might be called "fantasy worlds" or focus on subjective experience, starting with the belief that the world of the senses is not the only reality. This deliberate engagement with imaginative realms and the subjective world is a wellspring for creative content and exploration. The aim in magic, however, is typically to bring about change, whereas art done for its own sake is considered Art.
* The "Games Layer" and Playing "As If": Magical thinking adds a "Games Layer" to existence, presenting reality as a set of models or myths that can be chosen and "played" with. Magical theories or myths are accepted if they "work" or "feel right," allowing the practitioner to act "as if" they are true, rather than needing objective proof. This flexibility, willingness to adopt different perspectives and models, and pragmatic testing of imaginative constructs are key strategies in the creative process.
* Handling Complexity through Imagination: Magical thinking is presented as a way the brain handles complexity. Techniques like personification â treating complex problems or patterns as if they were "alive" entities one can interact with (like demons, spirits, or even "the mood of the market") â are used to gain insights. This imaginative projection and dialogue with conceptual entities are powerful creative methods for exploring and understanding difficult subjects.
* Embracing Wholeness and Polarity: Magical culture aspires to Wholeness, which explicitly embraces opposites like truth and falsehood, or good and evil. This willingness to confront and integrate contradictory or negative aspects of reality and human experience, making something of "crude impulses", is a transformative and creative process. While religious culture often seeks to eliminate evil, and scientific culture seeks truth, magic engages with the full spectrum. Artistic cultures can also celebrate evil.
* Evolution from Magic to Art: The sources describe a potential cultural or individual progression from magical thinking towards art. Magic is described as evolving towards transformation of experience and tending to evolve into Art, specifically noting the transformation of "ritual into drama". The transition from magic to art is seen as a shift from the "will to change" towards greater attention to subjective feeling and discovery. Both are individualistic, but Art emphasizes universality and external acknowledgment ("Wow! That is awesome!") more than magic's personal subjective criteria. Magic is likened to "craftsmanship", which evolves into Art when subjective feeling takes precedence over deliberate effect.
In essence, magical thinking provides a foundation for creativity through its non-linear, feeling-based approach, its emphasis on pattern recognition and symbolic language, its imaginative world-building and flexible adoption of ideas, and its willingness to engage with the full complexity and polarity of experience. These elements align closely with processes observed in artistic creation, suggesting a deep relationship between the two orientations.
How is science distinct from magic?
Based on the sources and our conversation history, science and magic are presented as distinct ways of thinking or "orientations" rather than rigid categories or practices. While they may sometimes appear to overlap or even use similar techniques, the fundamental thinking underlying them is different.
Here are the key ways the sources describe science as distinct from magic:
* Aspiration and Goal:
* Science aspires to Truth. It is a quest for Truth.
* Magic aspires to Wholeness. Wholeness must necessarily include falsehood as well as truth.
* The direction of science is towards truth. The direction of magic is towards wholeness.
* Nature of Reality and Truth:
* Science views reality as an objective, material world. It is seen as an absolute and real world of Truth, partly discovered and largely still to be discovered.
* Magic views reality as less about absolute objective truth and more about a subjective, perceived reality. The world of the senses can be seen as an illusion.
* Scientific culture is based on a faith in the existence of one objective material reality where the laws of physics are universal, eternal, and unchanging.
* Magic accepts "relative or workable truth," not absolutes.
* Methodology and Understanding:
* Scientific understanding is based on observation tested through the senses (empiricism). It relies on observation and logic.
* Magical understanding is based on subjective observation, feeling, intuition, and pattern recognition. Magic gives final authority to right brain processing.
* Science demands repeatability and peer approval based on objective criteria. An experiment is valid if it happens in a "real world" accepted by the scientific culture's consensus.
* Magic's test is whether something fits one's own subjective experience; repeatability for external proof is not the criterion. The success of a magical operation is decided by subjective observation.
* Cognitive Processes:
* Science relies more on left-brain sequential thinking (logic, reason, analysis of cause and effect).
* Magic gives final authority to right-brain processing (feeling, intuition, pattern recognition).
* Nature of Theory and Belief:
* Scientific theory is described as "imperfect" and "progressive". Scientists compete to disprove or reject ideas. It requires proof and links to accepted truth.
* Magical theory is described as "perfect" and "static" in principle. Magical theories tend to be infinitely translatable and applicable anywhere. Magicians compete to accept ideas.
* Scientific belief is often an "absolute belief" in objective reality.
* Magical belief is less about objective truth and more about accepting a myth or theory that "works" or "feels right". Magical thinking involves acting "as if" a theory is true if it is a practical tool. Magical thinkers can shift between beliefs and myths.
* Causality:
* Science relies heavily on causality and linear cause-and-effect relationships.
* Magic has no interest in scientific causality. Magic processes data in parallel ("sympathies") where science processes data in sequence ("causes"). The Magician would conclude their magic "worked" if the desired outcome occurred, without needing to prove causality.
* Handling the Unpredictable and Complexity:
* Science tries to eliminate the unpredictable. It stops considering factors after a finite number.
* Magic seeks to woo the unpredictable. It uses pattern recognition to handle complexity. Magic embraces complexity where science struggles with it.
* Magical thinking is presented as the brain's way of handling complexity.
* Science, under stress, may refuse to observe things that don't fit its model, resisting magic.
* Language Use:
* Scientific language chooses words for their meaning.
* Magical language uses words metaphorically and for impact, rather than just meaning. Magical systems can be seen as alternative languages. Magicians may use scientific terminology metaphorically.
* Flexibility and Change:
* Scientific theory is forever changing and makes advances. Science encourages change through technology.
* Magical theory is in principle static. While specific representations may be eroded by science, the underlying theory is less time-dependent than scientific theories.
* Conflict and Perception of the Other:
* Science tends to dismiss magic as delusion, fraud, illusion, or self-deception. Scientific culture sees magic as absurd because it relies on things that "do not exist".
* Magicians may see science as a powerful myth, or as arrogant and inconsistent. The scientific worldview can be seen as just another myth to be accepted or put aside.
* The conflict is presented as science seeking truth while magic embraces both truth and falsehood, making it unacceptable to science.
* Secrecy vs. Openness:
* Scientific method depends upon a free exchange of information. Secrecy is undesirable in science.
* Secrecy can make a positive contribution to magical method. Magic does not require a body of accepted objective knowledge, so free expression is less vital than in science.
* Attitude towards Imperfection and Failure:
* Science assumes the operator (the scientist) is perfect; results stemming from defects are ignored.
* Magic assumes the operator (the magician) is imperfect and in need of improvement; it accepts and identifies with the magician's errors.
In essence, the distinction lies in science's focus on objective truth in a material world, sought through logic, observation, and repeatable experiment, versus magic's focus on subjective experience and wholeness, sought through feeling, intuition, and pattern recognition, often by working "as if" with various models or myths. While science aims to define and classify based on causality, magic aims to recognize patterns and manipulate subjective reality.
Why does magic use secrecy?
Based on the sources, magic uses secrecy for several interconnected reasons, ranging from the historical evolution of magical practices to its fundamental methods and its relationship with other cultural orientations like science and religion.
Here's a breakdown of why magic employs secrecy:
* Protection from External Cultures (Science and Religion):
* In cultures dominated by science or religion, anything perceived as paranormal or magical is often met with skepticism, dismissal, or disapproval.
* Boasting about magical results, such as a miraculous cure or a surge in income, invites immense pressure from these cultures to "explain it away" using conventional scientific or religious frameworks (e.g., "coincidence," "would have happened anyway," "the devil's work"). This external pressure undermines the subjective experience and process of magic.
* Secrecy, or at least not revealing the whole story, is used in magical culture to conserve and concentrate power. In a mixed culture, silence about personal magical experiences is the safest option to avoid a "nocebo" effect from doubts and counter-evidence.
* Drawing too much conscious attention to paranormal experience is likened to evoking "debugging software" in a virtual universe model, which seeks to normalize the experience. Secrecy helps prevent this normalization.
* Enhancing Magical Method and Effectiveness:
* Secrecy is presented as an important part of magical method, not just a ploy to irritate scientists.
* An old axiom of Hermeticists, and a traditional magical power, is "To keep silent".
* Experience is crucial to understanding the importance of secrecy in magic. There appears to be a link between free communication and "leakiness" in magic.
* Keeping one's practices secret or being reserved about one's work contributes to effectiveness, whereas those voluble on the subject often lack practical experience.
* Secrecy contributes to building psychic tension, particularly in group work or initiation systems with different grades, and avoids "leakiness". This added air of mystery strengthens the magical framework psychologically.
* The links in a magical chain can be subtle and are often best kept out of reach of unsympathetic minds. The magician often works based on a 'feel' for what they are doing rather than having objective explanations readily available, making verbal explanation difficult.
* Historical Evolution and Maintaining Exclusivity:
* Historically, shifts from scientific to magical cultures have been linked to politically enforced secrecy. For example, Arabic metallurgy became alchemy when rulers, seeking power and wealth (associated with Artistic and Religious spirits), forced metallurgists to work in secret and restricted the free exchange of information vital to the scientific method. This secrecy, using coded symbols, led to the development of magical tendencies.
* Secrecy can also be seen as a way for exclusive groups, elites, priests, or shamans to guard "secret knowledge" and maintain their perceived authority or power.
* Nature of Magical Understanding:
* Magic does not require a body of accepted objective knowledge in the way science does, so the free expression vital to science is less necessary in magic.
* Sharing the "secret" of how a magical effect or trick is achieved can often be a disappointment or anti-climax, reducing its impact.
* Unlike scientific theories that require proof and link to accepted truth, magical theories or myths are accepted if they "work" or "feel right" subjectively. Proving them true by others' standards is not necessary for the practitioner, and secrecy allows this subjective validation to remain undisturbed.
In contrast to science, where secrecy is undesirable and harmful to its progress which depends on open exchange of information, secrecy is a positive methodological component of magic.
What is the role of demons in magic?
Based on the sources provided and our conversation history, the role of "demons," "spirits," or similar concepts in magic is multifaceted and central to magical thinking and practice. These concepts are not always viewed as external, malevolent entities, but often represent complex internal or external phenomena that the magician interacts with.
Here are the key roles of demons and spirits in magic according to the sources:
* As Personifications of Complexity and Phenomena: Magic, unlike science which processes data sequentially ("causes"), processes data in parallel ("sympathies"). Magical thinking is described as the brain's way of handling complexity. Personifying complex processes as 'demons' or spirits is presented as a way the magical mind addresses this complexity. This can range from personifying an inferiority complex as a personal demon, to treating the weather, a car, the media, or abstract principles like Freedom or Vanity as living entities. Demons can be seen as patterns of interaction within the observer's brain. "The Little Book of Demons" is specifically on this magical personification.
* Objects of Interaction and Negotiation: In magical culture, the interaction with these personified entities is not typically "slavish devotion," as understood in some religious contexts, but rather about forming a correct or useful relationship with the other. Traditional magical lore is built around techniques to negotiate with demons, even the "worst demons". This negotiation is akin to trading or forming pacts or partnerships. Dialogue with demons, though sometimes slow, is often possible and they may be glad to be approached.
* Sources of Power, Wisdom, or Resources: Demons are presented as holding keys to power and wisdom, and being prepared to negotiate. Magical cultures recognize demons as a resource that may have a purpose and can be bargained with for useful effect. Examples given include bargaining with susceptibility to colds/flu or an inferiority complex. On a societal level, demons driving institutions like government, media, or law can benefit from crime or terrorism, and interacting with them involves understanding these trades. Demons look for benefits from humans, including power, recognition, and physical incarnation.
* Representing the "Shadow Side" or Embracing Wholeness: The direction of magic is towards Wholeness, which necessarily includes evil and untruth, not just good and truth. Serious magical work requires facing negatives in oneself and nature, including the relationship with fallen spirits. Demons represent this "shadow side" and magic seeks to integrate the demonic back into life rather than get rid of it, which is the tendency in religious or scientific cultures. The distinction between good and bad demons is considered less fundamental than understanding their nature, as a seemingly wicked demon might present as an angel, and vice versa.
* Tools for Addressing Problems and Achieving Desired Outcomes: Demonolatry is presented as an alternative way of dealing with life's problems, both existing and potential. Magical practice involves invoking gods or spirits sympathetic to a desired event. This can be done through ritual or other forms of creating sympathetic links. Conjuration is described as a form of magic. Chaos magicians may even create demons (servitors) as a technique for assistance.
* Catalysts for Insight and Understanding: Treating phenomena as if they were human (personification) can help one learn how better to treat fellow humans. Engaging in dialogue with a demon, asking about its goal and "higher goal," can lead to a process of understanding problems that tends towards a form of resolution. Imagining objects and patterns as "alive" can offer powerful and subtle insights.
* Providing a Framework or Model of Reality: The idea of a spirit world or community of intelligences furnishes useful magical theories and provides a model for demonolatry. Magical systems use terms like "angel," "spirit," "archangel," and "god" to map their universe or different levels of reality. The belief that the world of the senses is not "all there is" and that an underlying reality (archetypal forms, thoughts, information processing) can be manipulated is necessary for magic.
In contrast to scientific culture where demons have no meaning because they do not "exist", and religious culture which often seeks to banish or cure them or sees pacts as forbidden, magical culture acknowledges their presence (whether as external entities or internal phenomena) and seeks to interact with them to achieve understanding, power, or wholeness. Even the idea of "trading one's soul" is reframed not as surrendering, but as recognizing the entity has a soul and trading with it on that basis.
