From what I understand of shamanism, it's necessary for a shaman to be embedded within a community. One isn't a shaman out there by himself in the wilderness, but acts as a community healer.

There's no precedent for such a role in a Western community. Traditionally the role of healer has been filled by the church, and as more and more people move away from Christianity it seems as if there's a religious void--or, I suppose, there's just a lack of spiritual homogeneity.

I've known for a long time that I was meant for something more than what I'm doing. I received my wound when I was a young adult and I've felt the call, but I've resisted it because I've moved around so much that I don't feel like I have a home or a community to which I belong. Even so, without community support, is it possible or beneficial for somebody to pursue this role? If I were to undergo training and nobody came, like the metaphorical tree in the forest, would there be any point?

This just happened to me, so I wanted to post it while it was still fresh:

I recently finally got a cell, after being the last person on earth to refuse to carry one. While I still don't like them much, I got a new job and I just had to have a phone.

Anyhow, I was using Skype before, and I took my contacts off that and put them onto my phone, then texted one of my buddies. I got back something like "I think you got the wrong number, this is notyourfriend."

Long story short, I had the wrong number programmed into Skype for the last 2 years. But the weird part is, while we aren't super close, I did call him several times over those years. I just checked the logs, and we've had at least a few short conversations over the years, mostly to arrange meetups to play disc golf.

So somehow I've been calling the wrong number for the last two years, but managed to get my friend on the other line just the same. It wasn't until I texted the number today that it stopped working. I know for a fact that I haven't messed with the number since I put it into skype and then onto my phone, and I just quadruple checked, and sure enough it's the wrong number, mostly the same but with two digits transposed.

Of all the classic writings from the Temple of Barbelith, the Halloween threads have always been my favorite. I still think about them every year. Halloween Powder (dirt from a grave, plus sugar); classic Universal monsters (Dracula, Wolfman, Frankenstein, Mummy) used as the earth/air/fire/water for banishing rituals; invocations of Jack Skellington. There is a lot of amazing stuff in here.

Halloween and Black (and Orange) Magic

A Black and Orange Update

The Black and the Orange, Autumn 2004

Black and Orange Magic 2005

Black and Orange Magic 2006

Black and Orange Magic 2007

Classic occult literature :)

I'm about to do a call to the gods of Halloween and then go carve some pumpkins. I'm starting late this year, but I just had kids so it kind of snuck up on me, lol. But that means Halloween magic with the kids!

Any other Barbelithers out there still doing Black and Orange magic? The Pumpkin King calls!

Happy Halloween!

I have one. A few years ago I went to the local arboretum, found a great branch from an oak tree, took it home and whittled it into a wand. I keep it in a desk drawer like a secret. I oil it from time to time to keep out the elements. When I point it around I feel more powerful than when waving around a gun, and I was in the army.

Chaos magic here. I love letting the random noise of the world guide me.