Thank you

          I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all those who visit my blog. I appropriate each of you taking the time to read through my musings, writings, and personal views on things. I hope that I can help at least one person on his or her way to finding their spiritual path. If ever there is something you want to discuss, ask about, or just specifically like please let me know so I can be as of much help as possible.

Bright blessings

David Crawford

Magic 1 for Priests - Citations

Works Cited

Cox, Rodeny. "Run Valdr." 2008. Run Valdr. HTML - http://home.comcast.net/~uberrod/runvaldr01.html. 2009-2014.

Harner, Michael. The Way of the Shaman. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1990. ebook.

James Alan Chisholm, Translated by. "Havamal-Chisholm." 2005. Sigewif.com. PDF - http://sigewif.com/library/Havamal-Chisholm.pdf. 4 12 2014.

Johnston, Sarah Iles. Ancient Greek Divination. Malden: Blackwell, 2008. Paperback.

Luck, Georg. Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds - A Collection of Ancient Texts. 10: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. Paperback.

Mallory, J. P. In Search of the Indo-Europeans. Thames & Hudson, 1991. Paperback.

McCoy, Dan. "Odin's Discovery of the Runes." 2014. Norse Mythology for Smart People. HTML - http://norse-mythology.org/tales/odins-discovery-of-the-runes/. 10 9 2014.

McCoy, Don. "Runes." 2012. Norse Mythology for Smart People. HTML - http://norse-mythology.org/runes/. 10 9 2014.

—. "Runic Philosophy and Magic." 2012. Norse Mythology for Smart People. HTML - http://norse-mythology.org/runes/runic-philosophy-and-magic/. 10 9 2014.

—. "Thor." 2012. Norse Mythology for Smar People. HTML - http://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/thor/. 10 9 2014.

—. "Thor the Transvestite." 2012. Norse Mythology for Smart People. HTML - http://norse-mythology.org/tales/thor-the-transvestite/. 10 9 2014.

Merriam-Webster. "Introspection." 2014. Merriam-Webster, Inc. HTML - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/introspection. 10 9 2014.

Merriam-Webster, Inc. "Self-Knowledge." 2014. Merriam-Webster. HTML - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-knowledge. 10 9 2014.

Middlesworth, Jennifer. "Pythia." 12 12 2003. Encyclopedia Mythica. HMTL - http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pythia.html. 8 12 2014.

Thorsson, Edred. Futhark - A Handbook of Rune Magic. Weiser Books, 1984. Paperback.

—. Northern Magic - Rune Mysteries & Shamanism. Woodbury: Llewellyn Publications, 1992. Paperback.

—. Rune Lore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runology. San Francisco: Red Wheel.Weiser, LLC, 1987. Paperback.

Wikipedia. "Sound symbols." 14 11 2014. Wikipeda.com. HTML - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_symbolism. 25 11 2014.

Magic 1 for Priests Part 10

10. Introspection – Having done the above work, provide detail of your understanding of why self-knowledge and introspection are critical for working with magic and how you intend to pursue your own course of self-understanding. (minimum 300 words)

                Much of magical skills and workings require great focus, strong intention, and positive energy to make the changes you seek to see manifested. Self-knowledge is one of the most important aspects of any endeavor that we have to look at. According to Merriam-Webster self-knowledge is “knowledge or understanding of one’s own capabilities, character, feelings, or motivations” (Merriam-Webster, Inc). Self-knowledge gives us an insight into what we actually have working knowledge of allows us to know our strengths and our weaknesses. Particularly, we become aware of our limitations. Introspection is defined as “a reflective looking inward: an examination of one’s own thoughts and feelings” (Merriam-Webster). In my general psychology course in college, we defined introspection as the inward reflection upon the root driving forces that shape our intentions, thoughts, and feelings.

                When one seeks to delve into magic, it is very important for us to know one’s capabilities. We need to know what our strengths are so we can use those to strengthen our work. We need to understand our weaknesses so we can either work around them or find ways of becoming stronger in those areas. And it is very important to know our limitations so what we do not setup unrealistic expectations for any working we perform. The disappointment of a failed goal which was well beyond our skills can affect the magician on a fundamental level making future endeavors likely to fail simply because of the self-doubt that is created. But more importantly, on a magico-religious level, it is very important to understand the root of our motivations and desires so that we are working with the best of intentions. When we, as priests, work magic we are representing the Kindred and our people. To not know our own reasoning behind our motivations is a complete disservice to those we serve. It also opens us up to corruption and failure. These things feed upon themselves infecting not only ourselves but those we serve as clergy.

                As for how I intend to pursue my own personal course of self-understanding, I will continue what I have learned through years of therapy. I keep a general journal of my state of mind, thoughts on situations, and review entries regularly to help me see what my motivations for specific actions. Through trance-journey, I plan to continue to explore my internal landscape so I can always be aware of the state I am in emotionally as well as psychically. Before undertaking any magic working, I will reflect upon these states and the root motivation for the magical act. This will help me ensure that I have the upmost ethical reasoning supporting my actions well before I take them.

Magic 1 for Priests Part 9

9. Purification Work – Provide and explain one example of purification magic from an Indo-European culture, and write an ADF-style purification working based on that example. (minimum 150 words for example explanation)

                One of the most prominent figures in Norse mythology is that of Thor and his hammer Mjölnir. Though much of the time we envision Thor as a force of protection and destruction he was known to play a role in ancient Norse culture as both a god of hallowing and purification. With Mjölnir Thor was able to banish hostile forces while purifying since the two are not mutually exclusive (D. McCoy, Thor). We can see the use of the hammer in the story of Thor disguised as the Bride Thrym, Freya. As the story goes, Thor’s hammer had been stolen by the giant Thrym which he would not return until Freya married him. So Thor dressed as Freya and escorted by Loki went to Jotunheim to retrieve Mjölnir. During the ceremony, the giant called Mjölnir to hallow the wedding and placed the hammer onto Thor’s lap. It was then that Thor kicked Thrym and all those attending the wedding (D. McCoy, Thor the Transvestite).

                As discussed in requirement three, the Norse culture used Rune-Galdor to explore the inner world to bring changes to the real world. Through Bind-Runes, “… combinations of two or more rune-staves,…” (Thorsson, Northern Magic - Rune Mysteries & Shamanism 118), we can enhance this power of purification further, especially when it comes to internal conflicts that prevent an individual from progressing in life.

                As someone who suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder triggered by Post Traumatic Syndrome, I wanted to find a magical purification that would help me with the healing that was needed. I had spent many years in therapy to release much of the emotional traumata, but there were still lingering fears that were poisoning my life. So I decided to create a magical solution to aide in this work. I had just recently started learning a lot more of the use of Runes in magic so that’s where I started.

 

                Years ago I had created a Thor’s hammer which was used for our old Grove’s Norse rituals, especially for Yule vigil. It was an item I kept once the Grove broke up, using it in many of my own rites which were of a Norse tradition. I figured this would also be useful in this magical endeavor since Thor and his hammer were used for such purification. The following is the working I did to create the personal purification from these old pains.

 

Elhaz for awakening of the Higher Self

 

Dagaz for awakening to truth of reality

Thurisaz for release of unconscious struggles

 

Ansuz for mental stability through transformation

 

Perthro for personal evolutionary change

 

Hagalaz for creating harmony through changing personal past

 

Isa for self-control in all things to see these changes through


 

 

Vash Tal to seal & empower the Bindrune



 

 

BindRune to be drawn on both forearms, chest, and forehead in red ink.

Chant:  “zd thephi”

The Thor’s hammer is used to create sacred space. The Sacred Fire is lit in the cauldron filled with herbal tincture. Then held out before me with both hands praying to Thor to cleanse and release me from the past: ‘Hail mighty Thor! Bringer of thunder, wielder of Mjölnir. I call and beseech to bring release of my past pain and cleanse me of the ills that hold me back! Might Thor empower this BindRune of release and renewal! Let me be free!”

Making the sign of the Hammer over my body while chanting the BindRune & holding it firmly in mind: “Zd Thephi”

The chant is repeated until the flames completely consume the tincture. The BindRune is worn until it fades from skin over the next few days.

When I performed this working, I was not fully prepared for the results. Within an hour of finishing, my partner of 11 years called me saying he was freezing and feeling like he was being pushed. He wasn’t sure what was happening so he was on his way home. The next morning he woke up to tell me that he did not want to be with me anymore. That he felt that I was pushing him away and I had changed from the person I was. He also told me that I needed to move out because he had been seeing another person and they wanted to be together.

I was shattered. All the pain of my past came flooding to the surface like a boil on the skin rupturing. At first I was in complete panic but it quickly passed in a few days. I moved out to get my own place for the first time in my life. Though I was completely alone I had never felt so free. I was able to deal with things from the past which I had only buried so I did not have to deal with them.

I am still healing from the wounds being opened, but I know now that I am actually healing. I am no longer holding on to the past pains and damage that was preventing me from moving forward with my life. I graduated college, got a wonderful job and found someone that was my equal who complemented me instead of being my contrast.