The Power of Words: The Magic They Produce.

Recently I've been working on presence and self awareness as it relates to how people perceive you. I've come to the conclusion that outside of how one dresses or carries them self,  a big 25-65% of how one is perceived is determined by how one speaks, and what they speak about. That means that from head to toe you may dress the part, walk the part, and essentially look the part; but once you open your mouth you may have lost the part. Inversely however, you may essentially come off as completely unworthy of acknowledgement UNTIL you actually start speaking and in that there is great power; not only for perceptions sake but also had the need arise for you to be a chameleon.

A chameleon is an animal known to blend into its surroundings by being able to change the color of its body to whatever colors in nature it's most frequently around. Being a "social chameleon" (the act of being able to communicate in a myriad of environments with different people) is an acquired skill but a useful one. Being able to talk to one group of people at a level that relates to them and makes them feel comfortable, then being able to switch it up and speak to a group a people that demands a totally different caliber of language and articulation is not something that most people have a desire to do or even  find easy.

But I digress...

Recently I got a tattoo of Arabic lettering above it's English translation that reads "I SEEK REFUGE IN ALLAH FROM SATAN THE ACCURSED".  I have to admit that in standing there showing the tattoo artist the design I felt a slight air of discomfort and judgement. Here I am, some young guy with visible tattoos and a fitted cap on asking for another tattoo in Arabic..."Oh he must be one of those mooslems" had to be a thought as I was immediately asked "Are you Muslim?" Which led into a variety of questions and my poised, non defensive answers that concluded in the man saying,  "Nicely stated young man" to which I thought to myself f*ck yea! #winning (who got that Charlie Sheen reference?)

 I was raised in Islam, I love Islam, and I live in accordance with the foundation Islam has provided me, but I do NOT call myself Muslim. I got this tattoo however because it is a phrase I use everyday, multiple times a day in seeking the protection of a higher being against any and all entities that may threaten me. Against myself, the master of my actions, and against any destructive force that may come my way.  It's in a language that I do not speak but have been taught to pray in. They are some of the most powerful words I know. 

 Taking a sharp turn down mystical lane, in most all forms of magick, worship, or otherwise reverence based activities there are 3 stages. Conscious collection of a thought, the conscious direction of that thought in the form of will, and the projection of that thought/will through SPOKEN WORD and physical actions. That being said, words are a necessary point in the manifestation of ANYTHING in this material world and thus should be used with careful intent and caution. Not only due to the power present in influencing how you are perceived, but also due to the power present in influencing reality as a whole.

I want to close by saying some of the worlds most powerful and influential people are indeed magicians of a sort. They move and shape spirits, moods, loyalties, entire lives with their words. They exemplify the quintessence of all that magick is; willful influence of one's environment. I don't think that the only thing separating man from animals is intellect because I believe animals to have quite the intellect. I believe the separation to exist in man's ability to declare and exclaim! Be! and what follows is creation.

Watch your words my friends!

Embracing the feminine

This blog title probably has captured a lot of attention and raised eyebrows.
The post is going to cover a wide range of topics all relating back to what I'm going to refer to as "The feminine".

...As of late I've been doing a lot of growing and maturing. Credit for which I cannot and will not totally accept. It's the people I've met and interacted with, the teachings and ideas planted in my mind and soul young coming to fruition, it's my aging, searching, learning and natural growth, and finally and most importantly it's my embracing and humbling myself before one who is greater than myself and all I know. Without this last element in my life, without this humility and conscious casting aside of EGO, ARROGANCE, PRIDE, and INTELLECT I will have been living the same empty existence, growing physically and mentally but not spiritually that I've been living for some almost 4 years now. One of the things I've decided to give voice and attention to is "The Feminine."

To jump right into it, this concept refers to all that is feminine in nature. The feminine aspects of human beings (MALE and female), the MOTHERLY aspects of Nature and the Earth, SUSTAINING aspect of the MOST HIGH and exalted being that many refer to as God and its MANY MANY other names. In today's backward and confused society you have misplaced focus. Misplaced in that it's properly placed by those who aim to confuse and impede development. Misplaced in that we, those that make up society focus on the these distractions and allow them to hold us back, to deny ourselves total fulfillment and to engage in acts and ideas that serve to fill this void but can't.

I want to reference the eastern philosophic concepts of yin and yang, positive and negative, masculine and FEMININE. These concepts are often translated to Good and Evil here in the western world. A translation that is incorrect and off target. With the concepts of Good and Evil you have two opposing sides that fight at what seems a constant stalemate. In this fight exists limited options...here or there, this side or that side, right or wrong, black or white. I find, if my understanding of these concepts are correct, Yin and Yang aren't at battle or a stalemate at all. That Yin and Yang are at an understanding. That there exists no compulsion or force, no here or there, right or wrong, etc. That with Yin and Yang there exists harmony, balance, peace, and UNDERSTANDING. That to every situation that arises there is a positive or negative approach to dealing with it however it's not a right or wrong, good or bad, this or that.

Back to the feminine...it's the aspect in life most men (especially westerners)and some women neglect. It's the aspect in our nature that would prevent war, encourage peace, and connect us to the world in such a way that is unimaginable. The soul exists in the feminine, the ability to give life, to carry life, to NURTURE life. The ability for compassion, for understanding and love, to exhibit WISDOM all exist in the feminine. The appreciation of art, music, poetry, the ability to create and so much more... With pride and ego flooding our existence and the over intellectualization of thoughts, feelings, scenarios, technology, politics and everything the mentioned interacts with, it's easy to see why we exist in the state we do...why we destroy our women and our children instead of building them up and raising them, why we destroy our earth...why we deny our God...why we cannot FEEL the living force flowing through our bodies (sorry to get cliche with you all but it's TRUE!)

The feminine exists in all things of FAITH and WILL...the manifestation of anything in this world comes first through INSPIRATION. Embracing the feminine isn't pledging yourself to a world of domination by women, or changing your belief in a God to that of a Goddess... It's not emasculating yourself so that you appear as a female...It's accepting what already exists in you...it's understanding what exists in your woman...your mother, your sister, your aunt...it's understanding the power of your God. In today's society most men are afraid of "catching the gays" ... accepting the feminine has nothing to do with homosexuality or even "metro" sexuality. Embracing the feminine is about maturity...growth...acceptance...SECURITY. I invite you all...men and women alike...explore and accept it and transform into a being of light!