SpellcasterI, I agree that my post was badly phrased, that's why I tried to clarify it. Otherwise I would never get the information I desired. I appreciate your willingness to correct glaring errors in others and impart valuable information
Hi SpellcasterI!
Funny I called changedcynic a girl once too. But thats interesting. I believe I remember you saying to a member who rudly called you a lier, and I quote:
"Your profile is 'cute' fighting demons all your life huh."
-(thread called Spirit Weapon: Find)
After I corrected you, for he only said he had fought demons sense before he started practicing magick, you said to me:
"Look up his profile and read it for yourself its ALL there"
Spellcaster's first post is pretty good. Personally, I don't believe in "demons" -- spirits are either low spiritual vermin (pretty much the equivalent of rats and cockroaches in terms of usefulness), nature spirits like fae (middle), or higher beings (powers of nature, daemons, angels, gods, guardians, guides, what have you). Humans are above low beings, but are below nature spirits. Unless they practice magick in which case, they are in the middle too or between middle and higher beings. Therefore, the usefulness in working with higher beings is quite simple, they have more influencial power and expanded knowledge. Think of gaining a connection with a Governor, President, Queen, or Magistrate. It comes in handy ;-)
However! It is dangerous because knowledge and experience is important. Just because we are not as powerful doesn't mean we are less capable of defending ourselves if we are met with malice. That's why people warn. You need to have confidance and the knowledge and abilities to back it up or very bad things can happen.
Spirits are ok too then. I still want to know the specifics of an encounter with one. Until I hear how it operates I'm not fully prepared to accept the existence of summoning. And I'm not skilled enough to mess with spirits for myself so second hand experiences are good. I'm not interested in doing summoning myself, or even learning how its done per say, but I'd like to understand the end result and how this branch of magic manifests itself to the user. Is this clear or am I just producing verbal diarrhea
When looking for information, it is like calling a formal meeting...how the meeting ends depends on how nice the summoned and/or the summoner are. Some people are just capable of seeing and hearing the spirit, I've seen some mediums speak for the spirit as the spirit, and the hardest and most risky is giving the spirit enough energy to semi manifest. However, i warn, I've heard horror stories of novices trying this with their grip on the spirit too weak. The ones I spoke to relayed that they became terrified (and dumbfounded as to what to do) and one ran out of the protective circle and was physically attacked.Eliphas Levi semi manifested a spirit solo in a room full of mirrors. I believe it took him days of constant concentration sitting in one place and previous fasting. Witnesses saw the mirrors begin to rattle around him and what seemed to be a hazy figure in the room. I'm sure the spirit was one he was familiar with and he was fully capable of handling himself, he was a necromancer and amazingly knowledgeable. Other magickal practioners may use such a thing to "feed" a spirit (sometime involving physical offerings) in order to send it to perform a task. Again, extreme trust or limits placed down prior magickally are required or this can turn on you.
I personally call upon spirits and have them work with/through me (spirits I am extremely familiar with). The energy is "shared" and the relationship is give and take. But that is the difference between european/american ceremonial magick, and a more natural shamanistic approach.
