Book Review: A Garden Of Pomegranates - The Key To Understanding The Kabbalah

 

I just began reading a book in the effort to try to understand the Kabbalah, and to incorporate it into my craft, and i stumbled across the most decisive work on the topic i have ever found. Layed out with fact, and alot of citation, Israel Regardies, A Garden Of Pomegranates, is a must read for the aspiring practitioner of magick.

He writes this book as a good and proper introduction into the understandings of the tree of life, including some real information on the history and origins of the Kabbalah, all at the same, keeping it simple enough for even me to understand and comprehend.

I can say that after reading only 45 pages of this book, i feel empowered already, and i havent even begun understanding all of the mystery held with the tree of life, and the teachings that stream from its knowledge.

I also didnt have to pay for this, as it was downloadable in PDF form from another occultic themed website. So I post this blog, and make it available to you, in my way of saying thanks to Regardie for opening my eyes a tiny bit more....

 

Download this ebook: http://w16.easy-share.com/index.php/file_contents/file/id/1700534469/skey/0j8vq2lk56nf552y/cont_id/34

 

 

For those of you who have followed the work of this most respect Author & Witch, her latest project is bound to impress, as she currently works effortlessly on the post-production stages of her newest screenplay  "The Redemption Of Joe Frame" a story that explores the often fine line between mysticism and madness. Below is a summary taken from her site.

 

 

Sometimes people go unnoticed because no one is informed of their significance and nowhere is it written that they are important. Many beautiful and wondrous people remain unrealised, even shunned, simply because they do not sit well within the parameters of what constitutes normality.

Raised by an obsessively pious mother, Joe Frame was diagnosed schizophrenic at age 11. Now, in his early 20's, and with a pronounced stutter, he is a lonely man.

Joe does, however, have acquaintances that, in the present day, only he can see, people that represent “a shadow world of his mental illness”. The thing is, Joe doesn't have a mental illness. He simply sees what others cannot.

A seemingly random encounter with an older woman changes Joe's life, his opinion of personal relationships and his ability to trust. Is she real? What's real? Does it matter when the experience is this important?

For once he is neither judged or categorised, shunned ot pitied. His questions and answers are important. His curiosity is piqued and his humour is understood. His brilliance is reciprocated and the way he has come to view the world is turned on its head by an utter lack of duplicity. He is taught to fish.

Will Joe exchange the life he has been living for one that may or may not exist . . . by general consensual standards?

For Joe Frame ‘normal' is too terrifying an option to consider. Redemption is about being truly loved, and knowing how good it feels to finally belong.

For the rest of us this is a story of indominability; of courage that can be summoned in the face of adversity. How important friends are.

The Redemption of Joe Frame asks people to really get to know one another and to remember to listen.

 

 source: http://www.lydeangeles.com/Ly%20de%20Angeles%20Redemption%20of%20Joe%20Frame.htm

 

Ly's work has played a large influence on my own craft, and it is recommended for anyone seeking to understand "Witchcraft", to seek out her work.

 

 

• The Way of the Goddess, (1987)
• The Way of Merlyn, (1991)
• Witchcraft - Theory and Practice, ISBN 1-56718-782-X (2000)
• Genesis - A Legend of Future Past, (2002)
• The Feast of Flesh and Spirit, (2002)
• When I See the Wild God, ISBN 07387-0576-4 (2004)
• The Quickening (Visionary Fiction), ISBN 0-7387-0664-7 (2005)
• Contributed to the anthology Pagan Visions for a Sustainable Future, Llewellyn Worldwide, USA, ISBN 07387-0824-0 (2005)
• The Shining Isle (Visionary Fiction), ISBN 0-7387-0834-8 (2006)
• Tarot Theory and Practice, ISBN 0-7387-1138-1 (2007)

 

I have also helped to contribute a wikipedia page for her. If you wouldlike to learn more about her, check it out below:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ly_De_Angeles

Just alittle clipping from wikipedia.org on the difference between myspace platforms around the world, and the myspace platform in china.

MySpace China

The Chinese version of MySpace, launched in April 2007, has many censorship-related differences from other international versions of the service. Discussion forums on topics such as religion and politics are absent, and a filtering system that prevents the posting of content about Taiwan independence, the Dalai Lama, Falun Gong, and other "inappropriate topics" has been added.^[75] Users are also given the ability to report the "misconduct" of other users for offenses including "endangering national security, leaking state secrets, subverting the government, undermining national unity, and spreading rumors or disturbing the social order."^[76]

See also: Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China

The Article posted on CNN today. Please note the article is Copyright Protected, so please use the provided link if you want to share it with others.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26880901/

Palin pastor prayed for 'witchcraft' protection

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A grainy YouTube video surfaced Wednesday showing Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office.

The video shows Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft."

"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan," Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. "Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around."

Pentecostals are conservative in their reading of the Bible. Unlike most other Christians — including most evangelicals — Pentecostals believe in "baptism in the Holy Spirit." That can manifest itself through speaking in tongues, modern-day prophesy and faith healing, which includes the laying on of hands.

Maria Comella, a spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign, has said Palin attends different churches and does not consider herself Pentecostal.
On a visit to the church in June 2008, Palin spoke fondly of the Kenyan pastor and told a group of young missionaries that Muthee's prayers had helped her to become governor.

"Pastor Muthee was here and he was praying over me, and you know how he speaks and he's so bold," she said. "And he was praying 'Lord make a way, Lord make a way' ... He said, 'Lord make a way and let her do this next step.' And that's exactly what happened."

'Demonic forces'
The Rev. Zipporah Ndiritu, who studied under Muthee in the Kiambu, Kenya-based Word of Faith Church, said the bishop is revered among evangelicals there. In a phone interview from Mombasa, Kenya, she said church doctrine focuses on ridding the world of demons — and witches.

"Even in the days of Jesus Christ, according to the Bible there were witches who were manifesting through demonic forces," she said. "You can seek from the Lord, and if you find demonic forces you cast them out."
Ndiritu said she did not know Palin.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

You Tube Links

The Religious Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj-on3kfWuE

An MSNBC News Report Update Regarding the Pastor's Actions in Africa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igFiyyFTF88

I thought I might share some insight into actual methodizing spellcraft, and measuring, calculating, and really making an art out of it....Ultimately, spellcrafting is the science of influence through the paradigms of creative/destructive(invoking/banishing) energy form, flow and movement, and finding alignment with ones intent....or whatever you desire to be the outcome.Simple as it is said...this is not always easily put into practical means, so for instance we will make some examples of it:when we are gathering intent for a spell...it will always, for any practitioner of magics, call to the aligning energies on the subtle fields, and begin to move them. And depending on your own predeterminating factors i.e; skill, or experience, true intent - the results will vary. And thus, we have our own personal crafts.Those 'predeterminating factors' involve some understanding, and experience in the practical use of the human psychic faculties. And while it may debatable that magic should be weilded without some level of control of this faculty, I stand strongly by my own experience of working magic, and agree, that magic may not be weilded by the psychically-untrained.And when I say psychic, this is a term used to define the natural intuitions, and glimpsing humanity is, as a whole, familiar with, from the trained occultic psychic, who uses their faculty with intent and purpose.Predecessor to understanding the nature of the psychic faculty, is understanding of 'thought', and its inherently creative or destructive process. The way we as witches usually come to this, is through brutal, hands on experience, in our day-to-day lives. All of which will amount and incur something upon you at the end of each day, all of which will teach you once or burn you twice...and give you better knowing and understanding of the capabilities, nay, the limitlessness, of the human mind.And so we arrive at the turning point -When you understand yourself, and have delved deep into the mysteries of wo/man, both creative and destructive, you are inherently given the keys to accessing, understanding, and assimilating all of the archetypes of wo/man/animal in both creative and destructive aspects....Many witches will talk about comming through, and ultimately conquering great challenges, albeit, sore hardship and struggle in their lives, and to me, this is the manifestation of forces of balance that a witch inherently aligns her/himself with...and this also to me, is the very soul of spellcrafting....To understand, know, and be learned in the 'crafting of thought', in all aspects of the persona archetype, will ultimately unveil (jung's) animus, and anima - the true inner self, beyond the coverings we don in our every waking day.  And it is this deeper insight that is nessecary in any spellcraftings.Spellcraft is all about assimilation of the archetypes inherent to us in our own paths and in the paths that may cross ours, knowing them from their ultimate depths to their most highest points, and mastering the masks they teach us to wear. When you can assimilate with yourself in the deepest of ways, you may assimilate with most energies and their vessels, and do it more than efficiently...To know poverty, and hunger...you may assimilate with hopelessness or even greed of others. To know Jealousy & envy, you may assimilate with self-insufficiency, or that of another. To know hate, and anger is to assimilate with fear in all of its manifestations - fear is a deep emotion. And deeper, and deeper we go connecting everything as we do so...The first and ultimate law of the science of spellcraft is:"Know The Self"Merry Part!

The girl is a cousin of Janet Moses, the woman who died during the October 12, 2007 ceremony to lift a Maori curse. The girl had chunks gouged from her eyeballs.

New Zealand newspaper The Dominion Post has learnt that her family believed they saw the devil in her eyes - and tried to scratch out the curse with their fingers. Relatives also syringed water into her eyes and poured it down her throat in an attempt to drive out the curse.

Ms Moses, 22, a mother of two, also had her eyes scratched and water syringed into them before she drowned as up to 40 relatives watched. Members of her family say Ms Moses was "marked up" on her upper arms, forearms and torso with bruises that they say were caused as she was being held down. After her death, family members continued to work on her young cousin in the same way.

Family members gazed into others' eyes at the ceremony to judge whether they were cursed, treating any believed tainted.

Another five people, aged 14, 15, 16, 29 and 31 were also treated in the curse-lifting ceremony, but not harmed.

The 14-year-old was taken to Hutt Hospital close to death.

An eye specialist from Wellington Hospital was called in to treat her injuries.

She needed to wear eye patches and remained in hospital for several days.

It is understood that doctors believe the girl will not lose her sight.

The teen was later taken into Child, Youth and Family care. The agency has reportedly been monitoring the family out of concern for other young people involved.

Child, Youth and Family would not confirm whether she was still in care.

A spokeswoman said the girl was in a safe and secure environment and the agency was working with the family.

The curse was believed to have started after Ms Moses' sister stole a stone lion statue from the Greytown pub.

Ms Moses' two daughters, aged one and three, are being cared for by Janet's grandmother.

Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy said police were still working through evidence, seeking legal advice and consulting Maori experts.

"We know what's happened, but we're assessing the culpability of individuals," he said.

source: stuff.co.nz

"I wanted to take the opportunity to reassure you of my highest respect and support for you, your mission and your people at this critical time,'' Obama said in the letter, whose receipt was confirmed by the Dalai Lama's office yesterday.

Obama's Republican presidential rival John McCain met the Dalai Lama to discuss Tibet last week in Aspen, Colorado, where the spiritual leader addressed a Tibetan cultural seminar.

Obama, who has been on a whirlwind foreign trip meeting world leaders, expressed regret in the letter that "our respective travel schedules will prevent us from meeting'' during the Dalai Lama's visit to the United States.

But he said he hoped the letter and the meeting with McCain "will make clear that American attention to and backing for the people of Tibet is widespread and transcends the divisions of our political contest''.

The Secretary of the Dalai Lama Chhime R Chhoekyapa confirmed the Dalai Lama received Obama's letter sent on July 24 but declined to make any comment.

Obama in his letter praised the Dalai Lama's non-violent tactics and contributions to bringing understanding between people of different backgrounds.

After McCain met the Dalai Lama last Friday, China warned him to stop "supporting and conniving with'' the spiritual leader, saying meeting the Tibetan spiritual leader hurt Sino-US relations.

McCain has criticised China's record on human rights in Tibet, which was thrown into the international spotlight in March during a crackdown on protests against Chinese rule that began in the region's capital, Lhasa.

The protests spread to other parts of China with Tibetan populations, with the government-in-exile saying 203 Tibetans were killed in the crackdown.

Beijing says only one Tibetan was killed, and has in turn accused the "rioters'' of killing 21 people in the protests that cast a shadow over the upcoming Olympics.

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending troops in to "liberate'' the remote Himalayan region.

The Dalai Lama fled his homeland in 1959 following a failed uprising and has since lived in exile in India.

China accuses the Dalai Lama of being a separatist, but he insists he does not want independence for Tibet, seeking only greater autonomy for the Himalayan territory as well as an end to religious and cultural repression.

Ave Maria--So You Think You Can Dance

Experiencing a haunting, or unwanted phenomenon in your home can be a tormenting and displacing occurance for anyone dealing with it. Firstly, Id like to say, you are not alone.Many people worldwide are experiencing the same thing you are right at this time. There are many reasons for hauntings, and much has been documented over the past 100 years that can tell us more about the phenomenon and what can be done about it from a spiritual approach.How do I know If My Home is Being Haunted?There are a few really big alarm bells that go off when your home, space, or self is haunted. Victims may complain of such sensory experiences as:An incurable Coldness in a particular room, or around the self.Disturbed sleep, partnered with a complaint of a heaviness on ones chest,the inability to scream, and the feeling of horror or terror.Fear to be alone, fear to sleep alone, fear of the dark, or places without light.Seeing Shadows, hearing voices, accompanied with the feeling of 'not being alone'.What can be done?I offer a personal spiritual service to people located in Australia for those suffering from hauntings of the home, space or self. My methods are rooted in Traditional British Witchcraft, and shamanism, and a strong psychical ability that has passed through my family for the past 5 generations. I use many methods to clear your home, from smudging, to a complete and total warding of the space.The Lesser, but important act of SmudgingSmudging is an ancient mesoamerican method of purifying an area of old, residual, and negative etheric/energy build up. The energy of a home should be replenished on a constant basis to keep it from going stagnant...like a small pond, blocked from a running source of water,  a home can become a place where nasties can fester, and grow. Smudging takes care of this energy, neutralizes it, and renews it, and is always a preliminary act in the clering of a home of unwanted entities. Negative etheric build up is the feeding ground of parasitic entities. Once this energy is cleared, it will almost always take care of the looming feeling of 'fear' in the home. Putting to rest anything that will be feeeding off this.The Greater act of WardingA ward is a ritualized act that works as a force against perpetrating energies/entities/beings found in hauntings. We put this work into practice when the energy/entity/being refuses to be neutralized. It is of the highest concern when this work is found needed, and implies a serious issue with the energies around you, or with your home. As mentioned above, there are many ways that can achieve a means to an end, in helping to put a stop to hauntings, and the phenomenon that surrounds them. If you are religious, it is advised that you contact your local clergy member. If they do not have a service to accomodate your needs, please do not hesitate to contact me.Also, before contacting me about things that are going bump in the night, contact your local handyman. Old water pipes are renouned for haunting houses. But if you feel you are genuinely in need of help, I am genuinely here to offer it.Contact me for more details:ask_dreams@eldercraftguild.com

I waited all night to see my native & resident teams show flags for the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Beijing composed a most memorable and unforgettable opening ceremony but at the expense of their citizens as was viewable by the world...."One small part of a large machine"...something that rang an absolute with me while watching a documetary on the lower class citizen of Beijing....They had alteast 300 young women acting as a 'human fence' between the nations arriving, and the nations that had already marched in the parade....With drink-bottles attached to hips...these young women danced, and cheered the entire procession of the worlds atheletes...in heeled-boots no less....I mean, c'mon...... what woman wants to stand in 3 inch healed-boots for no less than 3 hours for a minimum wage? No woman in the west, I can tell you that much...What did you think of the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony??