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Fossil Angels
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Fossil Angels
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Fossil Angels was written by Alan Moore in December 2002, and was to appear in KAOS #1! KAOS #1 ne"er actally appeared, and t$e piece $as been wit$ot a $ome since t$en! % was lc&y enog$ to be gi"en a nmber o' Alan Moore(s scripts by Alan $imsel' a 'ew years ago, and t$is was amongst t$em! % as&ed i' % cold pblis$ it and, w$en anot$er pblication w$ic$ it was slated to appear in 'olded, Alan told me % was 'ree to go a$ead! So, % am "ery prod to be allowed to present t$is piece $ere on )lycon 'or its 'irst pblication anyw$ere! %t is in two parts, wit$ a lin& to t$e second part at t$e end o' t$is page! *$is is, and remains, t$e sole property and copyrig$t o' its creator, Alan Moore!
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egard t$e world o' magic! A scattering o' occlt orders w$ic$, w$en not attempting to dispro"e eac$ ot$er(s pro"enance, are eit$er cryogenically sspended in t$eir rital rt, t$eir game o' Aiwa- Says, or else seem lost in some Dngeons . Dragons sprawl o' c$annelled spam, o'' mapping some n'alsi'iable and t$s completely "aleless new ni"erse be'ore t$ey("e demonstrated t$at t$ey $a"e so mc$ as a blac&/lacered 'ingernail(s grip on t$e old one! Sel'/consciosly weird transmissions 'rom *orette(s/a''licted entities, 'rom glossolalic ammer $orrors! Frit-ed/ot scrying bowls some$ow recei"ing trailers 'rom t$e Sci/Fi c$annel! Far too many secret c$ie's, and, 'or t$at matter, 'ar too many secret indians! eyond t$is, past t$e crea&ing gates o' t$e illstrios societies, dilapidated 'i'ty/year/old 'ollies w$ere t$ey start ot wit$ t$e plans 'or a celestial palace bt ine"itably end p wit$ t$e ates Motel, otside t$is t$ere etends t$e mob! *$e psyc$e pi&eys! %nco$erent roar o' or $ermetic $ome/crowd, t$e A&as$ic anora&s, t$e wold/be wiccans and *emple " 4syc$ic Forty/ Somet$ings eing p wit$ pre/teens 'or t$e latest 'ranc$ised 'airyland, realm o' t$e irretrie"ably $obbitated! 4otters"ille! 5actly $ow does t$is con'irm an aeon o' ors, aeon o' anyt$ing ecept more S&inner/bo consmerism, gangster statecra't, mind/to/t$e/grindstone materialism6 %s w$at seems almost ni"ersal &nee/7er& aciescence to conser"ati"e ideals trly a sign o' rampant *$eleme6 %s 8t$l$ coming bac&, li&e, anytime soon, or are t$e barbaros crses 'rom t$e oter dar& t$ose o' %llminists trying to 'ind t$eir arses wit$ a 'las$lig$t6 as contemporary western occltism accomplis$ed anyt$ing t$at is measrable otside t$e s9ance parlor6 %s magic o' any de'inable se to t$e $man race ot$er t$an o''ering an opportnity 'or dressing p6 *antric tarts and "icars at *$elemic t$eme nig$ts! 4entagrams %n *$eir 5yes! :*onig$t, Matt$ew, % will be t$e ;ogos o' t$e Aeon!< as magic demonstrated a prpose, 7sti'ied its eistence in t$e way t$at art or science or agricltre 7sti'y t$eir own6 %n s$ort, does anyone $a"e t$e 'irst cle w$at we are doing, or precisely w$y we(re doing it6 8ertainly, magic $as not always been so seemingly di"orced 'rom all immediate $man 'nction! %ts 4alaeolit$ic origins in s$amanism srely =
represented, at t$at time, t$e only $man means o' mediation wit$ a largely $ostile ni"erse pon w$ic$ we as yet eerted "ery little nderstanding or control! >it$in sc$ circmstances it is easy to concei"e o' magic as originally representing a one/stop reality, a world"iew in w$ic$ all t$e ot$er strands o' or eistence!!!$nting, procreation, dealing wit$ t$e elements or ca"e/wall painting!!!were sbsmed! A science o' e"eryt$ing, its rele"ance to ordinary mammalian concerns bot$ ob"ios and ndeniable! *$is role, t$at o' an all/inclsi"e :natral p$ilosop$y<, obtained t$rog$ot t$e rise o' classical ci"ili-ation and cold still be seen, albeit in more 'rti"e 'as$ion, as late as t$e 1=t$ centry, w$en t$e occlt and mndane sciences were not yet so distingis$able as t$ey are today! %t wold be srprising, 'or eample, i' ?o$n Dee did not allow $is &nowledge o' astrology to color $is in"alable contribtions to t$e art o' na"igation, or "ice/"ersa! @ot ntil t$e Age o' eason gradally pre"ented or belie' in and t$s contact wit$ t$e gods t$at $ad sstained or predecessors did or 'ledgling sense o' rationality identi'y t$e spernatral as a mere "estigial organ in t$e $man corps, obsolete and possibly diseased, best ecised ic&ly! Science, grown ot o' magic, magic(s gi'ted, ps$y o''spring, its most practical and t$s materially pro'itable application, "ery soon decided t$at t$e rital and symbolic lmber o' its alc$emic parent/cltre was redndant, an encmbrance and an embarrassment! 4''ed p in its new w$ite lab coat, ballpoints worn li&e medals at t$e breast, science came to be as$amed in case its mates $istory, geograp$y, 4!5B cag$t it ot s$opping wit$ its mm, wit$ all $er mmbling and c$anting! er t$ird nipple! est t$at s$e be ntted o'' to some secre 'acility, some Fraggle oc& 'or elderly and distressed paradigms! *$e ri't t$is cased wit$in t$e $man 'amily o' ideas seemed irre"ocable, wit$ two parts o' w$at $ad once been one organism sndered by redctionism, one inclsi"e :science o' e"eryt$ing< become two separate ways o' seeing, eac$ apparently in bitter, "icios opposition to t$e ot$er! Science, in t$e process o' t$is acrimonios di"orce, mig$t possibly be said to $a"e lost contact wit$ its et$ical component, wit$ t$e moral basis necessary to pre"ent it breeding monsters! Magic, on t$e ot$er $and, lost all demonstrable tility and prpose, as wit$ many parents once t$e &id(s grown C
p and gone! ow do yo 'ill t$e "oid6 *$e answer, w$et$er we are tal&ing abot magic or o' mndane, moping mms and dads wit$ empty nests, is, in all li&eli$ood, :wit$ rital and nostalgia$ilst it(s di''iclt to o"erstate t$e contribtions made to magic as a 'ield by, say, 5lip$as ;e"i or t$e "arios magicians o' t$e )olden Dawn, it(s 7st as $ard to arge t$at t$ese contribtions were not o"erw$elmingly synt$etic, in t$at t$ey aspired to cra't a synt$esis o' pre"iosly eisting lore, to 'ormalise t$e "ariegated wisdoms o' t$e ancients! %t does not belittle t$is considerable accomplis$ment i' we obser"e t$at magic, dring t$ose decades, was lac&ing in t$e prpose'l immediacy, t$e pioneering rs$ c$aracterising, 'or eample, Dee and Kelly(s wor&! %n t$eir de"elopment o' t$e 5noc$ian system, late enaissance magic wold seem typi'ied as rgently creati"e and eperimental, 'orward/loo&ing! %n comparison, t$e nineteent$ centry occltists seem almost to $a"e s$i'ted magic into a re"ered past tense, made it a rope/railed msem e$ibit, an arc$i"e, wit$ t$emsel"es as sole crators! All t$e robes and t$e regalia, wit$ t$eir w$i'' o' t$e $istorical re/enactment crowd, a serap$ic Sealed Knot Society, only wit$ 'ractionally less silly/loo&ing gear! *$e worryingly rig$t/wing consenss "ales and t$e nmber o' concssed and stmbling casalties, pon t$e ot$er $and, wold probably $a"e been identical! *$e rites o' t$e ealted magic orders and t$e $omicidal beered/p malings o' t$e 8romwell tribte/bands are also similar in t$at bot$ gain in poignancy by being 7taposed against t$e grim, relentless 'orward trndle o' indstrial reality! eati'lly painted wands, obsessi"ely at$entic pi&es, $eld p against t$e blea& ad"ance o' c$imney/stac&s! ow mc$ o' t$is mig$t be most accrately described as compensatory 'antasies o' t$e mac$ine age6 ole/playing games w$ic$ only ser"e to nderline t$e brtal 'act t$at t$ese acti"ities no longer $a"e contemporary $man rele"ance! A wist'l recreation o' long/gone erotic moments by t$e impotent!
Anot$er clear distinction between t$e magicians o' t$e siteent$ and t$e nineteent$ centries lies in t$eir relation to t$e 'iction o' t$eir day! *$e bret$ren o' t$e early )olden Dawn wold seem to be inspired more by t$e s$eer romance o' magic t$an by any ot$er aspect, wit$ S!; Mc)regor Mat$ers lred into t$e cra't by $is desire to li"e ot lwer/;ytton(s 'antasy Eanoni! 5ncoraged Moina to re'er to $im as :Ean<, allegedly! >ood'ord and >estcott, on t$e ot$er $and, anios to be wit$in an order t$at $ad e"en more parap$ernalia t$an osicrcian Masonry, some$ow acire a contact in t$e 'abled literallyB ran&s o' t$e )eltisc$e Dammerng, w$ic$ means somet$ing li&e :golden tea/time
recorse sa"e stic&ing doggedly to t$e establis$ed script, ens$rining eac$ last cog$ and gestre, t$e by/now $ollow per'ormance 'ree-e/dried, s$rin&/ wrappedG art'lly repac&aging itsel' 'or 5nglis$ eritage! ow n'ortnate, t$en, t$at it was t$is moment in t$e $istory o' magic, wit$ content and 'nction lost beneat$ an o"er/detailed rital "eneer, all mot$ and trosers, w$ic$ t$e later orders c$ose to crystalli-e abot! >it$ot a readily apparent aim or mission, no mar&etable commodity, t$e nineteent$ centry occltist wold seem instead to la"is$ an inordinate amont o' $is attention on t$e 'ancy wrapping paper! 4ossibly nable to concei"e o' any grop not strctred in t$e $ierarc$ical manner o' t$e lodges t$at t$ey were accstomed to, Mat$ers and >estcott dti'lly imported all t$e old Masonic $eirlooms w$en it came to 'rnis$ing t$eir 'ledgling order! All t$e ot'its, grades and implements! *$e mindset o' a secret and elite society! 8rowley, o' corse, too& all t$is $ea"y and epensi"e/loo&ing lggage wit$ $im w$en $e 7mped s$ip to create $is O!*!O, and all orders since t$en, e"en prportedly iconoclastic enterprises sc$ as, say, t$e %!O!*, wold seem to $a"e e"entally adopted t$e same ig$ Hictorian template! *rappings o' s''icient drama, t$eories intricate enog$ to draw attention 'rom w$at t$e nc$aritable mig$t percei"e as lac& o' any practical reslt, any e''ect pon t$e $man sitation! *$e 'orteent$ and per$aps 'inal6B isse o' t$e estimable ?oel iroco(s KAOS maga-ine 'eatred a reprodction o' a painting, a srprisingly a''ecting and $antingly beati'l wor& 'rom t$e brs$ o' Mar7orie 8ameron, scary red$ead, Dennis opper and Dean Stoc&well(s $osemate, ptati"e Scarlet >oman, top *$elemic totty! Almost as intriging as t$e wor& itsel', $owe"er, is t$e titleI Fossil Angel, wit$ its contradictory con7rings o' somet$ing mar"ellos, ine''able and transitory combined wit$ t$at w$ic$ is by de'inition dead, inert and petri'ied! %s t$ere a metap$or a"ailable to s in t$is, bot$ sobering and instrcti"e6 8old not all magical orders, wit$ t$eir doctrines and t$eir dogmas, be interpreted as t$e nmo"ing calci'ied remains o' somet$ing once intangible and 'll o' grace, ali"e and mtable6 As energies, as inspirations and ideas t$at danced 'rom mind to mind, e"ol"ing as t$ey went ntil at last t$e limestone drip o' rital and repetition 'ro-e t$em in t$eir trac&s, stopped t$em 'ore"er $al'way t$rog$ some reac$ing, ncompleted gestre6 *rilobite illminations! Fossil angels! 10
Somet$ing inc$oate and et$ereal once alig$ted brie'ly, s&ipping li&e a stone across t$e sr'ace o' or cltre, lea"ing its 'aint, tenos impression in t$e $man clay, a 'ootprint t$at we cast in concrete and apparently remain content to gen'lect be'ore 'or decades, centries, millennia! ecite t$e soot$ing and 'amiliar lllabies or incantations word 'or word, t$en care'lly restage t$e old, belo"ed dramas, and per$aps somet$ing will $appen, li&e it did be'ore! Stic& cotton/reels and tin'oil on t$at cardboard bo, ma&e it loo& "agely li&e a radio and t$en maybe ?o$n Frmm, $e come, bring $elicopters bac&6 *$e occlt order, $a"ing made a 'etis$ ot o' pageants t$at passed by or were rained o'' some $al'/a/centry ago, sits li&e Miss a"ers$am and wonders i' t$e beetles in t$e wedding ca&e in any way con'irm ;iber Al "el ;egis! Once again, none o' t$is is intended to deny t$e contribtion t$at t$e "arios orders and t$eir wor&s $a"e made to magic as a 'ield, bt merely to obser"e t$at t$is admittedly considerable contribtion is o', largely, a cstodial natre in its preser"ation o' past lore and rital, or else t$at its elegant synt$esis o' disparate teac$ings is its principal per$aps onlyB ac$ie"ement! eyond sc$ accomplis$ments, $owe"er, t$e abiding legacy o' nineteent$ centry occlt cltre wold seem mostly antit$etical to t$e contined $ealt$, proli'eration and ongoing "iability o' magic, w$ic$, as a tec$nology, $as srely long otgrown its ornate late/Hictorian "ase and is in dire need o' transplanting! All o' t$e 'a/Masonic 'rnitre and sca''olding imported by >estcott and Mat$ers, basically 'or want o' being able to imagine any ot$er "alid strctre, is, by or own period, become a limitation and impediment to magic(s 'rt$erance! ;e'to"er $oodwin&s, too/tig$t ceremonial sas$es t$at constrain all growt$, restrict all t$og$t, limit t$e ways in w$ic$ we concei"e o' or can concei"e o' magic! Mimic&ing t$e constrcts o' t$e past, t$in&ing in terms t$at are today not necessarily applicable J per$aps t$ey ne"er really were J seems to $a"e rendered modern occltism tterly incapable o' "isali-ing any di''erent met$od by w$ic$ it mig$t organise itsel'G nable to imagine any progress, any e"oltion, any 'tre, w$ic$ is probably a sre/'ire means o' garanteeing t$at it doesn(t $a"e one! %' t$e )olden Dawn is o'ten $eld p as a paragon, a radiant eemplar o' t$e per'ect and sccess'l order, t$is is almost certainly becase its ran&s inclded many well/&nown writers o' pro"en ability and wort$ w$ose 11
members$ip loaned t$e society more credibility t$an it wold e"er, by retrn, a''ord to t$em! *$e lminos ?o$n 8olt$art $as sggested t$at t$e )olden Dawn mig$t be most c$aritably regarded as a literary society, w$ere slmming scribes searc$ed 'or a magic t$at t$ey mig$t $a"e 'ond demonstrable and e"ident, already t$ere ali"e and 'nctioning in t$eir own wor&, were t$ey not blinded by t$e glare o' all t$at ceremony, all o' t$at 'antastic &it! One at$or w$o ite clearly contribted more t$at was o' real magical "ale to t$e world t$rog$ $is own 'iction t$an t$rog$ any operations at t$e lodge was Art$r Mac$en! >$ile admitting to $is great delig$t at all t$e mystery and mar"el o' t$e order(s secret ceremonies, Mac$en 'elt compelled to add w$en writing o' t$e )olden Dawn in $is atobiograp$y, *$ings @ear and Far, t$at :as 'or anyt$ing "ital in t$e secret order, 'or anyt$ing t$at mattered two straws to any reasonable being, t$ere was not$ing in it, and less t$an not$ing!!!t$e society as a society was pre 'oolis$ness concerned wit$ impotent and imbecile Abracadabras! %t &new not$ing w$ate"er abot anyt$ing and concealed t$e 'act nder an impressi"e rital and a sonoros p$raseology!< Asttely, Mac$en notes t$e seemingly in"erse relations$ip between genine content and baroe, elaborate 'orm c$aracteri-ing orders o' t$is natre, a critie as rele"ant today as it was t$en, in 123! *$e territory o' magic, largely abandoned as too $a-ardos since Dee and Kelly(s period, was sta&ed ot and reclaimed w$en t$at was sa'e to doB by nineteent$ centry occlt ent$siasts, by middle/class sbrbanites w$o trned t$e sere, neglected tr' into a series o' eisitely appointed ornamental gardens! Decorati"e 'eatres, states and pagodas o' great intricacy, were contri"ed in imitation o' some o"er/acti"ely imagined priest$ood past! *erminal gods among t$e neat beds o' a-aleas! *$e problem is t$at gardeners sometimes arrel! ondary disptes! *enant "endettas and e"ictions, moonlig$t 'lits! Once/en"iable properties are boarded p, are o'ten satted by new problem 'amilies, new cabals! ang on to t$e old nameplate, &eep t$e same address bt let t$e place go, and allow its gronds to 'all into a state o' disrepair! Slgs in t$e moly, bindweed spreading ot amongst twenty/two/petal roses! y t$e nineteen/nineties, magic(s landscape garden was a poorly maintained sprawl o' tired, low/yield allotments wit$ bad drainage, paintwor& peeling on t$e cod/5gyptian 12
smmer $oses, now become mere s$eds w$ere paranoid ome 8onties "igilantes sat awa&e all nig$t, nrsing t$eir s$otgns and epecting teenage "andals! *$ere(s no prodce t$at(s wort$ mentioning! *$e 'lowers are wit$ot per'me and no longer manage to enc$ant! (&now, it were all 'ancy lamens and 5noc$ian c$ess rond $ere once, and now loo& at it! *$e straggly $edgerows wit$ t$eir )oetic topiary as parc$ed as tinder, dry rot in t$at osicrcian/loo& ga-ebo(s listing timbers! >$at t$is place cold do wit$ is a good insrance 'ire! @o, seriosly! Scorc$ed eart$! %t $as a lot to recommend it! *$in& $ow it wold loo& w$en all t$e robes and banners cag$t! Mig$t e"en ta&e ot t$at w$ole Mind, ody, and Spirit eyesore i' t$e wind were in t$e rig$t direction! ;oss o' li'e and li"eli$ood wold o' corse be ine"itable, some collateral damage in t$e bsiness sector, bt it sre wold be real pretty! *emple beams collapsing in a got o' spar&s! :Forget meL Sa"e t$e cip$er manscriptsL< Amongst t$e contless )nostic Masses, oat$s and calls and banis$ings, w$ate"er cased t$em to 'orget one losy 'ire drill6 @obody(s ite certain $ow t$ey s$old e"acate t$e inner plane, don(t e"en &now $ow many mig$t still be in t$ere! Finally t$ere emerge $eart/wrenc$ing tales o' indi"idal bra"ery! :/e went bac& in to resce t$e ;AM drawing, and we coldn(t stop $im!< A'terwards, a time 'or tears, 'or conselling! ry t$e dead, appoint sccessors! 8rac& open t$e seal on ymenaes )amma! 8ast a re'l eye across or blac&ened acres! *a&e it one day at a time, sweet ?ess! low or noses, pll orsel"es toget$er! Some$ow we(ll get t$rog$! >$at t$en6 Scorc$ed eart$, o' corse, is ric$ in nitrates and pro"ides a basis 'or slas$/and/brn agricltre! %n c$arred dirt, t$e green s$oots o' reco"ery! ;i'e boils p indiscriminately, c$rning 'rom blac& soil! >e cold gi"e all o' t$ese once/stately lawns and terraces bac& to t$e wilderness! >$y not6 *$in& o' it as astral en"ironmentalism, t$e reclaiming o' a psyc$ic greenbelt 'rom beneat$ t$e crac&ed Hictorian occlt pa"ing/slabs, as an encoragement to increased metap$ysical biodi"ersity! 8onsidered as an organi-ing principle 'or magic wor&, t$e comple and sel'/generating 'ractal strctre o' a 7ngle wold seem e"ery bit as "iable as all t$e sprios imposed c$essboard order o' a tiled lodge 'loorG wold seem, in 'act, considerably more natral and "ital! A'ter all, t$e tra''ic o' ideas t$at is t$e essence and li'eblood o' magic is 13
more sally transacted t$ese days by bs$ telegrap$ o' one &ind or anot$er, rat$er t$an as rital secrets solemnly attained a'ter long years o' cramming, ogwarts( 8S5s! asn(t t$is rain'orest mode o' interacting been, in 'act, t$e de'alt setting o' practical western occltism 'or some time now6 >$y not come ot and admit it, blldo-e all t$ese lean/to clb$oses t$at are no longer any se nor ornament, embrace t$e logic o' lianas6 Dynamite t$e dams, ride ot t$e 'lood, allow new li'e to 'loris$ in t$e pre"iosly moribnd endangered $abitats! %n occlt cltre(s terms, new li'e eates to new ideas! Fres$/$atc$ed and wriggling, possibly poisonos conceptal pollywogs, t$ese brig$tly/colored pests mst be coaed into or new immaterial eco/system i' it is to 'loris$ and remain in $ealt$! ;et s attract t$e small ideas t$at 'ltter, neon/brig$t bt 'rail, and t$e mc$ tog$er, more resilient big ideas t$at eat t$em! %' we(re 'ortnate, t$e 'eeding 'ren-y mig$t draw t$e attention o' $ge raptor paradigms t$at trample e"eryt$ing and s$a&e t$e eart$! Ferocios notions, 'rom t$e most bacterially tiny to t$e staggeringly big and gly, all loc&ed into an nsper"ised glorios and bloody strggle 'or sr"i"al, a spectaclar Darwinian clster'c&! ;ame doctrines 'ind t$emsel"es nable to otrn t$e slee& and toot$y &iller argment! Mastodon dogmas, elderly and slipping down t$e 'ood/c$ain, bc&ling and collapsing nder t$eir own weig$t to ma&e a meal 'or carrion memorabilia salesmen, somew$ere 'or t$at droning b-- o' c$at/room 'lies to lay t$eir eggs! Memetic tr''les grown p 'rom a mlc$ o' decomposing Aeons! Hi"id re"elations sprng li&e ;ondon oc&et 'rom t$e wild, ntended bombsite sprawl! 4anic Arcadia, $orny, mrderos and teeming! Spernatral selection! *$e strongest, best/adapted t$eorems are allowed to t$ri"e and propagate, t$e wea& are ss$i! Srely t$is is $ardcore *$eleme in action, as well as representing a prodcti"e and at$entic old/s&ool 8$aos t$at s$old warm t$e $eart o' any *$anateroid! From sc$ "igoros application o' t$e e"oltionary process, it is di''iclt to see $ow magic as a 'ield o' &nowledge cold do ot$erwise t$an bene'it!
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For one t$ing, by accepting a less clti"ated, less re'ined milie w$ere competition mig$t be 'ierce and noisy, magic wold be doing no more t$an eposing itsel' to t$e same conditions t$at pertain to its more socially/ accepted &in'ol&, science and art! 4t 'orward a new t$eory to eplain t$e ni"erse(s missing mass, sbmit some di''iclt conceptal installation 'or t$e *rner 4ri-e and be in no dobt t$at yor o''ering will be sb7ected to t$e most intensi"e scrtiny, mc$ o' it $ostile and originating 'rom some ri"al camp! 5ac$ particle o' t$og$t t$at played a role in t$e constrction o' yor statement will be disassembled and eamined! Only i' no 'law is 'ond will yor wor& be recei"ed into t$e cltral canon! %n all li&eli$ood, sooner or later yor pet pro7ect, yor pet t$eory will end p as scattered down and claret decorating t$e stained walls o' t$ese old, merciless pblic arenas! *$is is $ow it s$old be! or ideas are possibly trned into road/&ill bt t$e 'ield itsel' is strengt$ened and impro"ed by t$is incessant testing! %t progresses and mtates! %' or ob7ecti"e trly is ad"ancement o' t$e magic world"iew rat$er t$an ad"ancement o' orsel"es as its instrctorsB, $ow cold anyone ob7ect to sc$ a process6 nless, o' corse, ad"ancement o' t$is natre is not trly or ob7ecti"e, w$ic$ retrns s to or opening estionsI w$at eactly are we doing and w$y are we doing it6 @o dobt some o' s are engaged in t$e legitimate prsit o' nderstanding, bt t$is begs t$e estion as to w$y! Do we intend to se t$is in'ormation in some manner, or was it accmlated solely 'or its own sa&e, 'or or pri"ate satis'action6 Did we wis$, per$aps, to be t$og$t wise, or to en$ance lac&lstre personalities wit$ $ints o' secret &nowledge6 >as it ran& we sog$t, some standing t$at mig$t be ac$ie"ed more readily by a prsit li&e occltism w$ere t$ere are, con"eniently, no measrable standards t$at we mig$t be 7dged by6 Or did we align orsel"es wit$ 8rowley(s de'inition o' t$e magic arts as bringing abot c$ange according to one(s will, w$ic$ is to say ac$ie"ing some measre o' power o"er reality6 *$is last wold, at a gess, pro"ide t$e moti"e t$at is crrently most poplar! *$e rise o' 8$aos magic in t$e 10s centred on a ra't o' campaign promises, most notable amongst t$ese t$e deli"ery o' a reslts/based magic system t$at was practical and ser/'riendly! Astin Spare(s nie and $ig$ly personal de"elopment o' sigil magic, we were told, cold be adapted to near/ni"ersal application, wold pro"ide a simple, sre/'ire means by w$ic$ t$e $eart(s 1
desire o' anyone cold be bot$ easily and instantly accomplis$ed! 4tting to one side t$e estion :%s t$is tre6< and t$e attendant ery :%' it is, t$en w$y are all its ad"ocates still $olding down a day/7ob, in a world grown srely 'rt$er 'rom t$e $eart(s desire o' anyone wit$ e"ery passing wee&6
8$rist, send t$em a card wit$ a sad/loo&ing cartoon bnny on t$e 'ront! o(ll bot$ 'eel better 'or it! 4rposi"e and casal magic wold too o'ten seem to be abot ac$ie"ing some ite ordinary end wit$ot doing t$e ordinary wor& associated wit$ it! >e mig$t well do better to a''irm, wit$ 8rowley, t$at or best and prest actions are t$ose carried ot :wit$ot lst o' reslt
ei"alent in 'ascism, mig$t magic not be said to $a"e more natral sympat$y wit$ anarc$y, 'ascism(s opposite deri"ing 'rom an/arc$on or :no leader$ic$ o' corse retrns s to t$e brned/down temples, dispossessed and $omeless order $eads, t$e scorc$ed eart$ and t$e natrally anarc$ic wilderness approac$ to magic, as sggested earlier! *$e ot$er $al' o' 8rowley(s maim, w$erein $e promotes t$e met$odology o' science wold also seem to $a"e its 'laws, again, $owe"er well intentioned! eing based pon material reslts, science is per$aps t$e model t$at $as led t$e magic arts into t$eir casal cl/de/sac, described abo"e! Frt$er to t$is, i' we accept t$e ways o' science as a procedral ideal to w$ic$ or magic wor&ings mig$t aspire, aren(t we in danger o' also adopting a materialist and scienti'ic mindset wit$ regard to t$e ite di''erent 'orces t$at preoccpy t$e occltist6 A scientist w$o wor&s wit$ electricity, as an eample, will ite 7sti'iably regard t$e energy as "ale/netral, mindless power t$at can as easily be sed to rn a $ospital, or warm a la"a/lamp, or 'ry a blac& gy wit$ a mental age o' nine in *eas! Magic on t$e ot$er $and, 'rom personal eperience, does not seem to be netral in its moral natre, nor does it seem mindless! On t$e contrary, it wold seem, as a medim, to be aware and acti"ely intelligent, ali"e rat$er t$an li"e in t$e t$ird rail sense! nli&e electricity, t$ere is t$e intimation o' a comple personality wit$ almost/ $man traits, sc$ as, 'or instance, an apparent sense o' $mor! ?st as well, per$aps, w$en one considers t$e parade o' prancing ninnies t$at t$e 'ield $as entertained and tolerated down t$e centries! Magic, in s$ort, does not seem to be t$ere merely to power p sigils t$at are astral "ersions o' t$e labor sa"ing gadget or appliance! nli&e electricity, it mig$t be t$og$t to $a"e its own agenda!
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Fossil Angels
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ite apart 'rom all t$is, t$ere are ot$er sond, compelling reasons w$y it limits s to t$in& o' magic as a science! Firstly and most glaringly, it isn(t! Magic, a'ter it relinis$ed any and all practical or worldly application 'ollowing t$e twilig$t o' t$e alc$emists, can no more be considered as a tre science t$an can, say, psyc$oanalysis! owe"er mc$ Fred mig$t $a"e wis$ed it ot$erwise, $owe"er $e deplored ?ng dragging $is prported scienti'ic met$od down into t$e blac& and sirming md o' occltism, magic and psyc$oanalysis cannot, by de'inition, e"er be allowed a place amongst t$e sciences! ot$ deal almost entirely wit$ p$enomena o' consciosness, p$enomena t$at cannot be repeated in laboratory conditions and w$ic$ t$s eist otside t$e reac$ o' science, concerned only wit$ t$ings t$at may be measred and obser"ed, pro"en empirically! Since consciosness itsel' cannot be s$own to pro"ably eist in scienti'ic terms, t$en or assertions t$at said consciosness is plaged eit$er by penis en"y or by demons o' t$e lippot$ mst remain 'ore"er past t$e bondary limits o' w$at may be ascertained by rational scrtiny! Fran&ly, it mst be said t$at magic, w$en considered as a science, rates somew$ere 7st abo"e t$at o' selecting nmbers 'or t$e lottery by sing lo"ed ones( birt$days! *$is wold seem to be t$e crI magic, i' it is a science, clearly isn(t a particlarly well/de"eloped one! >$ere, 'or eample, are t$e magical ei"alents o' 5instein(s )eneral or e"en Special t$eories o' elati"ity, let alone t$at o' o$r (s 8open$agen %nterpretation6 8ome to t$at, w$ere are or analoges 'or laws o' gra"ity, t$ermodynamics and t$e rest6 5ratost$enes once measred t$e circm'erence o' t$e 5art$ sing geometry and s$adows! >$en did we last manage anyt$ing as se'l or as neat as t$at6 as t$ere been anyt$ing e"en resembling a general t$eory since t$e 5merald *ablet6 Once again, per$aps magic(s preoccpation wit$ case and e''ect $as played a part in t$is! Or aioms seem mostly on t$e le"el o' :i' we do A t$en will $appen
>$ere eactly, one mig$t reasonably enire, does all t$is lea"e s6 a"ing rec&lessly discarded or time/$onored orders or traditions and torn p or statement o' intentG $a"ing said t$at magic s$old not be eligion and can not be Science, $a"e we ta&en t$is ear/Eero K$mer oge approac$ too 'ar, ct or own 7glars wit$ Occam(s ra-or6 @ow we("e plled down t$e landmar&s and redced or territory to an ndi''erentiated wilderness, was t$is t$e best time to sggest we also t$row away or compass6 @ow, as nig$t 'alls on t$e 7ngle, we("e decided we are neit$er missionaries nor botanists, bt w$at, t$en, are we6 4rey6 rie' seals in pitc$ dar&6 %' t$e aims and met$ods o' science or religion are ine"itably 'tile, ltimately mere dead ends, w$at ot$er role 'or magic cold concei"ably eist6 And please don(t say it(s anyt$ing too di''iclt, becase 'or all t$e blac& robes and t$e spoo&y oat$s, we tend to 'rig$ten easily! %' w$at we do cannot be properly considered as science or religion, wold it be pro"ocati"e to tender t$e sggestion t$at we t$in& o' magic as an art6 Or e"en *$e Art, i' yo li&e6 %t(s not as i' t$e notion were entirely wit$ot precedent! %t mig$t e"en be seen as a retrn to or s$amanic origins, w$en magic was epressed in mases and mimes and mar&s on walls, t$e pictograms t$at ga"e s written langage so t$at langage cold in trn allow s consciosness! Msic, per'ormance, painting, song, dance, poetry and pantomime cold all be easily imagined as $a"ing originated in t$e s$aman(s repertoire o' mind/trans'orming magic tric&s! Sclptre e"ol"ing ot o' 'etis$ dolls, >illendor' Hens morp$ing into enry Moore! 8ostme design and catwal& 'as$ion, 5rte and "es St! ;arent, arising ot o' 'irelit stomps in 'rs and beads and antlers, t$rowing s$apes designed to startle and arose! aroness *$atc$er, in $er baby/eating prime, sggested t$at society once more embrace :Hictorian "ales<, an idea t$at certainly wold seem to $a"e cag$t on wit$in t$e magical 'raternity! *$is clearly goes now$ere near 'ar enog$, $owe"er! ;et s call instead 'or a retrn towards 8ro/Magnon "alesI more creati"e and robst, wit$ better $air! O' corse, we need not 7orney so 'ar bac& into admittedly speclati"e antiity 'or e"idence o' t$e niely close relations$ip en7oyed by art and magic! From t$e ca"e/wall paintings at ;asca, on t$rog$ )ree& statary and 'rie-es to t$e Flemis$ masters, on to >illiam la&e, to t$e 4re/ ap$aelites, t$e Symbolists and t$e Srrealists, it is only wit$ increasing 23
rarity t$at we enconter artists o' real statre, be t$ey painter, writer or msician, w$o $a"e not at some point $ad recorse to occlt t$in&ing, w$et$er t$at be t$rog$ t$e agency o' t$eir alleged in"ol"ement wit$ some occlt or Masonic order, as wit$ Mo-art, or t$rog$ some personally clti"ated "ision, as wit$ 5lgar! Opera $as its origins, apparently, in alc$emy, originated by its early pioneers li&e Monte"erdi as an art/'orm t$at inclded all t$e ot$er arts wit$in it msic, words, per'ormance, costmes, painted setsB wit$ t$e intent o' passing on alc$emical ideas in t$eir most compre$ensi"ely artistic and t$s most celestial 'orm! ;i&ewise, wit$ t$e "isal arts we need not in"o&e ob"ios eamples o' an occlt in'lence sc$ as Dc$amp, Ma 5rnst or Dali, w$en t$ere are more srprising names sc$ as 4icasso wit$ $is yot$ spent satrated in $as$is$ and mysticism, wit$ $is later wor& preoccpied wit$ t$en/occlt ideas pertaining to t$e 'ort$ dimensionB, or t$e measred sares and rectangles o' Mondrian, created to epress t$e notions wo&en in $im by $is stdy o' *$eosop$y! %n 'act, t$e greater part o' abstract painting can be traced to 'amed la"ats&y/booster Annie esant, and t$e pblication o' $er t$eory t$at t$e rare'ied essential energies o' *$eosop$y(s rays and crrents and "ibrations cold be represented by intited and 'ormless swirls o' color, an idea t$at many artists o' a 'as$ionably mystic inclination sei-ed on eagerly! ;iteratre, meanw$ile, is so intrinsically in"ol"ed wit$ magic(s "ery sbstance t$at t$e two may be e''ecti"ely considered as t$e same t$ing! Spells and spelling, ardic incantations, grimoires, grammars, magic a :disease o' langage< as Aleister 8rowley so insig$t'lly described it! Odin, *$ot$ and ermes, magic/gods and scribe/gods! Magic(s terminology, its symbolism, con7ring and e"ocation, near/identical to t$at o' poetry! %n t$e beginning was t$e >ord! >it$ magic almost w$olly a lingistic constrct, it wold seem nnecessary to recite a role/call o' t$e occlt(s many literary practitioners! %n writing, as in painting or in msic, an intense and intimate connection to t$e world o' magic is bot$ e"ident and ob"ios, appears entirely natral! 8ertainly, t$e arts $a"e always treated magic wit$ more sympat$y and more respect t$an science w$ic$, $istorically, $as always sog$t to pro"e t$at occltists are 'radlent or else deldedB and religion w$ic$, $istorically, $as always sog$t to pro"e t$at occltists are 'lammableB! >$ile it s$ares t$e social standing and widespread respect a''orded to t$e c$rc$ or t$e laboratory, art as a 'ield does not see& to eclde, nor is it go"erned by a 2+
doctrine t$at(s inimical to magic, sc$ as mig$t be said o' its two 'ellow indicators o' $manity(s cltral progress! A'ter all, w$ile magic $as, in relati"ely recent times, prodced 'ew mig$ty t$eologians o' mc$ note and e"en 'ewer scientists, it $as prodced a wealt$ o' inspired and inspiring painters, poets and msicians! Maybe we s$old stic& wit$ w$at we &now we(re good at6 *$e ad"antages o' treating magic as an art seem at 'irst glance to be considerable! For one t$ing, t$ere are no entrenc$ed and "ested interests capable o' monting an ob7ection to magic(s inclsion in t$e canon, e"en i' t$ey entertained ob7ections in t$e 'irst place, w$ic$ is $ardly li&ely! *$is is patently 'ar 'rom t$e case wit$ eit$er science or religion, w$ic$ are by t$eir "ery natres almost $onor/bond to see t$at magic is re"iled and ridicled, marginali-ed and le't to rst t$ere on $istory(s scrap/$eap wit$ t$e Flat 5art$, water/memory and p$logiston! Art, as a category, represents a 'ertile and $ospitable en"ironment w$ere magic(s energy cold be directed to its growt$ and progress as a 'ield, rat$er t$an c$annelled into 'tile strggles 'or acceptance, or brned selessly away by mar&ing time to t$e repeated ritals o' a pre"ios centry! Anot$er bene'it, o' corse, lies in art(s nminosity, its "ery lac& o' $ard/edged de'inition and t$ere'ore its 'leibility! *$e estions :w$at eactly are we doing and w$y are doing it<, estions o' Nmet$od( and o' Naim(, ta&e on a di''erent lig$t w$en as&ed in terms o' art! Art(s only aim can be to lcidly epress t$e $man mind and $eart and sol in all t$eir contless "ariations, t$s to 'rt$er $man cltre(s art'l nderstanding o' t$e ni"erse and o' itsel', its growt$ towards t$e lig$t! Art(s met$od is w$ate"er can be e"en distantly imagined! *$ese parameters o' prpose and procedre are s''iciently elastic, srely, to allow inclsion o' magic(s most radical or most conser"ati"e agendas6 Hital and progressi"e occltism, beati'lly epressed, t$at $as no obligation to eplain or 7sti'y itsel'! 5ac$ t$og$t, eac$ line, eac$ image made eisite 'or no ot$er prpose t$an t$at t$ey be o''erings wort$y o' t$e gods, o' art, o' magic itsel'! *$e Art 'or *$e Art(s sa&e! 4aradoically, e"en t$ose occltists enamored o' a scienti'ic "iew o' magic wold $a"e case 'or celebration at t$is s$i't in emp$asis! As arged abo"e, magic can ne"er be a science as science is crrently de'ined, w$ic$ is to say as being w$olly based pon repeatable reslts wit$in t$e measrable and 2
material world! owe"er, by con'ining its prsits entirely to t$e world o' t$e material, science atomatically disali'ies itsel' 'rom spea&ing o' t$e inner, immaterial world t$at is in 'act t$e greater part o' or $man eperience! Science is per$aps t$e most e''ecti"e tool t$at $man consciosness $as yet de"eloped wit$ w$ic$ to eplore t$e oter ni"erse, and yet t$is polis$ed and sop$isticated instrment o' scrtiny is $indered by one glaring blind/spot in t$at it cannot eamine consciosness itsel'! Since t$e late 10s t$e most rapidly epanding 'ield o' scienti'ic interest is apparently consciosness stdies, wit$ two ma7or sc$ools o' t$og$t/on/t$og$t t$s 'ar emerging, eac$ contending wit$ t$e ot$er! One maintains t$at consciosness is an illsion o' biology, mere atomatic and be$a"iorist cerebral processes t$at are dependent on t$e sirt o' glands, t$e seep o' en-ymes! >$ile t$is does not seem an adeate description o' t$e many wonders to be 'ond wit$in t$e $man mind, its ad"ocates are almost certainly bac&ing a winner, $a"ing realised t$at t$eir blnt, materialistic t$eory is t$e only one t$at stands a c$ance o' pro"ing itsel' in t$e terms o' blnt material science! %n t$e ot$er camp, described as more transpersonal in t$eir approac$, t$e crrent reigning t$eorem is t$at consciosness is some pecliar Nst'' ( per"ading t$e &nown ni"erse, o' w$ic$ eac$ sentient being is a tiny, temporary reser"oir! *$is "iewpoint, w$ile it probably elicits greater sympat$y 'rom t$ose o' occlt inclinations, is ite clearly doomed in terms o' garnering e"ental scienti'ic credibility! Science cannot e"en properly discss t$e personal, so t$e transpersonal $as no c$ance! *$ese are matters o' t$e inner world, and science cannot go t$ere! *$is is w$y it wisely lea"es t$e eploration o' man&ind(s interior to a sop$isticated tool t$at is speci'ically de"eloped 'or t$at sage, namely art! %' magic were regarded as an art it wold $a"e cltrally "alid access to t$e in'rascape, t$e endless immaterial territories t$at are ignored by and in"isible to Science, t$at are to scienti'ic reason inaccessible, and t$s comprise magic(s most natral terrain! *rning its e''orts to creati"e eploration o' $manity(s interior space mig$t also be o' massi"e $man se, mig$t possibly restore to magic all t$e rele"ance and prpose, t$e demonstrable tility t$at it $as lac&ed so woe'lly, and 'or so long! Seen as an art, t$e 'ield cold still prodce t$e reams o' speclati"e t$eory t$at it is so 'ond o' a'ter all, p$ilosop$y and r$etoric may be as easily considered arts as sciencesB, 7st so long as it were written beati'lly or interestingly! >$ile, 'or eample, *$e 2=
oo& o' t$e ;aw may be debatable in "ale w$en considered prely as prop$etic tet describing actal occrrences or states o' mind to come, it cannot be denied t$at it(s a s$it/$ot piece o' writing, w$ic$ deser"es to be re"ered as sc$! *$e point is t$at i' magic were to drop its n'l'ilable pretensions as a science and come ot o' t$e closet as an art, it wold ironically enog$ obtain t$e 'reedom to prse its scienti'ic aspirations, maybe e"en snea& p on some ni'ied 'ield t$eorem o' t$e spernatral, all in terms acceptable to modern cltre! Marcel Dc$amp(s magnm ops, *$e ride Stripped are by er ac$elors, is more li&ely to be t$og$t o' seriosly as genine alc$emy t$an is t$e wor& o' w$ic$e"er poor bastard last sggested t$at t$ere mig$t be somet$ing to cold 'sion! Art is clearly a more com'ortable en"ironment 'or magic t$in&ing t$an is science, wit$ a more relaing decor, and mc$ better/loo&ing 'rnitre! 5"en t$ose damaged sols so instittionalised by members$ip o' magic orders t$at t$ey can(t imagine any &ind o' li'estyle t$at does not in"ol"e belonging to some secreti"e, elite cabal need not despair at 'inding t$emsel"es $omeless and alone in or proposed new wilderness! Art $as no orders, bt it does $a"e mo"ements, sc$ools and clies wit$ all t$e 'rti"eness, t$e snottyness and t$e elitism t$at anyone cold wis$ 'or! etter yet, since di''ering sc$ools o' art are not so energetically competing wit$ eac$ ot$er 'or t$e same grond as are magic orders $ow can >illiam olman nt, 'or instance, be said to compete wit$ Miro, or Hermeer6B, t$is s$old ob"iate t$e need 'or di''ering sc$ools o' occlt t$og$t to 'ed, or snipe, or generally go on li&e a bnc$ o' sorry 8riswell/ot/o'/4lan /loo&ing bitc$es! ?st as t$ere is no need to entirely do wit$ot 'raternities, t$en similarly t$ere is no necessity 'or t$ose w$o("e grown attac$ed to sc$ t$ings to discard t$eir rital trappings or, indeed, t$eir ritals! *$e sole reirement is t$at t$ey approac$ t$ese matters wit$ a greater creati"ity, and wit$ a more discerning eye and ear 'or t$at w$ic$ is pro'ondG t$at w$ic$ is beati'l, original or power'l! Ma&e wands and seals and lamens 'it to stand in e$ibitions o' otsider art ow $ard can t$at be6 5"en mental patients ali'yB, ma&e e"ery rital a piece o' stnning and intense t$eatre! >$et$er one considers magic to be art or not, t$ese t$ings s$old srely scarcely need be said! >$o are or pri"ate ritals and adornments meant to please, i' not t$e gods6 >$en did t$ey e"er gi"e s t$e impression t$ey(d be pleased by 2C
t$at w$ic$ was not sitably eisite or original6 )ods, i' t$ey(re anyt$ing at all, are &nown to be notoriosly partial to creation, and may t$ere'ore be presmed to be appreciati"e o' $man creati"ity, t$e closest t$ing t$at we("e de"eloped to a god/game and or most sblime ac$ie"ement! *o be once more t$og$t o' as an art wold allow magic to retain all t$at is best abot t$e 'ield it was, w$ile at t$e same time o''ering t$e opportnity 'or it to 'loris$ and progress into a 'tre w$ere it mig$t accomplis$ so mc$ more! ow wold t$is mooted c$ange o' premise impact, t$en, pon or met$odology6 >$at s$i'ts o' emp$asis mig$t be entailed, and cold sc$ c$anges be to t$e ad"antage o' bot$ magic as a 'ield and s as indi"idals6 %' we seriosly mean to rein"ent t$e occlt as *$e Art, one basic alteration to or wor&ing met$ods t$at mig$t yield considerable bene'it wold be i' we resol"ed to crystallise w$ate"er insig$ts, trt$s or "isions or magical sorties $ad a''orded s into some arte'act, somet$ing t$at e"erybody else cold see as well, 7st 'or a c$ange! *$e natre o' t$e arte'act, be it a 'ilm, a $ai&, an epressi"e pencil/drawing or a ls$ t$eatrical etra"agan-a, is completely nimportant! All t$at matters is t$at it be art, and t$at it remain tre to its inspiration! >ere it adopted, at a stro&e, a relati"ely minor twea& o' process sc$ as t$is mig$t tterly trans'orm t$e world o' magic! at$er t$an be personally/moti"ated, crdely casal wor&ings o' bot$ dbios intent and dobt'l otcome, $and/7ob magic ended sally in scant grati'ication, or transactions wit$ t$e $idden world wold be made procreati"e, generating isse in t$e 'orm o' tangible reslts t$at e"eryone mig$t 7dge t$e wort$ o' 'or t$emsel"es! %n prely e"angelic terms, as propaganda 'or a more enlig$tened magic world"iew, art mst srely represent or most compelling Ne"idence( o' ot$er states and planes o' being! >$ile t$e t$og$ts o' Astin Spare are ndeniably o' interest w$en epressed in written 'orm as t$eory, it is wit$ot dobt $is talents as an artist t$at pro"ide t$e sense o' entities and ot$er worlds actally witnessed and recorded, t$e immediate at$enticity w$ic$ $as bestowed on Spare mc$ o' $is reptation as a great magician! More importantly, wor& sc$ as Spare(s pro"ides a window on t$e occlt world, allowing t$ose otside a clearer and per$aps more eloent epression o' w$at magic is abot t$an any arcane tract, o''ering t$em a wort$w$ile reason to approac$ t$e occlt in t$e 'irst place!
2
%n or wilderness scenario 'or magic, wit$ t$e 'ierce and 'air Darwinian competition between ideas t$at(s implied, treating t$e occlt as an art wold also lend a means o' dealing wit$ or carrying otB any disptes t$at mig$t arise! Art $as a way o' sorting ot sc$ sabbles 'or itsel', inargably, wit$ot resorting to lame processes li&e, 'or eample, "iolent con'lict resoltion, litigation, or, mc$ worse, girly democracy! >it$ art, t$e strongest "ision will pre"ail, e"en i' it ta&es decades, centries to do so, as wit$ >illiam la&e! *$ere is no need to e"en ta&e a "ote pon w$ic$ is t$e strongest "isionI t$at wold be t$e one 7st sitting ietly in its ndispted corner o' or cltre, nonc$alantly pic&ing its teet$ wit$ t$e sternms o' its ri"als! Mo-art brings down Salieri, sleeps 'or two days a'ter 'easting, dring w$ic$ time t$e sa"anna$ can rela! ;nging ot sddenly 'rom tower/bloc& s$adows, ?!)! allard ta&es ot Kingsley Amis, w$ile ?ean 8octea be all o"er D!>! )ri''it$s( scrawny %mperial 8yclops ass li&e a mot$er'c&er! An artistic natral selection, bloody/minded bt balanced, seems a 'ar more e"en/ $anded way o' settling a''airs t$an arbitrary and nanswerable rlings $anded down by $eads o' orders, sc$ as Moina Mat$ers telling Hiolet Firt$ $er ara lac&ed t$e proper symbols! Also, i' t$e "icios strggle 'or sr"i"al is enacted prely in t$e terms o' w$ose idea is t$e most potent and most beati'l in its epression, t$en bystanders at t$e coc&'ig$t are more li&ely to end p spattered wit$ gorgeos metap$ors t$an wit$ dripping, still/warm innards! 5"en or most pointless and incestos 'eds mig$t t$ereby $a"e a prodct t$at enric$ed t$e world in some small measre, rat$er t$an no otcome sa"e t$at magic seem still more a bic&ering and inane c$ildren(s playgrond t$an e"eryone t$og$t it was already! ?dged on its merits, sc$ a 7ngle/logic attitde to magic, wit$ its predatory aest$etics and ideas competing in a wilderness t$at(s 'ertilised by t$eir eisite cltral droppings, wold appear to o''er t$e occlt a win/ win sitation! ow cold anyone ob7ect, ecept 'or t$ose w$ose ideas mig$t be seen as plmp, slow/mo"ing, 'lig$tless and a $andy sorce o' proteinG t$ose well/ali'ied as primary prey w$o are per$aps beginning to sspect t$at t$is is all a tiger (s argment 'or open/plan sa'ari par&s6 pon consideration, t$ese last/mentioned dobts and 'ears, w$ile srely tri"ial wit$in a contet o' magic(s well/being as a 'ield, are li&ely to be t$e most serios obstacles to any wide acceptance o' a primal swampland et$ic sc$ as is proposed! owe"er, i' we accept t$at t$e sole alternati"es to 7ngle 2
are a circs or a -oo, t$e notion is per$aps more t$in&able! And i' or precios ideas s$old be clawed to pieces w$en t$ey(re scarcely ot t$e nest, t$en w$ile t$is is o' corse distressing, it(s no more o' an ordeal t$an t$at endred by any spotty sc$oolboy poet or Snday painter w$o eposes t$eir per$aps ngainly e''ort to anot$er(s scrtiny! >$y s$old 'ear o' ridicle or criticism, 'ear t$at t$e most lowly &arao&e drn& is seemingly ite capable o' o"ercoming, troble occltists w$o("e "owed to stand n'linc$ing at t$e gates o' ell itsel'6 %n 'act, s$oldn(t t$e o"ercoming o' sc$ simple p$obias be a prereisite 'or anyone w$o wants to style $is or $er sel' as a magician6 %' we regarded magic as an art and art as magic, i' li&e ancient s$amans we percei"ed a gi't 'or poetry as magic power, magically bestowed, woldn(t we 'inally $a"e some comebac& w$en t$e ordinary person in t$e street as&ed s, ite reasonably, to demonstrate some magic, t$en, i' we t$in& we(re so t$amatrgical6 ow empowering it wold be 'or occltists to steadily accmlate, t$rog$ s$eer $ard wor&, genine magical abilities t$at can be pro"ably displayed! *alents t$e ordinarily intelligent and rational person can ite readily accept as being trly magical in originG readily engage wit$ in a way t$at crrent occltism, wit$ its o'ten wil'l and nnecessary obscrantism, cannot manage! rgently epressed and $eart'elt t$og$ most modern grimoires most assredly may be, a s&im t$rog$ orges( Fictions or a glimpse o' 5sc$er or a side or two o' 8aptain ee'$eart wold be mc$ more li&ely to persade t$e ordinary reader to a magically recepti"e point o' "iew! %' consciosness itsel', wit$ its eistence in t$e natral world being beyond t$e power o' science to con'irm, is t$ere'ore sper/natral and occlt, srely art is one o' t$e most ob"ios and spectaclar means by w$ic$ t$at spernatral realm o' mind and sol re"eals itsel', ma&es itsel' mani'est pon a gross material plane! Art(s power is immediate and irre'table, immense! %t s$i'ts t$e consciosness, noticeably, o' bot$ t$e artist and $er adience! %t can c$ange men(s li"es and t$ence c$ange $istory, society itsel'! %t can inspire s nto wonders or else $orrors! %t can o''er spple, yong, epanding minds new spaces to in$abit or can o''er com'ort to t$e dying! %t can ma&e yo 'all in lo"e, or ct some idol(s reptation into ribbons at a glance and lea"e t$em maimed be'ore t$eir wors$ippers, dead to posterity! %t con7res )oya de"ils and osetti angels into "isible appearance! %t is bot$ t$e bane and most 30
belo"ed tool o' tyrants! %t trans'orms t$e world w$ic$ we in$abit, c$anges $ow we see t$e ni"erse, or t$ose abot s, or orsel"es! >$at $as been claimed o' sorcery t$at art $as not already ndeniably ac$ie"ed6 %t(s led a billion into lig$t and slain a billion more! %' t$e accretion o' occlt ability and power is or ob7ecti"e, we cold $a"e no more prodcti"e, potent means or medim t$an art w$ereby t$is is to be accomplis$ed! Art may not ma&e t$at w$is&/broom come to li'e and mltiply and strt rond cleaning p yor crib!!!bt nor does magic, 'or t$at matter!!!yet simply dreaming p t$e image mst $a"e srely earned >alt Disney enog$ money so $e cold pay somebody to come by and ta&e care o' t$at st'' 'or $im! And still $a"e enog$ c$ange to get $is $ead pt in t$is massi"e $ieroglyp$ic/c$iselled ice cbe somew$ere nderneat$ t$e Magic Kingdom! *$ere, srely to )od, is all o' t$e implacable Satanic in'lence t$at anybody, sane or ot$erwise, cold e"er as& 'or! %n reclaiming magic as *$e Art, amo& and na&ed in a ossea wilderness de"oid o' lodges, it is probable t$at t$ose made most neasy by t$e proposition wold be t$ose w$o 'elt t$emsel"es npri"ileged by sc$ a mo"e, t$ose w$o sspected t$at t$ey $ad no art to o''er w$ic$ mig$t be s''icient to its tas&! Sc$ trepidations, w$ile t$ey may be nderstandable, srely cannot sit well wit$ t$e $eroic, 'earless image one imagines many occltists to $a"e con'ected 'or t$emsel"esG seem some$ow cra"en! %s t$ere trly not$ing, neit$er cra't nor art, w$ic$ t$ey can 'as$ion to an implement o' magic6 Do t$ey $a"e no talent t$at may be employed creati"ely and magically, be it 'or mat$ematics, dancing, dreaming, drmming, stand/p comedy, striptease, gra''iti, $andling sna&es, scienti'ic demonstration, ctting per'ectly good cows in $al' or sclpting scarily realistic bsts o' 5ropean monarc$y 'rom t$eir own 'aeces6 Or, li&e, anyt$ing6 5"en i' sc$ abilities are not at present plenti'l or e"ident, cannot t$ese timoros sols imagine t$at by application and some $onest labor talents may be 'irst acired t$en $oned down to a se'l edge6 ard wor& s$old not be a completely 'oreign concept to t$e Mags! *$is is not e"en *$e )reat >or& t$at we(re necessarily discssing $ere, it(s 7st t$e )ood/t/@ot/)reat >or&! Mc$ more ac$ie"able! %' t$at still sonds too di''iclt and time/consming, yo cold always ma&e t$e acisition o' pro'ond artistic talent and sccess yor $eart(s desire and simply spadge o"er a sigil! @e"er 'ails, apparently! So w$at ecse cold anybody $a"e 'or not embracing art as magic, magic as *$e Art6 31
%' yo are trly, 'or w$ate"er reason, now and 'or all time incapable o' any creati"ity, t$en are yo sre t$at magic is t$e 'ield to w$ic$ yo are most eminently sited6 A'ter all, t$e 'ast/'ood c$ains are always $iring! *en years and yo cold be a branc$ manager! y nderstanding art as magic, by concei"ing pen or brs$ as wand, we t$s retrn to t$e magician $is or $er original s$amanic powers and social import, gi"e bac& to t$e occlt bot$ a prodct and a prpose! >$o &nows6 %t mig$t trn ot t$at by implementing sc$ a s$i't we $a"e remo"ed t$e need 'or all or personally/moti"ated casal c$arms and crses, or $edge/magic! %' we were accomplis$ed and proli'ic in or art, per$aps t$e gods mig$t be prepared to send sbstantial wee&ly postal orders, all wit$ot s e"en as&ing! %n t$e se and romance sta&es, as artists we(d all ma&e ot li&e 4icasso! >omen, men and animals wold o''er t$emsel"es na&ed at or 'eet, e"en in >oolwort$(s! As 'or t$e destrction o' or enemies, we simply woldn(t bot$er to in"ite t$em to or lanc$/parties and openings, and t$ey(d 7st die! *$is re/imagining o' magic as *$e Art cold clearly bene'it t$e occlt world in general and t$e indi"idal magician in particlar, bt let(s not o"erloo& t$e 'act t$at it mig$t also bene'it t$e arts! %t mst be said t$at modern mainstream cltre, 'or t$e greater part and 'rom most ci"ilised perspecti"es, is a *pperware container 'll o' sic&! *$e artists o' t$e age admittedly, wit$ a 'ew notable eceptionsB seem intent pon re'lecting t$e balloon/li&e $ollowness and conseent obsession wit$ mere sr'ace t$at we 'ind amongst or era(s go"ernments and leaders! ?st a year or two ago, t$e old *ate )allery(s la&e retrospecti"e drew 'rom critics s$arp comparisons wit$ t$e rit/artists crrently in$abiting la&e(s So$o stamping grond, obser"ing t$at t$e modern crop o' tnnel/"isionaries pale w$en $eld p to la&e(s ;ambet$ lig$t! *$e stdied and sel'/conscios Ncra-iness( o' *racey 5min is made tame beside $is $oly tyger madness, all accomplis$ed wit$in $owling/ range o' edlam! Damien irst is s$oc&ing in a sper'icial manner, bt not s$oc&ing to t$e point w$ere $e $as loyalty oat$s, "igilante lync$/mobs and sedition trials to deal wit$! ?a&e and Dinos 8$apman(s contribtions to Apocalypse t$e e$ibition, not t$e sitation wit$ %raB are not in any sense a re"elation! >illiam la&e cold pll a 'ar sperior apocalypse 'rom *$e ed Dragon(s sclpted crimson btt wit$ot a second t$og$t! *$e modern art 32
world deals now in $ig$/concept items, mc$ li&e t$e related t$rog$ 8$arles Saatc$iB 'ield o' ad"ertising! %t appears to be bere't o' "ision, or indeed o' t$e capacity 'or sc$, and o''ers little in t$e way o' noris$ment to its srronding cltre, w$ic$ cold se a decent and sstaining meal rig$t abot now! 8oldn(t a rea''irmation o' t$e magical as art pro"ide t$e inspiration, lend t$e "ision and t$e sbstance t$at are all so mani'estly lac&ing in t$e world o' art today6 >oldn(t sc$ a sol/in'sion allow art to li"e p to its prpose, to its mission, to insist t$at t$e interior and sb7ecti"e $man "oice be $eard in cltre, $eard in go"ernment, $eard on t$e stained )rand )ignol stages o' t$e world6 Or s$old we 7st sit bac& and wait 'or praeter/$man intellects 'rom Siris or Disney(s wal&ing w$is&/brooms or t$e Aeon o' ors to arri"e and sort t$is mess ot 'or s6 A prodcti"e nion, a synt$esis o' art and magic propagated in a cltre, an en"ironment, a magic landscape lac&ing temple walls and $eirloom 'rnis$ings t$at e"eryone tripped o"er anyway! Staged amidst t$e gemming 'erns and prpled steam/$eat o' a re/establis$ed occlt biosp$ere, t$is passionate con7nction o' two $man 'aclties wold srely constitte a 8$emic >edding w$ic$, i' we were lc&y and t$ings got completely ot o' $and at t$e 8$emic eception, mig$t precipitate a 8$emic Orgy, an indecent, riotos eplosion o' sppressed creati"e rges, astral coplings o' ideas reslting in mltiple birt$s o' c$imerae and radiant monsters! Fierce conceptal centars wit$ t$eir legs o' per'me and t$eir $eads o' msic! Mermaid notions, 'lic&ering silent mo"ies t$at are arc$itectre 'rom t$e waist down! )enre sp$ines and style manticores! n$eard o' and ndreamed mtations, no"el art/'orms breeding and adapting 'ast enog$ to &eep p wit$ t$e world and its momentm, acting more li&e li'e/'orms, more li&e 'ana, more li&e 'lora to proli'erate in or pro7ected magic wilderness! *$e possible release o' 'sion energy made sddenly a"ailable w$en t$ese two $ea"y cltral elements, magic and art, are brog$t into dynamic close proimity mig$t 'airy/lig$t or 7ngle, mig$t e"en $elp to illminate t$e mainstream social mlc$ t$at it, and we, are rooted in! @ot$ing pre"ents s t$rowing o'' t$e callipers and t$e restraints, t$e training w$eels t$at $a"e retarded magic(s 'orward progress 'or so long t$at moss obliterates its railway trac&s and branc$/line sidings bot$! @ot$ing can stop s, i' we $a"e t$e will, 'rom rede'ining magic as an art, as somet$ing "ital and progressi"e! Somet$ing w$ic$ in its ability to deal wit$ t$e interior 33
$man world $as a demonstrable tility, can be o' actal se to ordinary people, wit$ t$eir inner worlds increasingly encroac$ed pon by a tyrannical, colonialist eterior t$at(s intent on strip/mining t$em o' any dreams or 7oy or sel'/determination! %' we so resol"ed we cold restore to magic a potential and a potency, a prpose it $as barely cag$t a glimpse o' in t$e last 'or $ndred years! >ere we prepared to ta&e on t$e responsibility 'or t$is endea"or t$en t$e world mig$t see again t$e grand and terrible magicians t$at, otside o' bland and ino''ensi"e c$ildren(s boo&s or big/screen and obscenely/bdgeted etra"agances, it $as all bt managed to 'orget! %t mig$t be arged t$at at t$is ner"e/wrac&ing 7nctre o' or $man sitation, magical perspecti"es are not merely rele"ant bt are an indispensable necessity i' we are to sr"i"e wit$ minds and personalities intact! y rede'ining t$e term magic we cold once again con'ront t$e world(s iniities and mr& in or pre'erred, time/$onored met$odI wit$ a word! Ma&e t$e word magic mean somet$ing again, somet$ing wort$y o' t$e name, somet$ing w$ic$, as a de'inition o' t$e magical, wold $a"e delig$ted yo w$en yo were siG w$en yo were se"enty! %' we accomplis$ t$is, i' we can rein"ent or scary, wild and 'ablos art 'or t$ese scary, wild and 'ablos new times t$at we are mo"ing t$rog$, t$en we cold o''er t$e occlt a 'tre 'ar more glorios and brimming wit$ ad"entre t$an we e"er t$og$t or wis$ed its 'abled past $ad been! manity, loc&ed in t$is penitentiary o' a material world t$at we $a"e been constrcting 'or orsel"es 'or centries now, $as per$aps ne"er needed more t$e &ey, t$e ca&e/wit$/'ile/in, t$e last/ minte pardon 'rom t$e go"ernor t$at magic represents! >it$ its nonce/case religions and t$eir 7aw/droppingly demented 'ndamentalists, wit$ its bedroom/'arce royalties, and wit$ its demagoges more casally s$ameless in t$eir "ile ambitions t$an t$ey("e been in li"ing memory, society at present, w$et$er in t$e east or west, wold seem to lac& a spirital and moral centre, wold indeed appear to lac& e"en t$e 'limsiest pretence at sc$ a t$ing! *$e science w$ic$ sstains society, increasingly, at its most 'ar/'lng antm edges 'inds it mst resort to terminology 'rom t$e &abbala or 'rom S'i literatre to adeately state w$at it now &nows abot or cosmic origins! %n all its many areas and compartments, all its scattered 'ields, t$e world wold seem to be practically crying ot 'or t$e nminos to come and resce it 'rom t$is berser& material cltre t$at $as all bt eaten it entire and s$at it t$rog$ a colander! And w$ere is magic, w$ile all t$is is going on6 %t(s trying to 'orce or boy'riend to come bac& to s! %t(s scraping cas$ 3+
toget$er to 'end o'' t$e blac& $ole in or plastic, trying to gi"e t$at pric& t$at or e/wi'e ran o'' wit$ somet$ing terminal! %t(s ma&ing sre t$at *een >itc$ slmber parties go sccess'lly! %t(s ptting wispy @ew Age people into contact wit$ t$eir wispy @ew Age angels, and t$ey(re all, li&e, :@o way<, and t$e angels are all, li&e, :>$ate"ere cold, i' we desired it, $a"e t$ings ot$erwise! at$er t$an magic t$at(s in t$rall to a 'ondly imagined golden past, or else to some lridly/'antasi-ed 5lder )od t$eme/par& a''air o' a 'tre, we cold try instead a magic adeate and rele"ant to its own etraordinary times! >e cold, were we to so decide, ensre t$at crrent occltism be remembered in t$e $istory o' magic as a 'an'are pea& rat$er t$an as a 'ading sig$G as an embarrassed, dying mmbleG not e"en a w$imper! >e cold ma&e t$is parc$ed terrain a teeming paradise, a tropic w$ere eac$ t$og$t mig$t blossom into art! nder t$e altar lies t$e stdio, t$e beac$! >e cold insist pon it, were we trly w$at we say 3
we are! >e cold ac$ie"e it not by scrawling sigils bt by cra'ting stories, paintings, symp$onies! >e cold allow or art to spread its $oly psyc$edelic scarab wings across society once more, per$aps in doing so allow some lig$t or grace to 'all pon t$at pained, benig$ted organism! >e cold be made a'res$ in or 'res$ ndergrowt$, stand rein"ented at a tre dawn o' or 8ra't wit$in a morning world, or paint still wet, 7st/$atc$ed and gmmy/eyed in 5den! @ewborn in 8reation!
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Alan Moore @ort$ampton 31st December, 2002! M!>! 11!03!1+
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