From: shava@hermes.oit.unc.edu (Shava Nerad Averett)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Please REPLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 14 Apr 92 23:05:58 GMT
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

In article <JLPHBNX2@cc.swarthmore.edu> Elisheva writes:
>I recently posted a request for info on sorcery.  I Really  need to gather
>info. by tommorrow.  Please reply.
>I need to know how various people define sorcery, plusa any philosopies,
>personal beliefs, or storie you have concerning it.  I know that this is a bit
>broad, ut, thde problem ias thqat I have heard sorcery defined as purely evil,
>andd read that in a feewbooks, but I disagree.  I have also heard that it is
>simply high magic.  Please do respond......thanks..
>
Sorcery is not a well defined term.  In some traditions they differentiate
sorcery and healing magicks, in which case sorcery is defined as magick
intended to work personal (rather than altruistic?) material ends.  This
is not my definition, but I seem to remember it coming up in a discussion
of Castaneda.

I don't use the term myself, for anything I do.  I don't define it or 
really care for it one way or another.  So I don't have anything to say
about it.  

If a sorceror tells you that sorcery is purely evil, I'd say he's playing
a power trip on you.  If a non-sorceror tells you that sorcery is purely
evil, I'd say that that person is damned ignorant.

I hope this isn't for a paper...  

>ALso, for personal reasons, AANY protection magick would be appreciated.


Here's paul clark's words on the subject:

	"I think I'm being psychically attacked. How can I tell and what
should I do about it?"

	First of all, relax- you probably aren't. All accounts agree that 95%
(or more) of reported psychic attacks only exist in the mind of the supposed
victim. This may happen for various emotional reasons, but the same phenomenon
occasionally seems to happen to individuals who get involved with various
magical or spiritual practices, but have not yet learned basic techniques for
balancing and cleansing themselves- basic magical hygiene.
	This seems to be especially the case for those involved with passive
psychic abilities- having gotten the door open, they don't know how to shut it
again and soon, like noises when you're hung over, every disturbing sensation
can feel like an attack.

	A good source of information on dealing with possible psychic attack
is 'Psychic Self-Defense', by Dion Fortune. This was written in the early part
of the century, when many occultists imagined they were seeing 'Black Lodges'
behind every bush. She recounts many stories of this mania, as well as other
very interesting cases.
	In case the attack is real, Fortune gives an introduction to basic
banishing based on Golden Dawn material. This same technique is the basis for
the personal balancing taught by many western schools of magick, so it's a
good starting point in any case.

	The simplest defense of all, explains Fortune, is laughter. Go see a
funny movie, one that will leave you rolling in the aisles (I heartily
recommend 'All of Me', starring Steve Martin & Lily Tomlin). Something about
expansive, rollicking belly laughter seems to drive away the gremlins, whether
they're the result of hidden enemies or just overactive imagination. 

	Real magicians who actually know what they're doing usually have much
better things to do than go around bothering people.

/* end paul clark's stuff... */
-- 
Shava Nerad Averett				shava_averett@unc.edu
/*  all materials (c)1992, Shava Nerad Averett, and have nothing significant
    to do with the University of North Carolina, a mostly owned subsidiary 
    of the NC Legislature, a mostly owned subsidiary of the DOT.      */