HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pst@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Peter Stephen Thomas Iii)
Subject: Re: BLACK CROWS
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 19:39:07 GMT

In article <memo.540310@cix.compulink.co.uk> shaman@cix.compulink.co.uk writes:
>blewis@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Benn L. Lewis) writes...
>
>
>
> >       I could use the help of the internet for this one:
>
> >       OK, i was on the phone with this female (who has a serious
> >       boyfriend) and this crow flew up to my window and started
> >       pecking on the screen- DOES THIS MEAN I'M GONNA GET LUCKY????
>
>  >      is it a sign or something?


I have to agree with a lot of people here and say that taken in it's given
context, which is very little, it could be interpeted as many things.

I think the words of Sigmund Freud are relevent here:

"And sometimes, gentlemen, a cigar is just a cigar!"

Peter Thomas

-- 
"I'll lose my beard when they shave it from my cold, dead face!"

Quote from the Razor's Anonymous Handbook

Newsgroups: alt.magick
From: ba@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (B.A. Davis-Howe)
Subject: Re: The Middle Pillar ritual, help needed
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 15:31:53 GMT


The main part of this post is Appendix C of _The Ritual Magic Workbook_ by
Delores Ashcroft-Nowiki.  I have no experience with using this form, since I
will not use Kabbalah in ritual.  (I believe that using Kabbalah in ritual,
other than devotional ritual, is contrary to the intention of the Jews who
developed the Kabbalah.  See Z'ev Ben Shimon Halevi's _Kabbalah: Tradition of
Hidden Knowledge_ to hear a Jewish point of view on the subject.)  Other than
the fact that it uses Kabbalah, as do allmost all texts on CM, the book is
excellent.  I recommend it highly to anyone wanting to learn CM.

One other caveat: while there are some folk, for example Crowley, who say that 
these Hebrew letters, names, and other correspondences are part of the inherent
nature of the universe, *most* experienced magical practitioners, of any style,
recommend that one only use forms which one has an understanding of.  The 
Middle Pillar Exercise is not suggested in the _RMW_ until *after* one has read
a few basic books on Ceremonialist Kabbalah.  I have developed a similar ritual
form, without any use of Hebrew or other concepts which are not natural to the
dominant Western Culture, using both this G.D version and the parallel forms
in the Aurum Solis material and an inspiration of one of the members of our
Community. It would also only make sense in a context of what is meant by the
"middle pillar".  IMO, forms without context are forms without power.

              Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again,
                               Br'anArthur

Queer, Peculiar, and Wyrd! :-)

Quotation begins here:

Stand facing the East and visualise a sphere of brilliant white light floating
just above your head.
Visualise a beam of white light descending from the sphere into the top of your
head.  At the same time vibrate AHIH (Eh-he-yay).
The beam of light now descends as far s your throat where it forms a sphere of
brilliant purple.  Now vibrate YHVH Elohim (Ye-ho-vay El-o-heem).
The beam continues its descent as far as the solar plexus.  Here it produces a
sphere of brilliant gold.  Vibrate YHVH Aloah va-Daat (Ye-ho-wha El-o-ah
va-Da-art).
Now the light descends to the area of the genitals, producing a sphere of 
brilliant purple.  Vibrate Shaddai el Chai (Shah-day El Chai).
The light now reaches the soles of the feet and forms a large black sphere.
Imagine that you are standing on this sphere.  Vibrate the name ADNI ha-Aretz
(Ah-don-ai ha Ah-retz).
Newsgroups: alt.magick
From: patel@sparc7.cs.uiuc.edu (Anand C Patel)
Subject: Crowley's Thoth tarot
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 18:39:18 GMT

Does anyone know anything about the Thoth tarot that they would be willing to
share -- beyond what is in the book that came with the cards?  These cards are
fascinating to look at, and have never once failed to divine truth for me, and
I was just wondering what others on the net knew of them.

Thanx,
AC
patel@cs.uiuc.edu

Newsgroups: alt.magick
From: sallyb@qiclab.scn.rain.com (Sally Bowley)
Subject: Re: Angels
Organization: SCN Research/Qic Laboratories of Tigard, Oregon.
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 02:49:18 GMT

In article <NFwmoB1w164w@mintir.new-orleans.la.us> elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley) writes:
>harris@drvax3.msfc.nasa.gov (Mitch Harris) writes:
>
>> I'm not sure if this is the right group to post in, but here goes:
>> Has anyone read " A Book of Angels", & if so, do you believe in them?
>> Has anyone had an experience which might be construed as an encounter
>> with angels?
>> Thanks!
>> 
>> 
>>        (Posted for Beverly H.)
>> 
>> --
>> Mitch Harris                           |  New Technology Inc.
>> (205)-544-2846                         |  700 Boulevard South, #401
>> drvax3!harris@freedom.msfc.nasa.gov    |  Huntsville, AL  35802
>> 
>
>I've seen the book you've mentioned in the store and have flipped through 
>it, but I haven't bought it or really sat down to read it.  
>
>I do indeed believe in angels, in particular the Archangels who represent 
>the four elements.  While I've never had an experience that I'd call a 
>'encounter' with an angel, I do visualizatins of the Archangels, and sense 
>their presence in the element they represent.  I've also felt at times a 
>reassuring presence that could well be a Guardian Angel, though it's been 
>nothing more than a reassuring feeling, not a real 'encounter'.
>
an aside to this thread : which particular archangels to you  (or
anyone else) attribute to each element? i've been doing a fair bit of
reading lately and have not yet found a consistency for this. thanks!
sally

>
>>Edward J. Branley         elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us<
>>Seashell Software, Metairie, LA            +1-504-455-5087<


Newsgroups: alt.magick,alt.pagan
From: hiho@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Mark Peterson)
Subject: Re: (Was: Tantra)  Now: Recantra
Originator: hiho@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Reply-To: hiho@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 17:34:51 GMT

From article <BrxM6D.Dzx@acsu.buffalo.edu>, by oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown):
> In article <joshua.711475817@coombs>, joshua@coombs.anu.edu.au (Joshua Geller) writes...

[...]

> I thought of Kelley having the hots for Dee's wife as a possible 
> explanation long before I read it in a book, though the book gave the 
> additional information ***recant on*** based on no apparent source  
> ***recant off*** that Dee's wife was prettier.  ***recant on*** 
> If you say the book sucks, it probably does. ***recant off***  
> (Don't think I would have sent you anything *really* good, do you?) :)  


Don't re-canter...especially whine.  (sorry about that...)  

Still, if you're a Gopi, having the hots is just another way to raise
Brahm...

Incidentally, does anyone out there play Scrabble?


hiho
-- 
mark ce peterson   | uw-washington county  | hiho@csd4.csd.uwm.edu 
dept of philosophy | west bend, wi.  53095 | (414) 335-5200        

     The shorter the tether, the sooner the goat starves.
From: n8743494@rowlf.cc.wwu.edu (The Stranger)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Possible to Obtain magic powers>?
Date: 22 Jul 92 18:28:34 GMT
Organization: Western Washington University

In article <83950112@otter.hpl.hp.com> cal@otter.hpl.hp.com (Colin Low) writes:
>>
>>There is already several RPG that have such a system.  GURPS has a system
>>where each spell is learned seperitly with seperit skill levels for each 
>>spell.  Shadowrun has something simular.  They both do not had the spell-
>>caster froget the spell after they cast it, more realistic IMHO.  However
>>they both have a limiting facter on the spellcasters so one doesn't cast
>>fireballs all day.  
>>
>>Personaly I am glad that some of these fantisy spells do not execst.  Can 
>>you imagen a squad of spellcasters at the beck and call of a goverment?
>>Not a nice imige.
>>
>>The Stranger
>>
>Sometimes I find it possible to believe that there are people who think
>a spell-checker is an RPG playing aid for advanced wizards :-(
>
>Colin

So I a hard time spelling because of my dyslexsea, so sue me.

Your coment was in bad taste.

The Stranger
Newsgroups: alt.magick
From: jds2@po.CWRU.Edu (John D. Specht)
Subject: Re: Possible to Obtain magic powers>?
Reply-To: jds2@po.CWRU.Edu (John D. Specht)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 22:55:58 GMT


In a previous article, erc@unislc.uucp (Ed Carp) says:
>: Um, that's an interesting way to look at the situation, and I can't argue it 
>: except I don't have any memory of "accepting the limitation of the flesh" at 
>: any time, so I'm wondering if maybe I was drunk at the time.
>
>I realize that this a circular argument, but just because you don't remember
>doesn't mean it didn't happen.  There *are* ways of bringing this information
>out.

I can't reason based on what I don't know, or don't believe in, so I don't
try to. Most of the 'ways' I have seen for getting at 'past life' or 
'higher consciousness' are about 10% inspiration, 90% imagination. I know
there are some serious practitioners out there, but they're not the ones
getting press and TV.

>: How did you discover these rules? Again I would argue that what you have found
>: to be your truth may be not so true for those not sharing all of your
>: previous experiences.
>
>It is one of several common themes running through (1) NDEs, (2) regressive
>hypnosis sessions, and (3) most ancient religious texts.

1) What's an NDE? 2) Regressive hypnosis, see 10%/90% comment above. 3) Ancient 
religious texts: so If I write a book that's good enough to be around in 2k 
years, and it happens to be religious fiction (*quickflame*: Ain't it all?),
then would that be an 'ancient religious text' which could be accepted as
fact?

>: >Killing will generate a large amount of disharmonious karma.  Kissing her, in
>: >some circumstances, may also generate disharmonious karma.
>: 
>: If a man has roamed the country, doing much bodily harm for some time, and 
>: I have an opportunity to end this destruction, I will. I consider the 'karma'
>: (if you want to call it that) of the world, rather than my own, and in fact,
>: I would benefit from that act, having made the world a better place.
>
>I don't want to get into a long-winded discussion of karma, since this
>more properly belongs on talk.religion.newage.  Tibetans believe that
>*any* killing, justified or not, beings undesirable karma on the perpetrator,
>while Buddhism (and several other religious) do not.
I guess I took _Lords_of_Light_ too seriously. :)


Paul


And I thought this thread was a goner!
-- 
jds2 	John D. Specht (Heads I win; Tails you lose.) Virtual reality is life!
ae358	Paul Bort (It ain't pretty being easy) Spring: Forces, Coiled again!
If you want to save an endangered species, hug a romantic.
Love is the triumph and pleasure and joy and light that makes life bearable.
From: canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Archaeology (was Re: Truth or Deception?)
Date: 24 Jul 92 16:25:30 GMT
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

In article <QeOqhZu00UhWE8UXgz@andrew.cmu.edu> Shawn Clayton Knight <sk4p+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>Of course, if you want archaeological evidence, there is the so-called
>"Israel Stele", an Egyptian tablet carved in the reign of Merneptah
>(Ramses II's 14th son and successor) which says:  "Israel is detroyed,
>and her seed dispersed."
>Maybe the Egyptians got most of the Hebrews ...
>who knows?

	Of course, they would hardly inscribe on some tablett for all
posterity to see: "Boy, those Hebrews totally escaped and we look like
fools!"  :)

Cheers,
Carl

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Edlund Anderson	            	"Hefi ek ok aldri sva reitt vapn
canders@isr.harvard.edu			at manni at eigi hafi vidh kommit."
OR
anderso2@husc.harvard.edu			- Skarphedhinn Njalsson 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Runes (was Re: Odinism Help for Newbie)
Date: 27 Jul 92 18:40:58 GMT
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

In article <62781@cup.portal.com> Tagi@cup.portal.com (Tagi Mordred Nagashiva) writes:
>We may discover that my 'elven runes' which my aunt martha
>says were invented by the wee folk (that have, according to 'scholars'
>NO historical validity) are more useful and powerful than any *approved*
>brand.  [Take this as a flame to your elitism, not your person]

	Well, no one has proved that the "wee folk" _don't_ exist! :)

>Secondly, I thought that the mention of runes as one's own alphabet was
>a VERY interesting point.  Has anybody ever done work on the english
>alphabet as a runic system?  I've started work using it as a system of
>gematria (assigning it 1-10, 20-100, and 200-800 values) and plan to
>weave it into my own tarot deck, but have never heard of doing it for
>RUNES.  Any ideas how any of this might be accomplished or why it
>couldn't?  

	Well, I've occasionally thought about this sort of thing.  It would
be good if there the current Anglo-Roman alphabet letters had names or
associations as the runes did.  I suppose in some ways, they do, but I'm
not sure how far I would get with a divination system based on "A is for
Apple ..."   Still it is an interesting idea.

>Before you think I've gone off half-cocked (which I might have but am
>assuming not) I do think there is some importance to historical 
>approaches to subjects, and even understand a review of their
>HISTORICITY, but I argue vehemently against the connection of this
>historicity with an absolute standard of value.

	A worthy point.  In the end, if something works for you, then go
with it.  Although I myself _am_ interested in finding out what is
historically accuarte, as I am interested in what people THEN thought as
well as what people now think.  

Cheers,
Carl

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Edlund Anderson	            	"Hefi ek ok aldri sva reitt vapn
canders@isr.harvard.edu			at manni at eigi hafi vidh kommit."
OR
anderso2@husc.harvard.edu			- Skarphedhinn Njalsson 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: aaronk@county.lmt.mn.org (Aaron Kurland)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Kali-Ma (was: Re: The REAL art of Tarot)
Date: 23 Jul 92 04:25:27 GMT
Organization: LaserMaster R&D, Minneapolis, MN  USA

>From: shava@hermes.oit.unc.edu (Shava Nerad Averett)

>Kali-Ma, the dark mother, is *not* (as someone posted a quote from a book)
>the Hindu triple goddess of creation/preservation/destruction, in any
>interpretation out of the native culture I have ever seen.

>She *is* the hungry earth and the other symbols mentioned.  But she is
>the destruction required for life to go on.  She is the breakdown of
>order necessary for evolution, or revolution.

This was my understanding of Kali-Ma.

That's why I named my daughter Kali.  I previous to her conception I was 
very much anti-procreation (although practicing was always okay!). She was 
an unplanned but by no means unloved.  She is 7 months old now (she was 
born 3 months[!!!!] premature).  She has the strength and will of many.  If 
she had been an boy she almost certainly would have died.

Aaron

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross."
                                        - Spalding Gray

  My company has not yet accepted my application for Corporate Spokesmodel.

        Mail: aaronk@county.lmt.mn.org       Flames: alt.dev.nul
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.magick
From: u9038752@cc.uow.edu.au (roger bolton)
Subject: The Middle Pillar ritual, help needed
Organization: University Of Wollongong
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 92 06:12:05 GMT

I've been reading 'Secrets of Western Tantra', Falcon Press, 1989,
and it mentions the Middle Pillar ritual as an essential part of
tantric practice.  Unfortunately its very unclear about what the 
middle pillar ritual is.  I've got a feeling its in there somewhere,
but just isn't labeled clearly.
If anyone can help me out either by describing the middle pillar ritual
or telling me another reference where I can find it, I would vastly
appreciate it.
Thanks
Eldritch
From: cward@Think.COM (Christopher)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Truth or Deception?
Date: 21 Jul 1992 20:50:18 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: custard.think.com

In article <3406@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP>, tjw@vms.cis.pitt.edu (TJ Wood) writes:
|> I was watching a PBS-like (I think it was BBC) program the other night that
|> had an item that made me sit up and take notice.  It said that archaeologists
|> were looking for any proof of the Exodus (600,000 people left Egypt all at
|> once -- there should be some sort of secondary conformation available).

CBS ran a similar two hour show last month (I canna recall the title just now)
but it reviewed a number of O.T. stories and then the non-biblical substantiation and/or rejection of the events.  I though they were both thorough and fair to all sides.  The Exodus events, including parting of the Red Sea were shown to be supported by archaeological findings and scientific study.  Using satellite photos, high-tech geographical scans and a scale mock-up of the Red Sea area, they recreated the whole thing.

In some parts, one could argue as to the natural or super-natural causes for some phenomina but there is at least support that the events occurred.  As to the spiritual interpretation, they left that up to the viewer.
 
|> I wish I had paid more attention and gotten the name of the program.  In
|> any case it was certainly interesting.

I'm watching for the CBS special to be repeating for my VCR.

|> I'm hoping that the "Dead Sea Scrolls" will be translated an made available
|> to the lay person for study.

There are two books I know of that have some of the scrolls translated into English; The Other Bible and The Nag Hamahdi Library.  Try your local library.

	In L.V.X.,
	Christopher
From: cranmer@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Runes (and Gematria)
Date: 27 Jul 92 10:18:14 EDT


 Hello,

   Tagi, I like your English gematria.  I think I have seen something
 like it, however, in _some_ book _somewhere_ (how's that for specifics!)

   I don't know, the whole 'selling point' for gematria -- and the whole
 letter/rune/mystical-correspondence thing -- hinges for me on the antiquity,
 or perhaps ORIGINALITY of the alphabet used.  For example the Greek,
 Roman/English, and Russian (Cyrillic) alphabets are all derived from the
 same proto-Semitic alphabet that eventually turned into Hebrew and Arabic.
 Since it's possible to 'derive' where each letter in these alphabets came
 from, I find it hard to NOT go back to the source.  But that's probably
 just my scientific nature :-) !!  I've always had an interest in the
 history of writing systems.

   Please don't get me wrong -- historical veracity has nothing to do with
 originality!  While proto-Semitic, Sanskrit, and perhaps 'futhark' runes
 may be in the class of 'original' alphabetic scripts, so are Tolkien's
 elvish and John Dee's (Enoch's? Ave's?) Enochian!

   There are also, of course, non-alphabetic scripts -- Egyptian hieroglyphs
 (sort of), Mayan and Aztec glyphs, and syllabic scripts like Cretan Linear
 B and Cypriotic.  Hmm...  a set of correspondences based on these would
 have to be more 'fluid' and not as 'one-to-one' as with an alphabetic
 script.  I wonder if it has ever been tried?
____________________________________________________________________________
   "Hold your fire -- Keep it burning bright,
    Hold the flame 'til the dream ignites --
    A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission!"   - N. Peart

                                  Steve Cranmer
                                  cranmer@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
From: misha@netlink.cts.com (Michael Glosson)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: The Middle Pillar ritual, help needed
Date: 28 Jul 92 03:18:10 GMT
Organization: NetLink Online Communications, San Diego CA

u9038752@cc.uow.edu.au (roger bolton) writes:

> I've been reading 'Secrets of Western Tantra', Falcon Press, 1989,
> and it mentions the Middle Pillar ritual as an essential part of
> tantric practice.  Unfortunately its very unclear about what the 
> middle pillar ritual is.  I've got a feeling its in there somewhere,
> but just isn't labeled clearly.
> If anyone can help me out either by describing the middle pillar ritual
> or telling me another reference where I can find it, I would vastly
> appreciate it.
 
Is that one of Chris Hyatt's books?  Anyway, the Middle Pillar is a
Golden Dawn ritual.  New Falcon(Falcon) Press sells lots of GD
material.  It usually found in the Fifth Knowledge Lecture in the 
Golden Dawn tome.
 
m

--                    
INTERNET:  misha@netlink.cts.com (Michael Glosson)
UUCP:   ...!ryptyde!netlink!misha
NetLink Online Communications * Public Access in San Diego, CA (619) 453-1115
From: jasonp@tiger1.prime.com (Jason Pascucci)
Subject: Re: Sex, and Scrabble Divination (Was: Recantra.)
Organization: Prime Computer, Inc.
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 20:59:19 GMT

In article <1992Jul25.173451.23933@uwm.edu>, hiho@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Mark Peterson) writes:
> From article <BrxM6D.Dzx@acsu.buffalo.edu>, by oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown):
> > In article <joshua.711475817@coombs>, joshua@coombs.anu.edu.au (Joshua Geller) writes...
> 
> [...]
> 
> Still, if you're a Gopi, having the hots is just another way to raise
> Brahm...
> 

And to the Ipissimus,(666 put it better, but...) a trip to (with?)
the corner cathouse may be no different from the conjunction
of Nuit and Had. 

> Incidentally, does anyone out there play Scrabble?
> 

I did, little enough any more. Now, you've got me thinking
about a game of scrabble as a method of divination:

Pick 6 tiles, and make a word-form out of it. If you
have extra letters, attack them Qabalistically. 

Hum...one wonders if you get YHVH on a triple word score,
that the universe may meet it's end...:)

On a more (or less) serious note, could the English Kabala,
as suggested in Liber Legis, be the numeric equivilances
on the scrabble tile? :) 

> hiho
> -- 
> mark ce peterson   | uw-washington county  | hiho@csd4.csd.uwm.edu 

-- 
Jason R. Pascucci
jasonp@primerd.prime.com

Newsgroups: alt.magick