I live and breathe it. So do you. Try to keep that in mind.

Apparently top physicists haven’t figured out the difference between “how” and “why.” In a review of The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, this article says they answer “why we are here.” Then it goes on to explain that Hawking and Mlodinow provide an easy-to-understand explanation of how the universe (and others) came into being out of nothing.

Unfortunately, they have confused How a thing happens, which science is very good at explaining, with Why a thing happens, which science is unequipped to answer. “Why are we here?” is not answered with references to particles and such. Science doesn’t have any facts or measurements that can quantify the meaning of life.

The idea that science can provide an answer to why we are here is a fallacy, and it can lead to people thinking that because science has no answer, there is no reason. Don’t fall into the trap.

I have my theories about why I’m here, based on my experiences and research. I don’t claim to have the answer for everyone, but I’ve found meaning in my life, and I’m happy with that.

If you can’t find meaning in your life, at least make up something that’s fun.

Due to some confusion over the last post, I’d like to clarify:

The “don’t be a dick” advice I gave was not intended for the Black Brotherhood. You’re supposed to be a dick. For you, the Mercury Retro warning should go something like:

Warning: We’re in the thick of it! You’re going to give a shit what people think, and feel obliged to behave as if you were a part of the culture you were born to dominate through your dark arts. Feelings of compassion and camaraderie may manifest, but don’t let that make you lose sight of your long-term destiny. This time is perhaps best spent designing a new floor in your Tower in the Abyss.

We’re in the thick of it! Mercury is fully retrograde. Chances are pretty good that if you’re practicing some form of Hermetic-related magic, you are, right now, an asshole.

Uhm, more so than usual.

In fact I’m sure some people will realize that I’m being an asshole right now, just by mentioning it! It’s true, right now I am an asshole. I realized this when I wrote:

Unhappiness vibes are spreading through the world and trying to steal the sunshine. It’s worse than the Nothing, it’s the Nothing is Good. Happiness is in peril!

I propose that everyone on the planet needs to go through a happiness intensive, two weeks where they unwind and are forced to be happy, whatever it takes. And then, after two weeks of being happy, if they’re still bitter negative pessimistic bitches, they should be put out of their misery.

Happiness or death!

And I meant it, too.

So yeah, a happy asshole is a dangerous asshole, apparently.

Take precautions. Mitigate the situation, ask yourself, am I being a dick right now?

The answer is probably yes.

Next, don’t be a dick.

Nope.

Don’t do it.

I know.

Trust me, I know. It’s hard. Just don’t be a dick. Take a walk. Breathe. Meditate. No snarking. Don’t send the post. Take the high road. Wait it out. Don’t offer any advice, it’s asshole advice.

With the recent altar posts popping up, I can’t help but throw in my two cents. I just wrote about altars on a yahoo group last week.

Practically speaking, you’ve got to set your magical apparatus up wherever you can and fit it into your lifestyle. That’s pretty much a given. I’m looking at Jason’s and Jow/Deb‘s and Ian C‘s multiple altars, and honestly, I’m a little overwhelmed. They’ve got altars on top of their altars, and I can imagine how challenging it is to set up and maintain that many different sacred spaces.

I don’t have that many altars at all. I have one altar that is the material representation of all my spiritual pursuits and practices, and then I have an armoire with my other stuff in it. And a nightstand. And a bookshelf or two.But those aren’t altars, as much as they are talismans with some space to call their own…

Which, I suppose, would be considered an altar.

But personally, I only worry about having one altar set up in my house. Everything else is more like convenience and decoration, but the formal Altar plays a very important role in my life. I see it as one of the key pieces of equipment in a magician’s tool kit.

If you set it up right, you’ll have every sphere of existence comprehensible to the mind of man represented. The intelligences and spirits of each sphere will be symbolically present, on site. You’ll have conjured each spirit at the appropriate time to consecrate their talisman, which then is placed in the appropriate location to represent the powers of that sphere as they manifest on Earth. You have this for all the planets, the zodiac, and the Prime Mover. You’ve got the Nous and Logos all represented by the Lamp, and you’ve got the elemental weapons and the Angels of the four corners of the Earth and the Princes of the four realms there, and you’ve got it physically represented in one place.

It’s the most concentrated manifestation device you could ever design. It represents the point where all the forces that mingle to create our sensory realm actually touch this sensory realm. You’ve got a super-charged table of manifestation right there.

Drop a symbol of what you want on it, just over on the corner, say a quick oration to the powers represented, and you can almost see reality bend as it works to manifest what you’ve planted. Uncross a client using their picture, call down wrath on an enemy, empower your business, land a job, make a sale, whatever you can imagine. Pretty much.

That doesn’t mean you need a huge table in one room that is totally dedicated to the Great Work. Mine is currently on one shelf, and it fits nicely right there, out of sight from visiting children with big mouths and parents who ask uncomfortable questions when their kids go on about the daggers and cups and crystals and wands at my house.

And really? A whole YEAR has passed since Jason’s twins manifested? Crap!

I’m about ready to just do some to do some. Feck. I need me some juice. This rising through the spheres shit before bed is great and all, but I need the incense, need the tools, need the lamp and the anointing with the oil and the crystal all toned and resonating with spirity goodness. I misses it, my precious.

So close to being ahead of the game…

Well, the last week has been pretty busy. The week before my vacation arrived, my work life exploded. More work to do than God intended. Bleah.

The week of my vacation was busier than hell. We had a “fun” vacation, as opposed to a “relaxing” vacation. We went to the beach, and mornings were spent on the sand, evenings in amusement parks, with some reversals as weather and time permitted. We had a blast, and we needed that as a family. First vacation, real vacation that is, in 10 years! Way too long to wait, in my humble opinion.

But I’m exhausted now. I need a vacation from the vacation, and work has not let up at all while I was gone. One of these days I’ll get rid of my real job and be able to spend time just doing what I love. Until then, I gotta pay the bills.

I caught up on all the orders that have posted while I was gone (sorry for the delays) and I’ve got a couple more things to finish up on the Green Work Lesson 2 (sorry for the delays) and I haven’t even started the next Black Lesson (sorry for the delays). But I’m ready! Things should be rolling out shortly.

I’ve also got to catch up on all the blog posts for the last week.

And at some point, I’d kinda like to do some magic, too. It’s been too long. Maybe this evening. I had meant to wake at dawn every day of the vacation and make a talisman, but that didn’t work out at all. “Unrealistic Expectations” is what that’s called, I believe.