Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Temple >

Meeting Other Magicians

Clemn XuLa - tha mike rula

19:52 / 25.01.05

Maybe this isn't a problem for anyone else, but I find it impossible to track down other magicians in my area, other than some of my good friends.

What kind of spells have you used to call attention to like-minded people? Do you try to attract the attention of like-minded people? Does anyone wear any indicator, and would that be a useful way to find people?

I'm sure there are plenty of initiated people walking around out there, I'm just looking for some new filters and feedback.

23:29 / 25.01.05

Very interesting, I unfortunately can give no advice. I'd appreciate anything anyone else has to say on this subject.

23:55 / 25.01.05

I've wondered about this too. I've never met another magician that I didn't know was one before I met them, if you follow me. But I've once or twice suspected thart people were, but of course would never say so.

I make a point of always mentioning anything that a person is wearing that has any occult connection - jewellry with a symbol on it, for example - to give the person an opening, if they want it. It's never really worked, though.

Bard: One-Man Humaton Hoedown

01:18 / 26.01.05

I've been trying to get my hands on a blank badge for a while now. Its definitly something I'd approach someone about if I saw them wearing one.

I've been known to approach people wearing pentagrams, but I find that the majority of them are Wiccans. Still, I've had some interesting conversations with people about their shirts and various jewlery (though some women find it hard to believe that I'm straight and am honestly just trying to figure out what the hell their shirt says...ahem...).

I've found, however, that the people that know their stuff often don't advertise visually. I often go by my gut instinct when meeting people, that sense that comes half from them looking like other people interested in similar things, and half just from general feel.

03:06 / 26.01.05

I've been trying to get my hands on a blank badge for a while now.

Dude - get a badge, any badge, I AM 4 or something.

Get some white paint.

Ta-daa!

06:53 / 26.01.05

I got a job in a bar which is frequented by a few occultist types. Then I poured pentagrams into every pint of Guinness instead of shamrocks and eavesdropped on tons of conversations. Sure enough, I got a few results after a while. Not the reason I started bar work, but it's a bit of a perk.

15:03 / 26.01.05

Dude - get a badge, any badge, I AM 4 or something. Get some white paint.

I did this for my Halloween costume. Worked okay, but the paint scratched off a bit. Use primer.

As far as approaching people, just don't be too hesitant about it. I actually overheard a heavy conversation on the bus last week about Crowley and the G.D. and I didn't say a thing. (*kicks self*)

And, you know, check around to see if there are occult bookshops, organizations, or talks in your area. You might be surprised.

Clemn XuLa - tha mike rula

17:52 / 26.01.05

Well, the Blank Badge seems to be the way to go, so I'll definitely make up one of those. I might also work up some sort of sigil for occultist attention and put it on a button as well. Hell, I might as well make a "Talk to ME about Magic!" button.

18:11 / 26.01.05

If there are "real" occult bookshops nearby, visit those and see if they have discussion groups, etc. You can also take advantage of networking websites if you want to get together with a group or just meet people who live near you. I know there's witchvox, for witches and pagans worldwide, and occultforums, for general magicians, ceremonial magicians, chaos magicians, witches, pagans, you name it--it's there.

I don't run into many other occultists, but when I do, I know it and so do they. Something connects--of course aside from both of us doing a double-take, we usually just continue on about our business. It's nice to know they're out there. Good luck!

As for the blank badge, I painted a regular one white, and like Sekhmet's, it got scratched pretty fast. Primer first, indeed.

Bard: One-Man Humaton Hoedown

19:05 / 26.01.05

Bit of a glaze or clear varnish or something like that over the paint and primer might also help, dunno how well it'd hold on, though.

Clemn XuLa - tha mike rula

19:46 / 26.01.05

I'm thinking a little wooden circle with a pin attachment glued on, primered white, that shouldn't scratch up too badly.

20:04 / 26.01.05

Blank badge aside, spending time in the shops (in a non-nuisancy way) and seeking out local events really is a good bet. Of course, if there really isn't anything like that in your area (and you might be surprised what you find if you look around), there are plenty of non-Invisibles-centric "signs" to display and/or look for. The old ChaoStar sometimes points to a fellow magician (or not), as do some pent necklaces (the cheesy old "I like your necklace" line does actually work sometimes, as long as it's not the first thing out of your mouth).

In the absence of explicitly magick-oriented groups/events/shops, take some time to explore more peripherally-related events, like drumming circles (there will likely be some pagans and a 'shaman' or two amongst the hippies), "arty" events (especially the more participatory/'underground'), literary or philosophical discussions/seminars, psychology seminars/talks about dreams or the nature of consciousness, museum exhibits of religious artifacts or esoteric art, anthropology lectures, whatever.

Or, just sit around in the coffeeshop with Cosmic Trigger, The Golden Bough, or "Liber [anything]" propped up prominently in front of you (substitute book, to taste). Keep the refills coming and see who talks to you (note: the more you do this on purpose, the less satisfying the results are likely to be. "Lust of Result"* and all that, just sayin').

~L

*more to the point, there are few things more obnoxious than someone who is clearly just trying to be noticed. If you really just happen to be reading VALIS at the busstop, it just might work.

farseer /pokes out an i

20:18 / 26.01.05

gale: I don't run into many other occultists, but when I do, I know it and so do they. Something connects--of course aside from both of us doing a double-take, we usually just continue on about our business. It's nice to know they're out there.

There seems to be some kind of occult-dar, too...

I think I'm currently living in an odd occult hot spot. Many of the people I randomly meet and connect with seem to have some occult interest or experience. Active practitioners are a bit harder to find. If there's a university in your area, there's probably a Pagan Club, whose members are frequently involved in the magical 'community'. Of course some of those meetings remind me of a scene from "Hush", in Buffy Season 4... "Wannablessedbe's..." LOL

Blank badge will definitely get you attention to those turned onto that sign. Your typical crystal or pentagram will go a long way, too. I usually start those conversations with, "Nice Pentagram/Seal of Solomon/etc."

21:18 / 26.01.05

I've been wearing a blank badge for a couple years now. people always mention it "that's so weird/stupid/cool." but it never attracted the attention of spooky types.

maybe my other buttons cancel out it's powers.

XXII:X:II = XXX

06:26 / 27.01.05

I actually used to have a button that was a DC promotional gimmick when The Invisibles first came out, that looked blank from a distance but just barely had the logo in a slightly off-white laqueur. Like a ninny, I gave it to the guy who rehipped me to the series in '99, and I've not heard from him in 5 years. Such is life.

For those of us who usually work undercover and unobtrusively, finding others who do the work may be as much a part of the magickal process as anything else we do. Observe. Read vibes. Look for signs. When we're meant to find one another, we will. I'm sure there must be workings one could do to cause likeminded peoples into our paths and reveal themselves, too.

On the other hand, I recognize that that's a rather passive way of forming friendships, allegiances, partners, whichever. You could openly tote around books on magick, or frequent the occult section of larger bookstores, that sort of thing. But honestly, I think the stochastic method will likely bear more fruit.

/+,

Less searchable M0rd4nt

14:43 / 27.01.05

Nnnng. I'd say that seeking out other hnmygjykns just because they're other hnmygjykns and therefore will be Cool and Fun To Be With is a bit of a mishtooks. How 'bout starting by broadening the ol' social circle in general? Chances are, you'll catch a few like-minded punters in the net.

Of course, I'm a bit biased here because I'm a territorial little bastard and don't have much to do with other magickal types in meatspace. They tend to make me twitchy. I'm involved with a local healer's group--who I found through the small-ads--and I hang out at a caff attached to one of the many many occult suppliers in my area, and that's about it.

14:54 / 27.01.05

But other magickers can be nice to have around if you want someone to 'spot' you during shamanoid entheogenic voyages, or to be the other half in telepathy or dream-contact experiments, or to "tell me if something happens" after a particularly ambitious spell goes off. Plus you can carpool to lodge meetings/Sabbats. And it's nice to have at least one person you can actually hang out with who doesn't think you're a dangerous lunatic for messing with forces beyond human ken.

Man, I wish I had a local magicker buddy.

*reads uplist, considers following own advice...*

:P

~L

11:11 / 28.01.05

One thing that should be said IMO, is that connecting with other magick workers sometimes isn't what it's all cracked up to be. I used to be pretty much of a loner, until I met my present partner, who is hooked up with a ton of people. Getting deep into the community was quite fun until some "crap" hit the fan. The bottom line is that magick workers are not necessarily any more tolerant than anyone else, (well, maybe about SOME things....). How did I hook up? I met a lot of people that put together a local pagan festival. You meet all SORTS of people that way, and that's a good thing. As someone else mentioned, pagan bookstores are good, especially if they're the type that you can spend some time hanging out at. Still, if I learned anything from that experience, it was that it's good to keep somewhat of a low profile if you connect up. It can prevent many problems.

Skeleton Camera

16:27 / 28.01.05

*spasm* Or you can just have friends that, when introducing you to someone, say "This is ****! He's a MAGICIAN!" (in dead seriousness). That's made some grand conversation.
*/spasm*

Madman in the ruins.

06:53 / 30.01.05

Its the whole "Aura of Secrecy" thing that a lot of Magicians work under innit. Secrecy and Paranioa are stock in trade of the Magician. Sounding people out is a long and tedious prosess but its the best way.
Maybe it's an idea to look at other peoples lifestlyes. Dama queens, power tripping types and clingy fuckers (Which I seem to attract

) might be magical practicioners but would you like to hang around with them? Some people use magic as a search for self, These are quite well grounded "Normal" people who may be open to discussions.