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Dumb CM Question: Beyond Sigils

21:22 / 07.09.01

I was thinking about how all the chaos magicians I know who describe the first steps (admittedly, I'm discussing two people) start by describing how sigils work.

Well... if sigils work so well, why do anything but sigilize? Why servitors or rituals or temporary gods and belief systems if writing it down and doodling is simple and effective?

14:34 / 08.09.01

There seems to be only so much power a sigil can summon, so to speak. As you try to have a greater impact on reality, you have to start using stronger tools.

17:41 / 08.09.01

Sigils are, as you say, simple. They may be able to accomplish a good deal, but they are severely limited in several ways.

Then again, if you want to just use sigils and none of the other possibilities, that you're perogative. However, the utilization of the other means of magic is part of the essence of chaos magic - it's not very chaotic to use the same method over and over again, is it?

You don't want to end up static and dull, after all.

15:06 / 09.09.01

I think the short answer for why people move beyind sigils is that all the other stuff is fun too.

Hanging out in a huge Chamber of Working with candles blazing and Tesla Coild sparking while arcane texts intoned and "Big Molly the Shredder" is called forth from behind the Big Dipper can be a kick ass experience beyond the bounds of elementary Spooge Magic.

Also all the other stuff has the advantage of extending and refining the Imaginal or Subjective Universe. Learning to do this can allow for a more consistent abilty to activiate your connections to the Magical Link, the "Great Whatever it is that lets this Nonsense Work" and acts as a bridge between changes in the Subjective and Objective Universes.

Sigil magic relies upon making a "quicky" patch into the Magical Link to smuggle intent through it but it can be a pretty hit or miss connection. Other methods call for more from you, like concenctration abilities and imaginal skills, but they provide a more stable connection. Give them a try, see how this sort of thing works for you and remember that what works for connecting the Subjective and Objective are going to be as unique as your own Being.

Mordant Carnival

16:41 / 10.09.01

They're just too limited in the long run. Good enough for everyday stuff that can be expressed in a sentence, but what about more complex ideas? What do you do when your find yourself obsessing on a goal, so that the sigil just doesn't work? Sooner or later, you're going to want to expand your horizons beyond the things that sigils can give you.
To really make a go of things you need to learn other techniques; visualization, meditation, whatever floats yer boat.

11:38 / 11.09.01

Thanks, everyone, that helps =D