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OK, I think Gyrus and XK are hard at work thrashing out the technical details of getting something suitable up and running, so parallel to that, I think we should have some more discussion of what we want from this. I'll start off with some thoughts:
1. Do we want tag-based content or do we want separate forums like we have on barbelith, or a mix of the two?
If we want separate forums, what sort of sub-categories might we want to see? I think an effective mix of the two formats might be really interesting, so long as it isn't too confusing. I like the idea of separate forums almost functioning as "rooms" where different types of debate take place, for instance there could be a members only room, or a room that's set-up for discussing direct personal experience that works a bit differently from the more critical areas, or a room that's specifically for providing practical support to people who are struggling with some area of their practice (a bit like what happens in the stupid magic questions thread). So when you start a post you can give it whatever content tags you think are appropriate, and also select what room you want the discussion to take place in.
Suggestions for different types of room/sub-forum or criticisms of this model would be really welcome. I think the best way of figuring this stuff out will be to get a basic model of it up and running, and a trusted pool of test users to start putting some content up and figuring out what works and what doesn't. I think it should be allowed to develop organically behind closed doors until we're satisfied with how it's working before we open it up to the wider world.
2. What sort of conversation do we want to see taking place on this new board?
What I'd like to see happening on this site myself is an evolution of the type of discourse that we get on barbelith temple when it's at its best. I guess the main overarching project that permeates all of my own work is a rehabilitation of "the occult" - out of it's deluded whack-job reputation that a lot of occult web forums seem to almost revel in - to get to the experiential heart of why these practices matter and why this lens on the human experience remains with us as a species in the early 21st century.
My premise - based on my own personal experience and that of others involved with similar work - is that these practices do serve a purpose and can provide a flexible and constructive toolkit for negotiating the physical, mental and emotional challenges of being alive on the planet Earth (in this century or any century). All cultures appear to have - at one stage or another - developed their own sophisticated technologies for navigating this sort of space, each with differing cultural emphasis shaped by social and environmental factors. What I am interested in is a sane, intelligent and reasoned exploration of this body of knowledge. A discourse that does not run for the hills when a critical, sceptical, scientific eye is brought to bear on it, but also understands that the heart of magic is perhaps in its powerful ability to fundamentally transform one's subjective experience of the world, and that this is an outcome that cannot easily be observed and measured in laboratory conditions. Moreover, I'm interested in a discourse that takes a rational view on seemingly unexplained phenomena resulting from magical experiments, but does not lose sight of the indefinable sense of awe and wonder that makes one's magic practice meaningful and "magical".
In a cultural climate where ever more visible battle-lines appear to be getting drawn between fundamentalist religion on the one hand, and reactionary militant atheism on the other - I think it is increasingly important that the manner of discourse on spiritual matters outlined above has a voice and is visible. The role of the magician or shaman has always been to explore the weirder edges of consciousness and to return back with something of value to the community and its survival needs, and I really see the promotion of intelligent dialogue about magic as an iteration of this same process.
To this end, one thing I want this site to take a hard line against is tradition bashing and other forms of "tribal war". I think it is important to understand that individual traditions of magic have their own integrity and to be mindful and sensitive to matters of cultural appropriation, but at the same time I think its really important to try and take a global rather than a parochial perspective on the world's magical traditions. Just because you are an accomplished ceremonial magician, doesn't mean you won't learn something from a dialogue with a pro-witchdoctor. Just because you are an initiated Houngan, doesn't mean your practice and understanding of the mysteries won't be broadened by exposure to Indian Tantriks. Just because you are a left-hand path sorcerer, doesn't mean you won't be able to have a constructive dialogue with a Christian mystic. This is the sort of cross-fertilisation of ideas and melting pot of influences that I'd like to encourage on the proposed discussion board.
One thing that may have characterised barbelith in the past is its combative climate and the sort of heated debate that used to take place here quite regularly. While at certain times I might have been responsible for driving some of that, it's really something I'd like to get away from on this new board. I think this would be achievable in a space that - from the outset - makes clear the level of debate and the sort of critical interrogation of one's ideas that should be expected. Also, I think that making the site invite-only/application-only should hopefully create a climate where it's understood that everyone present either has a developed practice/academic interest or is in the process of developing one, and should therefore be interacted with as valued peers and contemporaries, even if you strongly disagree with them. One of the problems with barbelith is that you have lots of people with really interesting and involved personal practices, who seem to spend half of their time battling with Billy Fnord and his dubious suitcase of half-baked and inherited ideas, instead of actually talking to one-another. I'm interested in what we can do to move away from the endless repetition of this drearily predictable scenario, and actually do something more constructive with our time.
Having said that, I don't really want to create an elitist culture where newcomers to the field are made to feel unwelcome and only those with a long established practice can feel comfortable posting. I think one of the things that barbelith does well, notably through the "stupid magic questions" thread, is to provide a supportive environment where beginners can get solid advice from other practitioners. I don't want that to get lost, as I think its really important. Magic can be dangerous. People can take this stuff in some funny directions and end up fervently believing all sorts of mad and self-destructive stuff that does nothing but bring harm to themselves and those around them. I think an antidote to this is simply being part of a supportive community that is committed to helping you keep your practice sane, healthy, responsible and geared towards improving your life and making you happier and healthier - as opposed to destroying your life and making you sick and confused. I don't want this community aspect of barbelith temple to get lost on the new site, or for it to be closed to those starting out on a practice. I'm quite keen on the site being open to contributors with various different levels of experience, and for that not to be a factor in the admissions procedure. More important than "time served under the hat" is a demonstrable understanding of the culture and ideals of the board and a commitment to promoting constructive and intelligent debate on magic and related subjects. No matter what level of experience we may be at - we are all still a students. There is no end point where you know everything, and every time you turn a corner in your practice, another infinite corridor extends ahead of you waiting to be explored.
To sum up, I think what I'd like to see from this is a space where we can collectively begin to grasp towards an understanding of the place of magic in 21st century society and discuss the various issues that directly arise out of that. Please respond to this with any thoughts or criticism you might have, as a space that does half of these things can only come into being organically out of a community's input and involvement. |
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