The following message 'thread' was taken from Mysteria bbs (818-353-8891)... Folder: Occult Msg. # 1532 Dated: 4/8/88 Subj: Occult Phenomena To: ALL From: SYSOP Left 09:00:40, 04/08/88 Virtually all occult phenomena, whether physical or 'mental' must have a human intermediary. I won't argue the existence or non- existence of spiritual entities in this message, but merely point out that the experience of all occult phenomena is highly subjective. All telepathic or 'channeling' activity (whether it is from a ouija board, pendulum, automatic writing, trance, or whatever) is at least partially from the subconscious mind. This does not invalidate the experience, but it does suggest we should critically examine it. Evil entities in the occult are over rated. They do not occur very often. And we will probably find that if they do occur, we are obseving aspects of ourselves. Physical phenomenon, such as the movement of things (poltergeist activity) *must* have a human agent as a source of energy. If you remember the subjective nature of occult phenomena, you will see how most of it is quite harmless, and it may even be helpful. It is certainly interesting. Many times people experience these things as a non-recurrant 'peak experience'. It is sometimes 'strange' though, so if you want to stop or reduce it, there are some things you can do... 1) Play loud music (especially 'rock' music). 2) Immerse yourself in a physical activity (hiking, dancing, jogging). 3) Entertain yourself (go out to a movie, or a play, or a concert, visit friends). 4) Eat. Large amounts of food, especially meat, reduce our receptivity to psychic phenomena. 5) If you have a religious background, use it. Recite the 23rd or 91st Psalms, or the 'Lord's Prayer', or go to church. (If your religious background is non-Christian, then practice that.) 6) Visualize yourself surrounded by *white light*. The 'lesser ritual of the Pentagram' (a standard magick ritual) is especially helpful (described in MAGICK8.TXT in the MAGICK file area). 7) If you happen to have a copy of the 'Necronomicon', then the invocation of the 'Watcher' may be very helpful. Alternately, ask for protection from your 'spirit guide', from Jesus, or your favorite archetype. It is an occult law that like attracts like ('birds of a feather flock together'). The best protection against evil is to be a good person... //Phil// Folder: Occult Msg. # 1571 Dated: 4/10/88 Subj: Negative Entities To: PHIL HANSFORD From: MICHELLE KLEIN-HASS Left 12:04:34, 04/10/88 Negative entities ARE very real, and although *UN*-common, are not rare. They especially are attracted to dabblers, people who are very weak, and those who are looking towards something that they can hand off the responsibility to. Avoid any path that denigrates the power of the individual intellect. Your brain, your power of independent thought, is what raises humanity (and perhaps Cetacea and higher primates) over the other animals. Use the "Upperworld" journey in SHAMAN.TXT to contact your higher self, which is what you are doing when you call upon your "teacher". But never, never reach out to outside entities, no matter how benign they seem. Possession is a REAL possibility. I speak from personal experience. MK-H Folder: Occult Msg. # 1574 Dated: 4/10/88 Subj: Missing the point To: MICHELLE KLEIN-HASS From: SYSOP Left 16:54:29, 04/10/88 You do seem to have missed the point of some of my previous posts, and your message on 'evil entities' is undermining my efforts to de-mystify the occult. Of course we can only state what we believe to be true, based upon our experiences and research. And while I do not wish to argue with you, it does seem to me that the occult is far less dangerous than some of your messages would suggest. Most occult phenomenon has nothing to do with evil entities. A ouija board is not inherently dangerous or evil, any more than a pendulum, or a crystal ball, or a paper and pencil for that matter. These are only things. They have no power in themselves. //Phil// Folder: Occult Msg. # 1588 Dated: 4/11/88 Subj: Entities To: PHIL HANSFORD From: MICHELLE KLEIN-HASS Left 16:14:36, 04/11/88 I HAVE experienced what these beings CAN do. There are hazards in the occult, especially for the dabbler. It is not what these objects are in and of themselves, but what someone can do with them. Unfortunately, many of the "New Agers" have gone the opposite way, and have said that there is no such thing as evil, that all "evil" is is either ignorance or imbalance. This is naive. And very dangerous. Evil does exist, just as good does. And it is something one must guard against. Call it an "occupational hazard", if you like. I have a series of pieces I have written, primarily on the dangers of channeling, but also on the danger of summoning entities. I will upload them as text files rather than ASCII upload them to the message base. I am not trying to "remysticise" the occult. I'm just trying to protect the sanities of those who are not as advanced as you or I, but are just as curious. Michelle. Folder: Occult Msg. # 1595 Dated: 4/11/88 Subj: Evil Entities To: MICHELLE KLEIN-HASS From: SYSOP Left 00:35:43, 04/12/88 Thanks for your upload of the interesting files on Negative Entities (NEGENTS.TXT, et al). I will keep them online, even though I feel you have overstated your points somewhat. At the same time, you do raise some very valid points. I would not presume to say there are no evil entities. Yet, during many years of immersion in magick and the occult, I have never personally had any occult encounters I couldn't handle, one way or another. It is really largely a matter of attitude and 'mental set'. Nor would I advocate the practice of magick ritual without either a magick circle or the lesser ritual of the pentagram (or both). I would urge people not to attempt any occult practice which makes them nervous or uncomfortable. If the 'vibes' are wrong, something has gone wrong. A successful working produces a good feeling. //Phil// Folder: Occult Msg. # 1677 Dated: 4/19/88 Subj: NEGATIVE ENTITIES To: MICHELLE KLEIN-HASS From: JOSEPH WILSON Left 20:54:15, 04/19/88 SOME THOUGHTS REGARDING NEGATIVE ENTITIES, NOW THAT I'VE READ YOUR THREE FILES... PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH "NEW AGE" THOUGHT IS THE LACK OF ABILITY TO FACE REALITY. IT IS TRUE THAT ULTIMATELY THERE IS NO SUCH THINGS AS GOOD AND EVIL -- BUT THE KEY IS ULTIMATELY. FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES GOOD AND EVIL EXIST WHETHER WE USE THOSE TWO WORDS OR SOME EUPHEMISM WHICH MAKES THEM SOUND BETTER. PROBLEM IS THE HUMAN CONCEPTION OF THEM. CHRISTIANITY AND OTHER DUALIST RELIGIONS, WHETHER THEY ARE MONOTHISTIC OR NOT, DIVIDE SPIRITUAL ENTITIES INTO STRICTLY GOOD OR STRICTLY EVIL. THEY CANNOT CONCEIVE OF "GOD" AS HAVING A NEGATIVE SIDE -- SO THEY ASSIGN THE NEGATIVE SIDE ANOTHER NAME AND THINK IT'S DIFFERENT. IN THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPT THE OTHER NAME IS "SATAN". MOST "PRIMATIVE" (OR OLD PAGAN, RATHER THAN NEO-PAGAN) RELIGIONS RECOGNIZED THAT THEIR DIVINITIES HAVE BOTH A GOOD/EVIL OR POSITIVE/NEGATIVE SIDE. THUS WE HAVE BOTH RITUALS TO INVOLK, AND RITUALS TO PLACATE THE SAME SPIRIT/DIVINITY. ANY ENTITY, INCLUDING OURSELVES, IS A COMPLEX COMBINATION OF WHAT WE CAN THINK OF AS NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE, GOOD AND EVIL. BUT THIS GOOD OR EVIL IS IN RELATIONSHIP TO SOMETHING ELSE. IT'S MERELY A CONVENIENT CONCEPT FOR US. IF SOMETHING IS HARMFUL TO ME AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED IT'S EVIL FOR ME. IF SOMETHING IS BENEFICIAL TO ME AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED IT'S GOOD FOR ME. THAT SOMETHING MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMETHING ELSE. ONE OF MY BEST TEACHERS EXPLAINED IT THIS WAY. THINK OF A CAT. TO A HUMAN BEING A CAT IS A WARM FUZZY THAT GIVES US LOVE, SITS IN OUR LAP AND PURRS. HOWEVER THAT SAME CAT HAS A QUITE DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP TO THE MOUSE OR BIRD THAT IT TORTURES AND KILLS. TO THOSE CREATURES THE MOUSE IS A QUITE EVIL DEMON. THE CAT IS NO DIFFERENT. THE VIEWPOINT OF THE OTHER BEING IS DIFFERENT. (AND THE RELATIONSHIP THE CAT HAS TO THOSE OTHER BEINGS IS DIFFERENT). ENOUGH FOR NOW. LOVE AND BLESSINGS.... JOE Folder: Occult Msg. # 1692 Dated: 4/20/88 Subj: CHANNELS.TXT To: MICHELLE KLEIN-HASS From: SYSOP Left 09:41:17, 04/20/88 Regarding your article, CHANNELS.TXT, I am inclined to agree with you that perhaps only 20 - 25 % of channeled 'entities' are authentic. Actually, it may be even less. I feel that even the most authentic cases probably are colored by the channel's subconscious. But what is so bad about that? Why do you think the subconscious is bad? It is, after all, the seat of creativity. A poet uses the same source, as does a writer. It just works a bit differently, that is all...There is no doubt my mind that some 'channeled' material is 'inspired' in the same sense that some poetry is 'inspired'. The creative process is the same...I would rather regard legitimate channeled material as inspired poetry, and treat it in the same way also... My theory brings about one important caveat: since channeled material may at the very least be colored by the channel's subconscious, channeled material is never 100% infallible...//Phil// al may at the very least be colored by the channel's subconscious, channeled material is never 100% infallib