New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
In August 2002, news broke that a New Caledonian crow named Betty, in a laboratory in Oxford, demonstrated intentional problem-solving ability by repeatedly bending a straight piece of wire into a hook so that she could snag food. Scientists marveled at Betty's intelligence, noting that not even chimpanzees had shown such ability to reason. Surely this was evidence of the thinking power of animals! Of course, this wasn't news to many. Anyone who has had a close relationship with an animal knows their intelligence and their ability to understand people and respond accordingly. Therein lies the basis of the familiar: an animal who forms an intelligent psychic and magical bond with a ...
Materials: Length of black embroidery floss cut to the size of your waist Take the floss outdoors as the sun begins to set, and spend a moment or two thinking about the things that keep you from losing the excess weight. Then tie nine evenly spaced knots in the floss, saying with each: First knot: By knot of one, I now ignite, A reduction in my appetite Second knot: By knot of two, my metabolism, Becomes an active mechanism Third knot: By knot of three, I bind desire, For unhealthy foods; it now expires Fourth knot: By knot of four, I bind the urge,To binge and gobble, gorge and splurge Fifth knot: By knot of five, inertia goes, And exercise, I don't oppose Sixth knot: By knot of ...
About every thirty years, the taskmaster Saturn (a.k.a. the Lord of Karma) visits you. This year he is paying a call to our Leo friends, those born July 23—August 22. He will knock on their door July 17th and enjoy an extended stay until September 2007. Are you ready to let him in? Will he be a welcome visitor or the house guest from hell? You better get used to him because Saturn is here to stay—for a while anyway. But what does matter is how you prepare for his arrival and stay. It can be very unpleasant or the most amazing two years you've ever had. Saturn is a teacher. He challenges us to do more with our lives. He tests us to make us stronger. Saturn's lesson for every ...
The following description is adapted from my personal magical diary. The event took place about twenty years ago. At the time I was living in San Diego, sharing a two-bedroom apartment with Scott Cunningham. Scott was making a living at the time by writing articles for private newsletters and writing novels under pseudonyms. His first occult book, Magical Herbalism, had just been published and he was starting to become famous. I was making a living selling magazines on the phone and occasionally working at occult shops (including Ye Olde Enchantment Shoppe and The Bead Bag, where they also sold strings of beads and individual beads for craft projects), a magic store for sleight-of-hand ...
