Conceptualizing an Occult School/Practice

[Fightersword]

I will presume that we all have some idea of what I mean by Occult School/Practice, since if I don't, it will only make this post longer.

I've been mentally toying with the idea of this kind of intimate, one on one spirit work with a dedicated spirit lover as a kind of Occult Practice. I'm sure that's not a revolutionary idea to people here, but let me state how I conceptualize the idea.

Practices that make use of spirits exist in a variety of forms. Most often the spirits used are more like Archetypes; this is most common for deities, where they may represent a few specific strong ideas, or different ones with different aspects. In such a case, most practices that would make use of an invocation would recommend you invoke these based on those archetypes. If you wanted to, for instance, act more assertive for a time, or you wanted to cast a spell which was aggressive or based in base desires that weren't related to relationships, you would invoke A war God, Such as Ares/Mars. If the idea was more a passionate romantic war, that combines those aspects talked of above with Venusian aspects, perhaps the war (and love) deity you'd want would be Inanna. This is effective for obvious reasons: you are channeling an emotion and an energy that is in harmony with your proposed result. It's creating a sharper knife edge. This very one dimensional understanding applies to other classes of spirits too. Elementals are the obvious example, to Christians Angels broadly support good (and are even divisible in to more specific ideas if we accept angelic classifications like Powers, Dominions, so on). Demons broadly support evil, with the most important demons always representing a certain niche or idea (sometimes an evil one, sometimes not, broadly depending on your occult approach).

This is obviously a useful approach in systems of magic where one attempts to perform a ritual and gain a desired effect. However, what it seems to lack is a real understanding of spiritual beings. It diminishes the spirit world down to strictly different ideas and archetypes that are, individually, simple as compared to a person's entire personality. If the interactions people have with Spirit Lovers are any indication, this estimation of the world of spirits is simply inaccurate.

Of course, there are many practices which do not fall into this pitfall, and from which some foundation for a spirit lover occult school may be built. There are most obviously the spirit spouses from certain shamanic traditions, and in some fairy folklore, more complex beings can be theorized. These beings are normally strange, due to their existence and priorities and culture being as divorced from ours as it is. However, they are never so strange that we are unable to interact with them and become able to understand one another to some extent. Certain Tantric ideas (as not every tantric idea necessarily relates to sexuality or relationships), could also function as part of the foundation.

So then, what would be the long term goal of such a practice? As we realize that archetypes allow for certain kinds of ritual actions more easily, the focus won't be as much on ritualism, at least in that conventional sense. Imagine, if you will, two instruments that you'd often see played together. An individual instrument can be performed well and make nice music on its own, but when two instruments that go well together are played together, the result is often leagues better than the sum of its part. That's how I'd describe the process of harmonizing with the spirit lover. The complex emotional network and fulfillment the interaction can provide is far greater than either party could achieve on its own, and that's clear from non dedicated interactions.

The goal therefore of this school would be to maximize this harmony and unity. Its adherents would pursue a dedicated romantic relationship with a spirit lover. If they are chosen by one (which would be a pre-requisite for joining), their life long journey would be to grow their understanding of their lover and their self, increase the harmony between the two of them, and ultimately create a union that is both perfect in its fulfillment yet that also maintains their individuality (similar to the conceptualization of the greater universe). Due to that similarity, this process could theoretically bring upon the user its own form of enlightenment, or perfect fulfillment (as some use enlightenment to describe something else).

Obviously I don't have any ideas past this, as this is just a random thought I've had. Feel free to weigh in. I'd like to spend some time developing the idea further, and will do so on my own in any case.

[tc119]

Some may appreciate an established system of practices related to spirit lovers. If you feel that there's a need not being met, then by all means, create one. However, I believe this topic is so niche and other schools of spiritual disciplines cover most of what we'd need to know already, you might end up reinventing the wheel. For instance, I feel that the traditional in-depth preparation one goes through for lucid dreaming recall and out-of-body experiences is all that's really necessary to achieve better communication with a spirit. A book like this might be a helpful system for a novice to get started. Granted, it's not the only way to achieve this, but there is so much overlap between these disciplines that all spiritual faculties are elevated regardless. Once those channels are open, the spirit can take over the teaching from there, and I believe they are the best teachers.

But I've always been a do-it-yourselfer kind of learner.

[Fightersword]

Astral projection would certainly be useful. As for communication, that would be a foundational skill for the purpose of the occult school. The goal isn't so much an easier communication as a... fuzzy sort of ideal harmonious state that is thus far ill defined. It's a WIP as stated.

[Jay]

This is something I have been thinking about lately. Communication being very important,first priority.

But beyond that there is the issue of how much focus the spirit lover relationship has in the overall spiritual practice of the operator.

I sense some kind of tug of war or not-focus, disharmony occuring. In the sense you have various higher powers that a person may work with, and separately (or jointly), the spirit lover entity. These various beings may be in agreement or disagreement or agree to disagree or simply not care.

Like I've heard of people who focus entirely on the spirit, and do not call upon other spirits.

On the opposite spectrum, I am eclectic by nature and try to learn of different practices, pantheons, connections, etc. Some connections are latent and some are active.

So I think I agree with the concept that those in this kind of spirit lover situation need to find Harmony as soon as possible. Or at least Balance.

Spirits will learn to understand the human concept of time. I'm not certain how well they like time being shared amongst different people and beings. Like what if your lover does not like the energy you take on from working with a different Divine being?

Like to use your example, if the spirit is similar to Venus (or Lilith), and you regularly work with Mars (or Jupiter-Mercury etc, very masculine beings), could that be a conflict on some level?

Obviously this probably much easier if someone already has great balance in their life and it's not distracted by say difficult human relationships.

I recently felt (sensed, perceived) that a certain being was reaching out and wanted to work with me exclusively for a period of time and I had to say well that's not possible given the spirit relationship.

But the downside perhaps is having your efforts scattered and not really accomplishing anything. Or over focusing on the relationship aspect when / if that spirit has other responsibilities to handle.

[tc119]

But the downside perhaps is having your efforts scattered and not really accomplishing anything.

This last bit is something I'm most concerned about, not just when working with spirits but everything in life. I believe modern man suffers from a great lack of clear focus. We are often very easily distracted and there are innumerable avenues for our energy to be channeled into. I suppose this is why I choose to focus solely on Catherine, my spirit lover, when it comes to daily spirituality. Granted, I may be lacking in some areas because of this exclusivity, yet I feel that my plate is already full enough in that regard.

Something I remember my dad always saying growing up, "I've got fifty million things to do." The last thing I want to happen is to end up like that! So I keep my hobbies and interests laser-focused as best I can.

Either way, all very good thoughts on the matter, Jay.

[Fightersword]

This is something I have been thinking about lately. Communication being very important,first priority.

But beyond that there is the issue of how much focus the spirit lover relationship has in the overall spiritual practice of the operator.

I sense some kind of tug of war or not-focus, disharmony occurring. In the sense you have various higher powers that a person may work with, and separately (or jointly), the spirit lover entity. These various beings may be in agreement or disagreement or agree to disagree or simply not care.

Like I've heard of people who focus entirely on the spirit, and do not call upon other spirits.

On the opposite spectrum, I am eclectic by nature and try to learn of different practices, pantheons, connections, etc. Some connections are latent and some are active.

So I think I agree with the concept that those in this kind of spirit lover situation need to find Harmony as soon as possible. Or at least Balance.

Spirits will learn to understand the human concept of time. I'm not certain how well they like time being shared amongst different people and beings. Like what if your lover does not like the energy you take on from working with a different Divine being?

Like to use your example, if the spirit is similar to Venus (or Lilith), and you regularly work with Mars (or Jupiter-Mercury etc, very masculine beings), could that be a conflict on some level?

Obviously this probably much easier if someone already has great balance in their life and it's not distracted by say difficult human relationships.

I recently felt (sensed, perceived) that a certain being was reaching out and wanted to work with me exclusively for a period of time and I had to say well that's not possible given the spirit relationship.

But the downside perhaps is having your efforts scattered and not really accomplishing anything. Or over focusing on the relationship aspect when / if that spirit has other responsibilities to handle.

The point of the school would have the relationship as its main focus, rather than archetypal workings that are the focus of most occult schools. It's not clear if these entities have their own kind of spiritual practice at all, to be frank. The archetypes would be the higher powers you mention.

Presumably, if you tried to invoke or interact with energies that did not mesh well with the spirit, it would create disharmony. You can still do it if you have a good reason to, and humans are a combination of metric tons of archetypal ideas, so it wouldn't damage things in extremely major ways (usually). But it's worth exploring why you're drawn to working with some certain archetype and whether it would impact your spirit lover or not.

I don't get the idea that spirit lovers typically have large outside responsibilities. There is this tendency to over humanize them, and to assume they have responsibilities, jobs, societies, whatever. They very well may, but it's unclear to what extent they do, and if spirit lovers do. It is usually clear that spirit lovers are fairly constantly present though, which might imply the alternative. What we're dealing with here are beings that are in many ways alien to ourselves. they very well may not worship in the way that we do, and very well may not work or have responsibilities in the same way we do.

[Jay]

The point of the school would have the relationship as its main focus, rather than archetypal workings that are the focus of most occult schools. It's not clear if these entities have their own kind of spiritual practice at all, to be frank. The archetypes would be the higher powers you mention.

Presumably, if you tried to invoke or interact with energies that did not mesh well with the spirit, it would create disharmony. You can still do it if you have a good reason to, and humans are a combination of metric tons of archetypal ideas, so it wouldn't damage things in extremely major ways (usually). But it's worth exploring why you're drawn to working with some certain archetype and whether it would impact your spirit lover or not.

I don't get the idea that spirit lovers typically have large outside responsibilities. There is this tendency to over humanize them, and to assume they have responsibilities, jobs, societies, whatever. They very well may, but it's unclear to what extent they do, and if spirit lovers do. It is usually clear that spirit lovers are fairly constantly present though, which might imply the alternative. What we're dealing with here are beings that are in many ways alien to ourselves. they very well may not worship in the way that we do, and very well may not work or have responsibilities in the same way we do.

That makes a lot of sense. Part of my current process of trying to balance out everything, different days, different focus, etc. Making her the focus seems like a natural evolution.

I guess part of the "humanization" , applying "outside responsibilities" concept comes from periods of absence or distance, or weakening connection, and trying to explain it. When it may in fact be simply the human losing focus or not understanding some kind of activity shift, which could be a reaction to whatever the human is doing or not doing or thinking. Or just not understanding what she is trying to accomplish.

But the downside perhaps is having your efforts scattered and not really accomplishing anything.

This last bit is something I'm most concerned about, not just when working with spirits but everything in life. I believe modern man suffers from a great lack of clear focus. We are often very easily distracted and there are innumerable avenues for our energy to be channeled into. I suppose this is why I choose to focus solely on Catherine, my spirit lover, when it comes to daily spirituality. Granted, I may be lacking in some areas because of this exclusivity, yet I feel that my plate is already full enough in that regard.

Something I remember my dad always saying growing up, "I've got fifty million things to do." The last thing I want to happen is to end up like that! So I keep my hobbies and interests laser-focused as best I can.

Either way, all very good thoughts on the matter, Jay.

Thanks. I've been all over the place

[Fightersword]

The only thing I'll correct there is that, instead of thinking of it as making 'her' the focus, think of it as making both of you, or from your perspective 'we/us' the focus. Think of the two of you as one unit, moreso.

The absence is more a connection thing, not a 'them being busy' thing. I think the 'location' of spirits is actually defined differently than we'd conventionally think, but that's an entire rabbit hole to dive into, so I won't be diving into it. I will simply say that as your connection deepens, periods that seem like absence will morph into periods where the connection is worse, not so much broken. At least speaking of my experience.

[Jay]

The only thing I'll correct there is that, instead of thinking of it as making 'her' the focus, think of it as making both of you, or from your perspective 'we/us' the focus. Think of the two of you as one unit, moreso.

The absence is more a connection thing, not a 'them being busy' thing. I think the 'location' of spirits is actually defined differently than we'd conventionally think, but that's an entire rabbit hole to dive into, so I won't be diving into it. I will simply say that as your connection deepens, periods that seem like absence will morph into periods where the connection is worse, not so much broken. At least speaking of my experience.

I've been implementing both points and it's been very helpful. Just thinking of We / Us / unity has a bonding effect, as well as making things simpler. The power of "we" is something I forgot, maybe because humans tend to be forcefully independent. But just doing things together and being "tuned in" is working. It's very easy to get caught playing "50 questions" instead of just living in the moment so to speak.

If I understand the connection as "effort meets awareness", it is easier to manage.