Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

Course One: Wizardry 45

Lion Scorpion

Another famous creative pattern visualization is

in the designs that have been seen in the heavens—

the patterns of star constellations. Stars are scattered

across the sky randomly (having no pattern at all) from

our perspective. But ancient peoples drew lines be-

tween various bright stars as if they were “connect-

ing the dots” and came up with stick-figure pictures

that they named after characters and creatures in their

favorite myths and stories. And all of us, including

modern astronomers, still refer to those imaginary

patterns as if they represented reality!

Such symbolic false patterns are called “optical

illusions,” and if we understand the principles of how

they work, we can create our own, with hidden mean-

ings deliberately imbedded in them (as with the con-

stellations). Here are a few examples:

Lesson 2: Patterns, Divination,

and the Holographic Universe

Most forms of divination begin with creating a ran-

dom distribution of elements, and then attempt to make

some magickal sense out of them by finding or creat-

ing patterns. When we flip a coin to get heads or tails,

it is random. In cartomancy (card reading, as in tarot),

the first thing we do is shuffle the deck. Dice,

runestones, knucklebones, yarrow stalks, and oracle

stones are “thrown” by scattering them. Some sys-

tems use a set background template (pattern) like a

dartboard, where various sections are assigned mean-

ings, and whatever falls within certain sections attains

the significance or meaning of that section.

In the mundane world, it’s sort of like deciding

where to take a vacation by closing your eyes and

sticking a pin into a map! Wherever the pin lands is

assigned the definition of “Holiday Destination.”

Horoscopes are charted that way, with the positions

of the planets and stars falling into various “houses.”

Tarot card readings are laid out according to a par-

ticular spread design.

Task: Make a Divination Box

Here’s a simple divination system you can create:

Find a shallow 8-1/2”x11” box or box lid, like

the ones notepaper comes in. Take a piece of paper

the same size and fold it into four sections. In the up-

per right section, write the word “YES.” In the upper

left, write “MAYBE.” In the lower left, write “NO.”

And in the last section, write “DUNNO.”

Unfold the paper and place it in the box so you

can see the writing. Next, on another piece of paper,

write some simple question for which an answer could

be “yes” or “no.”

Find a special small stone or crystal you particu-

larly fancy. Now, hold that stone cupped in your hands

and shake it up good while you repeat the question

over and over. When you are ready, toss the stone

into the box. Whatever space it lands in gives you

your answer.

Practically all systems of magickal divination are

based on this simple principle; some systems are just

a lot more elaborate and complex than others. You

could divide that paper into as many sections as you

want, in any shapes you want, and write anything you

want in the sections. And you could use dice instead

of stones, with the numbers giving added “weight and

meaning” to the sections they land in. No matter how

complex you make it, the principle is the same.

The reason for these patterning templates—and

why they actually seem to work for us—is that the

Universe (and the Multiverse as well) is basically

holographic. Have you ever thought about the struc-

ture of atoms? Atoms are like tiny solar systems, with

their electrons orbiting the nucleus like planets orbit

the Sun. Every cell in our bodies is a miniature ver-

sion of our entire selves; and we, in turn, are cells in

the greater body of Mother Earth. In a hologram, ev-

ery tiniest particle (the micro-cosmos) contains the

essence and template of the whole (the macro-cos-

mos). This most fundamental principle of Magick is

stated in the opening words of The Emerald Tablet of

Hermes Trismegistus: “That which is above is like

that which is below and that which is below is like

that which is above, to achieve the wonders of the

one thing.” This is usually simply stated: “As above,

so below; as below, so above.” Modern Wizards add:

“As within, so without; as without, so within.” And

so, the macrocosm of larger events is reflected in our

little microcosmic model; and by manipulating the

microcosm, we affect the macrocosm.

A Note on Great Truths

—by Ian “Lurking Bear” Anderson

1. Wizardry.p65 45 1/14/2004, 3:23 PM