Everything Starts at the Beginning

I have to admit that I don't know what I am doing, and that that has never stopped me.  Today I have decided to formally begin a structured study of Magick because I realized last night at the Full Moon Drum Circle that I have memories of being a magician in a prior life and I'm tired of suppressing it and pretending it's not part of me.

Also, I've recently discovered that I have the asteroid "Merlin" exactly conjunct the Midheaven. While SolarFire, the astrology software I use does not have the minor asteroid Merlin as one of the options, I was able to plug it into Astro.com and it's 3 minutes from the MC and conjunct the South Node, which you can't see here, but you will extrapolate its location from the larger chart I will share further along in this post.

I should also admit, in all candor, that even though I formally began a structured study of Magick on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2014 at around 10pm, I have been for over a year in one case, and for over 8 months in another, a member of two secret Magick groups, both of whom invited me in, despite my being lukewarm about the subject. (Honestly, I have no idea how people find me, or why they invite me to join secret groups I'm not really interested in!)

Of course, I had to create a chart for the memorable moment when I decided to start studying Magick, because I'm an astrologer first and foremost, and I know that nothing happens by chance.  Astrology works!  And I wanted to know what interesting treasures it might hold.

(Click for larger image)

The transiting Sun is conjunct transiting Mercury, transiting Merlin, and my natal IC & North Node, (which means it's also opposing natal MC & South Node).  So we see that both Merlin & Mercury, which rules magicians and magick in general, are conjunct the most powerful body in the sky and on a very sensitive spot in my natal chart. I'd say that's a great sign!

There's a whole lot more going on in this chart,  not the least of which is transiting Mercury beginning a domino effect via a conjunction to natal Uranus and a trine to natal Venus, which I may speak about at a later time.  Enough astrology for one day.

Even though I'm a member of two groups, and each have their own teachings, self-reliant autodidact that I am, I've elected to use  Modern Magick: Twelve Lessons in the High Magickal Arts by Donald Michael Kraig as my syllabus.  I've actually had this book in its 2nd Edition.  I think I bought it in 2005 after I moved to the beach.

I can't say it will be the only book I will refer to.  After looking at several different books, I concluded that the lesson plans in this one made the most sense to me, but there are others I own that I might refer to as the need arises.

I will try to do everything exactly as it states, until I discover a reason why I should not.  Suspending all the cultural messages I have received that seem to say that all magicians are selfish, evil people who have no regard for hurting others.  That can't be true, as I know of some caring magicians who continuously give of themselves to help others.  And it has actually been their example that has motivated me to rethink my position in all of this.  That, and one other thing I will speak about in some later post.