We are certainly in a time of Great Change!
You've probably heard the once-popular song from the musical Hair - first produced in 1967 - that begins: "This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius".
Back then, we all knew it to be true, because it was. And it's still true now.
The shift from one Age to the next ... well, it's not really a "shift" at all: It's a "shifting"... the Age of Aquarius didn't happen on any human-calendar date. It's happening. Still happening. Now.
Aleister Crowley skillfully conveys the enormity of Age shifts in his brilliant book, Thoth Tarot. There, he gives the Minor Arcana Cards' Astrological influences in degrees ... passing into and away from each Sign ... from one Card to the next.
And that's just how the Astrological Ages affect this little ball of dirt we call Earth - in degrees. As one Age gives-way to the next, its influence diminishes over time - and the coming Age's influence increases.
And that's exactly where things are now, as the diminishing influence of the Age of Pisces gives-way to the increasing influence of the Age of Aquarius.
So for the purpose of this thesis, "Magick Then" refers to the ways and means, etc, of Magick in the Piscean Era, and "Magick Now" denotes the ways and means, etc, of Magick in the Aquarian Age.
All things of Spirit manifest differently in each Age.
I''ll not go deeply into all the astrological nuances of these two Ages in question - mainly focusing on their influences on the Then and Now of Things-Spiritual and the practice of Magick (as a spiritual discipline).
How Things Have Been
Energetically, the activities of Aquarius are quite different from those of Pisces.
Magick in the Piscean Era has mainly been enacted within the principles of hierarchically-structured initiatory Orders and other, often religious organizations. As members, individuals are subordinate to the beliefs, symbology and works of that group.
Piscean Humankind has believed itself to be at a low, dependent spiritual level-of-existence. Thus much Piscean Magick has been of a supplicatory nature ... a pleading for the wisdon, judgement and actions of (a) specific, often engendered Deity(ies).
How Things Are Becoming
As the influences of the Age of Aquarius increase, folks are gradually experiencing a sense of unique individuality.
Therefore, we are more able to achieve success in Magickal pursuits through our own inspirations and efforts ... the results manifesting proportionally to the Intentioned effort invested.
One facet of this that I have joyfully observed is the enormous, burgeoning production and availability of Tarot decks of every kind.
This - and the ever-increasing love of The Master's Thoth Tarot ... feared, not so very long ago, to the point of absurd paranoia - makes it apparent that Magick is, indeed, afoot.
Discovering what our individual Will is (and with the help of instant mass-communication via the internet) we are increasingly able to form connections with each other, potentially giving and receiving Knowledge and Understanding without the rigidly structured organizations (and their fabulously-expensive buildings) of the past.
A Cautionary Observation
Of course, for every new wave cresting, there is an equal backwash ...
This is becoming progressively evident in the anger, frustration and demands for Instant Mastership sprouting-up in every avenue of Magickal (and thus all Meta- physical/spiritual) - venues.
This became most apparent to me during my Reiki career...
I observed the pattern: from one Reiki - the laying-on-of-hands healing procedure, to hundreds of Reikis - many promising results from Instant Enlightenment to Immortality.
I think the largest contributing factor to the present confusion is the unfortunate growing demand for quick and easy Initiation into "Mastership" ... and the (backwash) diminishing number of folks actually GIVING Reiki - along with the equally-diminishing effectiveness of Healings manifesting with Reiki.
We Are The Sign Of Hope
The backwash to which I'm referring is no more than a nagging little itch in the Great Scheme of things. An itch that can be healed and vanished by our authentic individuality, and the courageous, intelligent application of our ever-inceasing Magickal & Spiritual Knowings and Abilities.
As we become more aware and adept at harnessing our Knowledge and Abilities, we can contribute to the amelioration of the negative backwash aspects of the birth of Aquarian Magick in our own lifetime!
Bledsians,
Merlin Emrys
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* Bledsians is Olde English for "Blessings"
Copyright © 2019 Merlin Emrys (aka W.A. Ryan)
Copyright © 2019 Merlin Emrys (aka W.A. Ryan)
