Beginning Practicum
Vocabulary 101
Animism

As we know, “animism” is defined as the attribution of a soul to all animals, plants, inanimate objects, and other natural phenomena. Take for example, a child would not want to leave their teddy bear outside for fear that it might become cold at night. Another example may be a village steeped in ancient animism and rituals give regular homage by constructing giant goat effigies. It is also this same attribute applied to the inanimate such as a phone or car.

Animism is a way of relating to various things in the world of experience that for many Practitioners, truly exist. It involves attributing sentience to other things that may include persons, animals, plants, spirits, the environment, or even items of technology, such as cars, robots, or computers as stated.

Through our ethnographic studies drawn from animistic societies worldwide, we have learned that early and contemporary anthropological approaches to animism were often grounded in the principles, philosophies, and conclusions of modern science, anthropologists and dogmatic bias.

By contrast, animistic persons do not rely upon the concepts of scholars to understand the world. Many early people understand the Experience to be know as Anima Mundi, otherwise known as “World Spirit” or “World Soul”. Many believe this to be true of all planets, each having their own spirits.

KEY TO ANIMISM
Principles of animation and questions of Being are key to animism. It is best understood not only in terms of what it is, but in terms of what it is not. At first glance, animism seems to conjure up a coherent and deliberate ideology of sorts, as it ends in an ‘ism’. But animism is really more of a sensibility, tendency, or natural style of engaging with the world and the beings or things that populate it. It is not a form of materialism, which posits that only matter, materials, and movement exist.

It speaks of something more than what we perceive with our “five senses” and sometimes more than our “sixth”. We must also remember that animism is NOT a form of monotheism, which is a single deity in the universe. And, it is not a form of polytheism that posits many deities.

SENTIENCE
To an animistic person or social group, sentience is often envisioned as a vital force, life force, or animated property that is ‘immanent’, accessible, and ‘ready to hand’ in the everyday world, even if this property is usually latent and not perceivable at the time. Our “science” has simply not “caught up” and therefore cannot explain “everything”. Or, as some Practitioners believe, we have not fine tuned our perception to such things. Which ever the case may be.

There is often an important contrast between the ‘immanence’ of animistic sensibilities and the ‘transcendent’ qualities attributed to a monotheistic deity or polytheistic deities, which are related to as beings in their own right that exist apart from the everyday lives of the human animal. With some deities, the Practitioners are always reaching “out” and find they ignore Self and do little to no Ego nor Shadow work. They are often left feeling empty and alone as they are taught, and thereby believe that what they seek is not inside them.

Animism is the spirit, Energy, of all things, known and unknown. It can be found deep within and far without – throughout all of the Universe.

Divination 101
Tasseography

In most Eastern European countries it is not “tea leaves” they read for divination but “coffee grounds”. They have specific techniques and begin teaching the youth of the families who practice it. It is often a sought after ability by outsiders. For this type of divination, no special coffee powder or ground is needed. This type of coffee leaves not only thick but also muddy sediment at the bottom of the cup.

REMEMBER: The important part of reading coffee grounds is to interpret the over all impression and not isolated symbols of minimal grains.

Take a stroll over to this gentleman’s page for a trusted resource of reading material, no pun intended. ;-)

TURKISH COFFEE READING
There are as many ways to read as there are people reading the grounds. This goes for all prognostication.

Beginning Practicum
Venenatum
”The Poisoner’s Path”

Venenatum is Latin for bewitched, enchanted, magic; poisoned; as well as poisonous, venomous, or filled with poison depending on its conjugation. At APMS, we will be studying plants that both Heal and Harm as we understand there must be balance in all things.

Plants will vary, some local and able to be grown in your garden and others will not be allowed in various states or countries for different reasons. It is with these plants in particular you will be shown a regional, comparable, plant for the same magick. Some of this knowledge will come from Hekateans. Some will come from Druids. Some will come from Indigenous. But most of it will come from other Practitioners of various eclectic Paths that believe knowledge should be shared as we at All Paths Magick School do.

“Some plants have an especially magical reputation. Poisonous plants have always stood out to mankind for their medicine and magick.”

A word from Colby: The Poison Path, also known as veneficium or pharmakeia, is part of the broader practice of esoteric herbalism. Baneful herb Knowledge can be incorporated into any practice. The study, exploration and partnership with poisonous plants or baneful herbs for magical, spiritual and healing properties is the path of the poisoner. While it still falls under the umbrella of green witchcraft, the plants of the Poison Path stand in a category all their own.

Take a visit to Colby’s page and peruse the knowledge we are about to tap into:

Magical Herbal Formulations and Occult Artifacts LINK