Monday, September 19, 2011

Urban Animism


What is animism? No it's not the worship of superpowered, , 2-dimenional, vaguely oriental huge-eyed people. Animism is the belief that every non-human thing is a supernatural being or at least possesses a spirit or soul. It is a belief that is prevalent in most indigenous and folk religions including Shinto, and some forms of Hinduism, Buddhism, Pantheism, Christianity and Neopaganism.

I've always had animistic tendencies. In fact, most humans have animistic tendencies. I'm pretty sure that there's at least one instance like when you treat your toys like best buddies back when you were a child or when you name your own car in a later stage of life. Me? I have a laptop named Johnny 5 and I feed him by rubbing rhum on the cover. I think he likes the rhum.

I think humans have animistic tendencies due to genetic memory. It could be a throwback to prehistoric tribal culture. Back then, everyone believe that anything that is awe-inspiring (such as a magnificent mountain or a tremendous tree) surely must have a fraction of a great supernatural force residing in them. However, especially these days, any object (be it a child's favorite toy, an endearing automobile or a respectable laptop) tend to be alive to us. Perhaps intuitively or instinctively, we recognize these powers.

Then again, I'm probably just a sentimental weirdo with unusual attachment to things. Then again, absurdity is one of my source of power. This animistic paradigm I've adopted may be quite useful. I don't know why but it just felt right with me. Deep down inside, I honestly believe that everything has a spirit.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Weh-Oh-Weh! Lico's Shamanic Approach to His Chaos Magic

My earliest exposure to shamanism was through pop-culture. Back when I was a young warthog, I enjoyed watching the cartoon series Bravestarr where the hero summons the powers of animals in an intergalactic wild west.


In these more recent times, I'm using the shamanic approach to my chaos magic practice. I've had success with divining stones as prescribed by Nick Hall in Chaos and Sorcery. It's the closest I could get to the divining stone traditions of African tribal magic. More than ever, I've been invoking the spiritual essence of animals especially that of the crocodile when I need to get shit done. I'm beginning to believe that I, somewhat, had something to do with the summoning of the recently captured giant crocodile Lolong.

Even more recently was the use of shamanic rattles for invocation and banishing. I got a few ideas from Michael Harner's Way of The Shaman. Basically, I sing improvised songs while dancing and shaking two maracas. It makes a good exercise too. Instead of Taebo, why not Shamanic Cardio? Heck, I could do it to Shakira's Waka Waka




Another throwback to atavistic magick I do is the use of a wooden toy snake for healing. According to Nick Hall's Chaos and Sorcery, live snakes were used as wands for healing the afflicted. Although I'm sure it's a psychosomatic effect but I definitely feel better when I use the wooden snake. I just hope Samuel L. Jackson doesn't find out. He's not so fond of snakes.




So yeah... shamanism. I think it's cool. As for hallucinogenics, I don't think I'd be ingesting peyote. Besides, I'm like I'm high all the time. Herbalism? The only herbs I'd more likely to collect are the ones in KFC's original. Below is a reenactment of an actual shamanic experience caused by the ritualistic consumption of fried chicken.