Instructor: Rainsong & Nevyn
Date: February 18, 2017 (Saturday)
<Rainsong> This week’s seminar is scheduled to start in approximately five minutes
<Rainsong> Our topic for the evening is the use of sigils for radionics
<Rainsong> And…. we’re at the bottom of the hour.
<Rainsong> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to another psionic seminar here at the Social Club.
<Rainsong> Nevyn is reminding me that I should check and see if anyone is interested in a seminar tonight.
<Rainsong> Anyone? Anyone?….
<December> what O.o yep, yes
<December> radionics?
<Rainsong> Looks like someone’s kinda-sorta awake…
<December> I’m told that’s my main redeeming quality
<Rainsong> heh
<Nevyn> today’s goal: put December to sleep
<Rainsong> lol
<Rainsong> Nevyn and I will be co-teaching this evening’s class.
<December> the most noble of all quests
<Rainsong> As usual, we’ll start with a couple friendly definitions, to be sure we’re all on the same page.
<Rainsong> “Radionics” is the use of various machines to assist in psionics. A Pendulum, for example, is such a machine. So is a piece of electronically-implausible circuitry drawn on paper with paper pointers attached with push-pins.
<Rainsong> And there are some radionics machines that use electricity and get pretty complicated.
<Rainsong> Nevyn? You care to handle the sigil side?
<Nevyn> Sigils are primarily a drawn representation of intent. They take a goal and make it into something that isn’t just words or thoughts, then power (oomph) is added, and presto.
<Johngault22> goodnight all
<December> night john
<Rainsong> (be well, JohnGault)
<Johngault22> thanks.
* Johngault22 Quit (Quit: )
<December> so a sigil doesn’t just have to be made up of letters, it could be a symbol like a sword or a top hat?
<Nevyn> Depending on who you talk with the name works for anything that works this way, even established symbology like runes. The distinction isn’t that important overall, so decide for yourself
<Nevyn> You normally want something unique so there aren’t other ideas behind it.
<Nevyn> I believe I’m giving a quick rundown of sigils, then Rain will be going into their use in radionics. If you don’t have anymore definition questions I’ll start that
<Rainsong> sounds good
* Dakaran has joined #psc_annex
<Dakaran> Hello.
<Rainsong> (hi, Dakaran)
<Nevyn> kinda-sorta awake is an apt observation it seems
<Rainsong> indeed
<Nevyn> Sigils can be creating in many different ways, with the most common in the OEC being based on the method A.O. Spare made popular in The Book of Pleasure and then picked up by Chaos Magic. The basic premise is to write out the goal, remove repeating letters, then jumble them all up to make a unique symbol. In some instruction sets only vowels are used, with or without repeating.
<Nevyn> If you google sigil magic this is most likely what you’ll find
<Nevyn> Other common methods involve using a Kamea (Magic Square) (see Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage) and the Rose Cross. I don’t use either, but am more familiar with the kamea – it too requires you to write an intent and reduce characters, but then convert it to a numerical cypher.
<December> totally totally sorta concious
<Nevyn> You then use a magic square based on a planetary energy and connect the numbers from your cypher together over the top to draw the sigil. If you need a verbalization you can overlay your now drawn sigil on a hebrew version of the square.
<Nevyn> Personally I use what’s closer to intuitive drawing. I hold the intent in my mind then simply draw the sigil. I prefer this method as it takes language out of the creation process – the resulting sigil is directly from the intent rather than the sentence. One way to think of it is as a cross section of a larger spell.
<Nevyn> One thing to note on the last method is that if you need to write out an intent/goal to help, you’re better off doing it in list form rather than a statement like the others. The best part of the intuitive drawing method is the fact that you’re working more off of an idea than a sentence.
<Nevyn> There are even more way to charge a sigil than to create one. But we’re energy workers here – let’s just stick to the easy route and push energy/oomph into the thing.
<Nevyn> I typically use passive sigils (more on this in a sec) so I’ve always ignored the any instruction to forget the purpose of the sigil before charging and using. I also like knowing when things work, and forgetting the purpose doesn’t let you track it.
<Nevyn> questions so far?
<Rainsong> none here 🙂
<December> any theories on why it works?
<Nevyn> magic! 😉
<December> yesss
<December> so is it kinda like the law of attraction stuff on getting a really really clear image of what yiu want?
<Nevyn> It’s just another way of imposing your will on the world. Sigils are nice because you take away overlapping ideas though. You can do the same thing with runes or any other form of symbology, but with those there are other ideas of what they are and should do. With the uniqueness of a sigil it’s just what you made it for
<December> kay, no more questions
<Nevyn> So they work for the same reason that any energy work or magic works. They work better because you don’t have to fight against other concepts.
<Nevyn> If you figure out that first reason in a way that can clearly be communicated let us all know.
<Nevyn> A common method of actually -using- a sigil involves its destruction. These are termed Active sigils and shouldn’t be reused. The charge is released with the destruction and follows the purpose – rate of release depends on type of destruction, with burning being the most common and quickest
<Nevyn> Passive sigils don’t get destroyed and can be reused. As the topic today is their use in radionics I’m not going to get into how to keep them powered as the device will take care of that on its own. The important part, as just mentioned, is that they’re representations of your intent and will – the more important part is that they’re ONLY that. They’re not letters or numbers, or
<Nevyn> existing runes, or anything else that is already steeped in other concepts.
<Nevyn> Outside of radionics sigils can be used for just about anything. Making a shield? You can sigilize it. Want a good parking spot? Sigil. Want to become the supreme ruler of the universe? MAKE ALL THE SIGILS.
<Nevyn> I use more passive sigils a fair amount – mostly as cantrips (prepackaged spells) for easy use and low concentration needed. These are even handier as I can hand them to someone else and they can use them as well rather than me having to teach all the background that goes into those spells.
<Nevyn> Others I’ve developed are meant as ongoing spells, so I carry them with me somehow. These range from a sigil I use on my phone to ward it from energetic interference to an etched copper coin to give my words more weight.
<Nevyn> They’re a very handy tool, but they’re only a tool.
<Nevyn> If you want to get better you still need to practice, so don’t think that just using sigils to make parts better is the same as actually getting better, and there are some things they just simply can’t replace. Working in a system where you need to repeat a mantra 108 times every day? Sigil aren’t going to help. Get mala beads.
<Nevyn> If you have questions primarily concerning their use outside of radionics please hold those until the end of class. Else go ahead and ask now.
<December> none here
<Nevyn> Rain? That’s pretty much all I had without questions.
<Rainsong> Thanks, Nevyn.
<Rainsong> Now we get to the “what does that have to do with radionics?” part
<Rainsong> Standard run-of-the-mill radionics is done by dialling a numeric code into a radionics machine and, adding any required targeting or modifying components, and turning it on or pushing a puff of oomph through it.
<Rainsong> Targeting may be done by dialling in another numeric code into another bank of dials, by putting a connecty-bit such as a photograph or a soil sample or a blood spot onto the appropriate part of the machine, or by including it in the initial code.
<Rainsong> Modifications are done by adding the same kinds of things to another part of the machine.
<Rainsong> For our purposes, we’re starting with “easy”
<Rainsong> We’re going to talk about making one of the easier paper/cardboard machines (along with a brief detour on how to construct the electrical equivalent), in which there’s only one dial.
<Rainsong> And for the paper version, that dial can be made of a paper circle with a triangle attached to one spot along the circumference to point with… or a paper tear-drop shape. It will be attached to the larger piece of paper with a push-pin, thumb-tack, or “brad”. Or, you can just position it carefully, if nothing’s going to bump it.
<December> can we have
<December> a diagram?
<Rainsong> I think I tried sending one through the file-send thing…not sure it worked
<Rainsong> hmm It did not
<Rainsong> PM me an email addy perhaps?
<December> sure 🙂
<Nevyn> if it’s one you sent me I can toss it online and supply an address
<Rainsong> That’d be lovely, thanks.
<Nevyn> Ok, give me a sec and I’ll upload all three
<Nevyn> http://imgur.com/a/s9jic
<Rainsong> Thanks.
<Rainsong> The third one on Nevyn’s post is the “pointer”
<Rainsong> The main piece of paper is set up like the second part of the post.
<Rainsong> And the “wiring” is diagrammed on the first bit of the post.
<Rainsong> So, yes, on a larger piece of paper, or a shoebox or something, draw a bigger circle. You’re going to put the pointer in the middle of it.
<Rainsong> On the pointer, you’re going to put a main sigil.
<Rainsong> For example, let’s say you want to do things with your car.
<Rainsong> The main sigil on the pointer will signify “my car” …or more specifically “December’s 1967 Corvette”
<Rainsong> Divide the bigger circle into a few pie-wedges, as in the diagram, and add modifying sigils, one per wedge
<Rainsong> For example, come up with a sigil for each of “safe from theft”, “handy parking spot”, “smooth driving”…
<Rainsong> (Had a nice plan for explaining this, and ended up going at it backwards….)
<Rainsong> You’ll notice on the diagram there is also an “on/off” switch. This can also be made with a pointer of paper.
<Rainsong> Ignore the LED for not.
<Rainsong> Ignore the LED for now, rather
<December> I’m finding the wiring confusing. At it’s most basic is it the pointer on a disk of paper?
<Rainsong> On the back of the paper, draw a line to connect the on-off switch to the big pointer, and a second line from the big pointer to the on-off switch
<Rainsong> Yes, the pointer is on a disk of paper.
<Rainsong> Constructing the thing is most of the work.
<Rainsong> Once you have that set up,…
<Rainsong> Concentrate on your car,
<Rainsong> turn the dial to the modifying sigil you want to use (let’s pretend the pointer in the example is pointing at “safe parking for car”)
<Rainsong> turn the on/off pointer to “on” and puff some oomph through the thing. I usually push the oomph through the dials, but it would make more sense to push it through the on/off switch
<Rainsong> Totally confused yet? Or do you have any questions at this stage?
<December> eeerrrrr
<December> im lost on the wireing. I think I’m overthinking it
<Rainsong> For the paper version, draw two lines between the place the big pointy spins around and the place the little pointy (on/off) spins around
<Rainsong> The lines can be on the top of the paper with the other stuff, but it looks neater if they are on the back.
<Rainsong> I’ve done both and there’s been no practical difference.
<December> kay
<December> also with sigils, do they have to be positive. Like you can’t have against theft, but you can have protection or safety?
<Nevyn> you can use either
<December> awesome
<Rainsong> That in itself is a big advantage to sigils
<Rainsong> If you feel like it, you can use actual wires and dials and switches and a light… and then wires from the switch to the battery pack. I suggest only using small AA cells, rather than setting it up to be plugged into a wall socket. More room for error without electrocution and fires, that way.
<Nevyn> unless you’re making a radionics device to try to burn down a building.
<Rainsong> Hmm. Yes, good point
<Rainsong> With this topic, it’s probably best to try one out, and mess around with it, then ask any follow-up questions next week.
<Rainsong> Are there any further questions before that stage, though? Or commentary?
<Rainsong> (I’ll definitely clean this up before it might be posted….)
<December> no i’m good, definitely something to play with
<Rainsong> 🙂
<Rainsong> Alrighty, then. Thanks for participating.
<Rainsong> and thanks, Nevyn, for teaching this evening
<Rainsong> Cheers