I have often struggled with whether or not to curse people, especially since I'm all Christian and "Turn the other cheek" was a freaking commandment by Jesus. Not to mention the times when I really wanted to curse someone and a vision of Christ appeared to stop me. Well, it happened once, anyway. That kind of put me off cursing for a long time.
But after a lot of Work with Sammael of Mars, and a lot of contemplation of Giburah, the Wrath of God, and Pachad, the Fear of God, I came to a similar conclusion about the role of cursing as a magician. Gardeners have to prune trees to get them to produce fruit abundantly. You pull weeds that choke out the things you want to grow. The First Commandment given to mankind in the Bible was to Tend the Garden, and sometimes that means chopping off the talking snake's head before it gets alone time with your wife.
Personally, my biggest problem with cursing is that once I feel justified, I'd start cursing everyone who pissed me off. I'm not an even-tempered kind of guy, even after doing a lot of Martial Work. I'm better than I was years ago, but I'm not someone I'd trust to keep a hand gun in the glove box. My kids need me out of jail, not locked away because some idiot cut me off in traffic. In the moment of my rage, I would feel perfectly justified calling up every spirit I know and sending them against whoever rubbed me the wrong way.
What keeps me from that temptation is a phrase I learned from an Israeli lawyer-magician who did a lot of work with the Lwa in his youth. "May the spirits judge between us," he said, referencing how he cursed people when he felt it was appropriate. It cleared things up for me a lot. By saying that, you're basically putting your own ass on the line. The ritual I use for cursin, if I ever find it necessary, is:
- Divination - If it looks bad for me to curse the person, I wait. Chances are good that I'm just angry and it will go away.
- Preparation - I put my case for cursing together, and weigh out whether I would feel comfortable saying "Here's why I think they deserve to be cursed, judge between us and may the curse fall on me if I'm out of God's Will." If I can't say that without getting nervous, the ritual is off.
- Never curse angry. In your anger, do not sin, the Bible says. It's really good advice, even for pagans. It doesn't say don't get angry, it just says not to sin while you're angry. Cursing, in my opinion, is best done cold, not hot.
- Oration to Source - Thou hast cleansed me with Hyssop, Oh Lord, thou hast cleansed me and washed me whiter than new-fallen snow.
- Conjuration of spirit - Saturn and Mars spirits are my favorites for this kind of thing, they're all malefic, but Mercury and Venus have been known to be of use.
- Justification for curse - I make my case before God and the Spirit, go over the details that led to this decision, and specifically call out the things that pushed this matter to the point that required magical retribution.
- Call for Justice - "May God the Source and [Spirit Name] judge between us."
- Protection - "Let no harm befall any member of my family, mentally, physically, or spiritually as a result of this rite."
- Closing - "As you came in peace, so go in power, and return to me should I call you by name, blah blah blah, World Without End, Amen."
Matthew 26:52, Those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.
ReplyDeleteThis is the way I curse others: That they may have a long life, may see the error of their ways, and repent. That they may see that I live a good life, for living well is the best revenge. That no matter what evil they show me, I show them nothing but patience, charity, love and understanding, so they may be annoyed. That others forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive the trespasses of others. For no human can be counted righteous, only our Father in Heaven.
There's no reason for it. Anyone who purposefully does evil to me lives in an hell I can only begin to imagine. Anyone who accidentally does evil to me should simply be told so they can repent. Why curse? The only reason to do it is to make myself feel better. Just remember, by what measure you judge, so shall you be judged. Do not expect forgiveness for your wrongs if you cannot grant it to others. See Matthew, 18:21-34.
This does not mean that I must be taken advantage of again and again. But neither does wishing ill upon another do me any good, and may actually do me harm. I prefer to remember those who do me good, and do good to those who do me ill. For by so doing, those who do me ill may be turned to a friend, and those who are my friends help me when others wish to do me ill.
I'm not perfect. But that's the standard I strive for.
Scott, that's my usual response for things that irritate me on a regular basis, especially the part about how their actions are probably making their lives a living hell anyway.
ReplyDeleteBut sometimes, I believe, we are called to be the wrath of God. There are times when the trash must be taken out. I think you need to be in a right relationship with those aspects of God that manifest as Pachad, Din, and G'Burah before you're in a position to judge, but sometimes you are in the right position, and you must do what you must do.
"Leave room for God's Wrath," it says somewhere in the Bible, and that room is sometimes shaped just like an "RO".
As a fatalist, I figure it's my destiny to curse, if I do, and any judgment I call upon myself is part of the overall plan for Good as well.
Thank you for this. I had asked Kenaz about when cursing was a good idea. Your suggestion of essentially going through due dilligence, putting together a case, and then letting god(s) decide if you were correct in this situation seems like a really good way to figure out when I'm just ornery and angry (I too am a poor glovebox gun candidate) and when it is a serious matter that needs addressing.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good mindset for me to consider when cursing is appropriate. That and I watch a lot of L&O/Judge Judy so a legal format makes sense to me! ;p
(I'm Jow's SO, btw, I believe we've talked once or twice!)
Ave Fr RO,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this excellent post; I agree the fact that cursing is a big responsability and as you and Kenaz said, we have the ability and power to work with forces that other people just don't understand.
First of all, I want to bring to attention the fact that there are two kind of people: those who does not know about magic and have the resources that make them believe they can mess somebody's life, and those who know the arts and do the work.
Before continue, I will talk about something that happened to me: one day, I was speeding on a bridge, and at the end of the bridge, was the cop, pointing at me with the radar, obviously he pulled me over and gave me a ticket. At the moment, I was so furious that I wanted to curse the cop just arriving home, but wait...I was speeding and I had no reason to do it, so what the cop did is...his job!. I believe that despite I paid the ticket I was responsible for my action and therefore I had no reason to curse the cop. He has a family (I guess...maybe children) so, I calmed down and accepted the situation.
Some other time, someone cursed my mother and when I did the divination work, I got the person's characteristics and when I talked to my mom again, she said...yes is a lady bla bla bla.
I was so pissed off that someone did harm to my mother that I just waited for the right day and hour and I performed the work, and guess what??? up to this day, she does know nothing about that lady...
After those two examples, my opinion is that I must be responsible in the use of magic if I need to curse someone. This has been really hard for me, because despite I'm christian, I don't go with the "put the other cheek". For me...if you hit my cheek, I will give it back to you on the same cheeck and if I can, I will do it stronger.
Some stupid people think that they can mess up with someone's life just because of their greed and because they have the resource to fuck someone's life, and they go to magicians, witches, rootworkers or whomever they know that work with magic, to pay for these services. The worst of it is not that they go to do it, worst is the unethical magicians who do that.
In my personal case, I would only use reverse magic with full force, but I will not be the initiator, since eventually I might get retribution for my wronged way to solve things.
Peace Profound,
VL
@RO
ReplyDeleteRomans, 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
Also, in Luke 6:28 it says:
"Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."
To me, it says to let God handle it. Trust in the Lord, and let him protect you from the terror of the night or the arrow that flies by day.
There are enough forces in this world that bring misery, heartache, and sorrow to the human race. I don't need to be one of them, and I don't need to call upon them.
Matthew 5:38-48'
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Or, as Paulo Coehlo says:
"No one knows the consequences of his own cruelty." -Warrior of the Light, page 140
Rufus Opus,
ReplyDeleteyou mentioned Mars spirits to curse people. Have you tried to use Flauros and Andras from Goetia for the same purposes? It seems they specialize in such deals.
Flauros returning one of his curses is probably what got his house burnt down.
ReplyDelete