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To Open the Inner Eye:
The Fifth Pentacle of Jupiter
From the Key of Solomon: “This hath great power. It serveth for assured visions. Jacob being armed with this Pentacle beheld the ladder which reached unto heaven.” It’s no secret that many a frustrated occultist agonizes over the nature of spiritual perception. It’s further common knowledge to proclaim that the debate rages, externally and internally,…
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A Garden of Roses: Picking the Right Venus Pentacle
At first glance, selecting the right Venus pentacle might be difficult, even for the most discerning of individuals. From the grace-maker of the 2nd of Venus to the various forms of love-drawing glamours of the 3rd and the 5th, one has a variety of copper-colored shine to add to one’s life. When viewing them merely…
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The Cairo Zodiac: A Peer Review
Each zodiac has been consecrated using PGM IV. 1596-1715: The Consecration of All Things. “Give glory and honor and favor and fortune and power to this phylactery!” Guest author Sfinga writes about her experiences with Practical Occult’s Cairo Zodiac in this newsletter. When Alison first contacted me to tell me about her plans for her…
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Candle Magic: Harnessing the Philosophy of Fire
It’s a ubiquitous part of magic today, the idea of burning spell candles upon an altar. These vessels of magical force and bright-burning, world-shaping energy come in many forms and are used in many ways. Mastering fire to illuminate our witchcraft is second-nature to most practitioners in our world and, yet, often people find their…
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Fifth of Mercury: Clearing the Path
One of the most effective staples of folk magic practices the world over is the timeless Road Opening Spell. For those feeling stuck, for those feeling trapped or for those feeling stagnant, this magical strategy can and has changed a person’s stars and set them back on the path of momentum towards their goals. As…
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Practical Occult is Launching Courses
Here at Practical Occult we are excited to announce the first of many small, one-off courses on various aspects of magic from the ground up. In keeping with our dedication to providing Discerning Individuals with the ideal and highest quality experiences in magic and operative sorcery, we have decided to launch a series of magic…
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Navigating Mercury Retrograde
Practical solutions for Mercurial troubles The dread that creeps into people’s hearts concerning the retrograded motion of the planet Mercury runs the gamut between mild annoyance to outright, lifestyle-altering fear in the minds of the occult community. Those who lean heavily on astrology debate endlessly the nature, impact and details of this celestial phenomenon and…
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Strange Dominions Podcast Episode 32. Ancient magic for modern times with Alison Chicosky of Practical Occult
Strange Dominions Podcast Episode 32. Ancient magic for modern times with Alison Chicosky of Practical Occult On this episode of Strange Dominions, Octavian speaks with Alison Chicosky. The two speak about Alison’s beginnings in magic, her experience with the PGM and her work with talismans, pentacles and other occult items at her own shop, Practical Occult.
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Second of Venus: The Morning Star’s Diplomat
Sometimes aggression and burning magnificence are not the ideal qualities for solving a problem. Often, pure charm, diplomacy and a blanketing energy of comfort and pleasantness are what’s truly required. The difference between commanding and coaxing is as wide as a chasm and a truly discerning occultist knows that each has its place in the…
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The Mercurial Mind
In an age of digital road openings and fast-paced shifting of structures of society, the magician’s best friend is often the powers of Mercury. Here at Practical Occult, we aren’t shy about stacking those boons atop eachother for the truly discerning individual. While individually, the Mercury pentacles change lives, sift through the sands of time…