No Gods But My Own was the name of my Substack newsletter. I’m in the process of shutting it down and wanted to have a more permanent home for these essays here at We the Hallowed. Originally posted on on May 7th, 2021 and published in the book The Damned Machine on January 10th, 2022
The core of NGBMO is a feeling that has been nagging at me for years. It started back when I was a teenager and has never really left me. It’s probably best expressed as a question:
How do we know?
For me this idea started soon after I was confirmed through my parents’ Lutheran church. I never quite vibed with organized religion, even in my youth, so going through a halfway stringent on-the-job training for faith was jarring to say the least.
The pendulum swing opposite I ended up with was hardcore atheism which I stuck with for nearly a decade. The thing that most atheists aren’t willing to admit is that there is just as much faith in their lack of belief as any religion’s abundance of it and most of them are willing to strike down anyone who argues against them with an equal amount of fervor.
It stands to reason that this same nagging feeling would continue to follow me, even into my more occult and esoteric interests.
So here I am again, asking the same question.
How do we know?
It’s why the more traditional magical practices truly and thoroughly are NOT for me. I can’t stop asking that same question, over and over.
How do we know?
How do we know that the spirit or entity we’re contacting is exactly the one you think it is?
What if these beings can change their forms to match what you’ve ascribed to them?
It seems impossible to determine the pedigree of any given spirit and their identities are more a matter of faith than scholarship.
How do we know?
How do we know that we’re not influencing their shape and form?
Do these entities begin as formless masses of energy that are shaped from the molds of our faith or practice? Is our faith like the Observer Effect in physics in that the very act of evocation has changed the state of reality for both us and the beings we attempt to interact with? Have these forces found that communication works better with familiar forms, like the aliens in Contact.
How do we know?
How CAN we know?
But, finally, does it truly matter?
Does it matter if you’ve contacted one of the demons from the Ars Goetia or a fresh figure conjured from your imagination?
If it works does the name and shape even matter?
I don’t want this to sound like I’m against all traditions or beliefs. Far from it. When I say “No Gods But My Own” I don’t mean that everything outside of what you create is false or non-existent. What I mean is that you need to reflect and ruminate on what works for YOU.
If your work brings you to the Golden Dawn or Kabbalah or some other tradition then so be it. That’s your way.
The crafting and creation of stories and beings is MY temple. It doesn’t have to be yours.
Your thoughts on what does or doesn’t work can lead you anywhere. The true secret is to find that place without getting sucked into a spiritual cul de sac by the opinions of others. We’re surrounded by gurus and experts that aren’t afraid to ply influence on you and your beliefs.
If magic is about the manipulation of your personal reality then it only makes sense that you would be the only person allowed to remodel your temple of the SELF.
LAMPLIGHTER
Leader of the lost
Finder of paths
Dispeller of shadows
Lamplighter can be called on to find misplaced items, for guidance back to lost pathways, and to shed light onto times of great darkness.
They are a silent guide in times of confusion.
The paths shown by Lamplighter are just one path out of many, not necessarily the RIGHT path or the WRONG one. Lamplighter does not make that kind of dualistic value judgements. Their only job is only to illuminate.
An altar for Lamplighter should be sparse and involve the creation of beacons. A single candle (preferably the fake kind for safety reasons) left in a windowsill overnight is perfect. Lamplighter is also drawn to strong smells and vibrant colors. They need to know you are there and that you are seeking their help.
Lamplighter is nomadic by nature and needs little in terms of material things. They are always on the move, never knowing what path they will cut through the darkness from one night to the next.
Much like the altar, any prayers to Lamplighter should be short, sharp, and simple. Think Morse code or an emergency beacon.
For example:
Hear me
Show the way
Hear me
Show the way
Hear me
Show the way
Treat it like a mantra or breathing exercise. Do it for as long as is comfortable.
These things aren’t rules. They are merely suggestions.
The idea here is to create your own way of doing this.
Take the name and the image and EXPERIMENT.
Do things your way.
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