Elven Taoist Magic

An icon of Elven Taoist Magic

     ELVEN --> trans-certitudinal, eternal-seeming

     TAOIST --> attuning to a Way, natural and elegant

     MAGIC --> directing change toward desire

It is Elven Taoist Magic that manifests in my life as a magical career as it was revealed to me by my Holy Guardian Angel many years ago. I've also called it Wizardry in my more grandiose moments.

The most astounding difference between elves and humans lies within their psychology and their magic. Elves tend to stay away from dogma, rigid mental concepts, and literal `truths'. Humans tend to need these things as structures of support. Elves tend to be less attached to the things of the world, are more contented, with patience and kindness, and they are playful in a genuine way. Elves are also often the most empathic, due to their depth of experience, their value of those things which do not change, and their direct connection to the natural, the spontaneous, the unrestricted.

Elven magic is often not visible to the untrained eye, passes, more often than not for `natural phenomenon', and is much less control- oriented than human magic. There is much in Tolkien and others, that is worthwhile regarding elven magic. I've been studying it for some time and think it will be a lifetime study. There is no end to the self for the self. Elven magic is too complex to encompass. It may be difficult to spot an elf right away. They may be engaged in activities which seem foreign to any elven stereotype. Since their movements coordinate with the underlying Song of Nature, however, given time even an engaged elf can be distinguished quite easily. Yet spotting an elf will not really allow a glimpse of their mystical Way, for such is their magic that it blends into their surroundings much as a cloud dissipates in the sky.

In fact, it is more accurate to say that elven magic is absorbed by, or becomes, their environment. magic for elves is less a labour and more a part of their very being. Those skilled in magic dance in attunement to the essence of all in the very act of living their lives, whatever its form may be. Natural power flows out from them and heals everything it touches. To some in their sphere of influence this may seem uncomfortable or painful, while to others it is a joyous experience.

This doesn't mean that the elven Way is easy or that those who walk it face less of a challenge than those on more structured paths toward the Source.

Elves often begin their journey from little spiritual foundation. Their parents provide them with none, or that which their parents do provide is released in emotional abhorrence or dashed to pieces by critical intellect. Cut loose, they face a most challenging dilemma - whether to begin an alternate path put forward by the Elders or to forge a new path through the wilderness of spirit. Most fall somewhere between these extremes, mixing together that which seems familiar and attempting to weave a fabric allowing them independence and freedom to express their sometimes unusual tastes.

Yet even these are only the initial steps along the elven Way. They may also develop relationships with the powers Faerie (by whatever name), find friends among the various nature spirits, travel the outer reaches of the elemental planes, locate and worship the Star Goddess or other worthy deities, seek out the Fountain of Immortality, or trespass the Summerlands, among many other courageous and potentially dangerous adventures.

None of these endeavors in and of themselves constitute an exercise of elven magic. Each may provide a puzzle-piece, a key to unlock the door that leads toward the mystery known to some as the Secret of Merlin, the Art of the Elven Sages, and the lifeblood of Faerie children everywhere.

While these words may sound rather precise, they only hint at the nature of ways elven, especially regarding arts of true magic. Along the elven Way are signposts pointing toward an indescribable path of magic which participates greatly in the patterned, cosmic ebb and flow of Universal Tides. Those who navigate these waters do so without the aid of boat or sail. The waters have been called `the subconscious realm', yet this minimizes the beauty and complexity of such an expanse.

Elves trained in the ways of Seeing and Exploring move within this dark demesne as an otter swims among the seaweed forests off the California coast. They learn the highways and byways, gradually losing themselves in the ecstasy of discovery, revealing the purest and deepest magic of their being.

The elven Way is not a particular form, it is a style. It is not exactly a well-worn path, but is more accurately an art of path-walking. It is not a mindset, it is an attitude, a commitment to eternal youth, the honoring of the Old Ones, and a vow to serve the Mystery of Life.

Descriptions of Elves

Elves (Ah Kin) live in Shamballa, the City of Eternal Bliss, also called `Foresthome', which lies deep within the forest and exists simultaneously on many planes. Within Shamballa all needs are met, all dreams are realized, and no wish is ungranted. Things seem dreamlike and intimately real at once, Adventurous elves visit the world outside Shamballa, inhabited by all types of plants and animals (called, sadly, `The Dying Realms'). When they do so they are often on spiritual journeys or exploratory missions. Otherwise it is only the `half-elf' that braves such a challenge.

All elves are a family. All time for elves is long (and, arguably, short). They all greet one another with great big hugs. If the two have met before, then they sing songs of their travels since last meeting. Humans who hear an elf sing are enchanted by their voices and while within hearing distance cannot move, such is the ecstasy in which they are wrapt. Plants harmonize with all being and their song is the song of the universe.

Elves love trees because they are directly related to them. Elves are evolved plants, coming from the same `branch' of the geneological family. They understand that trees are intelligent, nonmobile sages of great wisdom, spending the entirety of their lives in meditation. Elven sages are said to become trees upon their final rebirth.

The entirety of the elven life, the Way, is one of fun, love and laughter. They delight in games and their childlike nature combines with their often advanced intellect to create some of the most sophisticated and challenging games of skill and chance, involving magical powers, spells, quests and mysteries. Some of those less fortunate young elves get lost in the Dying Realms and begin to take the games for reality, becoming dour and moody. A brief time in the company of other elves usually cures them of this, however.

Their `religion', if you will, is based on such games. Elves aren't required to believe anything, but are told a marvelous story which encompasses and enriches their lives.

This is the story which many elves are told upon their lingual maturity. It is understood, at the time, that it can help the individual understand hir place in the cosmos and give hir a basis for interaction with the World, but that there are other, equally valuable stories that will do the same.

"Ah and Kin were the first great trees. They stood atop the world and fruited Sun, Moon, Seas, Stars and the various plants and animals. In this way all things grew and ripened, falling off the branch of statelessness onto the ground of being. Once there, they crawled or moved to different parts of the world, where they were born from the seed, pod, egg or womb of their parents. Enjoying the movement of their offspring, Ah and Kin died and became the first elves - what humans might call `gods' and the elves call `The Elders', `The Ancient Onces', `The Celestial Masters', `The Old Ones', or countless thousands of other names of endearment. Gradually Ah and Kin, now unified in the elven race, are waking to their true essence and will grow to their old strength in a never-ending cycle.

The Old Ones

To the elves the Old Ones are less wholly other beings and more divine patterns of behavior. In `worshipping' them elves engage in activities with which the Old One is associated. This does not make the worshipper of greater value than the non-worshipper. Worship is not considered a show for others but an ecstatic experience. While the practice is considered serious business (if anything is for elves!), once one becomes acquainted with the stories, legends about the Elders, one begins to realized the value not only of acting but of watching, of listening to the new stories which they tell through their new worshippers. No harm is ever done in elven worship, and those who do so accidentally are advised to return to Shamballa immediately to renew their sacred vows. Little if anything is known about these vows, but often they are said to be ideal goals rather than adopted commandments.

The Old Ones are innumerable in their variation. They have as many faces and names as there are days in life (and for an elf, this is a lot!). The Old Ones this adventurer knows of thus far are these:

Varda, Star Mother (aka `Queen of the Stars')

Creatrix, Genetrix, Womb of life. She is associated with planting and/or defending trees.

Leollyn, Dancing Father

magic energy of being, the dancing Song of All. He is associated with magic, singing and dancing.

Yow, the Teacher (aka `Uncle Yow')

The Trickster, the Fool. He is associated with deception and the revealing of wisdom, trickery and education.

Cleowyn, Wizardress

Wise One, compassionate Lover. She is associated with magic and romance.

Tufyl, Leader of the Festive Spirits

Partier, mirthmaker, intoxicator. Associated with merrymaking, drinking, smoking. The Festive Spirits include all those substances which trigger altered states of consciousness and levity.

Snassis, Snake Beauty

Regenerator, renewer, rebirther. Associated with awe, `death' and knowledge (books), it is said that Snassis will be the final guide beyond the veil(?). Her sisters, Almuldhea and Cleowyin are alternatively said to accompany her in this function.

Vitraya, Healer

Healer, vitalizer and restorer of life. She is associated with healing, aiding and service generally.

Farrelon, The Game Hunter

Dedicated challenger and adventurer. He is associated with hunting and game playing.

Kellon, the Silent (aka `Eternal Questor')

The keen eye, the sensitive ear. SHe is associated with searching, tracking and quests. SHe, paired with Almuldhea (below) are said to be neither male nor female, but both and neither. Both are rather seldom spoken of, actually, for it is thought that to do so is to bring them shame.

Amuldhea

Mysterious Mystery, Darkness in its extreme, She is Death in the sense of eternal extinction. This is not a concept which elves understand well, and many find Hir difficult if not impossible to speak about. She is associated with sex, secrecy and hiding.

Call for More Tales

These are brief descriptions only. Each has countless tales told about them around deadwood fires and in mead-slick taverns late at night.

If you know of more or of some of the tales, please share them for the benefit of the elves in the audience. Thank you.

Fantasy and reality may be mixed in a pleasant and valuable way.
The Age of Reason is over!

I Chunk -- I Ching Runes

Eight trigrams, eight stones The poetry accompanying each trigram is the mystical fusion of Elven Taoist Magick, Tantra and Western Hermetica.

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- -
- -
- - Yin

Space.
Goddess of the dark, blackness, mystery and emptiness.
Nondual Void,
     She is Nuit, Kali, and Oya.

Extreme fluidity.
She is chilling, enjoyable Mystery, perpetual motionlessness,
     inactivity or nonaction.

Receptivity, clarity, openness and compassion,
     She is Kwan Yin, Aphrodite and Radha.
Yin is the Glory of the Feminine.

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- -
---
- - Moon

Water.
Unrestricted imagination.
Immanent potential.

The Mother of Time.
The Named Tao, Sophia,
     Love and Trust in perfect union.

Bearing the divine child, the self,
     She is Mary, Tiamat, Hathor and Lilith.
Moon is the Fecundity of Yin.

---

- -
---
--- Lake

Liquid, pure reflection.
Loving flexibility,
     adaptability and initiation.

Slowness, tranquility, inertia, languidity and depression,
She is the Lotus of Becoming,
     goddess of innocence and virginity.

She is Varda, Babalon and Isis.
     The Holy Grail, the Elixir of Immortality,
     Lake is the Power of the Feminine.

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- -
- -
--- Thunder

Ignorant strangeness,
     bodies of flesh and blood.

She is Athena, Freya, Python and Ishtar,
     the Wheel of Life and Death.
He is Orpheus, Thor, Arthur and Dormammu,
     the Axis of Liberation.

Mantra of Satori,
Thunder is the Confusion of Femininity.

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---
---
- - Wind

Horrific suffering,
     masks of pain and joy.

He is Christ, Legba, Osiris and Sauron,
     the Guardian of Death and Life.
She is Sophia, Fortuna, Sarasvati and Amaterasu,
     the Valley of Awareness.

Bhakti of Zen,
Wind is the Fear of Masculinity.

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---
- -
- - Mountain

Solid, complete obscuration.
Willful endurance,
     discipline and resistance.

Quickness, vibration, animation, vitality and ecstasy,
He is the Jewel of Being,
     God of sincerety and honesty.

He is Shiva, Myrrdin and Olorin.
     the Magick Sword, the Tree of Wisdom,
Mountian is the Science of the Masculine.

---

---
- -
--- Sun
Fire.
Formal Energy.
Abundant actuality.

The Father of Space.
The Name, Yehovah,
     thought and being in perfect harmony.

Generating the Divine Word, Art,
     He is Joseph, Horus, Mithras and Adam.
Sun is the Fertility of Yang.

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---
---
--- Yang
Time.
The God of The Light, Whiteness, Knowledge and Fullness.
Dense being,
     He is Hadit, Shiva, and Brahman.
Extreme stability,
     He is burning, meditative consciousness,
     incessant motion, activity or action.

Generosity, intent, enthusiasm and wisdom,
     He is Lao Tzu, Apollo and Krishna.
Yang is the Beauty of the Masculine.

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The I Chunk Procedure

Venture into the wilderness.
Find eight stones which resemble the names of the trigrams.
Put them into the magical Blue Bag.

Draw one out, use this for the bottom half of the Hexagram (Yin).
Use another for the top half (Yang).
Interpret based on intuition and previous commentary.
Generate the entire I Ching.

The Temple

Match up each of the Hexagrams with each of the Dakini Tarot
(65 cards in all). The Fool is in the middle, playing the Game.

Lao's Project

Place one verse of Tao Te Ching alongside each tarot card and to either side of each group of 8 cards, two to the left, one to the right.

You have now constructed a magical circle of tremendous intensity.

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