you’d think that demons would have a lot more sympathy for the virgin sacrifices and a lot less for the guy holding both of them captive against their will
the demon, walking straight past the sacrifice and towards the guy who summoned them with murderous intent: is this guy bothering you queen?
@the-knights-who-say-book how could you leave this gem in the tags???
Ok @gayarsonist I hope you don’t mind but I kind of ran with this a little bit.
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People think that the part of a sacrifice that does the summoning is the blood. That precious, precious life, bleeding out into a ritual meant to pull something hideous from beyond, and force it to serve.
It’s why simply cutting your hand or the back of your arm will only result in imps. It’s why a single drop of blood doesn’t yield any results at all. The more blood given, the more life drained away, the more power you call to you.
That’s what people think.
But correlation does not equal causation, and people can be so very wrong.
The true component for a summoning is pain.
A level of pain that rips through dimensions, through time, through space, pierces the fabric of the heavens and hells and all that’s in between – that is what calls to power. And the pain of a sacrifice, of being a sacrifice, especially if unwilling or unknowing? Well, that calls a special sort of power.
Hell is full of demons, because we made our peace with what we are; we are not evil, we just are. And out of all the beings that can respond to a summoning, we are the ones most likely to do so.
Why? Curiosity. Usually boredom. If someone is willing to cause so much damage then some of us will, at the very least, go and see why. Some of us are even malicious enough to do what is requested.
It’s been a while since I broke my apathy, and answered.
I am throwing my own body in the ocean full of giant whales with sharp teeth to rip my body off as if it never existed. I want to let the wolves have the big sacrifice and feast on it as they’ve been longing for. Here, in this place where they kill, I found love. I’ve found it where it wasn’t supposed to be.
I wish you a thoughtful Ash Wednesday, comrades, and remind you that Sacrifice is the Cosmic Currency. Though I serve and seek at the call of Old Gods, I was raised in Catholic Culture. I have long felt that this perspective, that true change comes only through sacrifice, is powerfully illustrated in the story of Jesus. Even the God of Abraham could only twist the arc of fate, the nature of His covenant, with a sacrifice (of Himself to Himself). For this reason I find Lent a good season to meditate on this mantra. I hope you are finding meaning out there as Winter grows old and the new Spring stirs in Her nest. New art coming very soon. . . . #lent #ashwednesday #meditation #contemplation #ritual #occult #magick #mantra #mantracard #sacred #sacrifice #cosmic #card #illustration #digitalart #digitalillustration #stag #knife #eldritch #tree #eldritchtree #phillyartist #queerartist #gayartists #gaywitch #witchcraft #oldgods #oldways (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLZ0Vjunh5Z/?igshid=15tstv4cpb5tp
The Solstice brings power and an opportunity for change - the currency required to direct that change and inherit that power is sacrifice. . You can pick up this mantra card and others in my Big Cartel shop. . #solstice #sacrifice #cosmic #currency #mantra #mantracard #stag #deer #knife #blood #occult #occultart #oldgods #oldways #paganism #heathen #graphicart #digitalart #print #bigcartel #eldritch #tree #eldritchtree #eldritchtreeprints #phillyartist #queerartist #gayartist #gaywitch #witchcraft #magick (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBvl_p4H-4f/?igshid=1ct5nbp951yms
The prophet Samuel tells the people of Israel that sacrifices and burnt offerings are not what God desires most. What God is really looking for from His people is obedience, not showing off with public spectacles of religion. [Centuries later,] God [still] asks us simply to obey Him, [except now He has also given us,] to follow, Jesus’ model of love, mercy and humility. [His example of obedience is perfect; we need only imitate Him through love. We couldn’t have simpler directions! Nevertheless,] we live in a time when churches can get sidetracked [from simplicity, becoming preoccupied] with putting on events or running programmes that are focused ‘inwards’– [prioritizing their own immediate needs over any acts of mercy]. Perhaps these are the bold 'burnt offerings’ of today? [After all, no matter how impressive the architecture, financial resources, public image, or social life of our church may be, if these things are not being used to actively obey God’s person-focused commandments, they mean nothing to Him.]
[Today, consider God’s true wants from us and ask:] How do we live out our faith in a practical way that pleases God most? [Have we done so today?] How do we become outward-facing churches and Christians, [making the service of God and His people the ultimate motive and end goal of all our choices?] God is looking for Christians who are willing to reach out to those in need [whenever we encounter their needs, not just when it’s 'convenient’]. How do you respond when you see those who are a pariah, [someone rejected or ridiculed even by fellow members of the faith? How do you meet the sick, the imprisoned, the homeless, the addict, the refugee? How do you act to soothe those who are afraid, lost, hopeless, disabled,] poor or in pain? [Do you see them all as people, or as projects for your pride? We cannot please God if we are thinking about what will make us look good.] What would it look like for you to look outwards and [selflessly] serve those who are in need of God’s love? After all, how we serve the poor and follow the example of Jesus is the real litmus test for churches and for us as individual Christians. [God’s commandments are to love and serve one another, not to help ourselves].
