An Article byAlexis A. Arredondo

            It’s a dark and scary night in the middle of a harsh February.  The pale blue moon reminded us of the constant chill in the air as we cut across a corn field in the middle of San Patricio,Texas.  Our destination was the Old San Patricio Cemetery on a Hill, where many ghost sightings, including that of a headless horseman have been known.  The three of us were quiet and careful not to make any noise so that we wouldn’t get caught by the Cemetery keeper, who was said to shoot a shotgun first and ask questions later.  Considering that it was on private property and we didn’t ask for permission, there was nothing we could do except pray that we didn’t become ghosts ourselves.  You may be asking yourself, why in the world would you do this?  Most people will tell you that it’s fun and exciting, but the truth of the matter is that we do this because we want one thing: proof.  We want to show people that there are things out in the world we can’t explain.  Things that we ourselves have had contact with in some form or another.

When I was a kid I was fascinated by all things occult.  Witches, Vampires, and Ghosts were constant words in my vocabulary.  Living in a small town, one acquires lots of time and most of that time was spent reading books on the supernatural or learning local ghost stories.  Down the street from my childhood home, which I later found out was also haunted, was an abandoned Convent where a supposed Nun hung herself and remains haunting the 3^rd floor.  My neighbor’s house was known for having a rather loud ghost that wasn’t afraid to make its presence known in front of wandering Boy Scout and his mother selling popcorn (yes I was the Boy Scout).  I acquired so many local ghost stories and legends that even my teachers and classmates would ask me to repeat them on the way back from school trips or at the local football games.

When I was in 3^rd grade I got my first glimpse into paranormal investigation and parapsychology.  I was lucky enough to have a teacher who, like me, also believed that our Elementary School was haunted.  Not only did she believe me, but she said she had proof!  She had photographs of mists and orbs that she had taken with a camera anytime she had felt or seen activity.  Later she told me that her cousin worked as a parapsychologist for two ghost hunters and that if I wanted she could lend me some videos of their public access show they used to have.  Several days later, I would make my video acquaintance to theWarrens.

Ed and Lorraine Warren are known as the pioneer ghost hunters of the United States.  To this day, Lorraine Warren still gives lectures and even works cases of dire urgency as can be seen in such television shows as Paranormal State.  Ed Warren unfortunately did pass away in 2006, butLorraine continues to be a prominent figure in demonology and paranormal research.  Through these videos I learned of basic ghost hunting methods and other Occult aspects of life.  A new world was opening up right before my eyes through stories of the possessed Raggedy Anne Doll ‘Annabelle’ and the demonic photographs of children in the Amityville house.  For the first time I was learning that all the ghost stories and legends were real and others out there were investigating their claims.

Thanks to the middle school library I would eventually learn even more about the occult and the supernatural and began to immerse myself in it all.  By the time I reached high school I was well equipped with much knowledge of paranormal research, witchcraft, sorcery and magick.  The subject continued to fascinate me and I would read and experiment with almost any book on the subject.  Some of my more frightening experiences include invoking a physical force in the woods, with a friend who had similar interests, and having it follow us around for a few days.  Another time we were communicating with an entity using a make-shift Ouija board that requires an upside down glass as the indicator.  The glass flew off the table and shattered against the wall.  We just continued with a plastic glass to avoid further clean-up.  Again, we were so enamored by it all; it was a new and fascinating world.  While other kids were out experimenting with alcohol or drugs, we were exploring the many facets of the occult, hoping to find more and more answers to this world of the unseen.  It was around this time we began to find haunted locations and attempt to get voices on small tape recorders.  This is how I got introduced to EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) and the voices were plentiful!  Other friends and curious colleagues also experimented in this field and most were impressed, often showing me their results.

College led me to more friends with similar interests and yet more experimentation with the occult.  It wasn’t long after that I would get a job working for a used bookstore and run their metaphysics section.  From then on the opportunities grew greater and greater with many people asking for advice on certain subjects of magick and ghosts.  I then started a small online group called the COSMOS (Craft, Occult Science and Magick Order of Seekers).  Despite the long name, the group was short-lived with only a handful of members seeking interest.

Eventually I would make my way toAustin,Texaswhere I reunited with my college buddy Stephen.  We reminisced about all the old ghost-hunting times in college, including our late February San Patricio Cemetery escapade which we still reflect on how lucky we were that we never were shot.  We then decided to start doing some local ghost-hunting, but the experiences were just not satisfactory.  We wanted to do something different, some thing bigger.  We wanted to help people and expand our occult and educational horizons so the COSMOS would now become the Order of Occult Sciences (OSO).  Based heavily off of the Crowley/Golden Dawn Class Structure, the Order would be a chance to help us strive to higher levels of education of four major branches of study.  This also turned out to fail as the group was too much like a secret society or Magickal order, which most non-occult members tended to stay away from.

Our second attempt was to change the constitution and the name to the Occult Sciences Order with its first official group of the society, the OSO Paranormal Research Team.  This did seem to work as it brought more interest and even a few members joined the Order.  The main difference now was that there was an opportunity to investigate the paranormal and study specific areas of the occult sciences in order to aid in those investigations.  As successful as this was it still seemed to lack a more open policy to our public whom we wanted to help.

Our last attempt was to unite our investigative and educational processes and create the current group of the Occult Sciences Society.  Loosely based on the class structure of the Golden Dawn, theOSSoffers everyone the chance to excel in a self-taught method of the Occult Sciences through the use of various texts.  We also offer a free service of occult/paranormal investigation for the purposes of education and to achieve one of our ultimate goals; to help people deal with the Occult aspects of our lives.

With many members following different walks of life, we continue to advance in our educational research areas of the Occult Sciences.  With constant e-mails, phone calls and investigation requests we continue to help with all manners of Occult topics.  We are truly a group of seekers, students and teachers all hoping to further the educational advancement of the Occult Sciences in order to fully understand the true nature of Occult knowledge.  We are here to help and as our motto states ‘we are those that shed light upon the world.’

An article by Alexis A. Arredondo

Edited by Rachel Hobbs

Curse: a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one.

Many view the term “curse” with such great fear and intimidation.  The term carries various connotations and many have been raised with the belief that curses can cause everything from blindness to bankruptcy, baldness and even death.  The following is an attempt to explain what causes them to work and if science can explain the effect of curses on individuals?

Curses can be found dating back to the Greeks and Romans.  They would call upon the Gods for aid and bury an etched lead tablet upon the enemies property. Even God utters the first curse referenced within the Bible upon the serpent, “You are cursed more than all cattle”, (Genesis 3:14).  Perhaps the most well-known curses in history are those of the Ancient Egyptians.  Many believed that a curse would be placed upon any who would disturb the remains or treasures found in the tombs of the ancient Pharaohs.   Even now, some believe that it was a cursed sarcophagus turned cargo that sunk the Titanic, although this is most likely an urban legend.  These rumors and mythical aspects of curses exist specifically because of pulp novels and popular cinema, as seen in films such as The Mummy and The Ring.

Modern curses range from cruel muttering of words to physically cursed objects.  Modern cult practices show that almost any object can be used to curse an individual.  There are cases that reference small toys to rocking chairs having the effect of curses. Objects that are used in curses are usually those that invoke fear and malice.  A metaphysical process known as “sympathetic magic” is one of the most popular fear-invoking practices, an example of this is the well-known Voodoo (Vodou) doll.  The practice of sympathetic magic is very simple and is often used for healing as well as cursing.  Practitioners believe that by manipulating an image or poppet made to look like someone, they can cause harm or heal that individual.  Another well-known curse is that of the witch bottle.  Coffin nails, broken glass, and images of the intended are placed within a jar and then kept safe or buried within their property.  Once again, the use of abrasive objects and an image are used as a form of sympathetic magic to evoke dark and negative emotion toward an individual.

It seems that even simple objects like popsicle sticks and certain fruits and herbs can be used to create a powerful force upon an individual.  Just recently the OSS received a case where an individual felt he was cursed by a simple piece of black construction paper with silver markings on it.

This specific case brings us to the point of this article.  We received word that the client was convinced he was cursed by a neighbor and even though we assured him that there was no need for alarm, he continued to feel fairly uncomfortable and unsure whether the curse was affecting him.  That’s when we explained that it was that fear and anxiety that was cursing him.  Fear is a very powerful emotion that has been known to make individuals commit incredible feats.  For example, if someone told you to run a mile in a small amount of time, you might say that it’s impossible.  However, if the same person told you to run the mile in the allotted time or they were going to shoot you, then the mind begins to take that fear and pump adrenaline into your system, which in turn, will cause your body to commit such an “impossible” act.

Fear is the same emotion that can cause you to believe that you or your property is cursed.  Just as sympathetic magic uses crude items to invoke images of hatred, fear gives the same desired effect.  Whether you see or are told that you have been cursed, the mind begins to create the curse within your head.  You begin think that any negative events happening are result from the curse and you begin to blame it, giving the curse power.  Even very strong-willed individuals who say they don’t believe in magic or curses, have a tendency to trap themselves in fear.  The mind is very complicated and almost impossible to trick.  Stating aloud that you don’t believe in curses will have little-to-no effect on the mind that is still thinking and trying to place pieces of the puzzle together.  If you meditate, then you know that when you try to focus, your thoughts will eventually wander and think about other tasks that need to be done.

Does this mean that it is hopeless?  Not at all.  The best way to stop a curse is just like in the movies: you need to cleanse yourself and your environment.  Now, you are probably thinking, why would I believe that a cleansing would work?  Once again, remember that the mind is where the curse really is, so you have to use cleansings and prayers to focus the mind on getting the curse out of the head.

STEP 1.  Start by cleaning and organizing your home.  This will give you a fresh start with your environment and will get your mind organized and prepared for cleaning.  Often when people are cursed, they begin to change their environment without their knowledge.  This is because of high stress levels and frustrations, they begin to throw things anywhere they can put them, essentially making a mess out of the comfort area.  Once everything is cleaned and organized, you literally and physically begin to put your life back in order.

STEP 2.  Smell can create both positive and negative effects on the mind.  Fumigate your home with some form of positive or favorite scent.  You can use incense or if your familiar with smudging, you can burn sage or frankincense.  This will open up the senses of the mind and make the area feel more attractive to positive thoughts.

STEP 3.  Ritual or prayer is a great way to open up the mind.  For those individuals who do not have any kind of religious background, most meditation is secular and will bring your mind much service.  Rituals should include house cleansings with salt and water, and for those with Christian beliefs, a house blessing with your local priest is always a good help.  You really want to clean and organize your home before you do any kind of ritual or cleansing, otherwise you will continue to live in this chaos and there will be little or no change.

STEP 4.  Change your environment.  Sometimes our homes and environments can become stale and uninhabitable on a mental level.  Too much clutter can mentally handicap the mind.  At the same time, not enough furniture or decoration can cause the mind to feel vacant and depressed.  Have your environment reflect the positive aspects of your life.  Display awards or accomplishments.  If you are religious, hang up symbols or statues of your faith.  Fountains and candles can help relax the mind and open up Zen qualities.

In conclusion, remember that fear is the true power of curses.  Fear is what drives a curse and keeps it flowing.  You are responsible to terminate that fear using the suggested methods or any other way you see fit.  If you or anyone you know is suffering from symptoms that may be curse related, please feel free to contact us at anytime.  Also, remember that if you are experiencing physical sickness or if extreme depression or emotional problems begin to take over, please consult a licensed physician or therapist.
REFERENCES

Books

Cunningham, Scott.  Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs  St.Paul.  Llewellyn Publications.1985  <http://www.llewellyn.com>

Melville, Francis.  The Magic Shield  Hauppauge.  Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.  2004  <http://www.barronseduc.com>

Yronwode, Catherine.  Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic  Forestville.  The Lucky Mojo Curio Co.  2002  <http://www.luckymojo.com>

Websites

“Curse.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary 6 July 2009
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross>

“Curse.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia 6 July 2009
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse>

“Sympathetic Magic.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia 6 July 2009
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympathetic_magic>

All references were used solely article reference and for further reading.  To the best of our knowledge, no specific reference was copied and placed within this article.

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OCCULT SCIENCES SOCIETY