Among the magical events in which many members of the Circle of Dionysos tend to take part is an annual ritual theater production called Oracles from the Living Tarot, in which participants bring to life the cards of the Major Arcana in a Wheel of the Year reading. I was particularly inspired this past year by the monologue of The World card, which was played by Rabbit, who sits on the board of directors for our Circle. In her monologue she talked about Windows, about the ways in which we gravitate to a life lived through Social Networking or Online Gaming because in the realm of the internet we feel “in control” of who we are or appear to be, and about how that feeling of control should extend to our world outside of the monitor. As she put it, “You have as much control over who you are in *this* life as you do in your Second Life.”
The notion that we have equal control in our “virtual world” and “real world” experiences really stuck with me, and I decided to take this a step further. As we create our reality in various realms, it stands to reason that we can work sympathetic magic between various the planes upon which we operate. So I began experimenting. The big issues for me (and many others of course) were economic—how do I find a job? How do I pay my bills? As it turned out, my gaming obsession for the summer was Farm Town on Facebook, which involves finding jobs working for other players, planting and harvesting crops, and selling your harvests for money. Perfect for the sympathetic magic I needed! Every time I was worried about how we’d pay a bill, I’d harvest a crop on Farm Town and visualized the money I needed coming to me in this world as easily as there. And the money was always there when I needed it! Every time I got hired for a job on Farm Town, I saw myself getting a job in this world. I am now currently employed!
Computers and online technology are huge parts of our lives today, and so of course they have magical properties that we need to explore and learn to utilize as modern witches and magicians. Have a problem to figure out? Turn on a game of Free Cell and as you move the cards to their proper places, see yourself making the right moves toward solving your problem. Looking for work or money? Go into Farm Town or YoVille or Second Life, find work there, and call out “As This is So Mote It Be!” Experiment, explore, and find what’s right for you. But be careful—just because you are playing games intentionally to spell cast doesn’t mean that you can simply play games and expect the universe to provide. Work your Farm Town Job and then apply for a couple of real world jobs. Flirt with that hottie avatar on Second Life and then ask your real hottie real neighbor out on a date. Magic does happen, but you have to do your share of the work.
Sympathetic Magic using my farm on Farm Town
