City Magick: Urban Rituals, Spells and Shamanism - Christopher Penczak 2001
Mechanical Spirits
Metropolitan Spirits
Scavenger animal spirits are not the only ones to be found. Everything has a subtle energy force animating it. Everything has a form of spirit. Some believe only the living, organic life-forms have spirit and power. Animals and plants are some of the strongest spirit energies with which humans can work, because we have a similar life force, growth patterns, and cell structure. Some concede these to mineral life as well, the natural crystals grown in the living Earth. Natural crystals are powerful, but do crystals grown in a laboratory have less spirit? Do test-tube babies have less of a soul than a naturally conceived child? I do not think so. I view the entire planet as an experiment, a laboratory of diversity engineered by the higher powers. Regardless of the method of creation, the great creator spirit works through all acts of creation and imbues them with spirit energy. We are creators too, and we give our creations the same powers. My experience has shown me that all things have this subtle energy, including man-made devices. Strong mechanical spirits live in the city, taking the form of trains, subways, cars, planes, and streetlights. Go to them, if you are drawn, or let them come to you, like any other spirit.
Your astral allies and spirit helpers may not even come from the organic world. They may be drawn from the piles of steel and chrome. If that is the case, by all means go with it. Working with mechanical spirits is an exciting frontier in modern magick. Accepting mechanical spirit work is difficult for most traditional mages. The idea of personifying a car seems almost blasphemous to the devout nature magician. In the end, however, is it different from personifying a tree, rock, mountain, river, or rainstorm? The personality traits of all spirits and energies, be they guides, animal totems, goddesses, or other “nature spirits,” are simply vehicles for communication. All spirits are beyond our simple linear understanding. To communicate with us, they must use techniques we can understand. In essence, we are “downloading” information and wisdom from the spiritual realm. The form the spirit wears is an interface we use, like a computer program. It doesn’t matter what the interface is, as long as we get the information. People who are comfortable using IBM computers use them. More intuitive people may prefer Apple computers. Both do the same thing, but if you are not comfortable with one, you will not get the information easily. Some magical seekers prefer traditional techniques and paradigms. Others fail to resonate with them, since they are not living in an ancient culture. Modern viewpoints, like mechanical spirits, give modern practitioners a chance to find what interface is comfortable for them.
You can do variations of the previous two exercises to connect with a mechanical spirit. Here are some potential mechanical spirits manifesting physically in most cities.
Subways
Subways are great electric serpents running through the city. They are akin to underworld gods, like the great king worm burrowing under us. They already work with us, taking us to destinations all over the city, but their subtle power is not often recognized. On subway cars, I often feel my psychic perceptions elevated. I am not sure if it’s the electrical energy from the third rail, or the close proximity of people inside my energy field, my aura. I only know that I become more open to receive information. Perhaps I am more defensive and open all my senses. Chakras on other people appear, and I can sometimes see if there is sickness in the body, indicated by abnormally dark or light spots of energy on the body. Strong images may appear near or above the heads-little aura movies, as I call them. Random thoughts come my way, and I am sure they are not mine. I try not to focus on anything in particular, not to invade anyone’s privacy, but I remain open to any information that may warn me of harm. Spirit guides also talk to me a lot in a subway car. I am not certain if it is because I have some quiet free time, or because of the nature of the transit system. I am certain most homeless people wandering, particularly in the subway stations, are having actual conversations with spirits and not muttering to themselves, as most people think. Look closely with your second sight and perhaps you will see or feel their conversational partner.
Train
Similar in spirit, but larger, is the train. The train is bigger and more comfortable for travel, but often lacks the underworld associations of the subway car. The passage of a train in your area, usually marked by some substantial noise, is a great timekeeper for ritual and daily living. Trains run almost like clockwork, and they can set our schedules, both mundane and mystical. I think the train spirit’s future lies in the super-speed “bullet” trains, like the Japanese Shinkansen and experimental magnetic trains. These train spirits will work with even more powerful natural forces. Magnetic technology will play a great role in all areas of life, including health. I wonder if future civilizations will think of the train tracks as a mystery, marking power spots, as we see ancient monuments and standing stones today. I must admit to rarely traveling by train, so I have little in the way of practical experience working with its spirit energy.
Automobiles
Cars are a dual-edged sword. On one side, they bring us freedom to go wherever we want, whenever we want, and to be in control the entire time. Car spirit is freedom and independence. They are the steel-age chariots for knights in shining armor, now that horses are no longer appropriate. From another viewpoint, however, they are the demons of industry, filled with fire, brimstone, and the internal combustion engine. They devour some of our natural resources and poison the rest with their noxious chemicals. A city filled with them is a difficult place to breathe, and breath is life. Are we trading our life force for our freedom and independence? Judge for yourself when working with the automotive spirits. I have found healing magick, crystals, and Reiki work well on machines, and on cars in particular. If your car has trouble starting in the morning, do not simply visualize it working. Help heal the car spirit. It may tell you what’s going wrong and give you insight into its care and maintenance for the future.
Airplanes
A discussion of trains and automobiles would not be complete without mentioning planes. Airplanes fly overhead, like majestic metal creatures. Some are heralded by sonic booms, others by a dull roar. They may paint trails in the sky, unknowingly creating new symbols of power when crossing the clouds. Look for these symbolic markers. Write down their shape and meditate on the new symbol to discover its magical purposes. Their “nests” are usually located somewhere on the outskirts of the city, although they often fly overhead. They are clearly instruments of waste and pollution, but your first flight on one does have a magical quality. To fly through the air is an amazing feat, no matter how you do it. When an airplane’s life is tragically cut short, however, it is a horrible spectacle. My father and I once saw a small plane crash and were able to help the surviving pilot, but the old bird, itself, was done. If you live near an airport, or travel frequently, you may have better opportunities to take advantage of airplane spirit.
Streetlights
Streetlights are silent sentries around the city. They see everything. They bring illumination to the darkness of the night. Unfortunately, as protectors, they can be rather impotent, since they cannot go far. Many, however, use their beacon for protection. Light spirits warn us of danger. Parking under a streetlight for safety has become a new folk remedy for protection against attackers. They are also good spirits to question, since they stay and watch all.