I am certainly no trained hypnotist, but, from what I understand about the subject, the methods and mechanisms involved in hypnosis are much too similar to those postulated for explaining the purported results of sigil magic for us not to seek a common explanans. The crucial difference, however, is that hypnotists in general do not claim the power of being able to produce paranormal changes through their methods, all subsequent effects are easily traceable to the induced subjective alterations making themselves--sometimes substantially--felt through the new cognitive/emotive and behavioral tendencies of the patients. I have good reason to accept the existence of information exchange without physical mediation; I am not exactly a magic skeptic. Nevertheless, I do feel it is to our benefit to try to explain thoroughly--to develop an adequate theory--of just how our methods do in fact work. For instance, if sigil magic is indeed an authentic means of producing paranormal effects, given the great quantity of failures of which we so often hear reports, an adequate theory will assist us in assessing the limits of sigil potency (I mean, all magic has limits), both in terms of desired objectives, as well as the most amenable psychological types/states. If a reasonably good-looking guy is unable to find love due to, say, an extreme emotional anxiety that he himself diagnoses as a host of personal faults, a prior belief in the authority of the sigil induction process would enable a sufficient degree of suggestibility for a confidence strengthening suggestion to overide his habitual self-sabotaging mentation--nothing beyond ordinary hypnosis appears to be at play here. If the sigil encoded a general statement such as, "I have a loving relationship with a beautiful woman," should our patient thereafter attain this end, there is likely no need for a "magical" explanation. If, on the other hand, his sigil encoded, "Betty Lou is in love with me," and say, Betty Lou at a reasonable amount of time afterwards began to pursue our sigil mage with little provocation on his part, we might very well be justified in seeking a more "occult" explanation. My point and question(s): if we do concede that sigil magic and hypnosis do operate by the same psychological mechanisms, as sigil magic would purportedly require additional, higher-plane mechanisms, what precisely are these additional mechanisms, how do they relate to the mechanisms that hypnosis and sigil magic have in common, and, for those who do not mind divulging their personal experiences, what evidence do we have obligating us to posit the existence of these other mechanisms? Thanks y'all!
"If you, Hegias, are saying that theurgy is divine then I agree with you. But those destined to be gods must first become human; that is why Plato said that philosophy is the greatest gift ever to have come down from the Gods to humanity."
--Isidore of Gaza, recorded by Damascius the Diadochus in his Philosophical History.
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