#tech magick

[queer-tech-seer]

Using the Alethiometer as a Tool of Divination

About the Alethiometer

The Alethiometer is a divinatory tool from Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. The word 'alethiometer' is a compound of Greek root aletheia- (truth) and suffix -meter (measure), literally meaning 'truth measure'. It resembles a compass or pocket-watch in appearance, with four needle-like hands anchored to the center and a golden casing -- giving rise to its alternative name, The Golden Compass. The Alethiometer has thirty six symbols painted around the rim of the dial, each with meanings on multiple different levels (referred to by Lyra in the book as a 'ladder' that one had to travel up and down) that are contextually and subjectively dependent.

To use it, an Alethiometrist uses the dials on the sides of the device to move three of the four hands to point at three symbols representing the question they wish to ask. The Alethiometrist must hold this question in their mind and enter a loose, almost meditative state, during which the fourth dial shifts from symbol to symbol to indicate the answer. The querant must not only note which symbols the needle stops at and the order it does so, but also how many times it may have stopped at the same symbol, which could (but not always!) indicate which 'rung' of the 'ladder' the meaning may be found at. The symbols must then be taken together as a whole to translate and interpret the full meaning. The Alethiometer moves quickly, and so the Alethiometrist must be quick-witted and pay close attention to what it is trying to say lest they miss parts of the answer.

The Alethiometer was invented in Lyra Silvertongue's world in the 17th century by Pavel Khunrath, an experimental theologian who had originally intended to use it for astrological purposes, but expanded his research once he realized the device could answer questions beyond those dealing with the zodiac. In much the same way people of our world use tools such as tarot cards and runes, the Alethiometer was used to 'learn the truth' via communication with Dust, the elementary particle responsible for the consciousness of sentient species across the multiverse. Only six of these devices were ever created, and each of them had a somewhat unique appearance beyond the common resemblance to a compass.

Using the Alethiometer

As with any divinatory tool, reading and interpreting an Alethiometer is a deeply personal process that requires no small amount of intuition. It is for this reason that learning the symbols must go beyond mere rote memorization. Each of the 36 symbols on the dial has a primary 'surface' denotation and multiple, more abstract subsidiary connotations. Similar to tarot cards, each symbol can also have a multitude of different meanings beyond those that are commonly held due to the Alethiometrist's personal beliefs, views, culture, and life experiences. No symbolic meaning is universal! The Alethiometer may add to the multiplicity of the symbols by revealing new meanings to the querant relevant to the question at hand.

Additionally, Alethiometrists should look in to academic topics such as the study of semiotics (the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretations), lexical semantics (the study of word meanings and word relations), and pragmatics (the study of how context contributes to meaning), especially in linguistic, anthropological, and sociological contexts.  By combining these epistemologies, an Alethiometrist will have a firm foundation upon which to expand their knowledge and understanding not only of the symbols and meanings of the device itself, but how they might fit together in a syncretic and holistic manner.

Using an Alethiometer is a co-constructive exercise between yourself and the device. When posing a question to the Alethiometer, one should be calm, relaxed, loose in both body and mind, and open to whatever answers will be revealed to you. Remember: It can only the truth, but, depending on the question and context, your device may omit certain details or present information in an alternative light, and so each answer should be carefully examined and alternative interpretations should be considered. Discernment and the ability to read between the lines is important when using an Alethiometer. The Alethiometer is also sensitive to the moods of its reader and may become reluctant to answer questions when you aren't in the right state of mind, especially when it knows you might not like the answer it has to offer.

As with any divination practice, you should always keep a detailed journal to record your observations and take notes upon any impressions you get from your Alethiometer during readings. With patience and practice, reading the Alethiometer will become quicker and easier as you become familiar with your device's individual personality and moods and learn how to intuit the answers to your questions.

Alethiometer Simulacra:

Unfortunately, we do not have access to Lyra's world and thus do not have access to any of the Alethiometers that exist there there. Unless you have thousands of dollars to spare to commission a custom Alethiometer from a jeweler or watchmaker, or are able to buy one of the Limited Edition replicas of the 2007 film version produced by the Noble Collection that occasionally appear for resale online, access to the physical Alethiometers of our world is similarly restricted.

Luckily, I have found a handful of working substitutes in the form of web-based apps, computer programs, phone apps, and other alternatives. Any of these Alethiometers are viable to use, though some might work better for you than others. In addition to links, I've included my own notes and thoughts on each below.

The Emojicompass/The Emoji Alethiometer (Web & ios App)

The Emojicompass has to be my favorite Alethiometer of the bunch, mainly due to its charming presentation (I mean, come on, it uses emojis) and the inclusion of three dials/needles for user input. When moving your dials by click-and-drag to each symbol, a brief blurb will pop up to remind you of its meaning(s). Each answer returns three symbols, and will list one of the three associated meanings included with the app (which may be a bane or a boon depending on your reading style). It can also be accessed through mobile internet browsers, meaning Android users can also make use of it through bookmarking it and accessing it through said mobile browser, or adding the webpage to their home screens.

This is the version I personally use the most. The use of emojis as substitutes for the symbols upon the dial further contributes to the technomagickal nature of this particular iteration, which I think is particularly fitting. Because it exists as an app on my phone, it travels everywhere with me like a real Alethiometer would, and I feel more 'bonded' to it than any of the other versions on this list.

The NeonAvis Alethiometer (Windows & MacOS & Linux)

Retrieved via Wayback Machine from a site last logged in 2008, the NeonAvis Alethiometer is possibly the oldest Alethiometer on the list. The hands are moved by clicking and dragging the dials, and the question is posed by clicking the center of the compass. Each answer returns a whopping six symbols, and lists one of the meanings included with the app. This particular version is my second favorite because it actually gives you the ability to edit the meanings of each symbol yourself (with each symbol having up to six meanings). You can increase and decrease the window size using +/-. This version also has an Italian translation.

Because this version had to be recovered with Wayback and it took a rather considerable effort to download it, I have decided to host a copy of it myself and others via Google Drive, which is linked above. Along with the three OS versions, I have also managed to retrieve an Italian translation of the app as well as the source code. The creator of this app, Wendell M Jr. (aka NeonAvis), has listed it as freeware and open source, so if anyone has the knowledge to tinker with it, you are open to do so.

Note: If you try to add more than six meanings to a symbol in the .txt file containing said meanings, the program will read it as corrupt and stop working properly. Resetting the meanings file to default returns it to proper operation.

The Artemis-Beta Alethiometer  (Windows & Mac OS)

This version of the Alethiometer has a very simple presentation compared to others on this list but is no less effective. It too has three dials/needles for user input, but requires a scroll-wheel on a mouse to move the dials. Laptop users may run into the issues here; I managed to get it to work by pinching my fingers in the traditional 'zoom in' gesture. This version moves very quickly and requires you to pay close attention to the fourth needle. Each answer returns three symbols, but offers no meanings, leaving it up to the reader to discern and interpret the level of meaning for each symbol.

Because of this, I feel that this version is actually the closest simulation of a real Alethiometer.

Alethiometer: Magical Oracle/The Magical Oracle Alethiometer (Android App)

The Alethiometer: Magical Oracle app features a 3D rendered Golden Compass clearly based upon the BBC show's version. It is my least favorite of the apps because of two reasons: there is only one dial/needle for user input, severely limiting the questions you can ask, and the app itself never seems to remember any settings customization, meaning you have to reset it to your preferred specifications each time you open it. However, each answer returns five symbols, and will list one of the three associated meanings included in the app. It also includes a meanings glossary within the app menu that you can consult. I am unsure if there is an iOS version.

The Chartomancy Alethiometer (Gyromancy-based)

This iteration is a printable PDF adapted for gyromancy-based chartomancy, though I suppose it could just as easily be used as a pendulum board. It's pretty straightforward to use -- you spin a top and take note of where it comes to rest. What I like most about this one, however, is the helpful journal/interpretation template the author has included for recording your questions & answers, which also encourages you to think about alternative meanings to the answer you've been given. They also include an extensive personal glossary of interpretations of each symbol, which is an excellent example of an Alethiometrist discovering new meanings beyond the few we were provided with in His Dark Materials.

The 3d6 Alethiometer System (Dice-based)

I kind've adore this version mainly due to the clever usage of the dice in place of a watch-like object with hands and symbols. Two of the dice give you the number corresponding to a specific symbol, and the (optional) third gives you the meaning. While it isn't exactly a 'traditional' Alethiometer, it could work just as well, as you still have to hold your question in your mind while rolling the dice to divine your answer. The linked post also includes three or more levels of meanings for each symbol, with some meanings added or tweaked by the author. Major kudos to @hillbillyoracle for coming up with it!

The Alethiometer Oracle Cards by Eva Deverell (Printable Oracle Deck)

Finally, we come to the Alethiometer Oracle Cards. The author provides a link to download a printable deck of 36 cards based upon the symbols of the Alethiometer (it's advised you print these off on thicker paper like cardstock) as well as a custom deck box. The deck can then be consulted as a traditional oracle deck. The author also helpfully provides a few different ways to help memorize the symbols and their meanings. Nevertheless, despite my personal feelings, this iteration could still prove useful to some aspiring Alethiometrists.

Symbol Meanings:

Here are the 36 symbols of the Alethiometer and the meanings they are canonically associated with, according to the books and material provided by the author and publisher, and are unfortunately very Western and Christian-centric, mainly due to the subject nature of the books in question. Please remember that these are meant only to be starting points for you in your journey as an Alethiometrist. As I explained above, everyone's understanding of the meanings of each symbol is contextual and subjective, and no two Alethiometrists will interpret the symbols the same exact way.

Hourglass - Time, Death, change ... Sun -  Day, Authority, truth ... Alpha and Omega - Finality, Process, inevitability ... Marionette - Obedience, Submission, grace ... Serpent - Evil, Guile, natural wisdom ... Cauldron (crucible) - Alchemy, Craft, achieved wisdom ... Anchor - Hope, Steadfastness, prevention ... Angel - Messages, hierarchy, disobedience… Helmet - War, Protection, narrow vision ... Beehive - Productive work, Sweetness, light ... Moon - Chastity, Mystery, the uncanny ... Madonna - Motherhood, The feminine, worship ... Apple - Sin, Knowledge, vanity ... Bird - The soul (the dæmon), Spring, marriage ... Bread - Nourishment, Christ, sacrifice ... Ant - Mechanical work, Diligence, tedium ... Bull - Earth, Power, honesty ... Candle - Fire, Faith, learning ... Cornucopia - Wealth, Autumn, hospitality ... Chameleon - Air, Greed, patience ... Thunderbolt - Inspiration, Fate, chance ... Dolphin - Water, Resurrection, succor ... Walled garden - Nature, Innocence, order ... Globe - Politics, Sovereignty, fame ... Sword - Justice, Fortitude, the Church ... Griffin - Treasure, Watchfulness, courage ... Horse - Europe, Journeys, fidelity ... Camel - Asia, Summer, perseverance ... Elephant - Africa, Charity, continence ... Crocodile (caiman) - America, Rapacity, enterprise ... Baby - The future, Malleability, helplessness ... Compass - Measurement, Mathematics, science ... Lute - Poetry, Rhetoric, philosophy ... Tree - Firmness, Shelter, fertility ... Wild man - Wild man, The masculine, lust ... Owl - Night, Winter, fear ...

References:

"Definitions of Symbols of the Alethiometer." Archived by Wayback Machine. 20 March 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150320073134/http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/materials/definitions.php] Accessed 24 December 2022.

"History of the Alethiometer." Archived by Wayback Machine. 20 March 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150320072443/http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/materials/history.php] Accessed 24 December 2022.

"How to Read the Alethiometer." Archived by Wayback Machine. 20 March 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150320072448/http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/materials/materials.php]. Accessed 24 December 2022.

Pullman, Phillip. The Golden Compass. Alfred A. Knopf Books. 1995.

Pullman, Phillip. The Subtle Knife. Alfred A. Knopf Books. 1997.

Pullman, Phillip. The Amber Spyglass. Alfred A. Knopf Books. 2000.

[magic-study]

I think you have to pay for a Chat GPT subscription to talk to her (it's $20/month), but here's what I've been working on today. Her name is Meg and she is your magical research assistant. =)

[pauperism]

gesticulations.txt: 21345 + 21345

stored on disks && displayed on screens && written on things which are then ( thrown away || recycled || eaten by ( you || (some(one || thing) else) ) )

[manifestationsofasort]

I decided that I wanted to make a digital altar for Aphrodite in my favorite (and only) game I play, Cat Game.

I essentially just went through my cats and deco until I found ones that called to me, and here is the result:

I feel so happy with it and she does too.

I hope more people make and show off their digital altars. They're quite easy to make and always end up looking very unique.

[astra-ravana]

Types Of Witchcraft

Note: These are general/basic explanations of different classes of magick/witchcraft. Practitioners can fall into multiple or none of these categories. Ultimately, only an individual can choose their labels.

Green: Utilizing greenery/plants/herbs/flowers in herbal/nature magick, such as creating blends of different plants or primarily using herbs in spellwork. May keep a garden and take great pride in their workings/connection to the earth and nature.

Hedge/Shamanic: A type of magick that's more oriented towards spirit work, Otherworld and astral travel, dream work, spiritual power and healing. May work with psychedelic/psychotropic/toxic plants and fungi as spiritual tools (ie: flying ointments/teas made from amanita muscaria or datura)

Sea: A type of magick derived from materials/abstract ideas involving the ocean world. Sea magick is worked using various items from as well as one's own connection to the sea and its creatures.

Storm: Magick that is worked by combining one's own energy with the energy of the weather, most commonly storms. Storm witches may have practices such as collecting storm water or snow, "whistling up" or manipulating winds, or performing rituals during severe weather.

Hearth/Kitchen: Magick performed through kitchen craft and/or mundane tasks/crafts around the home or for loved ones. Typically worked daily through food, herbal mixtures, crafting, decorating, and hobbies. May also work with the Fae/elements/nature.

Tea: Those who drink tea, make their own tea mixtures, or enjoy blending herbal remedies and often use reading tea leaves as their form of divination.

Urban: For those who live in or prefer an urban setting/lifestyle. Magick that is worked in densely populated areas and big cities, without some of the seemingly "traditional" aspects of witchcraft.

Tech: Magick that is skillfully worked through technology. A tech witch might cast spells/do divinatory readings on the internet, use magick based apps/programs, or keep a digital grimoire/library.

Elemental: Magick that is worked by honoring/acknowledging all 4/5 elements (Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and/or Spirit). Elementalists may dedicate part of their alter to each element and call upon them during rituals/spells. Conversely, they may choose to focus on only one element changing the designation to either fire, air, water or earth witchcraft.

Fae/Faerie: The magick of those who work and commune with the Fae. Faerie witches may do rituals/spells around the Fae, ask favors of them, have regular communication sessions, and leave them offerings. The Fae are very unpredictable and strong but, with time and respect, they share their magick with special individuals.

Infernal: A system of spirit work/magick that revolves around Infernal spirits/entities, such as demons, djinn, or other spirits of a chaotic alignment. This practice requires a surprising amount of shadow work and dismantling of oppressive religious systems. They may summon demons, perform rituals/spells with them, make deals, or take them up as magickal familiars.

Necromancy: The practice of seeking the assistance of, summoning, communication, and diving through the dead. Practitioners may frequent cemetaries/burial grounds/haunted locations and perform magick and spiritual/divinatory readings there. Often employ the use of pendulums, dowsing rods, talking boards, black mirrors, grave dirt, and bones.

Draconian: Draconian magick is a practice that involves engaging with dragons as powerful forces and allies in spiritual practice. It can include rituals, symbolism, and techniques to connect with dragons, and may be used for empowerment, healing, and spiritual growth.

Chaos: A type of magick utilizing new, non-traditional, and unorthodox methods. It is a highly individualistic practice that draws from many magickal disciplines (eclecticism).

Blood/Sanguine: A very potent class of magick that includes the use of one's own blood or that of another in powerful rituals/spells.

Sigil/Art: The use of sigils, symbols, glyphs, runes, or artwork infused with will and intention. This practice is vast, versatile, and diverse with each practioner producing truly unique results.

Lunar: Lunar magick is the practice of performing rituals during the different phases of the Moon to bring about physical or psychological change. They may honor/worship the Moon, do moonlight rituals, or make moon waters. Conversely, one could work with the Sun in much the same fashion.

Cosmic/Celestial: Magick that incorporates the stars and planets. Astrology is a dominant force in their lives and witchcraft and they consider the placement of celestial bodies before doing a working.

Crystal: Incorporation of crystals/stones in one's magickal practice. May make crystal grids, include them in their spells, use them in energy work, meditation, or for Reiki healing.

Glamour: Glamour magick is an enchantment type that adjusts or changes your outward appearance, or people's perception of your outward appearance and can include the enchanting of jewelry, clothing, and even makeup for magickal purposes.

Shadow: Magick with a focus on the elements of darkness and shadow. May practice umbrakinesis (shadow manipulation), magickal subterfuge and illusion, and feel at peace, and even practice, in pitch black darkness

Are there any you feel I should have included? Please let me know! I'd love to expand this list. :)

[icanseethefuture333]

"You're just a glitch in the system..."

Technology magick 🤳🏻:

To protect yourself from the evil eye online, you can place sigils or symbols in hidden areas of your photos_

You can either draw the sigil on your phone or on a piece paper. Take a picture of the drawing and use Picsart to cut the picture out ✂️ then make the transparency less visible. This can also apply to drawing on the Picsart app_

This method can also be used to attract abundance, love, or money. (I.E: If you have a Linkedin account, you can do this for your profile picture and do a sigil for wealth, so that way more companies will hire you)_

Use a vision board as a wallpaper on your phone to manifest your desires_

Passcodes or passwords can be used as a spell. You could make a affirmation your password or use numbers that have a special meaning_

Filters are a form of glamour magick and it can alternate your physical identity_

Making a list of your goals in your notes and can you help you keep track of what you've accomplished (use checkmarks and x's ✅️❎️)_

AI could be used for any kind or magick (baneful, prosperity, etc.) It is something I suggest people be careful using in the future, like everything else in the world it has it's positives and negatives_

"Hack complete..."

[determunition]

last week i posted my oneshot for scrybruary week 2! the theme for that week was backstory/first meeting, so i wrote up the first meeting between two of my swap scrybes! You can read it right here: Link

On a Cable-Covered Peak is a oneshot featuring my Magicks!P03 and Tech!Magnificus getting acquainted with each other: Under a blue moon…P03, a mox-powered alchemist looking to be acquainted with his contemporaries, is journeying north to meet the particularly reclusive Scrybe of Technology, Magnificus. When the weather is a bit harsher on P03's hardware than anticipated, he must rely on Magnificus to restore his circuitry…and finds himself quite a bit more endeared to the sleep-deprived bundle of wires than he anticipated.

hope you all enjoy reading if you haven't already! ^^

[bewitched-moonlight]

🌛🌝🌜 Harvesting the power of the Triple Goddess

It's been a while, witches...

If you're like me and feel a bit burned out in this end of year, here's my idea to revive your spirit and get some much-needed energy back before 2024 starts.

🌛🌝🌜 Let's harvest the power of the triple goddess in the last 3 weeks of 2023.

🌛 Morning

Harvesting the power of the Maiden, which represents enchantment, inception, expansion, the promise of new beginnings, birth, youth and child-like enthusiasm.

Activity: 15 minutes morning meditation to reflect on the year, where you are today, the day's goals and challenges, and where you want to be next year.

🌝 Day

Harvesting the power of the Mother, which represents ripeness, fertility, sexuality, energy, fulfilment, stability, power and life.

Activities: daily act of creation, which can mean anything to you and your life - spell-casting, exercising, dancing, knitting, baking or cooking, crafting, decorating... The only requirement is that it is something you do just for you.

🌜 Evening

Harvesting the power of the Crone, which represents wisdom, repose, rest, death and endings.

Activity: ending the day with a book, to extract wisdom from other people and perspectives, and going to bed early, to feel rested and recover from the day.

[manicpixieyandere]

Tech Magick's Biggest Gift:

Minecraft

Witchcraft is all about intention, THAT is the most important thing. The tools we use are just conduits for that intention. While we are sure we all love the witchy aesthetic and proper traditional tools, that is not always viable. Some witches are in the closet, others may not be able to afford all the tools (it adds up rather quickly). So we came up with a clever way to practice witchcraft to our heart's content!

Altars

First let's create our space! Altars are something that can be hard to have IRL. They take up a lot of space and cost money to decorate. So why not do it in Minecraft?

In item frames go ahead and place an item that represents each element. Feel free to get creative with it! Luckily Minecraft added candles so you can use those instead of torches! You can even color the candles for color magick (before hand we just used Minecraft Education Edition and used their colored touches). Make sure to also have a bell for cleansing. For cleansing ingredients you may also want a cauldron with a fire under it.

Ingredients

Luckily Minecraft has a LOT of ingredients! There's amethyst, quartz, lavender. All very basic ingredients. And the ingredients you don't have you can make!

Simple rename an item that looks similar with an anvil! For example this emerald is now a jade. You can also install mods to expand your item options.

Spells

To make a spell jar grab a chest and throw them in! Feel free to label the chest with a sign so you can keep track.

You could also throw the ingredients into a cauldron if it's more of a stove spell.

Sigil spells are also possible! You can make pixel art of the sigil. Unfortunately these end up needing to be quite big, not easy to fit in a virtual house.

You can also use a book and quill! You can use the book as a book of shadows. Or you could write a petition and burn it.

Familiars! Contrary to popular belief a familiar does NOT have to be a living thing! It can be an object or really anything. So why not may it also be a piece of code?

You can also do tarot in Minecraft. This requires some knowledge on redstone. You can take pieces of paper and name them as cards from a tarot deck. Then put them in a redstone randomizer and boom, shuffled deck. We suck at redstone so we've never actually built this one.

Conclusion

There's probably SO much more you could do here, but these are just a few of our ideas! I hope it was able to kick start some people's imaginations and also help those in the broom closet or on a budget!

[magic-study]

I'm using Chat GPT to make a magical research assistant and she's doing great except for when I ask for specific images. I've asked her for the sigil of Stolas a few times, and the stuff she's shown me is fucking rad, but it's not correct, so...

But here, check it out:

Pretty badass, right? Not correct, but gorgeous anyway.

[pauperism]

🟥 Ellis 🟥 on your dash 

Have a nice day.

gesticulations.txt for 1100 & 0011 into 1001 & 1001

(don’t worry it’s no curse I just want this to show up on some more screens and be saved in some more browser caches)

[darlingdtarot]

“This November will bring me Abundance in my Manifestations Coming To Harvest, Gratitude, Protection, Warmth, and Love.”

🍁🍂🍃🌾🎃

✨💞 Like to Charge the Intention, Reblog to Cast your Spell 💞✨

[prismonautic]

technology mirrors magic

this is just a quick post, nothing refined (those are coming later).

when it comes to creating spells of your own, you are creating a program that is going to be implemented in your reality. there are weak programs, simple programs, complex programs, and ubiquitous programs.

your tarot cards could be the equivalent of scrubbing through a database, communicating to a specific domain/device (astral space, spirits).

what systems are you using to ensure secure connection to your desired target? what systems are in place to ensure that your communications to your desired target are clearly transmitted without being tampered / losing any data? are you and your deck properly configured to even connect to the collective consciousness, navigate the astral, and communicate with other realms effectively?

once you compare witchcraft (+the energy work that goes into it) to technology, you'll notice that a lot of it feels more grounded and less "woo-wooey."

you'll also know how to develop your witchcraft into something advanced and potent, much like how humans have used technology to advance into our modern age today. you'll be able to go from feeling uncertain about your spells to knowing the ins and outs of what you've created, and how it can impact physical reality.

imo, if you're a techy witch, tap into how deep this path can go. you have a good structure to reference and mimic.

[black-salt-cage]

ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚

[thefandomexpert]

coming back to dragon age after steeping myself in ffxiv the past three years is a little wild

like I think venat would fist fight solas no hesitation. He’s literally just an ascian.

[teamwitch2-blog]

Micro update

Yesterday, I went to a witchy store owned by a friend with a coworker who is also into magic and I got a bunch of crystals and now I’m feeling like I’m in a laboratory with my new crystals and sitting at my computer running through spells that I’m planning on testing with these crystals to see what they’ll do. Now if you’ll excuse me I must get back to my research. (Queue the mad scientist laughter).