IOWA'S SENSUOUS CZECH VISIONARY,
SISTER KASI

Dear Sister,

     I see advertisements all the time in magazines for talismans and "Lucky Lotto Charms." Are these ever for real? If so, how come none of the Lottery Winners ever say, "I owe it all to my lucky charm that I bought for .95 from a tabloid back page."?

     Considering Unwise Investments in Bridgewater

     Dear Unwise,

     The answer, as with so many questions, is yes and no. Most of these charms are patent frauds created to generate a lot of money for the advertiser. And they cetainly succeed in this purpose, as if you ever check on the cost of those tabloid ads, they cost a fortune and wouldn't get run if the merchandise wasn't paying for it and then some. This sort of talisman, real or not, generally is there to feed upon weak people looking for an easy way out of their problems. These desperate souls don't pause for a second to understand or even consider the spiritual ramifications of placing faith and what little power they do have in a trinket. When these items do have magik power, it is usually rather dangerous, for the user and the people affected by the user's will. Anyone wishing to use magik must have a philosphy, or ethical approach which will preserve the self, and keep motivations positive and helpful. People looking for a quick fix generally succumb to the temptation to use power to hurt or control others. Those who abuse any kind of energy will have to face the conseuences, whether that energy be sexual, pharmaceutical, mental, magikal, or electrical. Before buying into any of these charms, think about why you desire it and would posessing it cause harm to anyone. What you put out returns at least three-fold...unless what you are putting out is money, in which case the best way to double it is fold it in half and put it back in your wallet.

     Dear Sister Kasi,

     I'm the owner of a small business, and employee theft is going to ruin me. I think it is only one individual, but I don't know which one and I'm afraid if I punish the entire crew, they might all quit. How can I figure out which employee is stealing from the store?

     Impatient Victim in Rippey

     Dear Victim,

     First you need to collect some fresh marigolds. Its better if you grow your own, but if they are out of season, you can get them from a florist. Put the plant under your pillow while you sleep and the face of him who robbed you will come to you in a dream. If you powder the seeds and wear them in an amulet any attempt to catch your theif red-handed will be more successful., or administer the powder in a potion to the one you suspect and he will confess. I understand that if marigold is placed in a church adulterous women will not be able to enter until it is removed, but I wouldn't advise it. Church attendance is so low already you might put a lot of nice parsons out of work.

     Dear Sister,

     What is the most important thing to know when taking up the study of Magik?

     Novice Magus in Fayette

     Dear Novice,

     The most important requirement for the successful working of magik is to, as Cornelius Agrippa said, "know the virtue, measure, order, and degree of his own soul, in relation to the Power of the Universe." You must know yourself well or your magik is likely not to be good for you and could endanger your will. Magikal practices necessitate self control, concentration, and discipline. Wtihout it, you may by means of magik obtain a goal you later do not want, or rather than releasing pain and expressing joy, you will strengthen destructive passions making them less controllable and more unbearable. Magik can backfire if the object of the spell is stronger than the caster. The magician aborbs all consequences of his actions, and whether or not a spell will work depends upon the ability to take those consequences and absorb failure or injury without sucummbing to it.

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