The Alchemical Conjuration
Theater Deck
by
Charles Webb
THIS DECK IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT:
The most
effective way to use the Alchemical Conjuration Theater deck is to approach it
as a mysterious plaything…decide to let go of the serious for awhile…get
yourself (and the querent or client, or research subject, if there is one) into
a prankish sort of trance…a “Ludic State of Consciousness” (LSC). Say hello to the
absurd. It is from this state that Transpersonal Intelligence
(Trans-Intelligence)…non-dual Intelligence and Consciousness may be accessed
and magic may emerge.
This
experimental deck was intended initially to be used as one method, along with
Cinemorphics and Alternative Reality Game technique, of accessing and using
Trans-Intelligence effects in practical settings (see http://trans-intelligence.blogspot.com/
“Our
research defines Trans-Intelligence as the possible human capacity to
reinterpret the apparent literal limits of matter and design/reveal new
constructs within perceived reality. In simple terms, a “capacity to acquire
capacities” and to “create” or reveal new apparent realities.”).
The deck
was also designed to be used as a conjure deck within the context of folk
magic. In working with the deck, it has become obvious that it functions
effectively as a divination tool as well.
Deck
Design
Each card
is constructed of three computer game icons, more or less vertically stacked,
and a number. The numbers are primarily for identification purposes, but may be
subject to interpretation in a variety of ways, if desired. Although there are
33 cards in the deck, I personally do not attach any particular occult
significance to this. I wanted to put together an easily usable deck with a
large enough number of images to be effective without being unwieldy.
Each of
the three icons may relate to other icons or sets of icons on cards in a
spread, or each set of three may be read as one composite image and relate to other individual
icons or sets in that way. Many of the three icon constructs involve
juxtapositions that are intentionally surrealistic and nonsensical. The idea is
to play with the images, pay close attention to their gestures and listen to
what they are "saying".
I present
the deck here with no suggested interpretations of the cards. The cards may be
read symbolically (they do contain many recognizable symbols), but the intended
approach to reading the cards is via the images themselves, what they are doing
and how they relate to each other in response to a particular question. The
most productive way to use this deck (in my opinion) is by applying the reading
techniques of Camelia Elias (https://taroflexions.wordpress.com/) and Enrique Enriquez (http://www.amazon.com/Tarology-Enrique-Enriquez/dp/8792633129).
Additionally,
I frequently use either the Flornoy Noblet or Dodal Marseille decks as a
reference check (use them to address the same issue)…as a means of evaluating
the relevance of a response by the ACT deck.
Reading
Suggestions
Whether
for divination, conjure or Tran-Intelligence research applications, I prefer a
simple three card spread.
For
divination, the
question is stated, the cards are mixed, cut, pulled, observed and interpreted. Let the cards "speak for themselves".
Example 1.
Question:
What will my financial situation look like for the next three months?
Answer:
Even though you’re trying to catch some wind, its slow going but you ARE
climbing out of the boiling pot of adversity and will be happily howling at the
moon in three months.
For
conjure, the
desired outcome is stated, it is decided that the three cards that will be
drawn mean (is the same as) the outcome, the cards are drawn face down then
turned over, the cards are read and then performed as the outcome (not as the
desire for the outcome but for the outcome itself).
Example 2.
Desired
outcome: My novel is bought by a
good publisher.
The above cards are pulled and "are" outcome (again, not the desire for the outcome…you don’t
want to manifest the desire, you want to manifest the outcome).
Now, read
the cards and experience the outcome…i.e. perform the outcome in day-to-day
(but ritualized) reality, since the novel is bought in the “real” world. One
version of what the cards say is, “Meditate in the rain under an umbrella near
a good fishing spot and sing as you cast your line, then go home and burn a
candle planted on the dead skull of doubt as you eat a delicious dessert.”
This
“prescription” or performance decided upon must be executed precisely…as precisely as
cashing the check the publisher gives you for your novel. It is not being
suggested here that the performance causes the outcome, it “is” the outcome in
non-ordinary reality, a synchronous, acausal event. Concentrate on being a
performance artist in the Alchemical Conjuration Theater as you do these
things. If it all feels “dumb and stupid”, the “stupider” the better. You are
the Player…in the theatrical sense and, more importantly, in the kids at joyous
play sense. You are in the Ludic State of Consciousness (above)…in the play of
reality. Lose yourself in it…”You are That!” (Nissargadatta)
In a nutshell, the conjure protocol outlined above has a lot in common functionally with Hoffman’s construct (see graphical illustration below) of Conscious Agents, which he sees as the fundamental building blocks of reality rather than matter…
Assigning new meaning to “icons on the computer screen of our multiple user interface” (Hoffman’s description of perception) can result in the corresponding appearance of ‘physical’ manifestations” in what is seen to be a holographic manifestation of “reality”.
What exists in the objective world, independent of individual perceptions, is a world of Conscious Agents, not a world of unconscious particles and fields. These Conscious Agents are fractals in the all encompassing holomovement that is reality and are trans-personally intelligent.
You’re probably asking about now…”what happened to just playing…what’s all this theory stuff about”. There’s not enough space to really get into it here, and its not really necessary as far as seeing how the cards may relate to this application, but further independent exploration is well worth the effort in terms of gaining an appreciation of this view of the nature of things and how it relates to the action of the cards.
In the meantime, here’s an example of a Trans-Intelligence Theory use of the cards.
Example 3.
A budding musician wants to enhance their Musical Intelligence (see Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences).
Desired outcome: I can play the guitar very well after one month of study rather than six months.
The cards are drawn.
These cards illustrate the already existing outcome. They appear as new “icons on the desktop” of the budding musician’s perceptual space.
They say: Eat seafood while strumming your guitar and stomping your foot so violently that it breaks glass, then go to Carnival as the jester and “paint the town”.
Another way to read this performance is…fill your body with great brain food, go to a party, cut loose and relax.
The above examples are based on reading the composite card images. Reading the spreads from the POV of the nine individual icons, would, of course, yield other (equally effective) outcomes…and adventures.
Related Practices and Influences
Cinemorphics: “’You’ are a fictitious character…re-write and re-direct yourself. The term Cinemorphics refers to the process and art of changing, transforming, transmuting the construct known as the ego, persona, self, etc….(what someone thinks of when asked to describe himself or herself…one’s idea of oneself)…from one form into another, by making use of the methods and techniques of acting and movie/theater production.” http://cinemorphics.blogspot.com/
‘Pataphysics: “Alfred Jarry riddles and toys with conventional concepts and interpretations of reality. Another attempt at a definition interprets ‘pataphysics as an idea that ‘the virtual or imaginary nature of things as glimpsed by the heightened vision of poetry or science or love can be seized and lived as real.’ Jarry defines 'pataphysics in a number of statements and examples, including that it is the science of imaginary solutions.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/'Pataphysics
PsychoMagic of Alejandro Jodorowsky: “For a young man who complained that he lived only in his head and was unable to grab hold of reality and advance toward the financial autonomy he desired, Jodorowsky gave the prescription of pasting two gold coins to the soles of his shoes so that all day he would be walking on gold. A judge whose vanity was ruling his every move was given the task of dressing like a tramp and begging outside one of the fashionable restaurants he loved to frequent while pulling glass doll eyes out of his pockets. The lesson for him was that if a tramp can fill his pockets with eyeballs, then they must be of no value, and thus the eyes of others should have no bearing on who you are and what you do. Taking his patients directly at their words, Jodorowsky takes the same elements associated with a negative emotional charge and recasts them in an action that will make them positive and enable them to pay the psychological debts hindering their lives.” http://www.amazon.com/Psychomagic-Transformative-Power-Shamanic-Psychotherapy/dp/159477336X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Koans and Haiku: Each card in the deck as well as each spread, may be read as either a Koan or as Haiku…or used as prompts for other types of poetry and riddle making as well.
The applications of the deck for poetic exploration, story-telling and improvisational theater are many.
The Cards:
The 33 cards are presented below. Decks are currently being printed and their availability for purchase will be announced here when ready.
In order to do readings with the deck without the actual cards, randomly pick three numbers between one and 33 (A number selection page is presented at the end of this post), then Control Click on each of the three card images, select “open link in a separate window”, open each card in its own window, reduce the size of the windows and arrange the images into a three card spread…a bit cumbersome, but usable.
Feedback is welcomed at cinemorphics@yahoo.com.
Original icons made by Lorc, Delapouite & contributors. Available on http://game-icons.net
Deck concept description and composite images ©2016 Charles Webb
THIS DECK IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT:
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| Card Back |
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| Card Chooser |
