Stereotypes and Misconceptions in Thelema Community

Star Sapphire showcases the diverse and misunderstood nature of Thelemites, challenging stereotypes around sexuality and hedonism in the community.

### Breaking Stereotypes: A Candid Conversation on Fomites and Their Community
* 🌟 Welcome everyone to a special discussion featuring Star Sapphire, a burlesque performer, as they delve into **stereotypes and assumptions about fomites**, aiming for an **honest conversation**.
* 💬 Star Sapphire introduces themselves and explains their unique approach to burlesque, incorporating **hermetic Kabbalah and tarot** into their performances, which sets them apart in the community.
* 🗣 The conversation addresses the stereotype that fomites lean towards far-right ideologies, with Star Sapphire asserting that many practitioners are **left-leaning** and emphasizing the **diversity within the community**.
* 🔍 They discuss the misconception of fomites engaging in black magic, clarifying that the concept of **good and evil is subjective** and that their practices focus on **personal will and self-discovery** rather than harmful intentions.
* 🍷 The topic of hedonism arises, with both speakers agreeing that **true fulfillment comes from aligning with one's will** rather than indulging in excess, sharing personal experiences that illustrate this point.
* 📚 They highlight the importance of understanding that many individuals in the community, including those who are **asexual or on the aromantic spectrum**, can find their place within the fomites, as **personal journeys and practices vary widely**.
* 🌈 Ultimately, this discussion aims to **dismantle misconceptions and promote acceptance** within the community, encouraging those who may feel marginalized to **recognize their belonging in the diverse tapestry of fomites**.

### Embracing Diversity in Spiritual Practices: Asexuality, Consent, and Individual Journeys
* 🌈 "If you feel a calling, if you feel that pull, absolutely explore Lima. Being **asexual is completely valid**."
* 🌳 The speaker emphasizes the importance of **diverse metaphors** in spiritual practices, highlighting that concepts such as **life force energy** can be represented through nature, like **trees and bees**, rather than solely through **sexual imagery**.
* 🧘 They encourage individuals, particularly those identifying as asexual, to explore different forms of **magic and meditation** that resonate with their personal beliefs, reminding them that they **belong in the community**.
* 📚 The speaker reflects on their own spiritual journey, noting that while sex magic exists, it is not a central part of their practice, which focuses more on **journaling, meditation, and yoga**.
* 🚫 They address the issue of harassment within the community, asserting that being a performer or a part of the occult does not invite **inappropriate behavior**, and they stress the importance of **consent and respecting boundaries**.
* 🤝 The conversation touches on the stereotypes and projections that people place on individuals based on their identities, urging listeners to **recognize the individuality and diversity** within the occult community.
* 💖 Ultimately, the speaker advocates for **love, acceptance, and understanding**, encouraging individuals to **explore various perspectives** without making **sweeping generalizations** about others' beliefs or practices.
* 🌟 They conclude by inviting others to connect with them through social media, emphasizing the **importance of authentic sharing and community engagement**.

Welcome everyone. I have such a special opportunity today to talk to another thite and someone I absolutely love and consider a friend of mine, so that's so cool. I have been wanting an excuse to have Star Sapphire on my channel for ages, and I am so grateful to them for lending their energy and their time with me today. So, we are going to talk all about and have a very honest and frank conversation about stereotypes and assumptions about fomites, and we are just going to break it down for you. So, you may have heard some things online or had things you wanted to ask but were too afraid to, and so hopefully we're going to get to that today. I really appreciate especially having Star Sapphire here, um, and not just my talk, myself talking to you all about this, so we can have a diversity of opinions on this, on all the subjects we're covering. Um, as many of you all know, I am actually on the east coast of the US, and Star Sapphire is on the west.

coast, so there's a little bit of cultural variation there going on. And also, Star Sapphire is a burlesque performer, bringing that perspective as well. So, for people who may not be familiar with your work, could you please introduce yourself and some of the projects you're currently working on? Yes, hi. So, I'm Star Sapphire. I live in San Francisco, and I'm a burlesque performer. So, my tagline is actually momento mori with a SL side of that ass, spelled D-A-A-T. So, yeah, basically, my work as a burlesque performer is I base my acts on hermetic Kabbalah, which is actually kind of easy because I can also correspond the hermetic Kabbalah with the tarot. So, basically, what I'm doing is making an act to each tarot card, basically. There's definitely other occult burlesque performers out there. Some of them are friends of mine. I know even other feminist burlesque performers, but as far as I know, I am the only

burlesque performer that has used 77 to make sure that my correspondences in my acts were correct. Yeah, and I have been wanting to see your act in person, so if you are blessed enough to have the opportunity to see Star Sapphire do a performance, make sure you don't miss that because I love following you on social media with all of the incredible costumes you put together, all of the thoughtfulness, the creativity. It is just so inspiring. Thank you. Yeah, some of them are like a lot more goofy, like my Emperor act. I'm a boomer dad with the Costco t-shirt and everything. But then some of them, like my full act, is very much inspired by the depiction of the fool in the tarot. So, some of them are a little bit more abstract, and some of them, it's kind of all over the place, which is life and the occult as well. So, yeah, yeah, definitely. So, okay, let's not waste any time and really just get right into it, and I'm just going to

quote a comment I saw on the internet, and I'll put it up on screen for you all, and it goes quote as someone who is an outsider. I've heard someone else describe FMA to have a following of, as they describe, lots of elitists and a far-right element. So, are thit's far-right? Is this a true stereotype? So, no, uh, because I'm a [Laughter] socialist, so obviously not. Um, it's hard, uh, once you get into, like, online spaces. I'm not really on Twitter anymore. When I was on Twitter, is I think when I ran into, like, more issues of talking to, like, other problematic occultists. Um, but yeah, not really on Twitter anymore because who [Laughter] is. But I definitely ran into that a lot more, and unfortunately, I think what the problem is, is the people who are kind of more far-right or alt-right or whatever it is, or just kind of the loudest. Um, and I think that there are so many practitioners who keep to themselves or

don't even have online presences, and so they're the ones that are not really being representative. And so, unfortunately, when you are going into really toxic places like Twitter or Reddit, like those are the first things that you're going to see. But no, I actually wrote an article a couple of years ago, going by my old stage name, and I actually wrote exactly about this topic. And I truly do believe still that Selma is anti-fascist at its core. So, I don't know, I'm sure somebody out there is gonna watch this and be like, E, no, but those people are wrong. I'm just kidding. I mean, well, here, yeah, and I think you summed up the core of sort of how I view it as well. There's not only a selection bias, as you mentioned, on the internet, and then there's also this idea of staying silent and embracing the powers of the Sphinx within the Lima and keeping this private. And a lot of people don't have the luxury of being out with

their beliefs, their practices, their religion, whether it's their family, their local community, um, especially being on the east coast and the South. Wow, that's happening a lot, um, so a lot of people have very satanic Panic-like ideas of fomites. So, people choose to be quiet about it, and in my opinion, as you said in your article and just now, um, the truth of the matter is it's really hard to be far-right and a, let's just say, embracing a lot of phic ideas. Like, straight out of our Central sacred holy text, the book of the law, it says every man and every woman is a star. It doesn't say men are superior to women. It's so this idea of qualities hard-baked into the OG Central sacred holy text. So, that being said, and there's other examples I could go into about ideas of women's Liberation, ideas of feminism, ideas of, you know, equality, diversity, inclusion, celebrating all of humanness and its beautiful diversity of whatever that means, but there's also um

when it comes to people and the way I always describe it to people, the theic community and group is a microcosm of the larger society, macrocosm. For better or worse, we reflect that macrocosm. A lot of us, although we make great effort to shed some of those oppressive dogmatic ideas of the larger society or oppressive values, whatever it may be, you know, sometimes people bring that into the space. Um, I would say in thma that's, I would say there's more left-leaning queer, you know, people in general, overwhelmingly so, just based on the central tenants. It attracts people, and people tend to go that direction, but there is still that reflection of our larger society we live in, and some people do have different political beliefs. Um, it's hard to be very farri extremist because you won't be welcomed. You will be kicked out of spaces, um, especially if you have, I don't know, I would say antisocial behavior as a result of your beliefs. Um

but that's just something to keep in mind that I would say for the most part we aren't. I also feel that there's this element of like people who think that the Lima is about copying the activities and the behavior of like Aleister Crowley, and so there's also this kind of like libertarian-like sense to it. Like, I definitely know somebody like that in person, not I'm not even friends with them anymore, but I feel like I know more like left-leaning and liberal and queer delites and occultists in general than I do know more the other side of it. Yeah, and then also, I mean, you have to take into account the fact that like Crowley himself was anti-fascist and like, like it, uh, sorry, words. Um, I think there's a book that's G to be coming out about that, about the um, the witches that were like fighting the Nazis through magic. I don't, I don't know, that sounds cool. I haven't heard of that one. I saw something about that like

recently um and and Crowley was supposedly a part of that about using magic to you know fight the Nazis. So, you know, it's kind of weird that we have these like I call them like Crowley Crites cites um as opposed to fomites uh who think you know Crowley did all this terrible Behavior. Therefore, I'm gonna be like a person also. Yeah, yeah, and those are great points like Crowley um as an act against fascism during World War II actually wrote anti-war poetry as a magical act. So, he was doing that. He also came out with Liber Oz otherwise known as the Rights of Man uh during the winter solstice um which is basically what it what it says on the cover. It's a Declaration of Human Rights for all people. So, yeah, I think that really I think that covers it and and I just want to point out here um the interesting consensus between both of us that most fomites are left-leaning queer of some variety you know because you would imagine like maybe on the west

coast that that be the case and maybe the but no I'm I'm telling you from the Southeastern coast of the US, which is known for being very conservative. Our pockets of fites are very left-bending, let me tell you. So, I think that's a pretty good selection across. So, yeah, okay, so the next one, and this is something I've seen a lot more in mundane spaces. Like, I recently picked up a magazine at a grocery store, and of course, it talks. It's spooky season, so we gotta bring out the caricature of crle andalites and the idea is, are we evil, and do we do black magic? So, my personal opinion of this is that I think that evil is kind of a subjective word. I don't necessarily believe in good and evil. I think that my ideas of what are good and evil are going to be probably similar to yours, but you know, we're gonna have different. So, I think that's kind of

like a very like old iconic like Christian, you know, kind of dogma of like, This is good, this is bad, this is black magic. Um, um, I think it also relates a lot to like satanic panic. Um, I unfortunately have family members who, you know, they will see some of the things that I post online. Um, I try to not post that stuff so much on Facebook where I am friends with family members. Uh, but yeah, a couple years back, I had a little bit of Satan panic within the family concerning me. It was kind of interesting that I was supposedly performing black magic and that. And it wasn't even necessarily that like I was aware that I was performing, you know, black magic and welcoming the devil in. It was kind of more of this idea that I didn't know what I was like messing with. And so there I was inviting the devil in. Um, so yeah, I think that to in order to believe that you're doing black magic, you kind of have to believe that there are such things as good and evil. Uh, the

Lima at its core is more about the self and finding, you know, the star. Every man and every woman, and everyone in between, I'm non-binary, is a star. So, it's very, it's a very personal journey. So, I mean, like, what is your definition of black magic? Is it, you know, am I out there, like, cursing people or this and that? Not to say that that doesn't happen and that I don't know people who have done that before, but yeah, it really is just kind of a subjective thing. Yeah, yeah, I completely agree. I would consider what I do as a theelite to be beyond that binary of good and evil. I don't really subscribe to this model of black versus white magic. And I actually, I'm not the right person to talk about this, but I saw someone did an essay unpacking the term black magic as in and of itself a problematic term that has, like, roots in, you know, colonization and, like, othering other people. And I'm not the right

person to talk about. I only read a few things, um, but I think that's an interesting point too, to examine the language we're using to label others. Um, I would not, you, I would not say what I do is black magic. I would not say what I do is evil. I do believe what I do, what I do in my daily practice, my monthly practice, my yearly practice, the journey I am on, is one towards the Divine and unification of the self, uh, ultimately. So, I, I don't um, how I, I, I don't understand that in any definition of evil or black magic I have read to be that. So, that's my take on that for sure. So, there's your answer, y'all. We're not doing that for the most part. I don't view it that way, and that's not to say that there aren't, you know, individuals perhaps who may use those words, try to reclaim them, and that's their business, but for the most part, I, I think most theomites don't understand that to be.

the case um all right so moving on to a difficult subject um we're transitioning to the harder topics to cover here but this next one is this idea that um we are all hedonists or we are all living a lifestyle of excess of consumption of pleasure um what would you say to that um um so we were talking about this a little bit before I started recording um I think that you summed it up pretty well that essentially if that is the life that you're following you're probably not following your true will and that is kind I mean that is literally what Sima means um is Will so if you're not if you're following that you're probably straying very far away from whatever your true will is unless that is your true will I don't think that's my true will um yeah but yeah I mean there's definitely the aspect of like when I was younger and thought that I was supposed to like I was basically a PE people pleaser right and I was supposed to do these

certain milestones in life, and now that I'm older and realize, Oh wait, I don't actually have to do any of those things. A lot of times, I'm seen as selfish, and again, that's a completely subjective thing. So, I don't think anyone's out there accusing me of being a haen, but I can see how not longer being a people pleaser all of the time and having boundaries can be seen as, Oh yeah, you're just living a life for yourself, seeking pleasure. I don't know. Yeah, I can definitely see that, and I think there's a lot of things that people see from the outside that get very misinterpreted. First and foremost, I think is the phrase that is very central to the damic philosophy, the damic idea, which is do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. People think this phrase means do whatever you want, when in reality, this is actually quite a restrictive phrase because it's a charge for you to live not according to your whims or what you

feel like doing in the moment, but it's a charge to live in accordance with your will or this innermost spark of divinity, so that your actions may aid you in doing your will and going forward along that path. Um, so for example, um, I give this example a lot; I'll give it again um, but basically, if in the moment I wanted to get a little wild at night and have a bunch of drinks and you know, get blackout drunk and party with people, but the next day I had a really important interview for a job that was in alignment with my will, it's a job I really wanted, it was a good career move, and if I chose to drink and party that night before and I woke up late, I woke up hungover, and I did terrible on that interview, that would not be doing my will, that would not be do what thou wilt, that would be the exact opposite of it because I am actively hindering myself from doing my will. So, that's an example of like so many things.

are cho cho choices I make not doing something but choosing not to do something to make sure I'm staying in alignment with my will. So um also from the outside looking in um some of our rituals may look in the symbols we use may look a little bit different from what people are used to seeing maybe for example in Christianity and they may interpret that as just like oh they're just like partying and like I don't know um being hedonistic in in their in their actions when in reality um a lot of our rituals have deep spiritual significance and it's maybe not what you think is happening. And I mean you bring up that point too of like from the outside looking in right of course also like what people see on social media that's not that's not even a fraction of our lives like I'm a burles performer so what I'm going to post on social media is going to be mainly what to do with like what my work is along with a lot of

just really stupid memes, but that I'm gonna post my thirst traps. I'm gonna post my, you know, videos of me performing on stage. My art's very sexy. It's this and that. That's not what my life looks like at all most of the time. I am at home in my PJs, watching something stupid on Netflix with my cat. Like, so yeah, I mean, someone's going to be like, Oh, they're a burlesque performer, and they're an occultist. Like, all they're doing is sexy this and that. No, no, no. That is not my life at all. Yeah, that's a really great point about how people perceive an individual just based on social media. I mean, even mine. Like, I don't post my entire life on social media. Most of my life is actually quite boring. It's very, at this point in my life, life. It's very research-intensive and very, I'm doing a lot of research, a lot of reading, a lot of writing. And so, um, that's not on social media. I don't

know I I don't. It's always baffling to me when people interpret me just simply being an occultist as some sort of hypersexuality, which isn't the case at all. And then also when you were talking about this, you know, example, I went to drink and then I didn't, and then I wasn't doing my will. I actually have a really funny relatable story. Oh great, yeah, to that. I mean, maybe not funny, like I probably should have went to the hospital, but I didn't die, so like. I've only been in burles for like two years, so uh, my. It wasn't quite my debut performance, but it was one of my first ever performances. I was so nervous, and so I had like a drink before I went on, and I was a little bit, a little bit tipsy when I went on stage. And then afterwards, it went so well. That was actually my devil act that I did to T Temple song, which was so fun. That's so cool. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. I have

like Anton Le like audio clips in it. It's a fun anyways. It went over so well. So then I was like Yay I'm So Happy. Let me go drink some more. And one thing led to another. This is exactly why I do not drink before I perform anymore. I don't even drink at all that much anymore because of what happened. One thing led to another. I ended up getting so drunk. Now this was what's so funny about it. Is at the time I was actually in the middle of working the arbo. And I was working with erron that week. Which is the Saturn spirit. Yeah. So I ended up laying on my floor being hung over for three days. I'm not even joking. Oh my gosh. Three days. I probably had acute alcohol poisoning. I was like in so much pain. And I did not even do the ritual that week. And I was like you know because with the arbit if um no if anyone out there's not too familiar. You're prepping for like a

whole week before you actually do it, and the way that I had done it with um the group that I was working with was we would um instead of doing it all at once like over a week, we did each Spirit like one week, so we would just prep for that one Spirit over you know seven days and then do the um the ritual for that one spirit. I think traditionally how you're supposed to do it is you prep for a week and then you do every Spirit every day, so we didn't do it like that um so it was a little more interesting because I had more time to really like sit with like the SP that I was working with um so yeah it was Saturn and there were a lot of lessons um it it was not just me laying on the floor it was like me laying on the floor in pain and like just thinking about a lot of you know things a lot of life lessons and how I kind of was not really living my will yeah so that's actually the main reason

why I don't really drink anymore. Occasionally, I will have a drink, um, but yeah, so that week I learned that hedonism is not um always the path to go down. Yeah, well, thank you for sharing that story. First of all, I'm so glad you're okay. That I had no idea that was going on. This was like over two years ago. Yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh, mine's so glad you came out of that okay. And I sound like Saturn had a few lessons for you, which is something uh Saturn's lessons are not fun. Oh yeah, um, yeah, I think there is that like I just from a human standpoint like I had to go through that as well like I had to figure out for me what are too many drinks where's The Sweet Spot and now like I'm at a point in my life where after finding that limit after finding what's okay for me um I don't really drink at all um I just I basically stopped drinking. I I will drink for ritual purposes and if I'm out with friends.

socially because I do genuinely love, um, you know, a nice drink, you know, something that tastes really good, um, something creative, local. I love that whole experience, especially going out to like a brewery or something with friends, having one, maybe two drinks, but that's about my limit, um. And actually, I was out with a bunch of fomites, um, and it was like sort of like a dance situation, and um, I had like maybe one drink, maybe two maximum that evening, and someone offered me um, another drink, and I said thank you, but I'm at my limit, like this is it for me. And they looked me dead in the eye, aelite, I didn't know very well, mind you, and they said, I respect that so much, and I was like, thank you. And, and I think that's the general idea of most alamites is like finding what's right for you and enforcing those boundaries and having the courage and the strength to know your limits and keep that sort of wild, I don't want to say wild side, but you know what I mean, like keep, keep that in check.

um and I think that that's for the most part very respected. I mean, I know quite a number of fomites who are completely sober, people who don't indulge in any kind of anything. Um, I think for the most part, not to do a stereotype in the opposite direction, but if you were going to stereotype us, like a lot of us are very bookish and very, um, you know, [Laughter] homebodies. So, that also my cat might want to say hi. Oh, I hope so. Oh no, he just jumped off the couch. Oh baby. Well, hopefully, we get a cat visit at some point. Um, so I think that really covers that idea, um, and sort of busts through this idea of Hedonism. And then on that same vein, I often hear the question, and it breaks my heart because it makes me sad people even have to ask this, but they ask, can you be asexual and a fomite? Absolutely. Um, again, this is, you know, everybody's will is very individualistic to them, and there's

nothing in Salma that says that you are supposed to be having lots of sex all of the time. Um, yeah, and again from a personal standpoint, like I am in a relationship with someone and I is a sexual relationship. At the same time, I do feel like I am on the aromantic spectrum and a little bit on the um, the asexual spectrum as well. Uh, so yeah, I mean, you know, you kind of have this like on one end of like the like super sexy thma, you know, stereotype. You've got like Jack Parson, yeah, love him, which all the power to them and what they were doing over at a goopy lounge or lodge. Um, but no, I don't think that you need to be um, I don't think that you need to, you know, have sex to be a thite. Um, and of course, if those of you who are familiar with my stage name, um, I did take it from the ritual that is a sex magic ritual. Uh, I've never done the ritual, but when I decided that I wanted

to change my name. I meditated on it for a while, and that was actually like the message that came to me, was that I should change my name to that ritual. You can perform the ritual alone; you don't have to do it with a partner, but it is, you know, a Sex Magic Ritual. But I mean, at the same time, when I'm on stage or even when I'm just at home and I'm in rehearsal, I feel like that is me doing a magical ritual. And because my magic is sexual in nature, I mean, I'm not going to sit here and be like, E, that's Sex Magic, but like, there's an element of that of how I connect to Spirit. But yeah, no, you can absolutely, absolutely be asexual and aate, yeah. And I love hearing you say all that and sharing all of that. I think it's to be so helpful for people coming at, especially new people who are like, I'm asexual, I'm still trying to figure things out, do I belong in this community?

and I just want to reiterate, yes, you belong here. If you feel a calling, if you feel that pull, absolutely explore Lima. Being asexual is completely valid. In some of my own work, although I am not asexual, but I have been thinking I am genderqueer and under that trans umbrella in some sense. I've been thinking a lot about metaphors for unio mystica or the mystical marriage or like some of these other occult ideas of the regenerative properties of life. And truthfully, although sex is a powerful metaphor, it's not the only one. And my mind goes to other life on Earth, for example, in terms of these generations of new generations and this life force energy moving throughout our world. I think of trees growing and the roots going down into the soil and spreading out and connecting to fungus within the soil and connecting to other tree roots and communicating that way to each other. I think of bees pollinating.

flowers. I mean, all of these contain beautiful metaphors for the continuation of life and union. Um, so I think if you are someone in the asexual sphere or whatever um, you want terms, you want to use, and you're uncomfortable with maybe some of the older imagery for the mystical marriage and sex magic and all of this stuff. I say first of all, you still belong here. It just, I would say, explore other metaphors, explore other types of magic in perhaps your meditations. Excuse me, explore what that means to you because the Lima is ultimately a journey to know your will, and then once you know it, do it. And that's something only you can really know. And yes, there's a lot of tools out there. Croley was very meticulous with his tools. He made, he journaled like a beast. Ha, pen intended. Um, but yeah, he journaled like a beast, and he put all of this out there so people could see a good example and follow in his footsteps. But you don't have to completely emulate.

what Crowley did or his rituals, and if something resonates better with you, especially someone who's asexual, go for it, and that's completely valid. And I know what because I'm a local community organizer as well here. I run my own study group, I do a lot of stuff, and I intentionally, carefully choose my language and the type of events I do to be inclusive. So, I just want to say, if you are someone who at any point feels you don't feel represented, come talk to the community organizer. A lot of the events I've been doing, I've been teaching bibliomancy or tarot. I did a bunch of tarot classes, that kind of stuff, and it's never come up, but I'm always all ears to learn. So, yeah, a couple of years ago, actually after I wrote that article, somebody with a cult podcast wanted to interview me for an episode they wanted to do about Selma, and I think that they just never ended up going in like a totally

different direction with it, uh, but I remember one of the questions that they had asked me was like, Why is Selma like the more sexy? Like, why is it so sexy? Like, and I remember feeling so caught off guard by that question because I just like, that's not necessarily like something that's been that important to me in my, um, like, theic journey, you know? And by the way, like, if you're not asexual, that's also totally valid, um, like, I think that, you know, people that do use their sexual practice to get closer to Spirit, I think that that's really cool and really beautiful, uh, I just like, I was not expecting like somebody to ask me that. And, uh, I think it's very much aligned with like kind of what you're saying is that there is this like stereotype that like all of us, you know, are like a certain way, are Jack. Essentially, every single one of us is Jack Parsons. So yeah, I remember that being like feeling totally off guard by that.

um like caught off guard by it, uh, but yeah, for me personally, that's never been something that I've ever really incorporated into like my theic practice. Um, so I just, I guess I wouldn't be the person to ask about that. I think I ended up like answering it like, Well, I guess God is just really sexy. Like, That's amazing. I'm saying that from now on. It's like, Well, it's not my fault God is sexy. So, I mean, that is, you know, that is the truth. Like, to be perfectly honest, God is just very sexy. Um, you know, I think that, um, like for example, like if, uh, you know, people have like gen drugs and they get these kind of like sexy feelings about them. It's, I've had that happen to me also, um, in rituals, what I've been doing, like this kind of feeling that overcomes me, that it does kind of feel like very sexy almost. Um, I had somebody who like hypnotized me one time, and they were trying to do like a past life regression type of thing on me. Um, it

ended up being a really, uh, reading. I just don't think that they could get a good reading on me, but in that state, like, I felt like really kind of like sexually elevated almost. And I think that there is something to say about like this idea of like God, whatever that is individually to, you know, everyone out there, that there is this kind of like sexiness about it. And I don't know, I'm not the person to really ask, but like, I do think that there's something to be said about that. But yeah, I was not the person to answer that question. Yeah, and I think what's interesting for me as someone who's been a practicing thite for a while around other practicing thomm mites, um, it's, uh, yeah, again, it's Outsider perspective and people being drawn to the small minute detail that most interests them and then projecting whatever they want on top of it. So there's a lot of projection going on, but speaking frankly, uh, Sex Magic really isn't a part of my daily practice. It's

not a part of my monthly yearly stuff I do. It's there, right? Like, I'm not going to deny it's not a thing people do, and myself don't do, but for the most part, uh, it's just such a small part of it. I think what's a huger part of the practice would be journaling, meditation, yoga. Yes, I said yoga. Um, Crowley B. Crowley wrote eight lectures on yoga, so that was a huge part of it. Um, so rituals like that, and then our daily rituals like Libra, Rashell, Helios, saying will, um, sometimes the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. I mean, these are all the bread and butter of what a lot of magic is, and none of that is Sex Magic. So yeah, there is um, definitely overrated idea. So many beginners come to to fiva or to like ceremonial magic, and they want that like, Oh, let's jump to the sex magic, and they don't realize that it really is viewing your pentagrams every day. I mean, yeah, you are.

You're gonna get a bigger bang for your buck just managing to meditate regularly. Like, that's a great starting place for beginners. You're going to get so much more out of it if you can just master your mind. And then, once you master your mind, move on to all kinds of other stuff—banishing deity work, um, you know, just great opportunities out there to delve into theic magic. And you'll probably be shocked by the lack of sex magic. Um, it's such a small and not even necessary part. So, that also goes into um, yeah, I guess we covered this idea that like rituals and magic aren't necessary sexual for us, which is such an important topic. Um, and then I often encounter this um, which makes me very angry um, but this stereotype that apab people and fem people um, are very promiscuous and easy. And this is a hard topic to talk about, but it's one I'm going to drag out into the light. And this idea that it's okay to sexualize us, and it's not.

Okay, go for it. So, back when I was on Twitter, oh my God, the DMs I would get from people. It's just like the moment that somebody even just like says the words Scarlet women, it's here go. It's an automatic block from me. It's an automatic no, straight to jail. Um, yeah, I don't know like what that is. I mean, I think that that is just kind of a larger issue in general with like misogyny. Um, for me personally, um, I definitely had like a larger following on Twitter than I did, uh, than I do on Instagram. Um, and a lot of the people, once Twitter kind of died, a lot of people did come over to my Instagram. Um, so again, because I'm a burlesque performer and my art is like sexual in nature, um, I definitely have like more people who follow me for like adult stuff than follow me who are like actual like come to my shows, burlesque fans. Uh, but I definitely also have a lot of like occult followers who like me because I

am bringing my spiritual practice to the stage. Um, so that being said, um, I already have people, and I just, I think that this is just a problem being a performer, being someone who is like seen a certain way in the public, who just don't really understand what boundaries are, like what I put on the stage, what I put on my social media, out in public. It's like, I don't really owe anyone anything more than that. Yes, 100%, because my art is sexual in nature. People sometimes feel that they are owed more, uh, so I definitely run into that a lot. And then once you mix what I'm doing with, like, the occult aspect of it, then you have, like, all of these, uh, what was the, I've heard a word been called for, like, these people, like, the Liber nuts. Yeah, yeah, for sure. The ones who, you know, they, they maybe need to seek some mental help. Um, I get a lot, I, I was getting, I don't get them anymore as much. I was getting a lot of, like, DMs from

people like that, you know, oh my gosh, um, people who believe that they are actual incarnations of either Crowley or a deity or whatever, who, you know, they see somebody who is out on stage, they're depicting these archetypes that are found in the Lima on stage, and like, ooh, they're taking their clothes off, and so it's just kind of this like, I'm going to DM you, and like, we're going to have this slay relationship, or I don't know, I mean, I definitely, I definitely feel, I get it in a different way than maybe other like fem and apab um occultists get it, just because I do like, I mean, I have pictures on my Instagram of me just wearing p. I feel like I definitely get it a in a little bit of a different way just because I am a burles performer, uh, but I mean, I, I know, but you get it too, and it's just like, it's weird, it's weird um, I just like, I don't owe anybody.

anything more than what I'm already putting out, and so it's just kind of like odd for people to, you know, and I don't mind a compliment, you know, by all means, like if someone wants to give me a compliment online, you know, thank you, but like we both know, yes, when the line is being crossed. Yeah, there's a huge difference, and I think people really lose sight of the fact at the end of the day we are humans, we are individual people with different motives, different boundaries, different values. I mean, as fomites, we will agree on a lot of stuff, but um, you still have to take into account, like for example, hugs. There's some days I'm okay with a hug from a person I just met. There's other days I don't want anyone to touch me. That's a that's just a really simple example, but you really have to remember that everyone's going on their own journey and their own thing, and um, being a brues performer, being a fomite, a Fab person, being a fomite in general

is not an. It is not a beacon or a sign to come harass us. Um, I don't like that kind of attention from people. I am in a very happy monogamous relationship. I do not want people to come and approach me that way. Um, even when I was single, um, I was not uh open to that kind of attention. You know, again, a compliment, fine. If I'm having a really good day, maybe a hug, maybe we have a drink together, you know, whatever. But at the end of the day, there's a line there that's like, okay, this is too much. I don't want to see pictures of your nude body, a person I just met. That's inappropriate to me. Um, I don't want gross comments. I don't want to be written into stories that are of that nature and then sent to me. That's weird. Um, it's weird. I don't like it. Uh, being again, being a thite is not an invitation to these kind of things. And I just wish I could shout that from the treetops. Uh, my my

spiritual spirituality. My Religion, My Philosophy, that's at the inner more core of my being, is so important to me, and um, I I I mourn the fact that that is in people's minds. Tethered to it being, I'm meaning I'm open to harassment when I'm just not. I'm a person, and I don't want that. So yeah, and I mean, I do know um, you know, other occultists who like, they're more in touch with like combining their sexuality with their ult practice um, like for example, like Gabby is one of those people. He awesome uh, but someone who I've also had on my channel and hope to have back in the future. So for viewers is wanting to hear more from Gabby, check out that interview. She does amazing work. It's also not okay to like DM her, and I know that she's gotten it too, and you know, people sending her just like unsolicited like things or just whatever like just because this is someone who is a witch who uses sexuality in her Ault practice like it's

not okay to like not all people exactly. It really isn't, and not all F people are doing the same things or perhaps even using sexual. Like it returns, we return back to this idea of like some of us are asexual, some of us just don't engage with that at all. Um, I think my personal practice for the most part is profoundly boring. It's extremely bookish. Um, it's um, very academic, Apollonian in nature, and um, very meticulous over things that most people don't care about. So um, it's just so in my world, in my day-to-day world. I'm going about, I'm doing my boring little academic stuff, which I find exciting. Um, but for most people, it would just bore them to tears. And I'm doing my little rituals, none of which anyone would view perhaps as weird or dark or sexual in nature. And um, actually, I'll just say a huge part of my practice is Yoga. Like I will do yoga for one, one to two hours almost every day. Um, that's kind of where I'm at my practice.

that's a huge part of my core in centering. Um, I take the more um. So, fun fact: when Crowley received the book of the law, he was a Buddhist. So, a lot of the Holy text, specifically the book of the law, has um a reaction to Buddhism or perhaps like a weird type of Buddhism is it inside of it. So, I really cling to that a lot of my beliefs and how I operate in the world. Yeah, what I'm doing um. So, I'm doing my little thing and then out of the blue, like a random dude pops up. It's like, Oh, sexy fomite lady, you must be easy to get into bed. And it's like, No, that's not what's happening here. And Will you be my Scarlet woman? Like, Yeah, exactly, it's that whole Scarlet woman thing. And um, and it's also this idea from other practitioners that I'm somehow sexualizing myself in my ritual. It's like, What you mean like meditating for one or two hours a day is sexualizing myself? Absolutely not. Um, all

of the rituals I do, including the Gnostic Mass. I don't view that as sexualizing myself. I don't view my daily practice as sexualizing myself. I'm my own person, and if someone views any of my practices, including yoga, as sexual, that's on them. That's their problem for projecting that onto me and not the way I view myself at all. That's my soapbox. Had to get that one out [Laughter]. So, that yeah, I mean, I think at the end of the day, what it comes down to in general, like with everything, is like consent, like yes, you know, like if you are going to be practicing sex magic, then like you're going to be having this consensual relationship with the person that you're going to be performing it with, um, and then also, you know, just don't be dropping dick pics in my inbox. Yeah, definitely remember consent. Remember we're all people, we're all diverse. We are Thelemites, are as diverse as the greater population. I always like

to remind people that there are Jewish thelemites, there's Catholic thomm mites. I interact with some of those all the time. Oh my gosh, that is important. Oh my gosh, how cute. Look at that fluff ball in the white paw. Oh my goodness, I love cats so much. I mourn the fact I'm allergic to one of my partner's cats a lot. Sorry, I totally did not mean to distract from what you were saying. What is the cat's name? Which one? His name is Basat, named after Jean Michelle Basat. That's so sweet. Yes, so everyone feel free to put their love for the cat in the comments, please, if you got this far in the interview SL chat. So, um, but yeah, I, I, this has been great. I think we've touched on a lot of things that people might be too shy or nervous or ignorant about to ask, um, and, and I think to summarize this, I sort of reflect on the fact that, again, remember we're people, um, and don't be afraid to

come interact with us, come say hi, go to Star Sapphire shows, come watch my YouTube videos. A large part of my efforts on the internet is to, um, not normalize what I do, but so much just share authentically from a place of vulnerability. Like, it is really vulnerable to share, like, Vlogs of my life, like, here's how I celebrate the ainal Equinox, here's these rituals I do, here's how I do these rituals. And my idea is to really, first of all, help people do them, especially solar practitioners who may just be picking this up for the first time, but also break down these barriers and reach across the lines to other people and say, Hey, there's been a lot of us being maligned throughout history, and especially the satanic panic, and so much of what you see about fomites on the internet is not representative of us, it is not true. Um, we are people, um, quite cool and kind and creative people, I think, and I do think a lot of us can

be a little bit more creative and eccentric. Um, but not bad people. Is everyone a good person? No, because that's this living in a society part. But I would not say those people are bad because they are fomites, and that's the difference. That's the difference between bigotry and assumptions, is you are calling people out for their problematic behaviors and other things, and not lumping them together in a giant group and saying all fomites are bad people. So also, uh, speaking of satanic, I did not actually look this up, uh, but one of my friends posted today. I guess the pope had tweeted some satanic. Yeah, Richard shared that, yeah, too. Yeah, that was hilarious. Like, he was like, The occultists are out there. I'm like, Hi, it's me. Yeah, so that's fun. That's just a good reminder that that is still alive and well in certain notable percentages of the population. So yeah, yeah, and you know, unfortunately, because of the climate of where we're at.

and I mean the ele coming up, and you know, this and that, and what we were just talking about, that kind of way of thinking is definitely going to be more on the rise, sure. Um, you know, getting more like what I ran into a couple of years ago with family thinking that I'm inviting the devil in. Um, nobody tell them that I have an Anton Le act. Um, so, you know, unfortunately, that's just the world that we're living in, and it's scary. Um, yeah, yeah, definitely. Well, which is why doing this is more important than ever. So, exactly, Reaching Across the lines, educating people, encouraging people to learn more about your neighbor and learn more about diversity of perspectives. I mean, even within the occult Community, I do occasionally see very ignorant takes on thelemites and thma. Um, and, and here's another good thing to remember, you may not agree with our beliefs, our practices, you may hate Aliser Crowley, that's fine, you do you, but don't hate us. We are people, we are human beings, just of a

different set of beliefs than you, and at the end of the day, if you're hating an entire religious group just because they're that religion you don't agree with, that's bigotry, and you really need to do better. So again, you don't have to come out of your explorations at the elite, but I hope people would come out of broadening their perspectives with more tolerance and more love. And I do think your world will be broader if you choose to explore and reach across that divide to meet new people and learn about new perspectives. So I think that about sums it up. Is there anything else you wanted to sum up that we touched on that was important, do you think? I mean, I guess at the end of the day, what it really boils down to is Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, and love is the law, love under will. Exactly. And when you look into that, it's just every single person, it's very individualistic to what their will is.

so making these grand assumptions or stereotypes about people where you know it's not necessarily true for sure for sure. And this has been absolutely amazing. I appreciate you so much for spending all of this time with me. Thank you. This has been awesome. Um, and if someone would be interested in following you, um, what are the best websites to follow you on? Great places to find you, all that. Yeah, so like I said, I'm not on Twitter anymore. More. I think they count still up. Uh, so if you find me on there, I will not. I don't go on there ever. Uh, so all of my social media is under my handle, which is ArtDanceMagic. And of course, that's magic with the K at the end. Uh, and I'm working on a website right now. The website mainly going to be for burlesque for producers. Uh, but one of the plans that I do have is just kind of having a little tab on there of resources of um, authors, books that I like, people like you who I like about uh, about FMA because I do have

people who ask me about it all the time, even when I'm at shows. Um, when they hear my little bio, when they hear, they're like, What is all of that? What is Babylon? And so, people will come up to me after shows and ask me. It is Art danm magic.com. If you click on there, there's like, it's a work in progress. It does not look cute right now. So, it's a little bit more than like, you know, the 1990s like under construction with like a little guy digging a shovel. It's a little bit more than that, but that's amazing stuff there. But yeah, um, Instagram is mainly where I'm at. Again, art dance magic, or you can type in Star Sapphire and threads, which I'm trying to use more. Oh, and TikTok, which I'm also trying to use more. Uh, did not understand TikTok for the longest time. That was just the millennial in me that was like, What is this new thing? Like old man yells at Cloud. Uh, but now I'm trying to

actually use it more and trying to like. I don't have a lot on there. I'm trying to post more, so hopefully, yeah, basically art dance magic with a K across the board. Wonderful. And for people listening who didn't catch that, I will put all of the links below in the description so you can click on them and follow. So awesome. Thank you so much for coming on today, and I want to thank all of our viewers and listeners. You're amazing, as always. I am the center of expression for the Primal will to good, and so are you. Thanks, everyone. Thank you, 93s, everybody. 93s.

Stereotypes vs Reality: Honest Reflections from Practicing Thelemites

Maevius Lynn

Challenging Stereotypes in the Fomites Community

Star Sapphire, a burlesque performer in San Francisco, uses hermetic Kabbalah and tarot to create unique acts, aiming to challenge stereotypes within the community.

The perception of the thite community as elitist or far-right is misleading, as many practitioners are quiet and keep to themselves, while the loudest voices often represent toxic ideologies.

The community reflects the larger society, but its central tenets promote inclusivity, diversity, and equality, making it difficult for extremist beliefs to thrive.

Thelema is often misunderstood as copying Aleister Crowley, but many practitioners lean towards leftist and queer identities.

Crowley's anti-fascist actions during World War II and his Declaration of Human Rights challenge the negative perception of his legacy.

The concept of black magic is subjective, and Thelema's focus on individual will and self-discovery contrasts with the idea of hedonism and excess.

Misinterpretations of Personal Choices and Rituals

The speaker reflects on how their life choices, such as setting boundaries and not being a people pleaser, can be misinterpreted as selfishness.

They explain the true meaning of the phrase "do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law," emphasizing its restrictive nature and the importance of aligning actions with one's true will.

The speaker also shares how social media can create a distorted perception of their life, highlighting the contrast between their public persona as a burlesque performer and the reality of their everyday life.

The Journey of Moderation and Self-Discovery

The speaker shares their experience of reducing alcohol consumption, finding a balance between social drinking and personal limits.

They emphasize the importance of setting boundaries and respecting one's own limits, while also highlighting that hedonism is not the only path to fulfillment.

The speaker discusses the diversity within their community, affirming that being asexual is valid and that there are multiple ways to connect with life's regenerative properties.

The Role of Asexuality in Magical Practices

Asexual individuals are encouraged to explore alternative metaphors and types of magic that resonate with them, rather than feeling obligated to emulate traditional practices.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in community organizing and is open to learning from those who feel unrepresented.

While sex magic is often stereotyped as a central focus, the speaker highlights that journaling, meditation, and daily rituals are actually the core components of their magical practice.

Navigating Boundaries in Performance and Spirituality

Regular meditation is a great starting point for beginners, leading to mastery of the mind and exploration of other magical practices.

The stereotype of promiscuity associated with apab and fem people is harmful, and sexualization is not acceptable.

As a burlesque performer, the speaker faces challenges with boundary violations and unwanted attention, emphasizing that their art and public persona do not owe anyone more than what is already offered.

The Importance of Consent and Diversity in Spiritual Practices

The speaker emphasizes the significance of their spiritual practice and the misunderstanding it often faces, particularly regarding sexuality.

They highlight the diversity within the Thelemite community and the importance of consent in all interactions.

The speaker aims to share their practices authentically and break down stereotypes, encouraging open dialogue and understanding.

Embracing Diversity and Challenging Assumptions

The speaker discusses the difference between problematic behaviors and labeling individuals as "bad," emphasizing the importance of not generalizing groups.

They highlight the rise of bigotry and ignorance, particularly in relation to diverse beliefs and practices, and advocate for tolerance and understanding.

The speaker shares their social media handles and upcoming website, aiming to provide resources and broaden perspectives on unique beliefs and practices.