Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site tellab1.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!tellab1!keb
From: keb@tellab1.UUCP (Ken Burk)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Occult Question
Message-ID: <816@tellab1.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Feb-86 21:45:45 EST
Article-I.D.: tellab1.816
Posted: Tue Feb 25 21:45:45 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Feb-86 22:18:41 EST
References: <618@hounx.UUCP>
Reply-To: keb@tellab1.UUCP (Ken Burk)
Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, IL
Lines: 51

In article <618@hounx.UUCP> nd2k@hounx.UUCP (A.SCHWARZ) writes:
>
>     Not being able to find a "net.occult" or something similar I'll
>   post this question on net.misc.......
>
>     My wife has an interest in occult, witchcraft, rites etc.
>   She is trying to figure out what the significance is of 9 burnt
>   matches; i.e. if it symbolizes anything. She couldn't find
>   out in any of her books on the subject.


Point 1. I too was unable to find a net.occult or similar listing,
	but would subscribe to one if available -- any others out
	there? Might lead to some interesting discussions.

Point 2. (Ahhh...the question!) I can't recall any such significance
	either, except perhaps in the number 9 (which can have many
	meanings, i.e., Completion, The Nine Unknowns, etc.,
	depending on the context or system). What context does
	this relate to -- witchcraft, Wicca, Santaria, candleburning,
	alchemy, ritual magic, magick....or something completely
	different? For example, 9 burnt matches may mean "your
	time is up" to a Mafioso, while to a child, it may mean
	"your butt's gonna get paddled when your father gets home."
	In the case of a cat, since each match has, for all
	practical purposes one "life", this may mean that a
	particular cat has had it. Or, it may just mean that
	someone finally lit a cigaret in the wind.

	Also, it may only have significance within a very limited
	context: if it means something to you, then it does.
	Put another way, if you attach some significance to it,
	then it will have significance for you. Magick (and other
	forms of ritual magic) has only two components -- Imagination
	and Will. Anything that can help FOCUS the will or "Fire
	my imagination" will be useful in the ritual to a greater
	or lesser degree.

	I don't know if this helped any or if you or your wife
	found this too basic, but if there's no interest on the
	Net, you can always hit me with some e-mail on the subject.
	If nothing else, we can compare the range of our respective
	libraries with an eye towards their improvement. There are
	also some good private libraries and bookstores in the
	Chicago area that may help.

	P.S. Sorry if this is late; I've been off the Net for some
	time.

					Regards,		
					Ken Burk