Not counting food preparation, what physical objects did you make today? Alternatively; what was the last thing that you made?

I have to admit that I can’t actually recall making anything within the last month, beyond a couple of roll-ups, a shopping list, and wrapping a few presents, none of which really count as actually making something.

Yet, as a descendant of Handy Man, surely I should be creating all sorts of things with my hands every day? I have an innate urge to fiddle with things incessantly. Suppressing this urge requires a constant stream of high tech distraction devices, from brain numbing visual stimulation (tv) to pseudo creative actions using my fingers to make symbolic sound substitutes (typing).

According to Pete’s Liber Kaos, sorcery can be defined as the art of physical manipulation of the world to cause magickal effect. Sticking with this description, we can see that performing the basic craft skills of modelling, manipulating substance, interacting with the environment, casts the spell.

In a house, the parts one interacts with (light switches, kitchen & bathroom furnishings), assume greater importance in how one feels about the house than aspects one might expect to have greater importance. When we touch the world around us, especially if that touch transforms in some way, we feel engaged and involved with Life. Passively exploring informational realms does not have the same impact on our bodymind.

Kinaesthetic learners find acquiring information without this hands-on approach incredibly difficult. They (or rather, we!), like to repeat a demonstrated set of actions, in order to ‘get’ what to do.

If, an individual failed to ever engage with the real world in this way, manipulating and altering it in accordance with their wishes, changing the fabric of their universe, would that affect their physiology, their psychology, their emotional response to the external world?

If, a society failed to engage with the world by manufacturing its own tools and objects of use, its arts & crafts, would that alter its collective perception of its own power?

I’m off to raid my ancient and long untouched box of arty supplies, consisting of purchased and found objects from years gone by, and make me a Thing…

NW

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