Topic: Practical Magic

Greg Carlwood signs off, encouraging listeners to explore practical magic and the Higher Side Chats Plus archives during the quarantine period. The episode concludes with a thematic song about spells and "doing the time." Carlwood leaves the audience with a final thought on the "vast manifestations of the consciousness container."

The hosts debate the ethics of using esoteric tools for personal empowerment rather than leaving them solely to the elite. Michael Wan explains that symbols like the pentagram and dodecahedron are based on objective mathematical ratios, such as the Golden Ratio, which can be used to find harmony in daily life.

Aleister Crowley’s *Magic in Theory and Practice* defines the object of ritual as uniting the microcosm with the macrocosm. Crowley identifies the "method of drama" as the most effective way to invoke a deity and establish the foundation of a new religion. This dramatic method allows for the interweaving of various mythologies to influence the aesthetic sense and imagination of the public.

Dr. Shoemaker addresses the lack of quality control in occult publishing and the importance of grounded, practical instruction over purely historical or philosophical study. He advocates for a behavioral science approach to magic, where practitioners perform rituals and record results without preconceived notions. This method avoids "front-loading" experiences and allows for a unique, naive discovery of the practice's value.