Here’s a bit from Jason Miller’s Magick Monday Newsletter:
“The magical community is filled to the brim with people working to communicate with spirits. We believe that they may have things to teach that are worthwhile, and may be able to intervene in human affairs in ways that are beneficial. The magical community is also filled with people who are quick to snidely shout down anyone who does get actionable messages from Gods and Spirits for pushing their “UPG” – Unverified Personal Gnosis.
“UPG is actually a great term for describing phenomena. It places spirit communication in context – something that should not be simply taken as gospel truth or universally applicable. It leaves open the idea that Gnosis can be verified somehow. Continuity can be tested by comparing it to research, so that you can say “this is new spirit communication, but seems to be rooted in the past in the following ways….”. If the information is actionable, you can test the advice and see how it works out, thus verifying its effectiveness. Sometimes you can share the advice and see if it is more than just personal. Keeping the concept of UPG in mind helps stop people from teaching nonsense as established fact. I have met people that insisted that Jesus and Kali are the true Gods of Wicca, or that Tibetan Dug-pas are secretly responsible for all evil in the world. We don’t need more of that sillyness.
“UPG is a useful term because a Spirit telling you something does not make it true, actionable, or useful. Its UPG. What you do with that UPG is what great magic springs from because…..ALL MAGIC WAS AT ONE TIME UPG.
“Yes, its on a 1800 year old piece of papyrus now, but 1800 years ago its was someones UPG that hopefully got tested and was found useful.
“Sadly, like many useful terms these days, UPG has been twisted from a term used to refine conversation into a term used to STOP conversation and score cheap troll-points. People shouting “thats just your UPG” on social media are rarely saying it to find out what you have done with that UPG in terms of testing, or verifying. They want to prove that they are not susceptible to new-age twaddle or getting carried away by wacky fantasies. They want you to know that they are HARDCORE. More hardcore than you. So hardcore that nothing penetrates. Even the good stuff.
“So my Sorcerers, Sorceresses, and Sorcerexs, I ask again that you find balance. Don’t run off into fantasy land with UPG or think that you are beyond deception from spirits or self. You’re not and neither am I. But also, don’t be so resistant to UPG that you shut yourself off from the good stuff. Its where all the good stuff originates.”
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