Gods, Spirits, Servitors, and Pests: A Taxonomy of Spirits

[icymist]

From Postmodern Magic, by Patrick Dunn


We may be the only self-aware physical beings on Earth (although, I’m not certain octopi wouldn’t give us a run for our money), but there are other places besides Earth. I’m not suggesting we discuss aliens, which may or may not exist and may or may not even visit Earth (although, I rather doubt it), but in a conversation on magic, it is crucial to discuss entities with non-physical bodies—beings composed of pure meaning, in other words, spirits. Spirits are collections of symbols with self-awareness. Some mages debate whether spirits exist separate from us, or merely as aspects of our psyche. I assert that they exist as aspects of our psyches, but so do our neighbors, parents, and friends. It’s not productive to imagine spirits as being any less separate than the rest of the world in which we act. I have spoken with spirits who have told me things I did not want to hear. Spirits have also given me information I could not have otherwise known. They have lied and even broken promises. Spirits are real, whatever that means.

Taxonomy

Enough spirits are willing to interact with the mage to justify a system for classifying them. To this end, I’ve created a taxonomy—a system for the ordering and identifying of spirits. Many such systems exist, but most often they seem to exist for the express purpose of ranking spirits in a hierarchy. I tend to be suspicious of hierarchy, so my system of classification will not drawn upon any “chain of being.” Nor does my system work like a scientific classification for animals, because there is no genetic relationship between spirits of different classes (as far as I can see). I will simply list types of spirits as I have perceived them. Qualities will be the means for identification.

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[Kind of Blue]

1. Fascinating read. Thanks very much for the link! n/t

[icymist]

2. Your're welcome.

Whatever I can do to help.