The Violet Flame – Between Magic, Parapsychology and PR

The Violet Flame – Between Magic, Parapsychology and PR

For those who do not know this, for the loss of Romania's loss of the presidential elections in 2009 was blamed the „violet flame”, as an occult instrument for manipulation and influence, which lead to a national media scandal.

I tried in the following words to make a small chronicle of the event, from a neutral point of view, seeing the situation from both a magical point of view as well as from the point of view of its psychosocial implications.

The violet flame.. What the hell is that?

I thought scratching my head... I rummaged through my limited knowledge of magic and the only similar thing was the violet flame, used for cleaning the magical space – and I thought what does the poor witch sweeping away negative energies with her trusty broomstick and mass manipulation?

Plan B was of course to take my dusty grimoires from around the house, to see if I missed anything about this violet flame. The only interesting quote I found referred to a description of the violet colour in magic: ”strength, well-being and luck. Considered to be the colour of royalty, it represents judgment, diligence and religiousness. Violet is the colour of the spirit, of eteric lands, of superior esoteric learning, of ancestral learning and of profound mysteries. Use violet as specific focus for spiritual concentration and meditation, as well as extended forms of cosmic knowledge and conscience”- hmmm.... it says nothing about political manipulation.

Plan C – let's see what the great oracle of Google has to say (please note I only used foreign websites as references). I have seen „the violet flame” in many places: in magic, parapsychology, alchemy and even in reiki. The surprise was the way this was presented:”it is a unique spiritual energy, which can help you in various ways, it can purify, heal emotionally and physically, can improve inter human relations”or ”the violet ray is an instrument that can help our lives: physically, mentally and emotionally. Called via mantras and visualizations, the spiritual fire reestablishes the energetic flow of the body”or a third definition „the rhythmical invocations of the violet flame can immediately transform negative energies. If you are feeling sad, depressed, scared or angry, the violet flame can help you immediately”.

What did we learn from this? The consensus seems general, the violet flame is an instrument for healing, for purification., for self dedication. I do not deny there can be diverging ideas in this case, but I was interested in the general, global tendency. How did we arrive from these ideas to a highly popular instrument for political manipulation in 2010's Romania? Let's put on our tinfoil hats, out Scientology manual and let's carefully view the situation.

Why was it created?

The first question that needs answering is: „was this situation created deliberately?” is it a fine backstage game, meant to distract from a difficult political defeat or a humongous goof, a spark on which firemen sprayed gas on?

My opinion is, after a careful analysis is that it all started from a random, but sincere remark, meant to be lost in the labyrinth of Romanian sensationalism, but which took unexpected proportions and which various forces try to manipulate, to direct it on a path favorable for themselves. The most important part of this episode is that ir represents a first mix of politics and magic, after hundreds of years, it makes a precedent and only time will tell if it will give birth to other similar episodes.

How close are the Romanians to Magic?

Another interesting element highlighted by this situation is the closeness of the Romanian people to magic and superstition, the fine line that keeps us on scientific grounds and which can always throw us back to the mystical past. N the same discussions, the Americans laughed and mocked, while in Romania it was considered a national problem. What does it mean? Are Romanians more stupid? More illiterate, more primitive? No. I think that Romanians are more in tune with the secondary plains, more receptive to the mysteries of the worlds, that the cold and rational mask is but a facade and that in its essence, this country is still lead by its soul and not by cold logic.

Another thing we discovered through this situation is the plethora of „specialists”, all-knowers, glad to be ”on screen” and state their opinions. From small shrinks, to carnival witches, from exorcist monks to ufologists, all the paranormal fauna came out, everybody has an opinion. I am just glad that I do not know anyone from the ”community” to be drawn in by the flash of the cameras and to pervert his beliefs by taking part in this carnival of ludicracy. Shocked by the discovery of the huge number of holders of the ”absolute truth” which came up in mass-media, I will soon dedicate to them a special column.

Does believing in magic equate to political suicide?

And now we get to the major question: Does believing in magic equate to political suicide? I do not mean the current situation, but in general – I know some of this country's pagans and I want to tell you that they are extraordinary people, young, intelligent, strong, streetwise and charismatic. Does their faith automatically disqualify them from any political position? Must you hide your beliefs in order to prove yourself in from of the public? Why are parapsychology and astrology regarded as sciences, while magic is a subject for mockery, must the belief in the universal energies be hidden beneath scientific terms, easier to digest by the public?

We will only get a partial reply wen we find out how this story ends and how will Mircea Geoana stand.

Regardless, my advice is, if you have political ambitions to keep your beliefs hidden, in the ”broom closet”, until the world grows up enough as to accept us, because regardless of the end result, admitting the belief in magic will bring both unwanted attention and ridicule.

PS: To avoid any ”witty” remarks... I voted for the witchy-est choice: Remus Cernea, of the Green Party .. call it a wasted vote, but I voted for an ideal and not for a person.