I must say that this post is so fascinating that I am bumping it up for some of our younger members. :) It is also one of my favorite on this website.
I've had several UPG experiences with my goddess recently and they are quite interesting. I find that UPG experiences can actually extend the relationship between you and your deity. Some of my experiences include that the goddess I work with enjoys begging. She is represented as a mother goddess and it is natural for children who beg for something every now and then. Begging also can cause pain because you want something so bad and with my anxiety, it can be a method of healing when you get what you want because it makes you feel successful and good about yourself for some reason. She also likes me expressing gratitude in a specific matter. Instead of saying "Please" and letting something happen then saying "Thank you", she enjoys me saying "Please and thank you" at once before it happens because it can always go worse and, no matter what, there will be a reason to be thankful. Those are just my personal experiences which makes it a UPG because it is not spoken in lore and no one else are having the same experience as I.
Also, what would your intake be on UPG and PCPG when it comes toreconstructionist groups like Neo-Druidity or Kemeticism? I understand that they are reviving lost or old practices and putting pieces together but would the modern day experience within those groups be more UPG or PCPG? You mentioned this in the post but I do not see how it would be PCPG when the groups of people are not having the same experience since they are putting pieces of a puzzle together.
Re: UPG and PCPG in Practice By: Personified / Knowledgeable
Post # 9 Jul 27, 2015
UPG is singular, as in something an individual experiences themselves. PCPG is multiple, so something a group of people would come together and experience to various degrees. If people who work to reconstruct a practice (much like how a large section of Heathenry is reconstructionalist-based) they would be likely to rely on PCPG to form the practice as a whole, and UPG for their individual practice.
I'm glad this post was bumped because I haven't had a chance to read it before. It very well written, and extremely appealing to me personally due to a pragmatic and skeptical approach to the occult which I feel necessary. I've experienced plenty UPG in my own workings, especially in high magick. I feel that this articles illustrates the nature of those experiences in a social environment quite well.
Thank you for this post. Before I hadn't known that these existed, but thinking about it, I think it's a pleasant way of explaining and "sorting" different types of experiences in their own workings/practice.
Very true. I find that with things of the occult you need to set your own path. Books are a good source to begin. But after that you need to know how to prod into the abyss on your own.
Everyone experiences things differently. Especially when it comes to reality and how they perceive it.
Some things to keep in mind:
Does it make logical sense?
Is there a pattern?
Can it be repeated?
Is there an outcome or point?
Is it safe to share? - In general most people don't like to talk about this sort of stuff anyways. But certain things will be even less accepted.
Thank you for your post Personified! A couple of days ago I was struggling to explain this to someone and I didn't know it even had a name! It was really interesting to read.
I can tell you that I also work with Loki, and I also know he likes things that go BOOM! and fireworks, so you can say it is PCPG.
Re: UPG and PCPG in Practice By: Personified / Knowledgeable
Post # 16 Sep 01, 2016
Glad the post was useful to some. It served its purpose, I suppose!
Also thanks for the input about Loki. I've heard through the grapevine from several people that Loki is an avid lover of fire, shiney things, explosions and anything with a high concentration of sugar. :) His altar is often decorated with many-a firework and candy.
