Grey School of Wizardry?

Singapore
May 1, 2007 5:46am CST
I when book shopping today, back to the only two stores I know on this island that has any decent collection of new age / occult books. While running through the dozens of new titles that has popped up like mushroom, I came across a reference to an online wizardry school, the Grey School of Wizardry (www.greyschool.com) Curious, I came home and went to the website. After reading the material on it, something about it didn't sit very well with me. Has anyone enrolled into the school? How is it? Is my gut wrong?
2 people like this
4 responses
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
2 May 07
Well it sounds interesting, not that I'd go. I wonder what the campus looks like? It seems a little Potterish.
2 people like this
• Singapore
3 May 07
a little way too potterish for me... Give me the stern face, no bs, schools any day =x
• United States
1 May 07
Hah! This is one of the schools that popped up right after the first Harry Potter book become famous. They do teach some herbalogy and Latin, which to me are very worthwhile pursuits. The rest of it, astrology (not my cup of tea) divination (essential to a witch, but to a kid too young to focus his mind? nah), non-religious incantations (useless, IMHO), and alchemy (possibly dangerous!) should be canned. It's a place for kids to explore Harry Potter's world, and think themselves quite wise. I used to know a few of these "I am a Wizard!" types. They can get a little tiresome. Not a religious site at all. And since charging for training is beyond the Writ, I consider it to be frivolity for Harry Potter fans. I wouldn't knock them, since Latin is something doctors and lawyers use - it's very good for the kids. They've also been around for a while and don't seem to be hurting anyone. S live and let live, let the kids have their fun, and just basically ignore unless you plan to sign up. Heh...I have never paid for my education, and I'm not about to start now!
• Singapore
2 May 07
I guess it does serves its purpose in the world. As a gateway, it could lead the serious ones into our paths. It is the negative impact that some of these schools have on our believes that worries me. Hope this is not one of them.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
2 May 07
I did some poking around there, but I must say it was hard not to giggle. Obviously it's set up to rope in Harry Potter fans. I'm not really sure how useful it would be to anyone, and I sort of doubt that many of the kids who do it are really going to stick with it after the first class or so when they find they don't get the spectacular results the kids in Harry Potter get. As for your gut, I'm not sure. I was a little weirded out at the thought of complete strangers teaching magical principles to children, but they do have a parental consent form thing (though I'm sure it would be easily forged like anything else). Anyway, without actually enrolling it would be hard to form a real opinion about the place. I think overall it's a little frivolous, but I'm not sure it has anything to do with real magic/spirituality.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
5 May 07
I feel much the same way. I've heard tons of things, from fantasy novels to movies to stuff like this, mentioned as a "gateway to the real stuff". But in my experience, people who get interested because of this kind of stuff don't stick around. When I was a teenager, suddenly a lot of my friends wanted to be Pagan. Now, I've always been Pagan, I learned from my great-grandmother when I was a little kid. So it was funny because people who had teased me for my religion when I was a kid now wanted in on it. But of all those people, not one of them now considers themselves Pagan.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
5 May 07
To be very frank, I was suckered in through the gateways :p. So I have to disagree that all who come through don't stick around. Most of them do 'switch sides' fairly quickly (sometimes not quick enough...) but people like me, who has found something he/she is looking for, become hardcore junkies :E Like everything else in the human world, the gateways are just over-abused. But hey, it keeps the self-righteous nut cases off our backs, why not?
1 person likes this
• Singapore
3 May 07
Maybe the whole "gateway to the real stuff" has been way over abused over the years. It's true that everyone one has too start somewhere .... but wizard school??? I'm a bit more old school when it comes to magical training. Hard lessons, good foundation and respect for Arts. Maybe I'm getting old :(
1 person likes this
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
9 May 07
I got the same feeling. But given the chance I would enroll, or possibly go to the school's physical location (there was one when I last visited the website). Not because I have much of an opinion on the school itself, but 'cause I learn things regardless whether the info any school is selling is useful or not. I can squeeze knowledge out of any situation, I think lol. But then again, I'm not everyone. What may be beneficial for me, may'nt be for anyone else. It does kinda stink of Harry Potter..which in itself MIGHT not be terrible. A little bit of fun mixed in with serious learning's okay..that I don't mind. Though the thing they specify for ages and learning kinda irks me. Otherwise..*shrugs* we've strove and flourished so long without an establishment, without rules on how we should learn..mayhap this isn't something which should flourish. Maybe it is. Who knows, right? I'll wait and see, myself. As it is, me being financially challenged I have no option to try it out, test it, look into it myself. Other schools DO exist. All methods vary. And how dangerous something is varies. We all know that any gift in the wrong hands turns into something of a curse for everyone else. Some schools ARE useful, knowledgeable. A safe place for young and old alike to learn..but they are few and hard to find. My memory's always been terrible, or else I'd name the few I've found myself..some of which are in foreign countries, others which are online. But then again, these good ones judge on case by case basis. Which is much, much wiser. And yes, they are human..but they try very hard and care. As I said..very, very rare to find places such as those. *laughs* Awhile back..Zukepr I think it was here on mylot, posted a site from people who wanted to be like..a new agey wiccan/pagan/magician/witch coven/church/group etcetera register people. Kinda like Rome and the Pope and all that jazz..it was hilarious. But the people sounded completely serious and sincere about it. And like with this thing, I said I'd wait and see if anything came of it.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 May 07
Hmm... you're right in holding an innocent until proven guilty viewpoint. They COULD be doing something right. There are pros and cons in unstructured learning. Pros are that you're not limited to just one face of the truth, that little dogma is formed task allowing the believe to evolve. Cons are that knowledge can get lost from generation to generation, and the insane amount of fluffies, fakes and abusers. Maybe we have to find a balance somewhere =/
• Singapore
11 May 07
nielcdg, you pagan/wiccan/witch too? :)
@nielcdg (709)
• Philippines
10 May 07
For me this is another thing to laugh about, well its good for kids to idolize a fictional hero I myself wish that Harry's world were true. But alas such things dont exist in our plane anymore. Well to claim that they are teaching wizardry "FOR A FEE" let alone make believe wizardry is what I would say stealing candy from a baby then giving it a stone to suck on instead. True knowledge and wisdom is for free, all you need is to look for the right teacher.