Two Magicians Walk into Room81...

Welcome to Room81 for your just desserts 

I was just reading Chris Knowles' new blogpost, 'Two Magicians Walk into a Bar…' where Chris tells the joke of two magic(k)icans who meet up at a swish new bar and discuss their current magickal practices, one magic(k)ican being "old school" and the other a somewhat hipster magic(k)ican.

The punchline turns to meat eating and blood sacrifice, as far as magic and the Abrahamic religions go and how being a vegan just doesn't cut it, so to speak, 
""Me? No. 
I'm not the one claiming to rewrite ancient traditions to suit my needs.
Animal sacrifice is not an opt-out in those traditions, it's part of the code.
Always has been. 
Civil rights battles have been fought in court over preserving these practices. 
But here's the deal; if you're not willing to make some kind of meaningful sacrifice to these spirits, who've been expecting them for thousands of years, then at some point sacrifices will be made for you. 
And I guarantee that you won't like that."

Altar-ed states of consciousness?-)

Altar-ed states of
consciousness?-)

Altar-ed States at Room81?

""It's coming from concern for your safety and well-being," his friend replies, "Folk magic is not a hobby, it's not the latest boho fad.
You and your friends are dabbling in systems that can't just be rewritten to suit the needs of postindustrial urban professionals. 
It's not a steam table at a buffet restaurant.
These are not systems you can curate.
You're dealing with the premodern, not the postmodern."
I thought this was rather synchy, as I had just been watching Mayim Bialik explain why she is a vegan, as well as an
Orthodox Jew.

And in the Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year video below Mayim substitutes a plastic fish head and rams head for the real deal.

I was also reading an article in the 'Gold Coast Creative' magazine about a restaurant named 'Room81' at Broadbeach in Queensland, Australia.

Room81 is in the Sofitel at
Broardbeach, Queensland, Australia

I've never eaten in Room81 myself, but I have had a few (magical?) experiences in dining out like this restaurant tries to offer -
""The modern-day diner is looking for experiences that excite them" explains Nick Clarke (Room81).
It's nice to be able to push people out of their comfort zone with food and then bring them back in again"."

Chef Steven Snow of Fins 

Hunger Games? Snow is the Answer

Room81

"A lot of cooking is experimentation, you are not going to be able to invent something new and interesting if you don't try...but the flavours have to come first because your palate doesn't lie.
You are going to eat something and it's either going to taste good or it's not.
That said, at Room81 a lot of thought is also put into how the dish looks."

A plate of Shrimp?-)

"With good food come great rewards ... and Room81 has certainly received its fair share of accolades over recent months."

I'm not a vegetarian or Orthodox Jew, but there are certain animals I don't eat like pig, kangaroo, humans, etc, and it's got nothing to do with Kosher laws, or anything like that.
But I have to admit that eating is a magical practice whether you think about it or not.

The act of eating and drinking does transform your body to some extent, because it's the building blocks your body needs to grow and repair itself ... just ask any gym junky about nutrition and hydration. 
In fact, try fasting for a few days and see how trippy that can get.

And how many westerners offer burnt offerings to the neighbours from the backyard altar?-)
I thought it was funny how the latest Paul Hogan ad in the Australian GQ magazine for a Barbecure for cancer involves burning meat, which is known to induce cancer ... I'll take mine rare thanks Hoges;-)

The thing I find as far as magick goes is that everything in this world and beyond is magic to some greater or lesser degree.

... for the soul?-)

It's all set and setting and intentions when it comes to magick, I think.

And who is that old school magic(k)ian to give advice about meat eating while he drinks black coffee?

Coffee hasn't been widely consumed since well after the old religions were established.

Any food prepared and served with love, pride or both can't help but be a more magical experience than food that isn't.

I hope my baker puts that much love and prayer into making my bread, but I doubt it.

And as far as magickians go, everyone is a magickian when it comes to life, and while some are better magickians than others, usually the ones who refer to themselves as magicians are just playing with their wands mostly.
Do good shamans refer to themselves as shamans?

My money is on neither magickian in Chris Knowles' blogpost, as I would bet the barista is more of a magician than those two boneheads.

And as much as I like a good BBQed steak I don't think meat eating makes any difference to magic in the world, because the real magic comes from the plants.
Try living without plant food ... and don't forget animals eat plants, too.

Bon Appétit is where food and culture meet/meat;-)

Cheers.

UPDATE: 5/4/2017

I was going to go down to Room81 and have a meal, but I saw their set menu and decided what would be the point, because ironically, I don't eat kangaroo, or pig, and while there is a vegetarian menu, that's not for me either, as I like steak, chicken, or fish with my salad.
Doh!
I might just have to go down there and have a coffee, or a wheat beer with a hint of ginger at the bar with another person who wouldn't call themselves a magician either, and see how their magical practices are coming along;-)