I'm doing the next radio show on magic experiments about Sex Magic. If you have any questions you'd like me to answer and discuss, please leave a comment below and I will answer your question on my radio show.
Process is not control
In a discussion I had with one of my students, I brought up the point that the process is not control. It might seem to be contradictory to say that and yet also say that when you know the process of how you do a given magical activity, you can then make changes to the process, but actually it makes complete sense. I'll explain why. The first issue to note is that for the most part control is really based on insecurities, on tension and stress that we don't want to feel and try to repress. Control, in most circumstances, arises from this stress, and we will act out that stress and tension re-actively as a way of trying to assert control of not only our internal awareness, but also our external surroundings.
However, control can be healthy, in a very specific way. Control is healthy when it is applied to a person's reactions and responses to a situation. While we don't have even complete control of our reactions, we do have some control and with conscious work we can acknowledge the triggers of those reactions and then make an informed choice as to whether or not we want to re-act or consciously choose. We can also modify the unconscious triggers, provided we do the necessary internal work. In that context, control is healthy. It becomes unhealthy when we try to control everything else, and creates blockages and tensions, because such control is usually indicative of unresolved issues.
The second issue to note is that in order to truly understand a process, you first have to submit to the process. You need to do the process step by step, and learn how it works. You can't change it until you understand it...actually you can try to change it, but the results are usually disastrous. So to understand a process you need to submit to it and do it. Only after you've worked in a process, and come to understand its mechanisms, can you begin to change it. Even then you don't control it, so much as you understand how it works, and so can see where you can make modifications to improve the process. We call this personalization, but the magician must still submit to the process to test its efficacy.
You might wonder then what the point is for doing magic, if you're not more in control as a result, but I'd argue that control is a fixation and obsession that tends to stay further out of reach when you try to grab it, as opposed to when you let go, trust your process, and work your system, as best as possible. The reality of magic is this:
Magic is one process, among many, with a variety of sub-processes that can help you balance your internal life, and provide you more awareness of possibilities in your life. It's up to you to make the deliberate and informed choice. A deliberate and informed choice can only occur when you actually understand yourself well enough to know if your choice is an automatic one based off unconscious triggers, or a conscious one based off awareness and understanding.
Let go of control. Process doesn't need to be about it. Process, instead, can help you make a deliberate and informed choice, because you understand how your process works and also your place in it. And making a deliberate and informed choice is more effective and powerful than trying to control everyone else and every situation.
In fact, if you find yourself using magic to solve situations that come up in your life, it's time to stop and critically examine what is calling those situations into your life. You will likely find that it is actually you calling those situations into your life, and usually because you need to learn something. So stop, examine the situation, own your feelings and responses, and then make a deliberate and informed choice on how to handle it. If that includes magic, then that's fine, but recognize how your internal issues feed into the situation, before using magic. Otherwise whatever results you get will only temporarily work, until you actually deal with your level of responsibility for the situation.
Trust your process and work your system...and make informed and deliberate choices. That can be the most powerful magical working you ever do, and it doesn't even need to involved anything overtly occult.
Update on experimental work
I've been continuing to integrate Laban into my morning daily moving meditation. The body movements take up the focus of the thoughts, and a rhythm is created, out of time, out of the tightly monitored world, into a place where all that matters is the rhythm of movement and the stretching of the body. My spatial and kinesthetic awareness of my body and how it moves has changed in what I would consider to be subtle ways. There's more awareness of my core and how each movement comes from the core than there was before. The benefit, beyond feeling healthier, is a sense of being more in touch with my body, and more able to connect with it for that deeper meditative work. I've also been continuing to work with the time strand editing technique, using it edit different connections to places, people, and situations and I'm seeing some changes in that direction, with the connections I have. I haven't applied it as much as I could to business interactions, but I will give it a try and see what happens.
Review of Magical Techniques by Draja Mickaharic
I just discovered this author's works recently and already I'm impressed by the depth and breadth of his writing as well as his attention to detail. Magical Techniques provides information on lesser known magical practices and tools that can be used by the magician to aid and enhance his/her workings. From his chapter on how to make chalk, to how to use feathers, to magic with orgone accumulators, there's something for everyone. He also provides some good anecdotes, both his own and of other people and how they used the different tools he discussed. This book is a definite must for the practical magician.
5 out of 5
Does foundational work need to be done before experimentation?
I was asked this question by a reader by of my e-newsletter (Link to sign-up). When I first started practicing magic at 16, I didn't have a teacher. In fact, I self taught myself. Right from the beginning, I'd replicate the instructions on how to do different packages, from different books, but once I "got" the concept, I would start to experiment with the practices and concepts, to see what else I could do and also to personalize the practices to enhance their effectiveness in my life. I did and do a lot of learning of how other people approach magic. I think it's essential really, because you can't begin to personalize your own approach without understanding what other people have. This is why I emphasize having a broad foundation to draw on, so that way you get a variety of experiences and practices to temper your own perspective. But I also think that just sticking to what other people have said or done leads to stagnancy, so you need to be willing to test and experiment and personalize what you learn, and after a certain point, also depart from what you learned and actually develop your own practices, based off your own ideas.
Experimentation occurs alongside the foundation building practices. As you learn and practice a particular technique, think about how you can change it and adapt it. What would you do differently and why? Then try out your variation and see what happens. Respect the foundation, but test it as well.
Some further thoughts about process
In a discussion I had recently with one of my magical students I elaborated further on the difference between chaos magic and experimental magic. Chaos magic, aside from being associated with servitors and sigils, is also about paradigmal piracy. You determine what paradigm works for you, you adopt it for as long as it's useful, and then once you've gotten your result, you move on. Experimental magic, on the other hand, is focused on a more processed oriented approach and so recognizes that in order to really under a paradigm, system, methodology, or whatever word you want to use, you've got to spend time learning the system, learning how the methodology works, before you can really begin to use it successfully. Consequently process is built into experimental magic much further than in chaos magic. And, if anything, the issue with chaos magic is that while you might be able to get a result one time from using a system to address an immediate need, without fully understanding it, you can't really know the process or know if you'll get a result that meets your needs each time. That kind of understanding doesn't occur over night, or in a single working. It occurs over time, with study, practice, and yes experimentation. To really understand a paradigm of magic, it needs to be something more than just a convenience to be used because it fits an immediate need.
This is why I've never used Voodoun in my workings. Sure, I could pick up any of the books I have on it, sketch out a ritual and do something, but I don't understand the system enough to really feel comfortable doing that, nor do I really want to offend one of the Lwas just to get a result. If I really wanted to integrate voodoun into my magical practice, I would need to study it for a while, do rituals strictly in that system without integrating other practices in, and experiment within the process of that belief system. Eventually, if I knew about it, I could begin to incorporate external elements.
So experimental magic is less about rolling a dice and picking a spiritual system for a day and more about really getting hands-on experience with a given system, and process plays an integral role in that, because it's process you need to learn to really put it all together.
The hand-parting
On Sunday, my ex-wife Lupa and I did our hand-parting. We've ended the marriage in a very amicable way and are still friends. In fact, we both recognize that we make great friends, but lousy spouses. Since the hand-parting happened, I've noticed a definite shift in my sense of identity, as well as on an energetic level. In my chest, when we did the hand-parting, I felt a loosening up of energy, a final uncoiling of everything that had previously held us together.
Since then I've felt a wide range of emotions. There's some lingering sadness, and also a lot of relief. There's a lot I learned in this marriage, in the life we shared together, and a lot I take away in recognition of that. The biggest lesson I've learned is to be honest with myself as completely as possible, especially if I hope to have a good relationship with someone else. That applies to friendships as much as any other kind of relationship, but it was in my marriage to Lupa that I really learned this lesson...and she expressed similar sentiments at the hand-parting, which tells me I was in good company through this.
Seriously though...For what this relationship with her was, it was what I needed, when I needed it. I wish Lupa the best in her life and I'm glad we're still friends.
How to use breath work to undo physical stress
I've been feeling some physical tension in my shoulders and neck lately, and decided to do some breathing meditation to help me undo the tension and stress. I've found that using meditation to do this has been very helpful in allowing me to undo a lot of physical stress. The way to utilize meditation to undo stress is to focus on feeling the physical sensations of stress, while also focusing on your breath. The normal inclination is to avoid pain, or ignore it. But ignoring pain or avoiding it isn't really a solution and ultimately can lead to further problems. Learning to sit with pain seems to go counter to every instinct we have, and yet by sitting with your pain, and feeling it, you can actually begin to undo the cause of the pain. I breathe in and as I do so, I bring my attention to a focal point. When I breathe out, I guide my attention to the stress point, and begin to massage it, visualizing whatever I needed to visualize to help me understand the tension I feel. I breathe in again, drawing more attention and energy to a focal point, and then breathe out, releasing it to that place of tension, where it continues to work to untie the tension I feel.
Within a few breaths I can feel the pain begin to loosen it's hold as muscles relax and unclench. I feel the pain, but instead of letting it define me, I define its healing with my breath. It continues to loosen up because the breath work provides a rhythm to approach the feeling and releasing of it. Memories and emotions may arise with the release of physical tension and stress, and I will sit with them as well, acknowledging and feeling them, so that I can learn and let go.
This is how I undo physical and sometimes emotional/mental stress. I use my breath and consciousness as a tool. I choose to feel the pain, to embrace it, and thus release it, because I no longer feel compelled to be held down by it. Instead of avoiding it, which actually increases its hold on me, I surrender to it, and in surrender come to understand it, and thus come to peace with it. And all it involves is breathing and focusing your awareness on the tension you feel, so that you can gradually loosen it and let it go
Building up sexual energy in Sex magic
When you read most books on Western sex magic, one of the discoveries you make is that there's a lot of focus on polarities, with a belief that men embody the active principle and women embody the passive principle. In other words, the women are supposed to lay there passively, while the man generates and directs the sex magical activity. Personally, I don't really buy into polarity model or the belief that a man has to be the active principle and the woman has to be the passive principle. But something I've experimented with has involved being the passive partner...not even so much in terms of physical activity but rather in terms of supplying the sexual energy that is then directed by my partner. But the word passive is actually misleading, because I'm still playing an active part...it's just that I'm not directing the energy toward the goal we've decided to focus on. So what is my role then in sex magic?
I use Taoist breathing techniques, while I'm having sex. I use the breathing techniques as a method for circulating my internal awareness, chi, energy, etc. So when I'm doing sex magic, I'm basically circulating the energy between myself and my partner, building it up again and again as I continue the breathing and other activities. She takes the built up energy and focuses it on the goal. She's in the director's role, if you will, but my own role is far from passive...I'm not directing the energy, but I build it up, so it can then be directed by my partner.
In my approach I suppose both people (or more) are engaged in some activity. There's no real polarity at work. If anything, it moves past such labels as male or female into a place where what matters is what each person is doing with the sexual energy. There's collaboration involved, really, because each person needs to know what the other(s) are doing, in order to play his/her part effectively. And this approach, this attitude, this perspective works well for me. We do the sex magic, we get the ball rolling and life changes.
Magic Experiments Radio show re-started
I've re-started the magical experiments radio show. In this show I discuss process and magic with my occasional co-host and magical partner Kat. I'll be doing these radio shows about once every 2 weeks, so keep an ear out for them.
Book Review: The Secret Pulse of Time by Stefan Klein
The Secret Pulse of Time is a very interesting book that looks at time from a number of angles, most notably cultural and neuroscience angles. I found it to be a refreshing read because it didn't focus on the conventional approach, which is usually physics, but actually delved into other disciplines and there take on time. The author also provided some excellent examples to back up what he was discussing. I found some of his thoughts on information overload particularly relevant, especially with the advent of social media. I highly recommend this book.
Some thoughts on Giving in magic
Recently I posted the following message to my Facebook and Twitter accounts
What are you willing to give in order to get what you want? There's always some giving involved in magic.
I received some interesting responses to it, ranging from the argument that sacrifice isn't a necessary part of every magical act to the idea of sacrificing unwanted ego complexes to the idea of swapping energy for energy. All of these were good responses and what I appreciated the most was the thoughtfulness that went into the responses.
My own take on what I wrote, with more of an explanation than 140 characters, is that within every act of magic the magician needs to give something in order to make the magic work. And what does that really mean? Magic doesn't happen by itself. The magician at the very least needs to provide a goal and/or vision with an accompanying action. There is always a purpose for doing magic, and the magician supplies that purpose via the goal or vision, as well as with some kind of action taken.
The action also can't be nebulous so the magician needs to provide some kind of structure in which that action takes place. The environment of ritual space for example may need to be constructed, or there may be a need to pick certain ritual tools that will be used, but even more important than all of that is actually determining what you will do, both magically and mundanely. And all of that is also an act of giving, because magic doesn't take place if you don't provide some form or process by which it can actually be worked.
And then there's the final point on giving, which will probably show something of of a less than contemporary attitude on my part to giving. If you choose to work with some external agency, what are you willing to give to it, in return for its aid? I know it's popular to believe any entity is just some kind of psychological construct, but personally I tend to think there's more to an entity than that. So when I work with an entity, I ask myself what I'm willing to provide. I don't see it as a sacrifice either, so much as an exchange of some kind. I want something, and I recognize I could use some help, so I go get that help and I offer something in return.
For some people, taking the psychological approach with entities seems to work, and perhaps in the end it,s all in my head, but I've found that erring toward my own conventions on giving and magic has worked really well. So it's part of my process.
What are your thoughts? Anything I'm missing or that you would add?
Process instead of results
For many magicians, my work still falls into the category of chaos magic, and so to them I am a chaote. I, on the other hand, disagree, because while there are certainly elements of chaos magic I draw on, I also utilize a wide variety of other systems. To which one might say, "Wait a minute Taylor isn't chaos magic all about taking different systems of magic and mashing them together and using what works to get achievable and demonstrative results?" Yes it is, and there's a very distinct difference from my own approach, because while I acknowledge that results are important, my focus is on process, specifically understanding how what I'm doing works and how to refine and improve it. Process is key to truly understanding magic. Results are just road signs showing you the way, but process is how you get there. Without understanding process all you have is push-button magic. You may get results, but just achieving results isn't enough. Process is how you refine and define those results. Process is how you experiment, instead of just doing magic. When you know your process you can change it, test it, develop it further. So while my work may seem similar to chaos magic, it's really not, because it's mainly about process, and less about results.
An audience with the Spider Goddess of Time
Today I decided to do a working with the Spider Goddess of Time. I've been working with the other entities for the element of Time, but hadn't contacted her since the first night I switched over to the element of time. I opened my memory box and used it to surf the silver web of time, to the center, which is where the Spider Goddess resides. Once there, she showed me a technique I could use to examine the weaving of the strands of time that connect me to different people, situations, etc., and how I could then edit the strands accordingly. I decided to then work with this technique, by looking at two different people I'm connected to and editing the strands of time. In one case it's editing the strands to factor in a change of relationship, so that the person will be more accepting of those changes, because the strands that previously supported a specific type of relationship aren't in place anymore to continue supporting it, due to changing circumstances in both our lives.
The other case was doing a working the strands of time for a friend dealing with some medical issues. In this case, the editing focused on editing out the cause of the medical issues, removing them from that person's timeline, as it were, so that they would no longer be an issue. I figure if there's no longer a temporal anchor for the cause of the medical issue, then the medical issue will no longer exist.
Since I did this just today, I don't know for sure if it's worked, but I'm fairly sure I'll know soon enough and I will be doing some more work with this technique, to experiment with and refine it.
Time as a commodity
I've been reading the Secret Pulse of Time by Stefan Klein lately and in it he talks about how the Western concept of time used to be event based until the first clock was put on a Church belltower back in the 14th century. Later on time became even more regulated in the 19th century. And all of this, according to him, has led to an approach toward treating time as a commodity. I would agree, especially when phrases such as "Time is money" are offered as a way of justifying how people approach time. The other point Stefan makes is that people try to pack in as much as possible in as little time as possible, because of this commodity based approach. In fact, the focus tends to be on what someone has gotten done in a given day as opposed to actually slowing down and enjoying the day. This isn't surprising, when we think about how much information is available and how much demand that puts on a given person to process the information, as well as do something with it.
Stefan doesn't really present any clear solutions to this issue, but in my own experience I've found that being selective about the information I focus on helps. This is why I don't have Cable television or satellite, or get newspapers or have social media on my mobile phone. The flow of information is regulated by specific boundaries I have in place to make that information manageable. I've found that regulating the information hasn't significantly hurt my ability to keep up with what's going on, but has lead to lower stress, because I'm not constantly trying to process energy.
The other thing I do is meditate each day, and part of that is to simply re-balance my mental landscape, but also to give myself down time from the information so that I can process and consider it's importance. I find that doing such work not only helps me greatly, but also enhances the level of interaction, because I have more focus than I would if I'm constantly bombarded by information or worried about how much time I don't have. In fact, meditation has taught me to slow down and not be in such a hurry with my life. I realize I'll never get everything in a given day and instead of stressing about it, I do what I can and also spend time enjoying my life. Time then becomes less of a commodity and more of a cycle, going back to an event based approach to it, instead of counting the seconds and trying to do everything at once.
Call for Writers– Shades of Faith; minority voices within Paganism
Email for inquiries and submissions: Megalithica Books, an imprint of Immanion Press (Stafford, U.K./Portland, OR, U.S.A) is seeking submissions for an anthology on people of color working in magical communities. This anthology will be an opportunity to get the voices and experiences of minorities within the Pagan community out to the world and address some of the challenges, stereotyping, frustrations and the beauty of being different within the racial construct of typical Pagan or Wiccan groups. These communities include (but are not limited to) groups and individuals working in Wicca, Voodoo, Umbanda, Shaman, and other Pagan paths.
Many of the roots of Paganism have come from the lands of people of color yet the mainstreaming of Wicca has elevated images of worship and deity that connect with Celtic, Greek or Roman cultures. This can have an exclusive effect on those who’s culture or ancestry fall outside of those categories. Interestingly enough people of color within Paganism are often walking between the worlds of their birth ancestry and culture and that of their spiritual culture. This anthology is an opportunity to share your stories and experiences with others around being a minority in our spiritual community.
Here are some suggested topics to give you an idea of the focus of this anthology.
Your experience of integration into the Pagan community
Magical work
Ancestor work
Integrating your birth culture with your spiritual workings
Personal experiences and thoughts around how being of color within the Pagan community was significant. What magical work are you doing now? How do you describe it? Do you work alone, in a group, or in several settings?
Your birth culture and spiritual workings
Stereotypes and prejudice Being the only person of color in a coven, group or community
Sharing your culture and history with other Pagans
Cultural history
Sub-culture of African Americans, Hispanics or other minority groups within Wicca or Paganism.
Is there a sense of acceptance within the magical community you work in? Do you encounter resistance in your magical community or acceptance?
What do you feel is needed to be more inclusive of racial diversity in Pagan communities
Rough drafts are due July 15, 2010. These drafts will be edited in a back-and-forth process with the editor. Essays should be 1500-4000 words, although if your work falls outside those limits, do submit it – we can discuss this during the editing process. Drop us an email if you are unsure whether your idea fits into the content. The sooner you start the communication process the better, as after the deadline we won’t be considering additional ideas.
Essay requirements: • Citations for all quoted, paraphrased, or otherwise unoriginal material • Bibliography of works cited • Prefer APA format
Do write in your voice! If you’re academically inclined or trained, feel free to be as intelligent and technical as you like. If your work entirely talks in the first person about your own experience, please include this also. There is a wide range of voices, and we are interested in being as inclusive of style as possible.
Accepted contributors will receive a free copy of the anthology when it is published and additional copies sold at 40% off the cover price to contributors. All contributors will be provided with a contract upon final acceptance of their essays, not when they are accepted for editing. If your essay is not accepted for the anthology, we will tell you after the first round of edits.
The anthology will be edited by Crystal Blanton. She is the author of an upcoming pagan/occult nonfiction book called Bridging the Gap; Working Within the Dynamics of Pagan Groups and Society. She may be found online at http://www.crystalblanton.org and her email address for this anthology is crystal@crystalblanton.com.
Immanion Press is a small independent press based in the United Kingdom. Founded by author Storm Constantine, it expanded into occult nonfiction in 2004 with the publication of Taylor Ellwood’s Pop Culture Magick. Today, Immanion’s nonfiction line, under the Megalithica Books imprint, has a growing reputation for edgy, experimental texts on primarily intermediate and advanced pagan and occult topics. Find out more at http://www.immanion-press.com.
Why I'm offering classes
I was asked today if I have a group of experimental magicians I work with at this point. I told the person that's what my classes are for, and that's pretty much the case. I have, at several different periods of time, had groups of people I worked with, but at this point in time I've decided to offer classes, because I've found that most of those groups ended up turning into classes anyway. It's easier for me to offer classes on specific subjects people might want to learn about and go more in-depth with those classes, while also creating opportunities for people to experiment and get some feedback. The additional benefit is that people that aren't local to where I'm at, can still get the opportunity to work with me, if they want to.
At the same time I'm offering these classes because I'm trying to bring a bit of extra income on the side of my other business. I feel that the uniqueness of what I offer and the opportunity to get feedback is worth the cost of the class. I'm not planning on doing any more experimental groups per se, so much as continue to offer these classes, which could be seen as TAZ experimental labs. And that is why I'm offering classes.
Cells and Time
Today I did another meditation with the cells of my body for purposes of developing a better understanding of how they interface with time. The understanding I got from my interaction was that time was a cyclical indicator of not only their activities, but also lifespan. The internal clock they have, when functioning correctly regulates the lifespan and keeps the body communicating and working together. I got the sense that cancer, when it occurred, seemed to occur partially because the time function of the cell was no longer calibrated with the rest of the body. So it seems that time, as cells experience it, is essential for regulating and synchronizing the communication between cells and keeping the body functioning. It's a schedule keeper and regulator, which suggests that tampering with it could lead to unpleasant consequences. I'll be continuing further work in this area, and as always I find it fascinating to plumb the depths of the body and how it interacts.
Sex magic, grounding, and body work
Last night I got into a conversation with a friend of mine who does a fair amount of work in the sacred sexuality scene. We discussed, among other things, a tendency for many sex magic workers to not use proper grounding or shielding because they wanted to let all the sensations in. We noted, in the end, that it seemed more about the sex and less about the magic. Today a post I read prompted me to think how easy it is to separate sex from actually sitting with the body, and why that in itself may also be an issue for ungroundedness and too much focus on sensation. I find with sex magic that there is a very real difference between sex magic and sex. I'll be the first to admit I love sex. I enjoy sex for the sensations and pleasure and the opportunity to please someone. And sex for sensation's sake is great. I love having great sex and focusing on the sensation.
Sex magic, OTOH, is different. It's a deliberate choice to raise spiritual energies, work with entities, do energy work with partner(s), and do a variety of other activities that ultimately are focused on some kind of magical work. And while there are many sensations to be experienced, focusing on the sensations is actually a distraction from the magic. I find that sex magic practitioners that focus on the sensation generally tend to be very scattered. I probably wouldn't work with them precisely because of that.
This isn't to say that sensation can't be used as a tool for sex magic, for it certainly can. I find BDSM useful for that reason, because I can actually have the person I'm topping take all those sensations and focus them into a journey/experience that produces the desired change. And even plain ol' vanilla sex sensations can be used for the same purposes, provided the people understand that it's not so much about feeling the sensation as it is about directing it.
When sensation becomes the reason to do sex magic, it isn't sex magic. It's just sex with a superficial layer of spirituality dashed on top as a way of adding a spiritual dimension to it. There have been and are plenty of gurus who in fact have done just that in order to get laid.
When I go into a sex magic situation, while I may enjoy the sex, it isn't the primary reason for being in that situation. The primary reason is to raise energy using sex and do something transformative with it. At the same time, I know that at some point the magic will finish up and I need to ground myself. Also throughout the experience, I need to use the appropriate shielding and energy work techniques to not only focus what I'm doing, but not introduce any undesirable energy into the working, no matter how good it might feel at the time.
Now let's bring this back to the body. Another I've noted is that many people use sex to escape sitting with the body. The sensations experienced during sex don't necessarily put you in touch with your body, so much as allow you to escape from really being with it. Why? Because sex is really about experiencing an altered state of mind and body. While the pleasure and sensations can actually be used to put you in touch with your body, they can also be used to as a distraction from your body.
I find that the body, when it comes to sex magic, and even sex in general, is both one of the greatest distractions, in terms of sensation, and also one of the greatest tools for grounding yourself. Using breath work during sex, for example, can help you focus on the magical work, but can also help you get rooted in your body so that you fully feel it, both during and after sex.
Sex alone won't help you feel comfortable with your body, though it may help some. Ultimately what helps for embracing the body is learning to sit with it and experience all of it, the pains and pleasures, the changes that result as you age, and also getting into some kind of physical activity, besides sex, that gets you out of your head and into your body. I've found that becoming comfortable with your body really enhances everything you do, because you are intimately aware of how your body responds to your surroundings. It grounds you and makes you more aware of the present.
Review of Cosmic Fusion by Mantak Chia
I found this book to be useful in terms of understanding Chia's approach to Taoist inner alchemy work and integrating more of the practices into my own work. At the same time, it seemed like this was just a much more convoluted version of the Fusion of the five element techniques, with a lot of extra and somewhat unnecessary steps included. I found that I needed to boil away a lot of the extra steps and once I did so still was able to achieve the desired and expected results for doing this practice. I'm not sure the material presented in this book warranted an entirely new book. It's still useful material and worth learning in order to refine your inner alchemical work.
3.5 out of 5
Update on Laban and Space/Time Cellular work
I've been continuing to integrate Laban into my morning meditation/workout. I've mastered all the basic stretches and I'm now incorporating the dimensional movements into what I'm doing. I'm noticing subtle differences in my awareness of my body and how I move. My core is getting strengthened and my sense of balance is improving as a result. I've also found that Laban has helped me hit some useful meditation states, in terms of connecting with the consciousness of my body on the level of the body. However, I've also found it useful to continue pursuing my work with time and the body on the cellular level, with my meditations. Instead of trying to create a unified body consciousness with this approach, I've focused on simply interacting with each cell as its own consciousness, but also focused on working with the way they communicate with each other, with an emphasis focused on the cell's own sense of time (cells have their own internal clocks, which actually integrate into the overall sense of biological time). I've used this work to synchronize the internal time of the cells, thus far. There's more to be done, but that's where I'm at.
Changes to the website
You may have noticed that over the last month I've changed the Magical Experiments blog into the the Magical Experiments website. These changes have partially arisen due to changing life circumstances and also because I'm getting more active again in my magical work. I've changed the wordpress theme for the site, to reflect these changes. I'm now offering Tarot readings. I use the Elemental Hexagon Deck, which uses the periodic table.Check out the page on Tarot readings to learn more.
I'm also offering tele-classes. The first one will be on Inner Alchemy and is an eight week course where I'll be teaching some of the methods and practices I've developed for doing internal work, as well as also teaching some Taoist breathing practices. To learn more about this class visit the classes pages.
I'm excited about the future of my own practices. Work continues apace on the new book, and I've also got a few other projects I'll be revealing at some point. I thank all of you for your support.
Review of Malice by Chris Wooding
I was intrigued with the title and layout of this book from the start, but once I started reading it, I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what would happen. The inclusion of the comics format also really enhanced the story and drew me in further. I'm really impressed with this author's work. while it's written for young teens, adults who enjoy fantasy and SF will also like reading it. I'm already looking forward to the next book and enthusiastically recommend this one to anyone who wants to read an engrossing story.
Pop culture magic working with Stingray Sam
My dear friend Bill recently introduced me to a movie called Stingray Sam, which is the story of a space cowboy who has to fulfill a mission in order to finish paying off his debt to society. The theme song of the movie is: "Stingray Sam is not a hero, but he does do the things that folks don't do that need to be done. He's got a bravery inside, that won't let him run away, will not let him run!"
I found this song to be very evocative and also found that I really liked the character of Stingray Sam. There was a strong resonance with this character, who isn't necessarily a hero, but is someone who will do the things that other folks won't do. I recognized that he could be a really useful influence for me to draw on, when it came to doing things in my business that I didn't want to do, but knew needed to be done.
Not only would Stingray Sam motivate me to do those things that need to be done, but he would also insist I do them when I didn't want to. At the same time, Stingray Sam has a natural charisma and friendliness that I could draw on with my interactions with people, a kind of integrity that would make those people feel comfortable, without feeling like I was imposing on them.
Recently, I got flyers for my business and have been hitting the streets with them. In my mind, I played the Stingray Sam as I walked around handing out flyers, drawing on his influence to help me be comfortable with something I normally wouldn't do, but also so I could draw on his personality traits, in my interactions with other people. I even adapted my accent to his accent, so that I sounded like him. I noticed that throughout the time I did this, I felt very happy and comfortable. It was rather interesting, and quite useful as well.
I would note that Stingray Sam is most effective when you are doing activities you normally would not do that need to be done, or doing activities that other people don't do that need to be done. I definitely felt an instant connection to this pop culture entity, and would highly recommend to others that you watch the movie, if you want to work with the entity.
Curiousity is my main motivation for magic
I just got God of War 3 for the playstation. I haven't played it yet. I've been busy watching the two commentary films about god of war. Why? Because what always interests me about a game, book, experiment, etc., is what goes into the creation of it. God of War is so fascinating to me, because it's a modern retelling and reinvention of Greek myth, but it's also the technology and the explanations for the game design and why certain features were chosen that also interests me. I like understanding the process that informs the result, and feel that you can't really appreciate the result or understand it, if you don't understand the process that achieved the result. So I'm curious about process, and that's what motivates not only my interest in a game, but also my interest in magic. It's not enough to get a result. You have to understand the process, and to do that you have to be curious about the process and the elements that comprise it. I love learning about so many seemingly unrelated topics, because I realize they all do connect together inevitably. To only explore one topic or focus only on the result is to ignore the fundamental connection that informs the process and evolution of any discipline or practice.
Curiosity motivates my approach to magic, because I want to learn everything I can. I know I won't learn everything, but learning and connecting what I do, does provide new ways of thinking about life, magic, and manifestation. It provides inspiration and consideration, and thus new angles reveal themselves, new patterns unfold, and I understand magic and life in a new way.