Bending the rules is an important part of a magical working. I think it's one of the main motivators as well, because are applying magic to a situation in order to solve it. Watch the video to learn more.
Dynorphin and Secretin
Dynorphin appeared as a snake. He explained that he can act as a painkiller, causing numbness where there's pain, and is particularly useful to call on when a person has just been hurt. However he can also be used to cause pain or rather make people aware of pain. Dynorphin is also responsible for appetite control and temperature regulation. Secretin appeared as a pair of eyes. She explained that she helps to regulate the stomach and pancreas, specifically the production of digestive fluids, and also helps with damaged connections in those areas of the body by providing lubrication for them.
Tarot card readings with two decks
Calyxa Omphalos, who created the Elemental Hexagon deck, told me about this concept of using two tarot decks to do readings at Pantheacon. I thought I would give it a try recently, and I was very pleased with the results. I used the elemental hexagon deck and also Ray Buckland's alchemy deck. I interspeced the cards I laid down from the elemental hexagon deck with the alchemy cards I laid down, using the alchemy cards as connectors. What I found was that the connector cards naturally seemed to enhance the cards that were being used for the main reading. They provided complementary information that helped support the overall reading. It was also interesting to use two different sets of cards in conjunction with each other, particularly because with these cards it was as if I was forming specific equations (which could be really useful for using cards from the enchantment end of things).
I have to admit that just using the elemental hexagon deck has been very effective, but I also think its pretty to novel to use more than one deck for a reading, and what I liked about this approach is that it managed to fit into the theme of both decks, in terms of symbolic representation of processes the cards depict. I'd suggest that if possible it's a good idea to do this kind of reading/enchantment work with two sets of tarot cards that have complementary themes.
I'll report more as I continue to work with this rather novel approach.
Magical Experiments classes coming up
Since I've started teaching the year long magical experiments class, I've really enjoyed the process of learning and teaching that has unfolded for all of us. At the same time I've realized that I want to teach shorter classes that are focused on specific subjects. Below is a list of classes I will be offering on different specific subjects. I'm also open to suggestions about classes people would like me to teach. A full list of classes can be found here. Below is information about two upcoming classes, one starting in March, and one starting in April. Creating Magical Entities Class
Starting Monday March 28th through Monday April 18th from 6 to 7pm (PST)
Sometimes you need a magical entity to do the job for you, especially if you’re too close to a situation. In this class I’ll teach you how to create a magical entity as well as help you determine why you should create one. You’ll also learn how magical entities can be programmed to perform specific tasks that allow you to free up your time and focus for other purposes.
Magic is all around you in pop culture, if you just know where to look. In this class, I’ll show you how you can turn pop culture and modern technology into a magical toolset that you can use just as effectively as you would use any other magical practice. Pop culture magic is based off foundational principles that can be found in traditional practices of magic, with a focus on applying modern culture to your spiritual practices.
I'll post an update once or twice a month on upcoming classes, and if there are ones you want, please contact me.
I'm really excited to be teaching classes again and I look forward to working with all of you.
Some thoughts on linkage and connection in magic
I've been rereading Nemesis and Other Essays by Stephen Mace and also reading the Octavo (Affiliate link) by Peter Carroll, which is his latest work. Both discuss linking and connection, which are activities that are part of the magical process. You could even think of linkage and connection as the same activity, or perhaps the link as the noun and connecting as the verb...or whatever. They both maintain (and I agree) that for a magical working to be successful you need to somehow create a connection between you and the result you wish to obtain. This connection won't be overtly causal in nature, but it is nonetheless a very important part of the process, because without a connection you can't really have a magical process. So what makes a connection? A connection is made partially through the meaning a person reads or imbues into the various elements that comprise the magical process and the situation the magical process is being used to resolve. A person's interpretation, although subjective, is powerful because it is how s/he is making sense of the world and his/her place in it, as well as making sense of the situation, and the ideal resolution of the situation.
A connection is also partially made by the actions a person takes to realize the connection. In other words a person needs to perform some kind of activity that justifies and explains the connection. Thus a magical working is actually a justification and explanation of the connection that a person is working with.
Mace advocates also cutting the connection in order to erase all traces of your participation in the magical working. I can see the benefit from a banishment angle. By banishing the connection you are freeing yourself from becoming overly obsessed with the working. There's also something to be said for trusting in the efficacy of your magical working and allowing it to run its course. By cutting your connection, you are allowing it to run its course without needing to put more of yourself into it.
Personally, I take an approach where I fuel my workings through the associations of the connection I make. So I can remove myself from the connection, but make sure the working is still getting something put toward it by the associations that were created in the magical process. That would be my recommendation for connections in magical work. Use the associations to fuel the work, beyond the initial creation process.
Movement class video segments
If you missed Pantheacon, you missed out on some great workshops, including mine. However Kat took some videos of the workshop I taught, and I've included a couple here. You can view all of them on my youtube channel or on my Facebook page.
Here's the second video
Letting Go
Kat and I came back from Pantheacon to one of our cats dying. It's certainly not the homecoming experience we expected to have, and we've been grieving as we've also been getting him ready for his next journey. Something we've both said to him is that it's ok for him to move on. And we both mean it, because we don't want him to suffer. But we also still feel attachment (quite naturally) and so we're also in this process of letting go of him. We don't want to let go of our memories of him, but we want to honor his passage and need to transition. So letting go for us is recognizing that need to let him move on and honor that passage without clinging to him and making him stay longer just because of us.
I've been doing some meditation and breath work on this as I've been letting go of my attachments to Caspian. I'll admit that I've only known him for 8 months, since we first moved him up here, but in that time I've come to love him and consider him one of my furkids. Letting go has involved releasing that energetic connection to him, in part to give him some healing energy to aide in his passing, and in part to give myself closure to his place in my life. With each breath I've allowed myself to grieve and to release, To honor and to know.
In magical work it is urged that a person doesn't become attached to their results. This is wisely done, because when we get attached, we can become obsessive about what we desire. Learning to let go can mean that you also let go of your need to have control and recognize that it can be just as powerful to step back.
I'm letting go of Caspian but I'm not forgetting him or his significance to my life. He'll always be one of my cats, no matter where he goes...just as I'll always be one of his humans. But by letting go of him in this moment, I can help him pass with peace.
Two cords, two colors
This is a poem I came up with at a workshop taught by Jaymi Elford on Tarot and Writing at Pantheacon. I dedicate it to Kat. Two cords, two colors, red for sex, white for understanding, Two hands, two tools, A wooden stick dipped in wine. A silver goblet holding life. The two hands strive for each other through their tools and will We meet in the bond of wine and blood, sex and understanding, in mutual bliss, in complete vulnerability giving ourselves over to the infinity of our souls that we see in the mirrors of our eyes. We look to each other for love and lust comfort and succor for the focus of magical energy and the realization of our goals.
Video update on Neuro-Space/Time Magic
A video update on Neuro-Space/Time Magic and the Process of Magic books, as well as magical experiments in general.
I'm now selling all Megalithica books
The title says it all, kind of. I'm now selling the entire line-up of esoteric non-fiction books published by Megalithica books, which is an imprint of Immanion Press. So what are some books by us that you might be interested in? Dancing With Spirits by Denny Sargent focuses on Shinto and Buddhist festivals in Japan, discussing the mythology and current day practice of those festivals. We've just published this book.
Bridging the Gap by Crystal Blanton discusses what it takes to create a successful pagan community, as well as what can stop it from happening. Another recent publication by us.
Ogam Weaving Word Wisdom by Erynn Rowan Laurie is one of our more popular titles. She explains what Ogam are and how to work with them from a Celtic Reconstructionist perspective.
Women's Voices in Magic edited by Brandy Williams is one of our recent anthologies. It is an anthology of female magicians and their perspective on magic that they are doing and the magic culture as a whole.
And many, many more books with topics ranging from cultural appropriation to chaos magic to pathworking to Ritual Magic, all written by very talented magicians. Check out the link to see a full list of books.
On a personal note, I'm really happy to be selling all of these books again. The non-fiction line of books is something I've put a lot of work into as an editor and layout design person. Other people, including Lupa, my ex-wife have also contributed a lot of time and effort, but I was the one who started the line-up and although there's been occasions where I've felt a little burned out, its one of my callings in life to help publish and sell edgy, experimental, good occult books.
The astral cyber cafe
I had a person ask me recently if you could use cyber space to enter the astral plane. It's an interesting question to ask, but as I thought about it, my own response was: "Cyberspace is its own astral space, complete with all the fixings, except you meet a lot more people in cyberspace." My reasoning for that response is that I'm not sure there's much difference between the astral plane and cyber space, except for one key point. I think the astral plane (whatever it is) is linked to a person's imagination and memory and dreams...and cyber space is created space by someone for specific purposes.
The real question then is: Does cyberspace allow you to access your imagination in novel ways that you already couldn't do?
I don't think it does. In fact, in some ways I think it kills imagination, much like too much television does. And I point to video games by way of example, because video games are definitely a cyber/virtual space that's created for a specific purpose. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing video games and I've used them for magical work, but just like television they can be addictive and kill your imagination in the process. I actually have a rule for any video game that I'll play: It has to have an ending. If it doesn't have an ending, then I won't play it, which is why I don't play games such as World of Warcraft. There is no end...
Now could WoW be an astral space, or a virtual space where you could do magic? It can be...but if it comes to define your existence is it really a space you have control over?
Cyber space in general tends to be an escapist paradise. People spend all day on Facebook talking to "friends" or surfing the internet or looking at porn. And all of it can be used for magical work, but how much of it are you allowing to use you? We've become an information rich society. We need information, are addicted to it...but in the process we start to lose some imagination...it gets channeled into specific routes and starts to block out possibilities.We're cyber-spaced, but do we have access to our astral space? When the images and concepts of a system define our interactions with the world we become trapped in that system, distorted by its definitions. We lose sight of what could be in favor of what we are told should be.
Yes, yes, I know the internet and social media have given us unparalleled access to information and have allowed people to coordinate revolutions and do other things to free themselves of the tyranny and oppression of such systems. And these are good things to note, but the magician is obsessed with more than just personal freedom. S/he wants possibilities, revels in them, explores them...and accesses them not just through information, but also imagination. It's a fine balancing act you see...Get lost in imagination and it's all in your head and your off in the astral wanking up a storm to show what an uber magician you are. Get lost in information and you dull your mind with the definitions and realities that other people provide you, stagnating in the viral words and images of all those around you.
A good balance is knowing how and when to use information to provide knowledge and knowing how and when to use imagination to turn that knowledge into experience.
Your Definition of Magic
In Multi-Media Magic and the forthcoming Neuro-Space/Time Magic, I've discussed definitions of magic extensively, in terms of looking at other people's definitions of magic and providing my own definition. For this book however, I think it's important to examine YOUR definition of magic, because this book is all about your magical process. At the root of any methodology, process, or practice there are definitions. Definitions are the root or the core of the process. They explain the need for the process as well as how that process fits into your life. Think of definitions as a concise state of your beliefs and values. Those beliefs and values are integral to the success or lack thereof of your magical process. The definition embodies your understanding of those values and beliefs and their place in your life and your magical work.
What sabotages a person's magical working is usually his/her definition of magic...or to be more particular, it's the fact that s/he is doing a process that is not aligned with his/her internal beliefs and values. For any magical work to be successful in both the short and long term, it necessarily must align with the beliefs and values that you live your life by. If the magical working doesn't align with your values and beliefs, you will, on a subconscious level, find a way to sabotage your results in order to bring your back into alignment with your beliefs and values. However, you can change your beliefs and values, though it will take some work.
Your definition of magic will vary to some degree by situation and circumstance. In other words, you may find that your magical work is more effective for certain situations or problems and less effective for others. If you find that to be the case, it's time to examine your beliefs and values about a particular situation. They may not be the problem in your process, but usually they are a contributing factor. If you want to change your approach to a given area of life, you have to first change the beliefs and values that inform your perspective and actions. This is true regardless of whether you are employing magic or some other methodology to promote change in your life.
There are two basic types of magical work: internal and external magic. All magical processes can be grouped into either of these types. Internal magic is magic directed toward working on the self. This includes internal work, which is done to work through psychological and emotional issues, but also includes magic that focuses on the physical health of the body. Internal magic is useful for examining and changing beliefs and values that you have. External magic is focused on influencing the environment around the person, in order to produce a physical change. Typically, in Western magic, the majority of the focus is on external magic and obtaining results. An example of external magic would be doing a magic to get a job.
Your definition of magic, however, is one that is based on your beliefs and values and thus fits into internal magic. I think it's a good practice to do internal work to clarify your beliefs and values, before doing external magical work to resolve a problem. By having a clear understanding of your internal motivations, you can then perform an act of external magic. You do want to have a good balance between internal and external magic. Too much internal work ultimately leads to a lot of navel gazing and little action being taken, but too much focus on external magical work can find you reacting to situations without really resolving the core issues that cause the situations to occur.
A good definition of magic is one that helps you understand how and when to employ magic in your life. You can rituals a few hours a day, but not really make anything come out of it, if you don't have a definition of magic that supports all that work. Here's a couple questions to consider as you spend some time examining your definition of magic.
What is my definition of magic?
Why am I using that definition of magic? Does it accurately describe how magic fits into my life?
There is one cautionary statement I wish to offer and it has to do with using other people's definitions of magic. While it might be tempting to simply rely on Crowley's definition of magic (a lot of magicians do just that) or someone else's definition, it is the lazy magician who does so! A person who can't take the time to examine the core of his/her methodology and processes is a person who doesn't really know him/herself, let alone magic. A personalized definition is one that is arrived at through experience and self-awareness. It doesn't just describe magic, but it also describes the person's relationship with magic and his/her understanding of how to apply it to his/her life. Draw on other definitions for inspiration, but learn to develop your own as well. It will provide you more insight into how magic works, and also who you are as a person than relying on someone else's definition ever will.
Values and Beliefs and Definitions
Your values and beliefs inform your definitions, which in turn are used to help you navigate through life. A magical working also draws on all of these contributing factors. Watch the video to learn more.
Excitatory Actions and Magic
Excitatory actions are the second basic type of action that a magician can use to induce an altered state of mind. Excitatory actions involve hyperstimulating yourself through activity. A runner's high is an example of an excitatory action. The adrenalin caused by the running helps to stimulate euphoric state for the runner, which in turn can allow him/her to ignore more pain and tiredness. The benefit of doing excitatory actions is that they can help you achieve an altered state of mind in a relatively quick and easy fashion. However, it's also worth noting that some excitatory activities don't leave you with as much control. For some people that can be preferable, but it also has its own dangers. Below are some examples of Excitatory Actions: Running, Weight Lifting, & other Exercises: I mentioned the example of the runner's high earlier, but you can also experience such a high with other exercises. Exercising long enough will push the person into an altered state of mind that can be used to focus on a magical activity. I used to do a series of exercises that I would use for my daily practice, to help me exercise my body, while also using the exercise as a purging/purification from whatever issues I was dealing with at the time. It was definitely effective in both regards.
Dancing: Dancing, especially combined with some kind of repetitive, rhythmic music can be used to induce an altered state of mind. I've also witnessed cases where a person would wear an animal skin and do a dance to the animal in order to create a trance state where she connected with the animal spirit. Dancing is particularly effective as a way to invoke the spirit, allowing it to possess your body and move it through dance. A person can just let themselves go in the movement and then invoke the spirit to allow it to take over.
Entheogens: Entheogens are foreign substances used for the purpose of inducing an altered state of conscious. Alcohol is an entheogen as are drugs, both legal and illegal. While these substances definitely work, it's worthwhile to be cautious in employing them, both in terms of avoiding addiction and also avoiding overreliance on them for achieving altered states of consciousness. If you are going to use them, make sure you have someone on hand who can watch over you and keep notes.
Video Games: I include video games, because of the sensory stimulation, and also because played long enough they can cause altered states of consciousness. I've used video games for sigil work and know of one case where a person used a game to help him coordinate his physical exercise. He created a character that represented him and used that character to model the changes he wanted to accomplish with his exercise. It seemed to work rather well. Video games can be addictive, so it's important to employ some caution in utilizing them for magical work. There are cases, particularly in South Korea, where people have killed themselves because they focused on playing games to the exclusion of anything else.
Yoga, Tai Chi, etc: Yoga, Tai Chi, and related activities uses specific postures and motions to achieve an altered state of consciousness. Some movement is slow, some fast, all of it is used to create a hyper aware state of the movement. Moving meditation is an example of a hyper aware state. The focus is on doing the movements and using them to meditate in the process. This kind of movement is different from dancing, because the movement is far more controlled and focused. Moving meditation can be quite useful for both internal and external magical work. The movements can be thought of as aligning the magician with a particular goal or purpose, with each movement directing the magician toward that goal. The focus on movement is ideal for also focusing on the goal, and incorporating the purposeful movement into the achievement of the goal is useful because the movements condition the magician to pursue actions that will bring the goal about. Doing the moving meditation every day conditions the mind and body of the magician to achieve the goals s/he invests into the movements.
BDSM: BDSM involves using pain, either physical or emotional, to create an altered state of mind. It can also involve using sensuality and arousal for the same purposes. For some people a need to submit or dominate will also be part of what puts them into an altered state of mind. In BDSM, you can encounter cases where some use of sensory deprivation is involved, but it's usually done for the purposes of enhancing other senses. The end goal is to create an altered state, which along with the ritualistic aspects of BDSM, makes it ideal for magical workings.
Sex: Sex has been used for magical purposes for a long time. Tantra and Taoism include sexual practices that can be used for magical purposes, and Western magical traditions also have sex magic practices. Whether a person is masturbating or is have sex with a partner or partners, sex can be used as an excitatory action. It does take some discipline and focused will to effectively use sex for magical purposes, and many people who think they are doing sex magic usually aren't, especially if they end up focusing on the pleasure to the exclusion of the specific purpose they are supposed to be focused on.
Excitatory actions are useful for achieving an altered state of consciousness quickly. A person can get caught up in the feeling and sensations and use that to put them into the proper mental space to pursue magical work. But the magician shouldn't focus solely on using these types of activities. A good balance of inhibitory and excitatory actions is wise to cultivate. I've known people who tend to rely exclusively on excitatory actions for their magical work, and what I've found is they tend to be more strung out and find it hard to do meaningful internal work. That said, excitatory actions are especially useful for doing magical work that is focused on the world around the magician. Since such actions already involve raising energy, the magician can easily direct that raised energy toward the specific problem or goal that s/he is using magic to achieve. As I mentioned above with moving meditation, the magician can imprint on him/herself specific goals s/he wants to achieve by using excitatory actions. The actions will reinforce what the magician wants to achieve by fully conditioning both the body and mind to seek to achieve those goals.
Anything I missed? What would you include or add to this information?
Book Review: Practice of Magic (Affiliate Link) by Draja Mickaharic
This is an excellent book for both beginners and advanced practitioners. I was impressed by the clarity of thought and focus, as well as the author's definition of magic. I was also impressed by his willingness to critique Crowley's thoughts and ideas, which is always refreshing to see. The author also provides some useful exercises that can help the magician enhance his/her own practice. What is most evident from reading this book is that the author has done the work.
5 out of 5
Inhibitory Actions and Magic
Inhibitory actions are one of the two basic types of magical actions a person can use to induce an altered state of mind, and in that state of mind do a magical working. Inhibitory actions involve inhibiting sensory information in order to force the magician's attention inward. The benefit of doing this is that it removes sensory distractions from the magician. At the same time it should be noted that there's no such thing as true sensory deprivation. The magician is always experiencing some kind of sensory information. Below are some examples of inhibitory actions: Meditation: The goal of meditation is to focus the attention of the person. While some will argue that successful meditation is being able to empty your mind, I'd argue that empty mind is just one form of meditation. Taoist Water Breathing Meditation doesn't focus on emptying the mind, but instead focuses on dissolving emotional, mental, and physical tension in the body in order to help the person circulate his/her internal energy or Chi. In fact, from my own studies, the majority of meditation techniques are less concerned with emptying the mind and more concerned with teaching a person how to harness his/her internal energy.
All the same, meditation does involve learning how to tune out or ignore sensory information and distractions occurring around you. A good meditator is someone who can meditate in diverse environments with different levels of noises and other such information without being disturbed by it. S/he will hear the noises, or see the people, but not acknowledge them, because s/he is able to ignore it as extraneous information.
Meditation can be useful for achieving an altered state of mind. Moving meditation, which I'll discuss in excitatory actions, is useful for magical work focused on the world around you, while breathing meditation is useful for doing internal health work (physical and emotional), and/or focusing your mind on a virtual or astral environment where you are working your magic.
A good best practice for meditation is to focus on your breathing. When you inhale, breathe in with your diaphragm. There are different types of breathing, but with each type it's still important to breathe into your diaphragm. This allows you to use the full capacity of your lungs and greatly aides in inducing an altered state of mind. Focusing on your breath can also teach you to be aware of your body and the way your internal energy flows. Because breath is a cycle it allows you to tap into the cycle of your internal energy and its circulation. Breath is the rhythm of your internal energy.
Sensory Deprivation: Sensory deprivation involves depriving yourself of one or more senses in order to focus your mind. There are multiple methods and tools of sensory deprivation. For example a sensory deprivation tank is a tool that a person can use to achieve an altered state of mind. The person is put into a tank of warm salted water, with no light. S/he will float in the water and lose sense of his/her body and in the process achieve an altered state. A bath with salted water can also be used. Turn out the lights and get the blinds shut and you can create something of an environment that's ideal for sensory deprivation.
Another method for sensory deprivation involves some kind of bondage or restraint. Putting an eye cover over your eyes, ear plugs in your ears, or having your wrists and ankles bound to restrict can induce a state of sensory deprivation that you can use to create an altered state of mind. When you find that you can't move or that one or more of your senses is somehow restrained it tends to sharpen the other senses, but it also sharpens the mind, which can then be directed. It's important to be careful with bondage. Make sure the skin has enough room to breathe and if your limbs start to get numb, it's time to get out of the restraints.
Dream Work: When you go to sleep you are shutting down your awareness of your body. Your dreams are a way for the mind to process information received during the day, but they are also much more than that. If you can enter into lucid dreams, you can use them to do internal work and for other magical activities. I'll admit, I'm not impressed with Western techniques for dream work, mainly because they mostly focus on keeping a dream journal. I have found The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche to be helpful, partially because he provides specific exercises to do to help you induce a successful lucid dream state.
Inhibitory activities typically take more discipline and dedicated time to learn than excitatory activities. The benefit however is that over time a person is able to enter into very deep altered states of mind and can apply the discipline to all magical activities (and for that matter to life in general). Because the focus is learning to quiet and focus the mind and senses, the magician ideally is using some type of inhibitory activity as part of their daily work.
What else would you include about inhibitory actions? Are there any types I've left out?
An update on the magical experiments course
This is the first year of the magical experiments course, and we are just a month in to it, but already attendees are getting a lot out of the process. Below is one of the testimonials from an attendee. ********
Wanted to say "thanks" for the response. I hadn't heard of mind-mapping before, so I did some research on that and worked with it for a few days, to what I believe is a successful end. I realized I have the most passion and excitement for actual songwriting, and it would be less fulfilling to focus my efforts on the corporate writing, etc. Although uncertain at that point of how the money would come into play so I could achieve my "ultimate goal" most efficiently, I decided to just pursue the song-writing and let the Universe fill in the details in the best way possible -- larger forces know better than me.
So, having come to that conclusion, I had a dream where I was delivered a song title, which I have begun developing into a marketable song I can sell. It's not the type of song that would necessarily fit into my ultimate goal of being a singer-songwriter (not my style, although the message is still something I'm happy to put my name to), so I'm not concerned about "saving it for myself". I'd be happy to sell it and it fits into a market where there is lots of money to be made and songs from independent writers are regularly purchased. I can practice my craft and get some "street cred" as a songwriter, while also accomplishing the financial goal of earning enough money to move away from the day job and pursue songwriting full time.
*******
At this point the 2011 year is closed, but I will be teaching this class again in 2012. If you're interested in taking your magical skills to the next level, then this class will be helpful for you. Best of all you get feedback from other attendees as well, so you're working with a focused group.
Intention, Attention, and Magic
Intention is another vital aspect of the magical process. Your intention can be thought of as your attitude and beliefs, but it is also more than that. It is volitional attention. In other words it is focused attention that is dedicated toward a particular task or activity a person is doing. Thus intention is focused attention directed toward accomplishing a specific goal, activity, or task. A magical working can be one such task. Not all forms of attention fit intention. Paying attention to TV or multi-tasking is a very different form of attention as compared to focused attention. When you are watching a TV show, your attention can be focused, but rarely is it focused on achieving an outcome. Instead it is a passive form of attention, with the person being more or less receptive to what s/he is watching. Multi-tasking, on the other hand, is a kind of attention that is focused on doing multiple activities at the same time. However, it is not focused attention, because you are having to split and shift your attention to different tasks and activities. It's also not as productive as people make it out to be. While a person may seem to be doing a lot, s/he doesn't get as much done precisely because s/he is having to shift back and forth between one activity or another.
Intention, as it relates to the magical process, can also be thought of as focusing the will of the magician. In fact, I would argue that setting intention is the first step in the magical process. You've defined your result and now you need to set your intention to actually get that result. If you've answered the questions in the previous chapter, you should have a good idea of any blockages or beliefs that might compromise your ability to set your intention. If you do discover such blockages, it's important to either assess whether you really need the result, or do internal work to undo the blockages. If, however, you find that all of you is completely in agreement with the result you want to manifest, then it's time to set intention.
How to Set Intention
Intention is volitional or directed attention. Setting intention involves picking an action that can be used to embody and express your intention in your magical process. That activity can and usually does involve creating an altered state of consciousness that is representative of your focus. In fact, for magic to be effective, the magician needs to enter a state of mind where all possible distractions are ignored or removed, where what the magician is focused on is the process for manifesting the desired result s/he wants to obtain. In one sense, your intention is an obsession for the duration of the magical working, because it demands that your attention be completely focused on the process, ignoring all else. As such, an altered state of consciousness is ideal because any such state typically creates a hyper awareness of your process, while excluding anything else.
There are two basic types of action a magician can take, both of which can produce an altered state of consciousness. The first type of action is inhibitory. It involves inhibiting sensory awareness in order to enter an altered state of consciousness. The second type of action is excitatory. It involves entering into an excited, hyper state of activity in order to enter into an altered state of mind. Both types of actions are equally effective for setting intention, though some people may find it easier to use one type of action over another.
Some people think that setting intention is as simple as stating in a verbal or written format what your intention is, but that is new age thinking at its worst. An intention isn't set through a statement alone, but through directed and focused attention. If you can enter into an altered state of mind when writing or saying your statement of intent, then you have set your intention, but for the majority of people, it usually requires more effort and activity than just stating your intent. A person who can enter an altered state of mind by just making a statement is someone who has learned to discipline and focus the mind through years of daily practice. For the rest of us, however, it's important to use specific activities as part of the process of harnessing the attention effectively. This is why rituals, which can involve repetitive actions, are so effective. The repetition of the actions creates a rhythm that focuses the attention of the person on the magical process.
Not all magical activity is repetitious. Drawing a sigil isn't repetitious, but it can still be used to set the intention of the magician. What's really crucial about any activity you use for magical work is that it is an activity that focuses you completely and utterly on what you are trying to accomplish. Thus writing can be a magical activity (as Mr. Burroughs displayed time and again), and likewise painting can be a magical activity. The successful setting of intention is the creation of an altered state of mind where all that exists is the activity the magician is doing. Below are some questions to consider as you determine how you'll set intention.
What activities do I already do that create an altered state of mind for me?
What activity will best express my intention, and focus my attention?
What activity is challenging for me to do, but will also focus my attention?
Jason Miller's blog moved to a new site
Dear Readers of Strategic Sorcery, As most of you know, Strategic Sorcery mysteriously disappeared on the evening of Wednesday, January 19th. The blog was not locked or cancelled by blogger intentionally, nor does it appear to be a deliberate hack. It is a glitch that is effecting about 50 other blogs.
Strategic Sorcery will now be hosted at my own website. The new address is http://www.inominandum.com/blog/
Please take a moment and update your links and follow me at the new site.
A big thanks go out to the owner of this blog for helping me get the message out. Thank you readers who have written in concerned about the situation. I am awed and gladdened by your support.
Thank you,
Jason Miller (Inominandum)
Results and their role in the magical process
We always get results. We don't always get the results we want. In magic, we are told not to lust for results, but conversely we look to results to prove that magic is effective, and that our magical process works. The reason we are told not to lust for results is because if we do, the obsession we put toward that desired result removes the obtainment of it from us. And I think there's some truth to that reason. I've known people who've become obsessive and let that obsession consume them, which has stopped them from recognizing opportunities that were coming their way. At the same time, you need to know what result you want to achieve in order to create a magical process that will (ideally) get you that result. It is also helpful to be as specific as possible in defining and describing the result. A vague description of a desired result isn't very helpful or useful. For example, if your result is: "I want a job", that's fairly vague. On the other hand if you state: "I want a teaching position, where I make at least 60,000 a year and have opportunities to advance in my school district.", then you have a more specific result that you are aiming for.
Developing a specific result allows you to develop a specific magical process to help you achieve that result. Here are some questions to keep in mind as you define your result:
1. What is the result I want?
2. What are additional details I can include to make the result more specific? Additional details should include anything that you would consider important or helpful.
3. Why do I want this result? How will it benefit my life to achieve this result?
4. Is there any part of this desired result that I don't agree with or feel resistant toward? If there is part of me that feels resistant to it, why do I feel that way?
5. How will I feel once the result is achieved? What will I do with the result?
All of these questions can help you not only develop a specific result, but also determine if it's a result that you can achieve. If you discover that there is resistance toward the result, it's a good idea to spend some time looking at the reasons for that resistance, to determine if the result is something you really want.
Would you include any other questions? If so what would you include?
The Process of Magic
Magic is a process. Strip away all the religious trappings, esoteric terminology, and ceremonial tools and what you have is a process that people use to turn possibility into reality. Understanding this process is all you really need to successfully do magic. Everything else is icing on the cake, and yet, as I'll show that icing is the expression of the process of magic for each person. Your Definition of Magic: The most fundamental principle of the process is the definition of magic that is applied to it. That definition is a description and explanation of magic and its place in your life. Many magicians will rely on the definition that someone else came up with for magic, most notably Aleister Crowley's definition, but I would urge my readers to develop your own definition of magic, instead of relying on someone else's. I've discussed definitions and their relationship to magic at some length in Multi-Media Magic and Neuro-Space Time Magic, but I'll discuss them again in this book to illustrate why it is useful to develop your own definitions instead of relying on someone else's.
Results: We are told not to lust for specific results, and yet if magic is to be effective, we need to know the specific result we are shooting for. This means we need to clearly define what it is we want our magical activity to achieve. Knowing your result doesn't mean you lust for it, but it does provide direction for the magical process you are engaged in and indicates whether or not your magical process is working. A result is the expression and embodiment of your magical process, and it is also an indicator of what you can improve on with your magical process. If you haven't achieved the specific result you wanted, then you need to look at your magical process and make changes to what you are doing. A result, positive or negative, will always provide you information about your magical process and what you need to do to improve on it.
What activities are you doing?: A process is comprised of the activities you are doing to realize that process. Each process has steps that a person performs, so in planning your magical process out, it's a good idea to look at what steps you are taking. If there's a particular order to the steps, then arrange them in that order so that you can look at your process and/or zoom in on a specific step. Knowing the steps you will take to realize a process can help you answer several other questions.
Why are you doing it?: You may be able to answer this question by looking at the desired result you want to achieve, but chances are that while a specific result will contain one reason why you are doing the magical process, it won't provide all reasons. It's good to spend some thinking about why you need to do a particular magical process. What are your motivations for doing it? How will it help you improve your life (or the lives of others)? What need it doing this process fulfilling for you?
How does it work?: How does your process work? Answering this question is essential to understanding what happens when it doesn't work as well as what you'll change about it. You should be able to describe in detail what every tool does, what every gesture or word contributes to your magical work. If you can't explain it, then why include it? Even the role of a deity or an entity should be something you can explain. How your process work, how the steps you do provide you the ability to turn a possibility into reality is something the magician should know. When you know how your process works, it will always work. And when you know how it works you can always improve on it.
Where/when: For some people this will be an important part of their magical process. They might choose to do magic at a particular time of day or week or month. I personally don't think it's that relevant, but remember what I said about your definition of magic. Your process of magic is one that is personalized. If the time of day and where you do something is relevant to your process then include it in your process.
There are some other variables we should also consider that aren't traditionally considered part of the magical process, but nonetheless should be considered because they are very relevant to the practitioner. The practitioner is a key component of the magical process and if we don't consider these variables, then we ignore how we are influenced by them to our own detriment. The beliefs and values that a practitioner has is derived from these variables. Being able to examine these variables will help the practitioner understand how the magical process is allowing him/her to express those beliefs and values or determine if there is a conflict of interest. If there is a conflict of interest, it is suggested that the practitioner go back to the drawing board to build a magical process that accounts for these variables.
Culture: Your cultural background and interests will inform your magical process. What you identify as your culture is an influence that affects what magical forces you'll work with. If you're a Celtic reconstructionist, then you'll want to draw on that cultural information for your magical process. Or if you're like me and you find pop culture to be interesting, then you will want to use pop culture icons as part of your magical work.
Ethics/Morals: If you follow an ethical code, then you will need to consider that code in your magical process. Likewise if you have particular morals that you follow, those will need to be considered. Trying to do a magical process that goes against your ethics or morals will always fail. If you're someone who tends to take a shades of grey approach to life, then you'll likely be able to find reasons that will justify doing the magical process, but I'd still look at that part of your process very carefully.
Ideology: Ideology is another factor to consider, particularly as it pertains to types of magic. If you identify as an anarchist, trying to do some form of money magic will likely be harder to pull off given how linked money is to the structures that the anarchist might oppose. Your ideology can also be a religious belief system and as such that particular system will need to be considered when performing magic.
What would you include that I haven't included? What would you exclude that I've included?