The next round of the Process of Magic starts in 2 weeks!

The next round of the process of magic class starts in 2 weeks.

Magic is a process that changes you and your relationship with the world, if you understand how the process works.

In this 24 lesson class, we will explore what the process of magic is and how the principles of magic apply to you and the world around you. If you're tired of 101 books that say the same thing, but never teach you magic, or tired of the spell books that never explain how or why magic works this class is for you. If you want to understand how magic works, and how you can personalize it to fit your needs, this class is for you. You will learn how to:

• Develop your own definition of magic and make it work.
• Learn how magic works and what you can change to make it work consistently for you.
• Personalize your magical system to improve its efficacy in your life.
• Understand how to fix mistakes in your magical workings.
• Achieve a deeper understanding of magic and its place in your life.

Whether you are just learning about magic or have been practicing for years the Process of Magic course focuses on what really matters: Learning how to use magic to proactively improve your life. In fact, you'll learn how to make magic part of your daily life in a way that actually enhances your life.

When you take the Process of Magic Correspondence course you get the following Benefits:

• A comprehensive understanding of how magic works
• Increased confidence in your magical workings.
• Higher success rates in your magical work, as well as how to troubleshoot your magical workings
• Connect the principles of this class to any magical tradition you are part of.
• Deepen your relationship with magic as a force for change in your life.

Who should attend this class?

This class is for Pagans and Magicians who are serious about improving their magical expertise and who want to understand how magic works from a practical perspective. If you want more than just 101 books or spell books, this class is for you.

When does this class meet?

This class is a correspondence course, which means that I'll mail lessons to you each week.

About the Teacher

Hi, I’m Taylor Ellwood, mad scientist and magical experimenter. I love magic and I love teaching people how to apply it to their lives.

Learn more about Taylor

Bonuses

When you take this class, you get the following bonuses:

• Access to an online private forum that is specifically for this class.
• Free Teleconferences every other month to discuss the material directly with me!
• Free MP3 Recordings of conferences.
• A Free E-book copy of Creating Magical Entities.
• Two bonus lessons.

How to Register

The investment for this class is $100. If you've been wanting to understand how magic works or how you can achieve more effective results, this class is for you.

An Example of the work people do through this class

Shauna Aura Knight has posted about her definition of magic, as a result of taking this class. Reading them will give you an idea of some of the work we do in this class:

Entry 1

Entry 2

Entry 3

More Testimonials

I have been reading and experimenting with magic and the occult for over five years and it seemed like I was going off in too many directions, without a map to guide me. I felt like I was spinning my wheels. This course helped me focus, without tying me into any particular Religion or belief system. If you are looking for a course that builds a foundation for your understanding and practice of Magic, this is the one!

This course has been amazing and I truly value your knowledge, experience and writing ability. I also like the fact that you are innovative and creative in your approach and take a progressive view of magic and are not mired down in some conservative tradition or other. You are on the “cutting edge” of magic and I am sincerely grateful to have the opportunity to take courses from you! Last but not least, you are ethical, conscientious and relate very well to your students.

Testimonial from G. Marlett

By describing the process of magic(k) rituals, Taylor Ellwood taught me how to enhance my work. He taught me how to analyze and improve some rituals I had made, how to apply proved techniques to experimental rituals for internal magic and how pop culture can also be useful for creating pantheons more in relation to oneself. After this class my rituals have been really effective, and I started to think of magic as a means for transforming myself to get the best out of my environment. Highly recommendable class, I'm really happy I took it.

Testimonial from Ivan Marquez

I'm really enjoying your class.  Especially helpful was how you showed the Tarot as offering up possibilities instead of viewing the cards in a rigid way.  I'm also working with the element of Earth for a year.  What I'm really finding from your class is that magic works.  You can't believe how many doors have started opening up for me that were right under my nose.

Testimonial from T. Vorster

I decided to take Taylor Ellwood's Process of Magic class after many years of magical practice and study as a way to reboot my work. I've been involved with a few traditions but have generally been very eclectic in my approach. In my view eclecticism is a strength if you can find a way to synthesize all of those disparate takes on the magical path. Taylor has stripped away most of the window dressings associated with magic. Instead of focusing on style and aesthetics he focuses on the roots of practice and the processes underlying them. For those who are already involved in magic but are wondering how to weave together the rich variety of strands available to us in the 21st century, examining the processes that underly all magic, no matter the flavor, is an excellent place to start. For newcomers and beginners this course will help you quickly move beyond the 101 stage and help you start getting your hands dirty with practical magic.

Testimonial from Justin Patrick Moore

I decided to take this course for I was searching for a way to synthesize various magical influences I have experienced over the years in my magical journey. Now I am in the middle of the course, still doing Lesson 9, but I already have learned far more than what I  expected from a single course. The course material is written in a clear style and there are no vague mystifications often found in magical texts. In the beginning the students are encouraged to examine all the elements of their magical practice. Taylor helps you to fully recognize your own definitions and mechanics of Magic that no other books or any other materials could not succeed to address. Then you will be introduced to ways to examine magical links and basis of altered states of consciousness for successful operations. One of greatest points in this course is you can have benefit from it no matter what your magical background is. It is perfectly designed to focus on core workings of Magic, so any person who has interest in any forms of magical practices will found it to be easily applicable to their own daily practice. This course is not just a correspondence course. You also have live interaction with Taylor. In such process you can share what you have found in your practice with him and people of same interest and you can have feedbacks that will lead you to deeper understanding of Magic. I truly recommend this course to anyone, novices and experts alike.

Testimonial from Yutaka Furuki

The Process of Magic was very helpful. Before the class, I had a mish-mash of ideas about how magic did and didn’t work. The course helped me to see the relationships between components and outside forces of magic in a way that made them make far more sense to me, so I could get better results from my workings. I highly recommend for a newbie or for someone like me who wants to create a firm foundation to build a practice on.

Testimonial from David Kaiser

The Process of Magic class really helped me to define what magic is to me and why I was sometimes having a difficult time getting results - and helped me to understand why I got results when I did! The classes lead to some very introspective, and sometimes uncomfortable, moments; but it has helped me to become a better, more aware, magician. The addition of the in-person teleclasses adds a very useful dimension to talk through any concerns and challenges with Taylor and my fellow students. I'd recommend this class to anyone who is interested in doing effective magic.

Testimonial from Victoria aka Leona Oigheag

Insightful class that I wish I had taken way earlier in my journeys. Thanks for teaching it, Taylor.

Testimonial from Kelli Carner

Elemental Balancing Ritual Stillness Month 14: Shame and Respect

11-25-15  Yesterday I finished writing all the changes to the magical experiments site (for now). It's funny that even in taking a retreat from writing, I'm still writing...just not writing for anyone else. Taking this retreat has been good for me though, because how I write for other people will change as a result of taking it. I value my writing and myself enough to make that change and whether anyone else appreciates that or not is a moot point I suppose. What matters is that I'm respecting myself as an artist and author.

11-29-15 Tomorrow's the last day of the retreat. It's been a good experience for me to just slow down and take stock of who I am and how that's showing up in my life. I'll admit I find it a bit ironic that I actually did a fair amount of writing during this retreat, but it wasn't writing for other people...it was writing for my businesses and me. Eligos has really been helpful through this and I plan on doing a lot more work with him as a result. He's become part of the pantheon of my life.

12-1-15 Part of my realizations around shame and respect has to do with the fact that I've compared myself to other people doing what I do. I don't think the comparison is really helpful. It has a shame component built into it I ask myself why do I even do it and inevitably what I come back to is that I'm a fairly competitive person, but also that so much of that comparison comes down to wanting to fuck with authority figures. Take that back further and that wanting to fuck with authority figures goes all the way back to childhood and wanting to feel empowered in a situation where I didn't have any power and so now that's displaced onto this comparison thing and there's shame mixed in because part of me is saying, "Well you must not be good enough, if these people are doing what you do so much better than you." It sucks and I feel this choking feeling. But I just need to sit with it, forget the comparison and the desire to fuck with authority which really has nothing to do with these people and just sit with the feeling of shame and let it unfold. It's so hard to do, yet I need to do it so much if I ever really want to shine.

I'm not respecting myself if I choose to do something because someone else is doing it. Anything I do needs to come from a place of genuine respect for myself. What I offer will be better for it, for myself, and the people wanting what is offered.

12-2-15 Today I invoked Abrimel and Ponclast (part of Dehara) to help me work through the competitive shame I was feeling. I let myself feel the emotion in my body. I found that it was rooted in my belly and it gave me some insight into how I eat...that eating in some ways is a response, a way to feel good and yet really to bury the emotions in my stomach that I don't want to feel. I was always told as a young kid that I was a good eater, one of the only compliments I ever got. Some food for thought with that one. Anyway Abrimel and Ponclast just helped me to hold space with what I was feeling. As I dove into the feeling of shame around my competitiveness I felt that pain rise up and at the same time unravel, revealing various memories and experiences I'd had. I felt tears running down my face as I heard that phrase, "You're a disappointment." I saw/experienced my own response, my determination to do my own thing and to undermine this person who saw fit to judge me for my choices. And at the same time I felt the rage and shame just set me up to do things in a harder way than I needed to. I stayed and felt this shame for a while. I'll revisit it tomorrow, sit with it, embrace it and then let it go.

12-6-15 As I meditated today, I ended up working with shame in regards to wanting to be noticed, which certainly plays a role in my competitive nature. When I grew up I was neglected by my dad and step-mom unless I did something bad at which point I was told what a disappointment I was and grounded and sometimes punished in other ways. Even if I was doing an activity such as chorus, I was told it wasn't good enough and why was I wasting time doing an activity like that as opposed to playing some sport or another. Later in my teenage years this same feeling came up in relationship to my "peers" and how popular or unpopular a person was. To me, getting noticed has played a simultaneous role of either not being good enough or being valued for something by someone. There's a lot shame there and I realize part of it is based on the lack of self-esteem and respect I've had for myself because I wasn't good enough...or I needed someone else's approval to be good enough. I'm done with that. I don't need someone else's approval to be good enough. What I need is to respect myself and be shameless about what I love doing. And if anyone else wants to come along for the ride, that's fine, but I don't need their approval to do what I wish to do.

12-7-15 Today I meditated on how insignificant I feel. It was prompted by seeing the schedule of another author the other day and seeing how many events this person is presenting at. Instantly competitive jealousy unsheathed its claws and  I sat with it some last night as I was telling Kat about it. Today I sat with it further and I realized that I feel insignificant and part of being noticed is feeling significant, feeling like what I'm doing actually matters. What if it doesn't? I felt so small. Yet who was making me feel small? Me. No one else. Just me and my inner demons. I can let them do that or I can do something about it. I suppose that's what all this work is about. I'm doing something about it. Feeling insignificant is hard, especially when you sit with it, but so is sitting with any of the things I've been sitting with. You sit with it, open yourself to the experience, open yourself to the pain identity and it hurts and yet you see how it's defined your behavior and actions, defined your identity and so it becomes a question of whether you want that to continue being your identity or if you want to liberate yourself from that identity. I choose the latter.

12-11-15 Sometimes you do so much internal work that you become that work. It's another form of pain identity. Yes the internal work is important, but you've got to balance it with practical work as well.

12-16-15 The last few days have been really good for me. Kat and I had a long talk about my feelings of competitive jealousy and she helped me see just how much I was giving my energy to the people I'd been feeling jealous of. When you become a hater, you become that person's servant. You hate them for it, but you serve them because you're focused on them and their activities. Letting that go is another form of embracing shamelessness about who I am because I'm not letting me identity be defined any further by someone else.

I've also been doing some further thinking about how I write. I'm recognizing that I need to incorporate story and mythology into my writing. I've been studying how this other person writes, who I'll be taking a class from and trying my own version of viral writing out and each time I'm learning something from the writing and also from what she does.  I'm excited about the possibilities for my business and look forward to seeing what else I can do.

12-20-15 Today and yesterday I rolled the dice and called out issues I have with the Pagan convention circuit. Pretty much since the beginning I've had issues with how things are run, but I always held back from saying anything because I didn't want rock the boat or for other reasons. I'll admit I'm a bit anxious about doing it, but all this work around shame and respect has made it clear to me that I need to stop holding myself back. I may not always like the consequences, but if I do nothing I'll like that result even less. I know there will be some people who don't like what I have to say, but when has that ever not been the case? Genuine change doesn't occur without risk and so I'll take the risk and adapt to whatever results occur, knowing I can live with myself as a result.

12-21-15 I didn't sleep much last night. Writing those two posts and sitting with the resultant anxiety wasn't easy. At some point Kat woke up and noticed my restlessness and I told her my fears...that I might alienate some fellow presenters I know, that I might never present again and she told me that taking my stand was what I needed to do and that she'd seen the numerous times I'd felt frustrated with the inequities I'd observed. She told me that yeah I'd taken a stand and maybe as a result I wouldn't be at other conventions, but that I'd find a way to succeed and that I had already made the choice not to be at those conventions anyway so what was I really worried about? And she's right. I will find a way to succeed. I couldn't continue to just participate in a system I didn't agree with and while I recognize that perhaps what I'm calling for is asking for a lot, I also think if nothing is ever said, nothing is ever changed. If the result, for me, is that I'm blacklisted, I can accept that as the price for pushing for some much needed change.

A Second Open Letter to Pagan Convention Organizers

In my previous open letter to Pagan Convention Organizers I made a commitment that I would no longer present at an event where it was expected that I would pay to present. I also made a request for transparency on the part of the Pagan convention organizers on how they select their guests of honor. I am an author with a small publisher, Immanion Press. I also am the managing non-fiction editor of Immanion Press. I have been a guest of honor and featured presenter in the past at a couple of Pagan conventions. However I had to approach those events and ask if it was possible to become a guest of honor or a featured presenter. So far as I can tell the opposite is usually true. The event approaches the presenter and tells them they are a guest of honor or featured presenter, and more often than not the presenter is with a big publisher.

Here's why I want transparency from you

Each year you select who the guests of honor are at your event, but you don't tell us how it happens. It's treated as a secret and it's time for the secrets to come out. I have queried different conventions about how they select their guests of honor and I usually don't get answers, but what I do notice is that the majority of the guests of honor are with big publishers. I also notice that in some cases you see the same guests of honor each year or every other year at the convention. It's like a revolving door which is accessible only to those presenters. The rest of us are pretty much ignored.

Now we'd like to know what your decision making process is for selecting guests of honor and comping them as well as why you only stick with certain guests of honor. Let us presenters know (and the Pagan community at large) what your process is for selection so that there's no esoteric mystery here. We have plenty enough of those in our spiritual practices.

I know that in some cases, publishers play a role in this process. A fellow presenter recently me that they were selected as a guest of honor for an event in March because their publisher sponsored that event. In other words, the publisher paid to have them become a guest of honor for that event. On the sponsor page of that event, there's nothing mentioned about guests of honor being included in the sponsor package. There's no transparency about how the guests of honor are selected or what criteria is used and because of that lack of transparency, what's created is a system where certain presenters are given priority over others by virtue of who/what they are connected to as opposed to what they bring to the convention (and don't get me wrong these presenters are talented and have a lot to offer...but so do others who aren't getting those benefits). I have a problem with that.

What we have here is a form of Nepotism

In the classic sense of the word nepotism refers to favors being granted to family members by other family members. For example, your uncle is a cardinal in the Catholic church and suddenly your granted lands because he uses his position to pull some strings and get you that land. You got that land because you were related to your Uncle and that's the only reason you got it.

Obviously in the case of conventions we don't have related people pulling strings for each other (so far as I know). But nonetheless something is happening where certain presenters are given priority over others and there's little to no explanation provided for why that is. That lack of transparency creates a dirty secret and most of the convention goers don't question it because they're not involved. They're attending the event and that's it but if you're a presenter you need to question it and demand accountability on the part of the organization.

This nepotism isn't always so blatant. There's a certain convention that occurs every February. At that convention most of the presenters aren't comped, but there's a dirty secret they won't tell you: A few of the presenters are! They aren't labeled as guests of honor, and its all kept very hush hush and swept under the rug, but nonetheless they are comped with flights and hotel rooms and why? Apparently because they're friends with the original organizer or because that was how the organizer got them to present in the early days of the convention. The convention is so big the policy has changed for other presenters, but these presenters still get comped when they come present. And if that's not problematic and indicative of the inequity that occurs with this system, I don't know what is.

What I want from Pagan Convention Organizers

I want you to be transparent about how you select guests of honor and featured presenters and what criteria is used for that selection and I want it written on the website of the convention where any presenter can see it.

If your expectation is that a publisher needs to sponsor your event in order to have a guest of honor into your event, then put that on the page so that we can at least query our publishers to do something (but also keep in mind smaller publishers don't have the same resources the big publishers have).

If your standard for a guest of honor or featured presenter is that they have public/national recognition and impact on the community, define what that actually looks likes so that if we contact you we can present proof to that effect and/or so that we can tailor our activities toward fulfilling those criteria.

Whatever your criteria is, I want you to put it on your convention website for all to see, so that we actually know what you're looking for. Let's stop playing guessing games here and get transparent so that all presenters have the opportunity to become a guest of honor or featured presenter.

I also want you to have consistent standards in terms of how guests of honor and featured presenters are comped. Tell us what a guest of honor actually gets or featured presenter actually gets in return for their contribution. And make sure its the same across the board. If there are choices then tell us what those choices are and make it so that the choices are still equitable across the board. I know this may seem like a lot to ask, but really we're just asking for some consistency and transparency.

And if you insist that presenters have to pay to present, then make that standard apply to all presenters no matter how famous or well known they are. Treat all of us equally.

And to be clear there are a few conventions that do this process right, but only a few. It's time to change that and I'm calling on you to change it.

What I want from Presenters

If you're a presenter, I want you to share this post and the previous one I wrote on your social media accounts and with the Pagan Convention Organizers you know.

I want you to write about your concerns as a presenter as well and make your voice be heard. The changes I'm calling for will not happen unless the convention organizers see we are a united front on this matter and consequently recognize they have no choice but to make changes to how they are running events.

Consider the possibility that in order to make some of these changes, we may need to boycott conventions. Remember they need us to present in order to get people in the door and while its true that other people might step up and do that in our place, if we are willing to show that we will boycott events due to the inequity in the system, we will also show we can impact their bottom line. If there are no presenters, it's a lot harder to have an event.

If you're one of the authors who's regularly a guest of honor at conventions, I want you to advocate for the authors/presenters who aren't getting that opportunity. And if you attend a certain convention that insists that presenters pay to present and you get comped, I want you to speak to the original organizer and tell that person that a change needs to happen and that it's not fair that you get comped while other presenters aren't. I know I'm asking a lot from those of you who get the benefits, but can you really justify to yourself getting those benefits while other presenters don't, especially when in some cases those presenters have written as much if not more books then you? I hope your answer is no you can't justify it and that you want equal treatment for all presenters regardless of who they are published with.

A final thought

I do love conventions. I love presenting at them. And I realize in writing this post and the previous one I may very well deal with consequences that include being banned from presenting at conventions. I'm willing to take that risk because I'm tired of seeing the current systems in place when it comes to how presenters are treated. I'm tired of seeing some people get opportunities on a regular basis and other people rarely if ever get those opportunities. It may not make me very popular with convention organizers, but I can live with that. If we presenters do not advocate for change, we will not get the change we deserve and we will not get the respect we deserve.

And convention organizers I realize that most conventions are non-profits, but regardless of whether its a business or not there needs to be consistency across the board when it comes to how presenters are treated.

An open letter to Pagan Convention Organizers

In my pursuit of self-respect, one of the realizations I've been having is that how I allow my work and myself to be treated professionally is indicative of the respect I'm giving to myself. And if I don't set standards and boundaries for that treatment then I'll get walked all over. That has happened during my journey as a Pagan/occult author, and so I've come to a decision that I'm holding myself to and I'm telling all of you about, because in telling you I'm making a commitment to myself and to all the people who like my work that I will treat my work and myself with the respect I deserve and expect that respect in regards to professional appearances that I do. I do this for myself and my fans, because I am always a better presenter when I am given my due.

My commitment is this: I will no longer present at conferences where it is expected that I will foot the bill to come and present workshops. I will no longer pay to present at a conference. What that really means is that I'm not going to pay registration and airfare and hotel and food to present workshops for your event and help get people in the door for your event. If a conference wants me to present then they need to offer something to me and not just free registration or a discount on registration. They need to show respect and help out with the costs. What that means is registration covered for the presenter, and at the least helping to cover travel expenses. And if you want to modernize like other conventions out there and actually pay your presenters, I'm sure all of us will be happy about that as well.

Why?

Because when I am a presenter at your event, I am marketing your event on my website, in my newsletters, and on my podcast. I'm marketing the fact that I'll be there, but I'm also promoting the event, which means you will get more people in the door because of my marketing. I'm doing that as a courtesy to your event, but also as a way to support it and who I'm marketing it to is all my readers and followers and anyone they share my work with, which means your event has the potential to get more people in the door.

I get that a conference isn't a non-profit, but you know what? Neither am I. Presenting workshops and selling my books is part of how I make my living and when I'm expected to shell out money to come present at your conference, the math doesn't add up in my favor. I'm usually in the red or I break even and that doesn't work for me as an author or presenter. I know you want to make money so you can put the event on again next year and so do I so I can continue to go to events, write, and do all the other fantastic things I'm doing.

It also tells me that the people putting on the conference don't respect my contribution. Perhaps they have an attitude or belief that they don't really need a presenter, but if you alienate enough presenters or we just get fed up enough to boycott your event, that changes things, because guess what? You do need us. Presenters help draw people to events. People look at programming to see who is presenting and what is being presented on and then they decide if they'll go. If enough presenters decide not to present at your event, your business model will be in the red as well.

In the past I have paid for air fare, hotel rooms, food, and registration to present at events (That can be between $700 and $1000 per event). I've done this for the dubious promise of exposure...but exposure doesn't pay the bills. And while I appreciate the opportunity to present to people, I also know there are other ways to get in front of those people that has little to no overhead for me. If you aren't willing to honor my contribution to your event, why should I honor your event and help you get more people in the door with my name?

The only exception I'll make to this expectation of mine is for local events and that's because my costs are low and I know the event can draw more people by bringing presenters in who aren't local, so I want to support that. (By local I mean an event that's only a half hour away in travel time and where I can choose to say in my home and not pay hotel or food costs)

If I am flying to your event or driving a fair amount, then you need to find a way to cover some if not all of the costs because what you're getting return is my name, my brand, and my marketing, free of charge, to help you turn your conference into a successful one.

And please stop making authors from the big publishers your only guests of honor or having the same authors year in and year out as your guests of honor. Not all of us authors and presenters are with big publishers or want to be and we have some excellent material that your convention attendees will enjoy (I know this because my presentations are regularly overflowing and I can attest to that for other authors who aren't published by the big publishers). Granted once in a great while you do make an author who isn't with a big publisher your guest of honor, but its few and far between. Let's level that playing field. Be transparent about how you select guests of honor, so all of us know how it works and get a chance.

I have three events I'll be presenting at in 2016. I've made that commitment so I'll be at those events, but after that I'm not presenting at an event where at least some of my costs (beyond registration) aren't covered. I'm worth that. So are the other authors that come and present at your events and aren't comped. And if as a result I don't get into so many events, I can live with that, because there are other ways to reach my audience. I would love to be at your event, so show me some love in return and we'll make it great.

Edited: I've since written a second open letter to Pagan Convention Organizers which can be found here.

The Power of Zero in Magical Work

Why zero is an important element of space/time magic work and how you can work it:

How to balance internal work with practical work

How to balance internal work with practical work and why you need to in order to turn possibility into reality

How to work with Demons

How to work with demons successfully and why it's easier than people make it out to be:

The next Process of Magic Round starts on January 6th

Magic is a process that changes you and your relationship with the world, if you understand how the process works.

In this 24 lesson class, we will explore what the process of magic is and how the principles of magic apply to you and the world around you. If you're tired of 101 books that say the same thing, but never teach you magic, or tired of the spell books that never explain how or why magic works this class is for you. If you want to understand how magic works, and how you can personalize it to fit your needs, this class is for you. You will learn how to:

• Develop your own definition of magic and make it work.
• Learn how magic works and what you can change to make it work consistently for you.
• Personalize your magical system to improve its efficacy in your life.
• Understand how to fix mistakes in your magical workings.
• Achieve a deeper understanding of magic and its place in your life.

Whether you are just learning about magic or have been practicing for years the Process of Magic course focuses on what really matters: Learning how to use magic to proactively improve your life. In fact, you'll learn how to make magic part of your daily life in a way that actually enhances your life.

Below is a testimonial from one of the students:

Taylor Ellwood's approach to magic looks at your life, looks at what you want to change and then uses your magic to improve the situation. If it does not work, improve your magic! Magic is a creative process that ties intimately into our lives and changes not only an outward situation but the magician itself.

In the beginning you will take a look at that process, something I have never seen discussed before. After that Taylor Ellwood supplies a large tool box for magical work. It ranges from creative techniques like using cut-ups to the creation of magical entities tailor-made for the magician's needs. There are a lot of potential magical helpers on your way, gods and demons alike, and you will learn how to establish a healthy relationship with such beings that is mutually benefiting to you and them.

In no time you are doing magic that improves your life instead of reading about magic or pondering about what magic could do for you if only you could find the time to actually start practicing it. I can recommend this course for everyone who would like to become the active shaper of his or her live again.

Testimonial from Wolf Kaminksi

When you take the Process of Magic Correspondence course you get the following Benefits:

• A comprehensive understanding of how magic works
• Increased confidence in your magical workings.
• Higher success rates in your magical work, as well as how to troubleshoot your magical workings
• Connect the principles of this class to any magical tradition you are part of.
• Deepen your relationship with magic as a force for change in your life.

Who should attend this class?

This class is for Pagans and Magicians who are serious about improving their magical expertise and who want to understand how magic works from a practical perspective. If you want more than just 101 books or spell books, this class is for you.

When does this class meet?

This class is a correspondence course, which means that I'll mail lessons to you each week.

About the Teacher

Hi, I’m Taylor Ellwood, mad scientist and magical experimenter. I love magic and I love teaching people how to apply it to their lives.

Learn more about Taylor

Bonuses

When you take this class, you get the following bonuses:

• Access to an online private forum that is specifically for this class.
• Free Teleconferences every other month to discuss the material directly with me!
• Free MP3 Recordings of conferences.
• A Free E-book copy of Creating Magical Entities.
• Two bonus lessons.

How to Register

The investment for this class is $100. If you've been wanting to understand how magic works or how you can achieve more effective results, this class is for you.

An Example of the work people do through this class

Shauna Aura Knight has posted about her definition of magic, as a result of taking this class. Reading them will give you an idea of some of the work we do in this class:

Entry 1

Entry 2

Entry 3

More Testimonials

I have been reading and experimenting with magic and the occult for over five years and it seemed like I was going off in too many directions, without a map to guide me. I felt like I was spinning my wheels. This course helped me focus, without tying me into any particular Religion or belief system. If you are looking for a course that builds a foundation for your understanding and practice of Magic, this is the one!

This course has been amazing and I truly value your knowledge, experience and writing ability. I also like the fact that you are innovative and creative in your approach and take a progressive view of magic and are not mired down in some conservative tradition or other. You are on the “cutting edge” of magic and I am sincerely grateful to have the opportunity to take courses from you! Last but not least, you are ethical, conscientious and relate very well to your students.

Testimonial from G. Marlett

By describing the process of magic(k) rituals, Taylor Ellwood taught me how to enhance my work. He taught me how to analyze and improve some rituals I had made, how to apply proved techniques to experimental rituals for internal magic and how pop culture can also be useful for creating pantheons more in relation to oneself. After this class my rituals have been really effective, and I started to think of magic as a means for transforming myself to get the best out of my environment. Highly recommendable class, I'm really happy I took it.

Testimonial from Ivan Marquez

I'm really enjoying your class.  Especially helpful was how you showed the Tarot as offering up possibilities instead of viewing the cards in a rigid way.  I'm also working with the element of Earth for a year.  What I'm really finding from your class is that magic works.  You can't believe how many doors have started opening up for me that were right under my nose.

Testimonial from T. Vorster

I decided to take Taylor Ellwood's Process of Magic class after many years of magical practice and study as a way to reboot my work. I've been involved with a few traditions but have generally been very eclectic in my approach. In my view eclecticism is a strength if you can find a way to synthesize all of those disparate takes on the magical path. Taylor has stripped away most of the window dressings associated with magic. Instead of focusing on style and aesthetics he focuses on the roots of practice and the processes underlying them. For those who are already involved in magic but are wondering how to weave together the rich variety of strands available to us in the 21st century, examining the processes that underly all magic, no matter the flavor, is an excellent place to start. For newcomers and beginners this course will help you quickly move beyond the 101 stage and help you start getting your hands dirty with practical magic.

Testimonial from Justin Patrick Moore

I decided to take this course for I was searching for a way to synthesize various magical influences I have experienced over the years in my magical journey. Now I am in the middle of the course, still doing Lesson 9, but I already have learned far more than what I  expected from a single course. The course material is written in a clear style and there are no vague mystifications often found in magical texts. In the beginning the students are encouraged to examine all the elements of their magical practice. Taylor helps you to fully recognize your own definitions and mechanics of Magic that no other books or any other materials could not succeed to address. Then you will be introduced to ways to examine magical links and basis of altered states of consciousness for successful operations. One of greatest points in this course is you can have benefit from it no matter what your magical background is. It is perfectly designed to focus on core workings of Magic, so any person who has interest in any forms of magical practices will found it to be easily applicable to their own daily practice. This course is not just a correspondence course. You also have live interaction with Taylor. In such process you can share what you have found in your practice with him and people of same interest and you can have feedbacks that will lead you to deeper understanding of Magic. I truly recommend this course to anyone, novices and experts alike.

Testimonial from Yutaka Furuki

The Process of Magic was very helpful. Before the class, I had a mish-mash of ideas about how magic did and didn’t work. The course helped me to see the relationships between components and outside forces of magic in a way that made them make far more sense to me, so I could get better results from my workings. I highly recommend for a newbie or for someone like me who wants to create a firm foundation to build a practice on.

Testimonial from David Kaiser

The Process of Magic class really helped me to define what magic is to me and why I was sometimes having a difficult time getting results - and helped me to understand why I got results when I did! The classes lead to some very introspective, and sometimes uncomfortable, moments; but it has helped me to become a better, more aware, magician. The addition of the in-person teleclasses adds a very useful dimension to talk through any concerns and challenges with Taylor and my fellow students. I'd recommend this class to anyone who is interested in doing effective magic.

Testimonial from Victoria aka Leona Oigheag

7 surprising realizations I experienced when I took a 30 Day Spiritual Retreat from my Businesses

A month ago, I was feeling burned out with my businesses, and in particular my writing. I felt frustrated because my writing didn't seem to really grab my readers and get them to do something such as commenting, sharing etc., and yet I realized that the problem wasn't my audience. The problem was me and the writing I was doing. So I decided to take a 30 day spiritual retreat from my regular routine of writing for other people, and in some ways from my businesses. The resulting realizations that occurred in the last month were liberating. 1. It helps to have an accountability guide to make sure you stay on your retreat. In my case, my guide was Eligos, a Goetic Daimon of Time and Writing. Both of those aspects were appropriate for what I needed to stay on my retreat. There were a number of times, especially in the first week that Eligos would call me out and remind me that I needed to stay on retreat and not write for other people.

2. The first week is hard. So is the second week, but it gets easier after that. We live in a workaholic society and when your retreat involves you not working it can be hard to not work. I sometimes felt like my fingers and hands were itching to write and yet I could write because I'd made the commitment not to write. There were so many times I wanted to write and yet I just had to step back and honor my agreement not to write for other people during the month of November. It probably helped that I could still do some writing...

3. Always allow yourself some expression of what you are giving yourself a retreat from, but only for yourself. In some ways a retreat is really about being selfish, in a healthy way, for you and your relationship with what you are taking a retreat from. I could still write, but I couldn't write for other people and I realized I really needed that break from writing for other people. So I journaled about my experiences during the retreat instead and revised my website copy to reflect who I truly know myself to be.

4. A Retreat is a journey of self-discovery and identity. One of my complaints about my writing is that I didn't feel like my identity was really showing up. It felt really cerebral and granted I can be a cerebral guy, but people don't connect with writing like that...not in a way that moves them anyway, so this retreat was really about rediscovering my identity as a writer and allowing my identity to shine through in my writing. Whether that really moves someone to do something is anyone's guess, but I'll admit that I liked reinventing myself as a writer. Sometimes you have to challenge who you are in order to discover who you can be and a retreat from an activity can help you do that.

5. I have to respect myself as a writer, if I want people to respect my writing. During this retreat the theme of shame came up a lot. I was surprised at first, but as I did meditation and internal work on that theme of shame I discovered just how much it influenced my writing and business practices. Turns out it influenced them a lot. Whether it was shame from being called a disappointment in my childhood and not measuring up to standards set by other people or shame I felt for not being a good enough writer, I had that shame in spades and I needed to work through it. That shame also showed up in my identity and so in some ways I wasn't letting my identity come through my writing, not as much as it could be. I'm still working through a lot of this, but one decision I've made is that I'm not going to write for exposure, unless that exposure actually helps me. I'm limiting my writing to each of my sites to two articles a month. If my readers choose to patronize my writing that may change, but otherwise I'm going to focus on projects that will bring in tangible results. In other words I want to get paid for my writing and I don't think that's unrealistic.

6. A retreat lets you ground yourself in what really matters. I spent a lot of my retreat reading books, having conversations with people I admire and respect, and spending time with family and friends. All of that really grounded me and helped me see that just how appreciated I am. Also in taking this retreat, it helped me discover an opportunity to challenge myself as a writer. I'm taking a class starting in January on how to write for the social web because even though I know how to write, I also know I can always improve and I figure taking a class would be an excellent way to do just that.

7. A retreat helps you re-ignite your creativity. It certainly has for me. I was initially hesitant to do this retreat, worried that I'd be less inspired to write by the end of it, but if anything I'm ready to write and I've got lots of projects I want to work on and share with readers.

Today my retreat is finished. My thanks to Eligos for keeping me on track. Now I'm ready to get back in the saddle, but I'm also ready to do things differently.

Did you like my writing? Put some money in my tip jar at Patreon.

Magical Experiments Radio: Interview with Heather Greene from the Wild Hunt

Magical Experiments Radio: Pop Culture Magic Panel

Elemental Balancing Ritual Stillness Month 13: Shame

10-22-15 When you have a reaction to a situation, its worth spending some time pulling it apart. Yes you can feel whatever emotions come up, but afterwards explore why you feel that way and what created that feeling of tension and reaction. Unfortunately as easy as this is to write, to do it can be harder to execute. People can think they are doing internal work by simply recognizing what they feel and that's a good first step, but to really do internal work involves actually working through the feelings and understanding the conditioning involved. For example, I recently had a situation come up where my name was associated in a manner I hadn't been notified about. I felt upset for a few different reasons, but after the situation was resolved, I spent some time exploring what I felt and connecting it to other moments in my history, as well as pulling apart the reasons for my feelings. I stilled myself to really uncover what was underneath the reaction and the result is that I feel I understand why I felt that way and I know I need to do some work around how I value myself, and why certain external cues bring up the feeling of not having value. If I just felt what came up, but didn't go deeper, there'd be no opportunity to meaningfully change the behavior and become a better person in the process.

10-24-15 Yesterday I was reading Awakening the Luminous Mind and the author talks about the importance of awareness. It's not enough to be open to an experience, you also need to be aware of it and aware of yourself. It might seem like awareness and openness should go hand in hand, but the author makes the point that awareness allows you to fully bring yourself into the space you are in. You aren't just there, but rather fully present. It's an interesting point to make and one I'm appreciating as I consider how aware I am when I'm in a given space.

10-29-15 The pain body and identity is the pain that defines your life and thoughts. It can be your desires and whatever you are attached to. It's also what stops you from fully coming into your own. Tenzin points out that genuine confidence comes from not having anything to lose and being fully open to stillness. I'm definitely not there. I can feel my pain identity and how it shapes me, but I can also acknowledge it and be much more aware of it than I had been previously and that is a huge step forward.

10-30-15 Today I worked with a facet of my pain identity, or rather I opened myself up to holding space with it and being still and as a result I felt it dissolve and clear away into space. It felt really good. At first it was just this block defining me, creating this identity around an issue and then I opened myself to it, really felt it and it just relaxed and released.

11-2-15 At this time of year I usually hit a place of burnout and this year is no exception so I've decided to give myself a month off to focus on and recalibrate my business. It's clear to me that part of my challenge is that I don't connect with people on an identity level, at least not enough. I'm saying that because I see other people who do and their writing is more personable on an emotional level. I've always been an information person, but that's not helping me with my businesses, so I'm taking some time to consider that realization and figure out what I can do with it, as well as wrap up a couple of projects.

11-3-15 Yesterday I wiped my whiteboard clean. I got rid of all the projects on it and it felt like I was getting rid of a lot of clutter. I wiped the board clean and created Tabula Rasa. It felt good. Later I put only the projects on it that need immediate action from me. I think I need to do that from now on...It just makes it easier for me to do the work well instead of getting overwhelmed by everything else.

I've also started working with Eligos, a goetic Daemon who has some interesting influences with both time and writing. I've actually decided to take ab break from my usual routines for November, prompted in part by him. Today I was thinking revising some of the writing on my website and he chimed in and said just let it percolate. Let yourself be still and just think about the writing and feel it. Don't rush it. So I'm not going to rush it. It'll still be there when I'm ready for it.

11-4-15 Today in a conversation with a fellow business owner and writer, it became clear that part of the issue I'm facing with my writing is that it's not heart centered enough...not the writing that needs to move people enough that they want to make a decision. I've felt that way before, but Eligos tells me I need to really sit with that realization and NOT write (Beyond what I'm doing here). That's tough, because I want to write and yet I know he's right (There's a pun in there somewhere). So I'm taking a deep breath and not writing. I'm being still and allowing myself to get in touch with my identity as a writer. Also in that conversation I recognized how much academia still influences my writing, and that's fine for the books, but not so much for online writing, not if I want people to read and comment and otherwise care about what I'm doing. I've got lots of ideas swirling and I know that what I need to do is just sit with them. It's hard to do, but worth doing as well.

11-6-15 Today I saw the activity of someone I consider a competitor and I felt some jealousy because this person is pretty successful. Then I really sat with that jealousy and I realized something profound. Underneath that jealousy, the root of what I felt was shame. The shame of not feeling good enough, of not having everything in place and perfect. I really sat with that feeling of shame and just let myself hold space with it. It was hard because I realized how much shame has motivated my reactions and how much I've pushed it down and drawn on other emotions. And it doesn't just show up in my business or writing, but also in other areas of my life,yet I recognize that if that emotion is part of what's going into something I'm writing, it's certainly an influence on an emotional/energetic level and one I'd prefer not to have.

11-8-15 I looked at my whiteboard today and I was struck by the thought that I need to erase it at the end of each day and then in the morning only put on it what I think I'll work on that day. Otherwise I'm just seeing this list of things I need to get to and sitting with the reality that I haven't gotten to them. That creates its own sense of burnout I realize, because I'm reminded of what needs to be done and that I haven't gotten to it. It also clutters my mind instead of helping me focus. The potential downside is I might not remember something I need to work on, but as Eligos points out, if its truly important won't you remember it anyway? It's a good question. So I think I'll try that with the whiteboard...put on it what I think I can get to and then eras it at the end of the day. A clean slate opens the way to possibility.

11-9-15 I've started rewriting the magical experiments website. Part of my reason for rewriting the website is because I want my authentic voice to come through and I don't know that it always does. In some ways, I've gotten so caught up in trying to master a marketing/sales formula, but it hasn't really enabled me to present my voice, which ultimately hurts my efforts. So I feel really good making changes on the site, because I think it'll allow my voice to come through and give readers genuine access to me.

11-11-15 Today I did some deeper exploration of shame. I realize that shame has shown up in my professional life, in the sense that I have never really felt respected and have felt that I've always had to struggle to be recognized. I think at least some of that is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I also know some of it is based on experience, particularly with how people treated my pop culture magic work (the last laugh is mine on that though). However I've used those experiences to continually justify a self-defeating perspective, a shame perspective that has influenced how I've presented myself, my writing and my businesses. It's not something I care to continue to do and so this recognition is important because with it I'm able to change that internal narrative that has otherwise held me back. I feel the shame in my heart, solar plexus and belly physically. The essential message of that shame is I'm not good enough...I'm a disappointment, handed to me by my father who would tell me I was a disappointment for not measuring up to how he thought I should do with grades, or other activities. But this shame has continued with the feeling of workaholicism, the constant need to prove myself. You know...I don't need to prove myself anymore and I feel like any work I do will come from a place of genuine desire and joy instead of shame.

11-14-15 The last few days have been quite interesting. I got to see the New Alexandrian Library, and taught classes at Ivo Dominguez Jr's place (and I'm actually allowed to do a separate post about the library for this month since its a special occasion. And now I'm visiting my mom in York. It's weird being back in York after over a decade of not living here. There are places that are the same and places that have changed. I feel bittersweet nostalgia as I look at some of the places I visit, such as where I met my first girlfriend, first had sex, as well as just being in a place that wasn't easy to live in because I didn't fit the standard. Being back here is strange, and yet good. I get to see my mom after all.

In other news, I called on Eligos during my workshop, which he was cool with, but which also indicates that yes we're going to work more closely together. I'm still continuing to do a lot of work around shame. Even as I was teaching the workshops, I was carefully monitoring my own responses and reactions and caught some things I'll be exploring further because I think it'll help me work with shame even further.

11-16-15 I decided to sign up for a class on how to write for the social web. I feel anxious and excited. I'm a good writer, but I can be a better writer. Just as importantly I really want to make a living at what I'm doing and getting some help with that is well worth it. If you don't challenge your strengths, you'll never know how far you can really go.

11-18-15 In Awakening the Luminous Mind, the author makes an interesting point about hope that I've been mulling over the last couple days. He explains that hope disguises a hidden fear of lack within people and that if we examine hope we'll discover that it creates attachment about what you want to receive from other people...in other words a person hopes that someone will fill up their own sense of lack. In considering this perspective on hope, I've come to agree with the author. I recognize this in my feelings of hope. I want something or someone to fill up my sense of lack...which is really an unfair attachment to put on someone else. It also is a continuation of the lack because no one else can fill up the sense of lack you feel in your life (as I've discovered the hard way numerous times). This isn't to say hope can't be a good feeling to experience, because sometimes it can be, such as when you feel about a new job or hope about some endeavor you are doing. It becomes a negative feeling when you don't recognize the sense of lack that underlies it or how the hope is a form of attachment holding you back from being in touch with yourself.

11-20-15 I'm a brim with inspiration for my businesses! I feel excited about them! I haven't felt this way in a long time, but I do now. It's a marvelous feeling. This month off from my regular routines...I needed it. You can't get unstuck until you are willing to step away from what you are stuck in.

11-23-15 Something I've been meditating on the last few days is how you hold space with the feeling of shame you have around people you've harmed. It's not easy because what you're facing is your capacity to hurt people and recognizing that in fact you can and have hurt people. I think most people would like to believe they don't have it in them to hurt someone else, other than inadvertently, but if we're really being honest, I think if anything most people have the capacity and at some time or another do so deliberately, for whatever reason. Certainly I have done that and it's no easy thing to sit with, to realize what an utter bastard I can be, and yet also recognize how much of that is informed by my own insecurities and weaknesses and fears. And holding that while actually also holding space with someone you've hurt...even harder and yet oh so necessary if you are ever going to make things right (if they can be made right). I think working with shame is really opening some doors for me in regards to my sabotages and failures.

My Work with Eligos

In this video I share how Eligos and I have worked together during my spiritual retreat:

My visit to the New Alexandrian Library

Recently I had the pleasure and privilege to visit the New Alexandrian Library, which is run by the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel. I was in the area to present classes, but I also visited for the express purpose of seeing the library and donating some of the rare works that I've had in my possession. I am happy to say those works are now in the possession of the library, where they will be given the finest care and be available for anyone to access who visits the library. The library is a distinct possibility of where my books may go in the event of my death, but that will hopefully be a long, long time off.

The above picture is painting created by Dion Fortune. The NAL had three other paintings from her as well.

The ASW is still in the process of constructing the library, but it's pretty much finished and what I saw looked impressive. They also already have a good collection of rare books and its worth noting that they don't just collect books, but also magazines and periodicals. Most of my donation were issues of UK. Pagan and chaos magic magazines, but also issues of Konton Magazine, and some chap books by Michael Ford on Luciferian magical practices. I also donated my signed copy of Wilhelm Reich's Character Armor and the gallery copies of Kink Magic, because I know the library will preserve the books and magazines and also make sure people can access them (if only on the property). You can't easily find a lot of this material so having a library that is devoted to the preservation of writing on spiritual topics is essential.

This was a ceremonial chair from an 18th century esoteric order based in Germany.

They don't just have books in the library. I got to see ritual garb, a chair from an 18th century German Lodge and four paintings from Dion Fortune. Again these materials are being taken care of and preserved so that Pagans can see them and appreciate them. We need a place where this kind of preservation will occur, because it allows us to appreciate the magical heritage and foundation that informs the evolution of magic.

A Picture of the many bookshelves crammed with rare esoteric books. The books can be examined in the library, but are not available to borrow. (They do have a part of the library where you can borrow books, but most of the collection is rare books they are preserving).

I know I'll continue donating my collection to the library (at least part of it). At some point I want to donate copies of Immanion Press books to the library and I may actually go through and send them some of the out of print books we have for that specific purpose. Having a space such as this is something I want to support. Admittedly I won't be able to get to it easily, being on the other side of the country, but the fact that there is a library where esoteric works are valued and preserved is important for the Pagan community and something that all of us need to support.

This is a picture of part of my rare collection I donated to the library. I've gotten what I've needed from these magazines and books and want the library to preserve them. You can find all the pictures from my tour here.

Magical Experiments Radio: Interview about Shamanic Astrology with Erik Roth

Radio Interview: I was interviewed by Magick Radio Chicago about Pop Culture Magic. Here's the archived version.

Book Review: Magical Imagination by Nick Farrell

Magical Imagination is a substantial revision of Nick's book Magical Pathworking. I really liked Magical Pathworking and in my opinion Magical Imagination is even better. Having read both books its interesting for me to see Nick's journey in this work and how he has changed as a result. As to the book itself, I found that what I liked about it is that Nick explores pathworking from multiple perspectives and disciplines including archetypal/psychological, mythological, and most importantly through imagination. Nick treats imagination as a magical tool, which is a refreshing change of pace from how its often treated. This is a book that's applicable to a variety of magical paths and should be required reading.

Book Review: Adventures in Consciousness by Jane Roberts

The first half of this book a biographical excerpt of Jane Roberts life, which is interesting if you want to learn about the person behind Seth. I felt it gave me some useful context. However what really interested me was the second half of the book, where Roberts discusses aspect psychology and explores the topic of space/time and how a person's identity creates possibilities. Given that a lot of what she shares is similar to my own work on the topic, I wish I'd read this book years ago, but for anyone reading this book it'll provide some intriguing ideas to help you understand identity and space/time and how they fit together.

Book Review: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip

This was one of the first Fantasy books I ever read and reading it many years later, I'm still struck by the richness of the world and characters. The author is a master of her craft and if you enjoy fantasy or are intrigued by how metaphysical concepts show up in Fantasy this is a book worth reading. Every time I've revisited this book I've felt like I'm seeing a long lost friend and rediscovering the joy that fantasy books first brought me.

Book Review: Firebug by Lish McBride

Firebug is an interesting adventure as the main character and compatriots seek their freedom from their boss. The universe is set in our world and is somewhat similar to the Dresden Files universe, though the author does enough to distinguish her books from Jim Butcher's. I like her other books, but while I did enjoy this one, it just didn't grab me in the same way as her previous works. Part of the issue is that the main character mainly comes off as whiny and ineffective. I don't really care about her or the other characters. The pacing of the story is a bit of a slog, though it picks up a bit in the last 5 chapters.

Why I'm taking a Spiritual Retreat from my writing

I share why I'm taking a spiritual retreat from my writing and the benefits of a spiritual retreat. Watch the video to learn more:

Living the Myth

In Magical Imagination by Nick Farrell shares a cautionary story of a magical group that made the Arthurian mythos a part of their identity and consequently ended up re-enacting that myth in their lives. The point that Nick makes is that too close of an identification with a mythos can cause you to manifest the themes and characters in your life in ways that aren't desirable. In the case of that magical group, the head of the group lost his wife when she ran off another person in the group (a Lancelot to the head's Arthur) and then had issues with other people who ended up replicating other aspects of the mythos. It's a good cautionary story that highlights the reality that when you work closely with a given mythology and identify with the entities in that mythology, it can take on a life of its own and effect your life both positively and negatively.

Pop culture mythology is no different than classical mythology, other than the fact that its contemporary mythology. If you look at a given mythology it has themes and values written into the story and it has characters that perform essential roles in moving the story along and relating the narrative to people. Most importantly the mythology establishes a shared sense of identity with the fan. That identity is what causes the fan to like the pop culture mythology and to either replicate it or create new myths within the mythology. This is why fan fiction of various types is written, because it allows the people writing it (and reading it) to contribute to the pop culture mythology and also interact with the characters they love.

If you want to magically work with the mythology of your favorite pop culture, it's worth while to do so carefully. You may find that you identify strongly with certain characters, but you don't want to identify so strongly that you take on their flaws. I once did some work with several characters from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms mythology and part of that work was influenced by how they were depicted in the Dynasty Warrior video game series. I identified strongly with the character Lu Bu, but ended up taking on some of his less desirable traits such as his anger and short-sightedness. Once I realized this I stopped working with him and those issues just as quickly ceased showing up in my behavior. What I've done since then is build in filters so that if I'm working with a given character closely, I'm only taking on the attributes that are helpful to me and the work I'm doing.

When you work with the pop culture mythology at large, you need to not only pay attention to the characters, but also the themes of the mythology itself so that you can be aware of how those themes are showing up in your life. That awareness can help you to build in appropriate filters while also drawing on the themes in a way that is helpful to the work you are doing. I also think it can be worthwhile to actually do some banishing if you find that the theme of a given pop culture mythology is replicating itself in your life too much. At the same time, its important to recognize that if the pop culture mythology is a central part of your practice, then part of accepting that mythology involves recognizing that the themes may need to occur in your life because of how you are making them central to your identity. However that doesn't mean you have to let those themes into your life in an unhealthy way, which is why it is so important to filter and focus on what relationship you really want to have with the mythology you are working with.

There is one other point to make and it is that when you choose to work closely with a mythology, pop culture or otherwise, you are inviting change into your life and you won't have complete control of that change. What you do have control over is how you respond to it and so it is very important to pay close attention to your behavior and interactions with other people. If you find that certain thematic elements are coming into your life, ask yourself how you will handle those elements and make sure that you are aware of how they show up in the lives of the people around you. That way you can be prepared for them and make sure that the themes show up in a way that is helpful to your life journey and spiritual practice.

Do you like my writing? If so become my patron on Patreon. Your support helps me continue my writing and experimentation.

Magical Experiments Radio: Interview with Crystal Blanton about Racism and Cultural Appropriation in the Pagan Community.

Vibration and Magic part 4

Learn how to use the 5 healing sounds to dissolve blockages and align yourself with desired realities. Watch the video to learn more:

The first round of Inner Alchemy Foundations is starting Tuesday

Inner Alchemy is the cultivation of your potential through breath, sound, energy work, and practical skills that help you achieve, clarity, presence, and purpose for your life and turn the lead of failure into the gold of success.

In this bi-weekly Teleclass, we'll explore how to cultivate clarity, presence, and purpose in your life through a combination of meditation techniques, energy work, and practical skills, all designed to help you step more fully into yourself as a person and professional. Whether you want to show up more fully in your personal relationships or your profession or simply want to dive deeper into a better relationship with yourself, this class will teach you the foundational skills of Inner Alchemy. You will learn the following:

• Taoist Breathing Meditations to cultivate your Chi and enhance your quality of life.
• Dzogchen Stillness Meditation to cultivate presence in your life.
• Dzogchen Sound meditations to cultivate clarity in your life.
• Practical skills based off western meditation and neuroscience that help you discover opportunities.
• Wealth Magic techniques to help you manifest your goals into reality.
• Plus, time for YOUR questions!

Whether you've just started practicing magic or have been practicing it for years, this class will teach you the fundamental skills of Inner Alchemy and how to step more fully into your life, relationship and work.

When you take the Inner Alchemy Foundations class you get the following benefits:

• Greater clarity about the purpose of your life and work.
• A deeper, intimate connection with your body, mind, and spirit.
• A comprehensive exploration of Taoist, Dzogchen and Western breathing and sound meditations
• New skills and tools to enhance your magical work.
• Hands-on work with me helping you implement these practices into your life.

Who should attend this class?

This class if for any pagan or magician that wants to achieve more with their life and wants access to skills that can help them be more successful. If you are an armchair magician, then this class isn't for you.

When does this class meet?

This class meets every other week via teleconference starting on Tuesday November 3rd from 7 pm to 8pm Pacific Standard Time until February 16th.

About the Teacher

Hi, I’m Taylor Ellwood, occult author, magical experiment, and Esoteric books publisher. I love to share my expertise, knowledge, and process with you! I’ve been teaching classes on magic since the late 1990′s. What I love about magic is the endless possibilities for experimentation and process development.

Learn more about Taylor

Bonuses

When you take this class you get the following bonuses:

• Access to a private online forum where you can interact with other class mates and me as you take this class.
• Free recordings of the class for your records
• A Half hour one-on-one conference with me to help you get the most out of this class.

How to Register

The investment for this class is $100 a month (for 4 Months). To sign up click on the button below.

Suggested Books

The following books will enhance your work with this class.

Inner Alchemy The Book of Good Practices Manifesting Wealth

How magical workings evolve

Recently I was talking with a student who was telling me about how the job entity she'd created in the Process of Magic class, as well as several other workings had seemed to evolve and change to fit her own changing circumstances. I wasn't surprised, because in my experience a magical working never really ends, so much as it changes. I've noticed that some people buy into the notion that there is an end to a magical working, as if the manifestation of the result just finishes it up, and yet what is not recognized is that the manifestation of a result does't just manifest the result, but also the subsequent changes that occur because the result is turned into reality. The magic doesn't end with the result, but carries forth into those changes.

Now it could be argued that a magic working should have a defined beginning and end, and certainly the actual working may have that defined beginning and ending, but when you are doing magic, the working ultimately isn't just limited to those moments who you are engaged in it. The working extends beyond the formal beginning and ending, shaped by the circumstances that called for the working and shaping reality in response to those circumstances. You can do a working and in the initial moment not recognize the changes, only to realize later just how much your life has changed as a result of doing the working.

A magical working isn't something to be done lightly. It may help you solve a problem in the moment, but also set your life up in ways you didn't expect. In some ways I think of a magical working as a living being in and of itself. It changes as your life changes and in some ways prompts the change in your life, which is why the saying Be careful what you ask for, because you will get it, is an apt one. There's a reason that the words you use in a magical working are chosen carefully, because you aren't just setting up the immediate realization of the magical working, but also the permutations of that working.

Yet you can't let that stop you from doing magical work. And if you're seriously engaged in doing the work you'll find that what allows you to make the evolution of the magic work best in your favor is the implementation of daily internal work that allows you to work through your issues and helps you recognize what you really want.

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Magical Experiments: Interview with Gordana Kokic about Slavic Polytheism

Vibration and Magic part 3

In part 3 we do an exercise in vibration and sound to appreciate how it applies to magical work. Watch the video to find out more!

Elemental Balancing Ritual Stillness Month 12: Control

9-27-15 I had some important realizations this weekend that have helped me to put some behavior into the right context. Sometimes you need to have a conversation that provides a different frame of reference, because that reference provides the necessary context for you to make informed choices and decisions. Or it helps you understand a point of view that doesn't come to you naturally. I'm also practicing a lot of stillness in all of this realization, holding space with my feelings, without getting attached to them. Projections become regrets, which hold you back from really being present with the moment you are in. Stilling the self allows for the acknowledgement, but also the letting go of those projections and attachments, so they don't become regrets.

9-28-15 I've observed before that I have a tendency to realize an issue and react to it. I sat with that further today in meditation and I recognized how I haven't honored myself or the people important to me because I've been too quick to act. While recognizing an issue and doing nothing about isn't healthy, nor is quickly reacting to it. So I'm really just sitting with what I'm feeling and taking my time with it. I don't need to have a quick solution. I need to have a response that is considered and fully allows me to make a change that actually is helpful because it considers everyone involved. I don't think I've ever given myself time to heal and consider what has happened in the relationships I've been in. I've jumped from relationship to relationship and repeated at least some of the mistakes, because I didn't give myself time to heal and learn from my experiences. This time with stillness has helped me to finally recognize this about myself and I'm just sitting with it because I've never done that before.

10-3-15 In Awakening the Luminous Mind, the author talks about stillness as being able to be present with emptiness. As I read about stillness as a refuge for the body, and how it allows the person to experience the state of emptiness as a changelessness, it helped me appreciate stillness in a different way. I felt like something unfolded in me and I was able to go deeper into the stillness than I had before. I was able to experience it as a refuge. This deeper experience made me realize that I need to spend more time with stillness and my inner contacts seem to agree. It's one of those experiences where the consistent work piles up to produce a realization that in turn takes you even deeper into the work.

10-4-15 Woke up this morning reflecting on control in my life and what a weird relationship I have with it. When I was growing up, my parents raised in a simultaneously strict and free environment. I could go off and do whatever I wanted, with little to no oversight, and yet they could also be very strict with me. For example they didn't care if I wandered around the neighborhood, but if I wanted to play video games, I was strongly encouraged not to and frequently grounded so I couldn't (and yet I could wander around). What this really told me is that as long as I wasn't in their space, they didn't care what I did or din't do. To some degree this pattern has replicated itself in my romantic relationships, where I've been with partners who've tried to control me in some ways and in other ways haven't cared what I did, as long as I wasn't in their space. What I've always resented is the feeling of someone trying to control me in one particular way or another and as a result I'll fight back and sabotage the relationship, much like I did with my parents. I would find ways to undermine their control over me, but I never directly communicated with them about my issues with their parenting because I was a child and also because I'd have gotten punished as opposed to communicated with. The problem is that the pattern carried into adulthood and into my relationships so that instead of communicating openly with my partners, I would end up sabotaging them in some form or manner. I think if I had communicated better, I'd have likely either had healthier relationships or gotten out of them a lot earlier than I did. That said at least I can recognize the pattern and do something about it now.

10-9-15 You have control of your behavior. You may feel like you don't...you may feel you are at the mercy of some of your behavior, but if you do the internal work and dig down far enough you'll recognize that you do have control and that you do have reasons for doing whatever you are doing. Perhaps you aren't consciously in touch, but that can be remedied. The real question is what do you do when you figure out why you are doing certain behaviors? At that point you definitely have control and its up to you to make choices you can live with, as well as accept consequences for.

Another thought related to the above. Internal conflict is both a distraction and a recognition of some sorts. It's a distraction because its something you are focused on, trying to resolve, but its also a recognition that if you get your act together, you'll be dynamic.

On yet another note...I will likely never be one of the cool kids of the occult. I have over the years watched with fascination who is "in" and who isn't and I am definitely not in, by any stretch. I've always been on the outskirts, and I've learned I just have to make my own space, my own community, and if I do that eventually people find their way to me. Feels that way with pop culture magic. Eleven years ago it wasn't cool. Now I see more people writing about it, doing it, etc., and I imagine it'll continue to become more accepted as more people about it and try it. The cool kids don't innovate. The innovators are the people on the outskirts doing something other people won't do because it's not "in." You stick with what's in and there won't be much change or evolution of a discipline. You have to be willing to go outside what's conventional and take a risk. You won't be a cool kid...you'll get a lot of flak or just people not getting what you do until suddenly they do get it, but you've already moved on, because the outskirts have moved as well.

10-14-15 When I observe other people who have some degree of fame or presence, what I also inevitably observe is the silent partner, the person who supports the celebrity of the family. I've also noticed that if you put two people together who have some degree of fame, inevitably there is a clash of some sort because there is a competition then. It's an interesting phenomenon to observe, and at the same time I also notice that if each person is a celebrity, but in a different sphere than the other then it can work out quite well because you can take turns supporting each other.

10-15-15 When you are feeling frustration around an issue, it can be useful to spend some time with it, instead of just venting it. It's not easy to feel and work through, but what it can reveal are deeper issues being covered up or glossed over when you vent about the surface level symptom. In my case, I'm feeling some frustration around finances and recognizing that some of it actually has to do with how I handle money and also recognizing certain patterns of behavior that have occurred across relationships, which indicates that at least part of the issue is me and my relationship with money. So I'm going to spend some more time with this feeling and really dig into it. I know in doing so, I'm doing the right thing, because I'm choosing to really get clear on what the problem is.

10-17-15 Today as I walked, I thought about how I'm responsible for the choices in my life. I can blame other people for choices I've made, but if I'm honest with myself, they aren't responsible...I am. I'm responsible because I chose to be in that relationship instead of making the choice to leave. Or I'm responsible for the lack of communication on my part. And I'm responsible for not making a choice because of whatever other circumstances are at work in my life that persuade me not to. Of course I'm also responsible for the good choices I've made, and I need to remember that just as much as taking responsibility for the mistakes.

I also thought about dying alone after reading an article on the Death of George Bell. It made me realize how important social connections are and why I'm glad I have people in my life and why I want to keep those people in my life.

10-20-15 Today is the last day I'm 38. I was thinking the other day that I'm reaching the point in my life where sometime in the next two decades I will hit my probable halfway mark of life. I won't know when it is, and yet it will come and after that I will have less time ahead of me. If that seems a bit morbid, it is, and yet at the same it is also freeing. This life will eventually end and I or something of me anyway will transition on to somewhere else.

I've recently started reading Quabalistic Concepts by William G. Gray. As I was reading it, a thought came to mind: The Infinity of Nothing Reveals the Possibility of Everything." It's really appropriate for me to be reading this book because Gray talks about becoming nothing, about stilling yourself and as a result really coming face to face with your inner identity. The state of nothing he discusses is similar to the state of stillness I experience in doing Zhine. There is a fundamental recognition that before you can do something, you need to go back to the beginning, become nothing in order to discover something.

10-21-15 I'm 39. My thirties have been tumultuous at times, but also more stable than other times of my life. I think this last year of being in my thirties will be a great one. I'm finally getting a handle on some issues I've worked with before. I see these cycles in my life where I work on them and get to a place and then pause and then continue and work further, each time making progress. I'm glad I'm sticking with stillness for another year. I feel that I'm just starting to get to a deeper place with it that warrants further in depth work. When you do this work...really do it, it will take you some deep places and you've got it the time it deserves, so you can learn and grow. Happy birthday to me!

Revisiting Fire Breathing

I've recently started doing Fire Breathing meditation (also known as the microcosmic orbit) again. I'd taken a break from it a few years back because I'd progressed to a certain point with it where the information I had access to wasn't correct and ended up making myself physically ill. Once I stopped doing the fire breathing work and did some water breathing meditation, I was able to undo the damage and figured I'd take some time to do some more research on the breathing meditation and find better resources than I had access to. I've been re-reading Qigong Meditation Small Circulation by Dr Jwing-Ming Yang, which is an excellent resource on this topic, and I got to a place where some of that information clicked in a new way and I knew I was ready to start doing fire breathing meditation once again.

Thanks to the combination of Water Breathing Meditation and the work I've done with stillness via Dzogchen meditation, I've found that my internal energy is much more primed to do the microcosmic orbit work so I've started adding fire breathing to my meditation practice, usually after everything else has concluded. For the moment, I'm just focusing on the microcosmic orbit. I'll probably stick with that for a while before starting up the macrocosmic orbit, in order to condition my internal energy and my body to the way fire meditation works.

I waited to go back to this particular practice until I knew the time was right to do so. I recognize that while part of the issue may have been the material I was drawing on, part of it also may have been that I simply wasn't ready for the type of work I was doing. But with this kind of work you can "know" when you are ready and that's what happened recently. I'll post occasional updates as I continue to do the work, and record what's happening and how the meditation and energy work is affecting me.

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Magical Experiments Radio: A panel on Pop Culture Magic, featuring myself, Rune Emerson, Vincent Piazza, and Felix Warren, and graciously moderated by Bill Duvendack, done in part to celebrate the release of Pop Culture Magic 2.0 and The Pop Culture Grimoire 2.0 and also to celebrate my Birthday (happening tomorrow).