2) insight meditation (mindfullness).
Most kinds of meditation are the concentrative type. One simply
focuses his attention upon a single physical object (such as a
candle flame); upon a sensation (such as that felt while walking
or breathing); upon an emotion (such as reverence or love); upon
a mantra spoken aloud or even silently; or upon a visualization
(as in chakra meditation, see below)…Concentration meditation
is, simply put, a form of self-hypnosis.
A mantra (or mantrum) is one or more words or syllables
which are repeated — often chanted — aloud…A simple yet
powerful mantra is to vibrate the mystical word ‘OM’. This
mantra has long been associated in India with the godhead/unity.
Use it to aid in tuning into universal vibrations which promote
feelings of harmony, peace, and well-being. Use it before magick
ritual to ‘get into the mood’ and afterward to ‘dismiss the
forces’. You vibrate a mantra by saying it slowly aloud in a
lower-pitched voice than your normal speech, and a more or less
constant pitch as well. Let the sound fade at the end of the
mantra. A powerful one such as ‘OM’ will seem to vibrate the air
around you. It should be vocalized for 5-10 seconds and repeated
a number of times with a few seconds rest between each
vocalization. Chanting of mantras may cause slight dizziness
from hyperventilation.
The other main type of meditaiton — insight meditation
— is the analysis of thoughts and feelings in such a way as to
cause realization of the subjectivity and illusion of
experience. This is done in a effort to attain trancendental
awareness. Such statements as, ‘This body is not me’, fall under
this category. Buddhist meditations are usually of this type.
CHAKRA MEDITATION
There is a special type of concentrative meditation
which we will call ‘Chakra meditation’. This is basicly
Kundalini yoga — the practice of causing psychic energy
(kundalini) to flow up sushumna, energizing the various
chakras along the way. The practice, considered dangerous by
some, will produce deffinite physiological sensations and
psychological effects if continued long enough. It should not
be attempted by epileptics or persons with an unstable mental
or physical condition, or with heart disease. Certain drugs and
medications, such as those used to treat epilepsy may retard
progress. Although the technique is very simple, it may
eventually produce powerful results. Results may at first appear
hours after the practice during sleep. As each chakra is
energized by this practice, it is said to add occult powers
(sidhis), until at last the crown chakra is reached, and with
it, full enlightenment is attained. Sometimes kundalini awakens
all by itself.
To practice this chakra meditation, you simply
concentrate on the chakras, beginning with the root chakra, and
moving progressively up, as you visualize psychic energy from
the root chakra traveling up shushumna and vivifying each higher
chakra. As we mentioned the chakras have certain properties
associated with them, so that this type of visualization may
‘raise consciousness’, promote astral projection, and other
things — once you have reached ajna and eventually the crown
chakra. You might typically meditate in this fashion for 15
minutes to a half hour a day. It might help to practice some
hatha yoga or other physical exercise in an effort to make the
spinal cord ‘more flexible’. Diet may also affect the process.
The technique is also similar to the Tibetan ‘Tummo’ meditation.
The rise of kundalini is sometimes experienced as a ‘vibration’
or buzzing, as light, or as heat.
HEALTH AND DIET
Certainly the way you treat your physical body will
affect your mind. In magick you want an alert mind. Therefore,
your body must be as healthy as you can keep it. Take care of
your body. Exercise regularly. eat a good diet (with vitamin
supplements), and do not consume anything which will have a
negative effect upon the mind. Drugs, smoking,, and alcohol
should be restricted, or eliminated. (The mind can create any
condition which a drug can create.) A good rule here is
moderation in what and how much you consume. (Most of this stuff
is pretty obvious isn’t it.) You may also want to cut down on
sugar and processed foods. Many occultists advise dietary
changes, expecially the non-eating of meat. We cannot deny the
physical, psychological, and spiritual effect which all foods
have. This effect may be described as the ‘heaviness’ factor of
foods. Various foods are so ranked in the chart, lighter to
heavier…
1. lettuce and other greens.
2. fruits and most vegetables.
3. wheat, rice, and other grains.
4. nuts, beans, and other legumes.
5. cheese, dairy products, including eggs.
6. fish, seafood.
7. chicken, poultry.
8. beef, pork, other red meats.
Note that meats, especially red meats are the ‘heaviest’ foods.
Generally, foods which are harder to digest, or which are higher
in protein are ‘heavier’ than those which are not. Animal
products are heavier than plants. Foods high in carbohydrate
(candy, bread, starch) are heavy. However, the ‘heaviness’ of
foods is not directly related to the amount of caleries.
What this means is that for various reasons, the
heaviness of food in your diet will affect your magical
experiences. You may be able to increase your psychic
receptivity (‘energy level’) by eating lighter foods, or by
eating less. Conversely, emphasizing heavy foods in your diet,
or eating larger helpings, may help to ‘bring you down to earth’
should you ‘rent the veil’ too much. These are generalizations,
of course, and it may take a number of days of dietary change
before you notice much effect. I do not advocate radical dietary
changes, excessive fasting, or malnutrition. Your good health is
far more important in magick than any temporary effect you get
from prolonged starvation. A change in diet will sometimes only
produce a temporary effect, until the physical body adapts to
the change. Healthy natural foods and lifestyle make it easier
for us to be healthy, but ultimately, good health is a mentual
quality (attitude).
THE FOUR-FOLD BREATH
With physical exercise too, moderation is advised.
(You should be cautious, or not attempt it if you have a
respiratory or heart condition. Check with your physician if in
doubt, and don’t overdo.) One of the most useful physical
exercises is pranayama, or controlled breathing (actually a type
of hatha yoga exercise). For this and any other calesthentics or
hatha yoga which you might choose to do a ‘kitchen timer’ is
suggested (many of these aren’t accurate for under three
minutes, but are helpful for longer periods).
The main purpose of pranayama is to relax the body and
mind. There are many kinds of pranayama, but a simple one called
the ‘four-fold breath’ will suffice. This consists of four short
quick inhallations, then four short quick exhallations; then
repeat, continuing until the allotted time is used up. It will
take about 1 1/2 seconds for the four inhallations, and about
1 1/2 seconds for the four exhallations; or about 3 seconds for
the complete in-out cycle (‘rep’ for repetition). There should
be no strain of any kind during your pranayama. You will
probably notice a slight dizziness, particularly at first, since
the effect of pranayama is to hyperventilate. Try sitting back
in a chair with your eyes closed when you do your pranayama.
Begin a minute a day for the first week and gradually increase
up to about five minutes a day. If you do the pranayama befor
your magical activity, it will help you to get ‘into the mood’.
It is also an excellent aid to relaxation and tension release.
Pranayama should not be done during heavy air pollution. Other
exercises you might consider are hatha yoga, calesthentics,
walking or jogging.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is a chakra? List them.
2) Name the three major nadies. Which nadi is hot?
3) What is pranayama?
BOOK LIST
Arthur Diekman, The Observing Self.
W.Y. Evans-Wentz, Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines.
Sandra Gibson, Beyond the Mind.
King and Skinner, Techniques of High Magic.
Swami Sivananda, Kundalini Yoga.
John Woodroffe (pseud. for Arthur Avalon), The Serpent Power.
** MAGICK 6 — THOUGHTFORMS AND SPIRITS **
Although there are hundreds of kinds of divination,
the principle ones are astrology, geomancy, the tarot, the
I Ching, and direct psychic means (especially clairvoyance).
True divination is more than a mechanical system, for it
implies true psychic interpretation (receiving). Some form of
divination is often used in magick ritual to communicate with
the entity invoked.
Since divination operates through the mind, it is
affected and biased by the mind. Our attitudes and fears may
alter it. Sometimes results are very detailed, and accurate
— but not always. Often the future is plastic and changeable
anyway, and the use of magick may alter the result. Thus
divination shows tendencies only, which may be helpful, but
must not rule us.
DEVELOPING CLAIRVOYANCE
It is possible to improve your natural ability with
clairvoyance through practice. A good start might be to look
around you, then close your eyes and try to picture your
surroundings. This is also good exercise for visualization. And
visualization is an essential talent in magick. Open your eyes
again and check your accuracy. Then close your eyes and try it
again. When you use your physical eyes, look at everything
like a child seeing it for the first time. Let the vividness
of color and form burn into you, until everything takes on a
veritable glow. Try to capture that glow when you close your
eyes now and picture your surroundings. It’s just a simple
step to extend what you see with your eyes closed into what
you remember seeing in the next room, or what you *imagine*
seeing in the next building, the next city, even the other
side of the world. Don’t expect perfect results, especially at
first. Just try to be even partly right. Another exercise is
to picture a clock face, and thereby tell the time
clairvoyantly.
THE AURA
Under the right conditions, it is possible to
clairvoyantly observe a colored light around other people.
This is known as the ‘aura’. Sometimes the aura is seen as
multi-colored emanations around the person, built up of
various differently colored layers and zones. Although many
occult dabblers claim to be able to see the aura easily and
under many varied conditions, I seriously doubt that they do.
There are optical illusions and qualities of sight which can
sometimes trick one into thinking he sees what he does not
see. In this area, the quality of sight known as after image
is especially pertinent. Do this: stare at any solidly colored
bright object for a few moments. Very intense red, green, or
blue are especially good for this. Now look away at a white
surface and you will see a phantom image of the object in its
complementary color (a red object will show green, a blue one
orange, etc.). If the bright object is in front of a light
surface, you may observe a fringe of complementary color
around the object after a few moments. This is all very
normal, and is used by some magical groups as an aid to
visualization sometimes called ‘flashing colors’. Some silly
people will stare at other people in the same way. And when
they see the after image of the person’s clothing, they think
they are seeing his aura. What is more, various meanings have
been attributed to the colors of the aura. A psychic who can
see the aura is supposed to be able to determine that persons
emotional state. Thus psychic frauds can have a marvelous
time with auras. One deluded psychic taught a class I
attended in which he performed instant psychoanalysis on the
basis of the supposed aura. It was obvious that he was
actually observing after images from the students clothes!
This brings us to the chart of aura colors on the next
page. It is a general guide, based mostly on Theosophical
material. Various groups may attribute different meanings to
the colors. The colors we show on the chart are emotional in
nature; useful if you plan to create an artificial elemental
or do healing. Surrounding yourself with a particular color
will tend to produce the specific psychological effect
described in the chart. That quality of color is useful in
magick ritual.
.pa (next page)
COLORS OF THE AURA
BLACK malice
dark gray depression
pale gray fear
BROWN materialism
muddy gray selfishness
or
dull rust
RED energy
bright red anger and force
dirty red passion and sensuality
dull red selfish love
rose unselfish love
ORANGE pride
orange cloud irritability
bright orange noble indignation
YELLOW intellect
yellow-green low intellect
earthy yellow selfish thought
lemmon high intellect
bright gold logical thinking
brt. red-yel. spiritual thought
GREEN empathy
gray-green deceit, jealously
greenish-brown jealousy
emerald green unselfish resourcefulness
foliage green sympathy & empathy
brt. apple-grn strong vitality
brt. turquoise deep sympathy & compassion
BLUE devotion (religious feeling)
gray-blue fetishism
light blue noble spiritual devotion
dark blue religious feeling
brt. lilac-blu lofty religious idealism
VIOLET spiritual psychic & spiritual
faculty
WHITE purity/protection
.pa
THOUGHTFORMS AND SPIRITS
Whenever we concentrate our thoughts, we draw psychic
energy together. This is called a thoughtform. Usually the
energy dissipates as soon as we break the concentration, but
it is possible to purposely concentrate energy in this way,
producing very strong thoughtforms. Such thoughtforms are
vortexes or centers of psychic energy. They can exist as
entities by themselves, at least for a while. They are
basically inanimate, non-thinking forces. Talking to one is
about as logical as talking to a chair. In this way,
thoughtforms are similar to elementals, ghosts, and spirits.
All of these psychic entities consist of a psychic energy
vortex which could be described as a localized field or as a
discontinuity of the physical world.
Psychic entities respond to certain electrostatic and
magnetic fields, and to other energy vortexes. That is why
they respond to magick ritual. Someday, we may accomplish the
same thing with electronic machines. Psychic entities are
sometimes able to affect our thought processes.
Thoughtforms, elementals, and ghosts are usually not
very smart. If they display any intelligence at all, it is
limited. They are the morons of the spirit world. Their
behavior is usually automatic, repetitive, robot-like (just
like some people). We see that artificial elementals
are little more than astral robots. Spirits and deities are
more intelligent and volitional.
DIRECTED ATTENTION
Your mind follows your attention. Wherever you direct
your attention, there will your thoughts go too. By directing
attention to a specific place or purpose you *focus* mental
energy upon it.
For example: you’re having lunch in a cafeteria
crowded with people. It is a large place, and everyone there
is talking at once, so that the room is a constant jumble of
noise. You happen to notice a man accross the room; he
reminds you of someone. All at once he drops his fork and you
hear it hit the table. But would you have noticed the sound
of his fork if you had not been looking? No. Only by focusing
your attention there were you able to pick out that
individual event and associated sound.
It is a dark night. You are walking and the only
light you have is from the flashlight you hold in your hand.
As you move the flashlight around, the beam of light from it
directs your attention first one way then another. Now, the
mind is something like that flashlight in the dark. And by
directed attention, you point the mind to one place or
another. As with that flashlight beam, you see where the mind
is pointed; nothing more. The rest is ‘noise’. And so we
could define mental noise as anything not focused upon. In
another way, noise could be considered as negative emotions,
attitudes, and thoughts which make it more difficult to
direct the attention.
Your emotions follow your thoughts quite easily. Your
emotions are not YOU, but are rather reactions prompted by
your model and ego — like a performance or an act, while
the real you watches. In a similar way, directing your
attention toward a specific emotion will cause you to
experience that emotion.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is the aura?
2) What is a thoughtform?
3) How can you develope clairvoyance?
BOOK LIST
Annie Bessant and Charles Leadbeater, Thought Forms.
W.E. Butler, How to Develop Clairvoyance.
J.H. Brennan, Astral Doorways.
Piero Ferrucci, What We May Be.
Kilner, The Human Aura.
Swami Panchadasi, The Human Aura.
A.E. Powell, The Etheric Double.
Harold Sherman, How to Make ESP Work for You.
** MAGICK 7 — BASIC RITUAL **
It may be said that ritual is the very heart of
magick. For it is through ritual that we acheive our magical
results. Ritual is a magical procedure or ceremony we perform
in order to change the environment. Usually we think of
ritual as bearing on active magick, although certainly, it
can also affect passive magick. Most often the change
achieved is subjective and in the physical world. Outsiders
may put them down to coincidence, but the effects are very
real. Magical goals for a ritual should not be taken lightly.
The successful practice of magick depends upon strong
belief. The simplest ritual of them all must be belief
itself. If you can believe in your desired results strongly
enough, that act is a magical ritual which will achieve your
results. Even a very complex ritual is no more effective than
strong belief. There are aids to concentration which may
help. Thus in *creative visualization*, imagination and
controlled breathing are brought into play.
CREATIVE VISUALIZATION
When you want to magically achieve something, first
picture it clearly in your mind. The more deffinite and
specific your idea of what it is the better. Picture yourself
having it or doing it. Visualize it as vividly and as
intensely as you can and hold it in your thoughts for a few
moments. Concentrate on it intensely (it may help to hold
your breath). Feel the energy of desire welling up inside
you. Then suddenly feel the image or desire released from
your mind. Feel the energy filtering through the image and
intensifying it, as if the image is a ‘stencil’. Imagine the
energy exploding out from you into the macrocosm in all
directions at once, and feel the universe ’tilt’ as it reacts
to the force. (At the same time it may help to release your
breath suddenly). Feel the energy draining from you. Finally,
*believe* that your purpose *has* been accomplished; that it
HAS HAPPENED, perhaps saying something such as “so mote it
be”, or “it is done”.
THE BASIC PARTS OF A RITUAL
Often rituals are more formal than the above, but any
full magick ritual must always reduce to these stages —
1) imaging; 2) building; 3) firing. Sometimes a ritual must
be repeated every day for a while to achieve difficult
results or to overcome weak belief.
THE MAGICK CIRCLE
Often an important part of formal ritual is the
magick circle. Medieval magicians considered the circle
essential, and placed great emphasis upon its exactness.
Elaborate designs were invented with many layers of complex
symbols and words. It was very important that the circle
be completely intact with no breaks in it. The magician
and any other participants stand in the circle during ritual.
Today, circles are made on the floor with chalk or paint,
rock salt, or a rope. Whatever its form, the circle is
still an important part of magical protection for the
magician. This is especially important for aversive entities
and purposes. The circle also helps in focusing the energy of
the ritual toward its purpose, that is, it keeps it contained
until the magician is ready to release it. Of course, the
magick circle is basicly only a symbol, but it may eventually
be possible to supplement the circle with electronic
equipment for a similar purpose. We are researching the
practicality of electrostaticly charged Faraday shields.
ARTIFICIAL ELEMENTALS
An artificial elemental is useful for certain
tasks: 1) invisible watcher and observer, telling you what
it sees; 2) psychic guard; 3) it can be used in healing; 4)
it is helpful in other ways. Ophiel calls the artificial
elemental a ‘familiar’. Producing your own artificial
elemental is fairly easy. YOU MUST ASSUME THAT THE ACT HAS
PRODUCED RESULTS, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT IMMEDIATELY OBSERVE
THEM. It is entirely possible to produce one of these little
beasties and not know it (not being clairvoyant enough to
observe it directly). Therefore, and this is a general
principle of any magick, never ignore forces you have set
into motion. Even though you may not see the elemental, you
may nevertheless ‘feel’ it.
WARNING — Do not use artificial elementals for any
kind of aversive magick at this point; they can be nasty
little critters to get rid of. Should you have to eliminate
one of them which you created in error, you must re-absorb
it back into yourself through your will; or in some cases
you can ‘exorcise’ it.
HOW TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL ELEMENTAL
You can create your own artificial elemental for
various purposes. An artificial elemental is basically a
thoughtform which has been strengthened with emotion. Refer
to the aura color chart in the previous lesson and decide
what color to make the elemental, based upon your intended
purpose. Apple green is a good choice for general purposes.
Then decide on a shape or outline. Do you want your elemental
to resemble some sort of animal? A simple circle or cloud is
a good place to start. With this in mind you can use ritual
to create your elemental. Creative visualization is good for
this. Visualize it glowing before you. A darkened room is
helpful for this.
Communicate with your elemental with telepathy, by
talking to it, or with creative visualization. Your
artificial elemental is closely linked to you and your
subconscious attitudes. It will generally not do things you
think it cannot do. As in any magick, results relate to
effort and belief. Another way of looking at an artificial
elemental is as an aspect of your personality (sub
personality) which has been detached from you.
INVOCATION
Formal ritual usually involves the invocation
(ritually calling up) of a god or goddess, spirit, or other
entity. In this sense, magick is somewhat similar to pagan
religion and witchcraft. However, we consider magick ritual
a technique, not a religion. Worship need not be involved.
Sometimes the invocation of an entity creates an artificial
elemental.
Crowley says there are three different kinds of
invocation —
1) Devotion to the entity (as in the Bhakti yoga of
the Hare Krishna sect; the Faustian devil pact).
2) Ceremonial invocation — usual method of the
middle ages.
3) Drama — usually needs more than one person (as in
a mass).
>>CAUTIONS<<
1. Often as not a ritual may produce side-effects,
usually something similar to, though not exactly the desired
goal. If the true goal is delayed (as sometimes happens) we
may see the side effects first. And if for some reason the
goal is not achieved at all (‘missing the target’) the side
effects may be pronounced. Examples: 1) You use magick ritual
to hurry shipment of an anticipated package in the mail. Side
effect — the next day an unexpected package (the
wrong one) arrives instead. 2) You use magick ritual to cause
a certain person to phone you. Side effect — for several
days all sorts of people phone you…The sides effects will
not affect you (or anyone else) adversely unless that is
what you inwardly want.
2. We may say with certainty that “something always
happens” when we perform a magick ritual. But like everything
else, magick follows the ‘law of results’. This means that
results require effort of some kind. And if you don’t work
hard enough at it you don’t get results. Difficult goals have
greater resistance (magical inertia) to overcome. If the
ritual doesn’t produce the desired results there is a good
chance that the reason for the failure is within oursleves.
Be certain there is no contradiction between your model
and your magical goals. Sometimes self doubt and mental
contradictions (wanting and not wanting at the same time) may
interfere. The first step in magick is to re-program your
model. And, of course you can help your magical results by
working on the physical level toward your goals. Don’t expect
them to fall into your lap by themselves.
3) A peculiar quality of magick is time displacement.
Results of a ritual are not usually instantaneous. There is
often a delay of 12 hours or more. Difficult tasks or weakly
performed ritual are more likely to be delayed. In most cases
a slight delay is alright, and it gives us time to get used
to the comming changes. And sometimes the effects of a ritual
appear to extend to before the ritual was performed!
4) Because of the way magick works, a ritual may
create an emphasis in what is sought, and a de-emphasis in
everything else. Balance is therefore important here. Once
the magical result is achieved it may be ‘bound’ to you and
difficult to get rid of should you later decide to do so.
Example: You use a magick ritual to help you find and buy a
new house. Years later when you decide to sell it, you are
unable to do so. Consider your magical goals wisely so you
dont get stuck with something you don’t really want. Note
that theory says you can always unbind through ritual what
was bound to you…theory says.
5) Sometimes the environment appears to react against
the magick after the results are achieved. This is
particularly noticeable in using magick to affect the weather
(and the main reason why you should NOT use magick to affect
the weather). For example…Your performance of a ritual to
produce a sunny day produces a sunny day. The next day is
sunny, alright, but the rest of the month is cold and
overcast. Here the weather seems to react to the magick in
the opposite way to re-establish its natural balance. It is
something like pushing a pendulum to one side and releasing
it — the pendulum swings to the other side. To quote
Emmerson — “For everything you gain you lose something…”.
I don’t know that this is always true in magick, but it does
illustrate the point. And another reason not to use magick to
affect the weather is that it might foul it up in other parts
of the country (world??).
6) Finally, magick ritual (or any magick or
occultism) is very dangerous for the mentally unstable. If
you should somehow ‘get out too far’, eat ‘heavy foods’ as
previously discussed (lesson on chakras) and use your
religious background or old belief system for support. But
remember too, that wierd experiences are not necessarily bad
experiences.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is creative visualization?
2) List the basic parts of a ritual.
3) What is invocation?
RESEARCH TOPICS (for independent study)
1) Examine the differences between western magick and oriental
magick.
2) How do medieval grimoirs follow the basic ritual pattern?
BOOK LIST
P.E.I. Bonewitz, Real Magic.
David Conway, Magic: an Occult Primer (or Ritual Magic).
Aleister Crowley, Magick in Theory and Practice.
Denning and Phillips, Creative Visualization.
Ophiel, Creative Visualization.
A.E. Powell, The Astral Body.
________, The Mental Body.
Joseph Weed, Wisdom of the Ancient Masters.
Julian Wilde, Grimoire of Chaos Magick.
** MAGICK 8 — HEALING AND BANISHING **
Psychic or spiritual healing is a human potential we
all possess. Some people are especially good at this. It is
probably easier to heal someone else by occult means than
yourself. In addition to healing in the presence of the
person, there is ‘absent healing’ in which the healing
occurs at a distance. Note that there are some who maintain
that influence on another person without his specific
knowledge and permission (yes, even in healing and helping)
is black magick. (After all, everybody is living according to
his own true will, so that healing or helping someone
without permission is affecting his will). This means it is
important to tell the person what you are planning to do and
to ask his permission. The theory of psychic healing is that
sickness is characterized (although not necessarily caused)
by a deficiency and imbalance of vital energy. Psychic
healing transfers energy from the healer to the sick to
repair and rebalance his energies. If an inept healer
overdoes the process, or if he doesn’t take the precaution
to ‘disconnect’ himself afterwards, he may find himself
becoming sick due to energy drain and a linkage to his
subject. Similarly, the healer should always be in a good
state of health or he could unintentionally transfer his
illness to the subject.
The basic methods of psychic healing are: 1) creative
visualization, 2) prayer, 3) ritual. Creative visualization
is one of the easiest techniques. Mild illness may yield to
only one or two treatments; serious ills will require
many treatments over time. Psychic healing should always be
combined with medical care and treatment. It does not replace
doctors, medicine, or hospitals, since different levels
(worlds) are involved. In creative visualization, we
visualize the person being well. It may be helpful to utilize
the appropriate color from the aura chart (such as bright
apple-green, rose pink, or white) sent as a beam to the
person or as a cloud surrounding him. This technique can be
extended to include a simple kind of yoga in which we feel
energy sent as we exhale explosively; the energy sent either
via the breath or from one of the chakras such as the solar
plexus. Sometimes in absent healing it is helpful to arrange
a time for treatment in advance, asking your subject to be in
a receptive state of mind and to sit back and close his eyes.
THE BANISHING RITUAL
One of the most basic and useful ceremonial rituals
of magick is called the *banishing ritual*, or lesser
ritual of the pentagram. A pentagram (or pentacle) is a
five-pointed star with the point up. The banishing ritual is
helpful in psychic protection and healing since it forms a
protective barrier against malevolent forces. The psychic
barrier it creates can be made to permit entry of desired
(constructive) forces and the exclusion of negative ones.
Thus, the banishing ritual is an essential first step in
almost any formal full magick ceremony. The ritual requires
that you use a magical implement or “weapon”, such as a
ceremonial knife, wand, or simply point your index finger, to
“draw” the pentagram in the air at each of the cardinal
points (four directions). Also, you will be chanting
(‘vibrating’) some Hebrew names of God.
Holding your magical weapon and facing east, extend
your arm out straight in front of you. In this ritual you
will use the full sweep of your arm to draw the pentagram in
the air. Follow the description below by beginning at the
lower left and sweeping your magical weapon up toward the
right, etc. as shown. Do not bend your arm at the wrist or
elbow. While you do this, visualize the lines and eventually
the star as vibrant white, floating in the space before you.
You are projecting energy to do this, and the result will be
a gleaming 5-pointed star floating in the east; visualize
this as vividly as you can. Now you will energize it further
by piercing the center of it with your magical weapon and
vibrating (speaking slowly in a slightly lower than normal
pitch, remember) “Yod-He-Vau-He”.
=============================================
— DESCRIPTION —
Approximate points on a round clock face —
1. Begin at 7:30 position.
2. Point to 12 oclock position.
3. Point to 4:30 position.
4. Point to 10:30 position.
5. Point to 2:30 position.
6. Return to 7:30 position.]
=============================================
Then turn slowly to the next cardinal point in
sequence, and as you do so, with your arm still extended in
front of you, visualize a white line connecting around to
the cardinal point. Trace a similar pentagram with the
appropriate words and following the same procedure:
South — Adonai Tzaboath
West — Eh-Ei-He
North — Agla.
Now complete the white line drawn back to the center of the
eastern pentagram. Note that the cardinal points must be
followed in a clockwise order, and the pentagram must be
drawn in the manner illustrated; to do otherwise would change
the function of the ritual. The result of all this should be
a large bright white pentagram visualized hanging in mid-air
at each of the four directions, all tied together by a bright
white line. You could now, for example, visualize the
pentagrams moving out to the circumference of your home,
thereby protecting all within.
There is also a somewaht simplified version of this
ritual in which the pentagram is traced only once overhead
and then is energized with one of the four names, such as
“Eh-Ei-He”. Oftentimes the simplified version is sufficient,
but naturally the effect of the full version is more
complete.
One of the primary uses of this ritual is to ward off
psychic attack — that is, when another is (consciously or
unconsciously) attempting to harm you, cause sickness,
accidents, bad dreams, emotional upset, or to force you to do
something against your will. Fortunately this doesn’t happen
very often. The world of the magician is fairly safe for the
pure of heart. Psychic attack usually depends upon
vulnerabilities. If you are not vulnerable you are safe. Thus
unificaition with the true will is the greatest protection
possible. And the use of the banishing ritual is never
hurtful. You can even use it to hold off negative aspects of
yourself.
Other forms of protection sometimes helpful
(depending upon one’s egregore/model) are recitation of the
‘Lord’s Prayer’, the 23rd, and 91st Psalms.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is a pentagram?
2) What is psychic healing? List the basic methods.
3) What is the banishing ritual? Why is it used?
BOOK LIST
Dion Fortune, Psychic Self-Defense.
________, Sane Occultism.
Adeliade Gardner, Vital Magnetic Healing.
Max Heindel, The Vital Body.
Ernest Holms, The Science of Mind.
Mouni Sadhu, Theurgy.
** MAGICK 9 — ASTRAL PROJECTION **
Astral projection (OOBE, out of the body experience)
is a popular area of occult literature; for traveling to see
other worlds and places while the physical body sleeps or is
entranced is an exciting notion. Astral projection is not
dangerous. It is as safe as sleeping. Most dreams are probably
unconscious astral projections, anyway. Although there has
been quite a bit written on the subject, astral projection
is difficult for many people. The main difficulty is the
tendency to forget dream consciousness upon awakening.
Accordingly, the successful practice of astral projection
requires work.
Modern psychology discounts the idea of actual OOBE
(that the spirit temporarily vacates the physical body).
However, the idea is very ancient. The Tibetans have an
entire system of yoga (dream yoga) based upon astral
projection. And here we have an important assumption: you are
involved in an OOBE (at least to a degree) whenever you
dream. What sets it apart from a full OOBE is your hazy
consciousness during the experience and poor recall
afterwards. Many people forget most of their dreams
completely. Learning astral projection requires a kind of
inner mental clarity and alertness.
Dreams are a door to the subconscious which can be
used for psychological and spiritual insight, and sometimes
for precognition. Dream content is influenced by external
sounds and sensations. For example, a loud external noise
(such as a train) will likely appear in your dream (if it
doesn’t wake you up!). Dreams are also influenced by events
of the previous day, by your moods, and by suggestion.
Everyone normally dreams 4 or 5 times a night (about every 2
hours). The longest dreams occur in the morning. Everyone
dreams. You are more likely to remember the details of your
dream when you first wake up. By keeping a dream diary you
will improve dream recall. Have writing equipment or a tape
recorder at your bedside for this purpose; also a light
which isn’t too bright. Suggest to yourself several times
before you go to sleep, “I will awaken with the knowledge of
a dream.” Then when you do awaken, move quietly (sometimes
just turning over drives the idea away). Remember first,
then write the dream down, and then add as many details as
possible. The next day check for objective facts and expand
if you can (by remembering ‘what happened before that’). Once
you start remembering your dreams in this way, it will
become easier to do so. (If you are unsuccessful at this,
and *really* want to remember your dreams, you could
arrange for someone to sit by your bedside all night long
with a dim light on. Then when he sees your eyes moving back
and forth — rapid eye movements, a sign you are dreaming —
he can wake you and ask for a dream report.)
FORMS OF ASTRAL PROJECTION
Astral projection may be subdivided into three basic
types: mental projection, astral projection (proper) and
etheric projection. And your OOBE may shift between them.
Mental projection is really simple clairvoyance (‘remote
viewing’), and ‘traveling in your mind’. Imagination plays
a key role. The experience of mental projection is not
particularly vivid, and you will more likely be an observer
than a participant. Nevertheless, mental projection is an
important ‘way in’ to astral projection proper.
During mental projection and astral projection you
are able to travel through solid objects, but are not able
to act directly upon them or to move them (if they are in
the physical world). This is not true during etheric
projection. Whether it is simply subconscious expectation,
or whether it is a true etheric projection which in theory
means that part of your physical body has been relocated
with your projection (the etheric or vital part) may be
difficult to determine. Etheric projections generally travel
at or very near the physical world. There are even cases
reported (very, very rare ones) in which the entire physical
body is transferred to another location (teleportation), or
cases in which the physical body exists and acts in two
separate places at once (bilocation)!
But our primary interest is astral projection
proper, and mental projection to a lesser extent. Astral and
mental projection are not confined to the physical world.
Travel in the mental and astral realms is feasible, and
often preferred. Nor are astral and mental projection
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