Regular Practice Options

Here we have representatives of different disciplines. I primarily practice Qigong, or at least I do Qigong exercises daily. Other members may have another form of practice, be it some form of meditation, making offerings, the Middle Pillar, LBRP, etc. It requires self discipline and motivation to begin or to maintain. There are armchair magicians of course, but this is considered somewhat insulting to be called an armchair magician. Practicing regularly and building up practical experience is a key part of developing as a master or adept. Yes, some people are naturally gifted but it only takes you so far, sorry. You still have to practice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dumbells.gif)


What I was thinking is that we post some tips about what works for you. Tell us how you began a regular practice (if you do so), and how you manage to maintain it. You might want to post something that inspired you to continue or to start. I am hoping that there will be some constructive suggestions that will be useful to others. I will add my two cents, but I thought I would let someone start off; how do you do it? What works for you?

Right so re-reading the the question I think you wanted a more concise answer resembling a training schedule. Unfortunetly I don't have one, and in any case I feel like telling a story.

Im eclectic so my daily practice reflects it. I change ocationaly depending on my needs but generally it includes some form of internal alchemy, such as Taoist- not necessarily Qigong- or kundalini yoga. Though I find ample ways to practice non-attachment everyday –my computer crashed after finishing this the first time- I don’t think of that as daily practice. That’s more a view point, like learning to listen to my senses. The more structured practice is something else.For me that means setting aside time for just one thing that adds to your spiritual path.

Daily practice as such was not always on my mind and has more or less developed out of necessarily. I stumbled on internal alchemy some years ago. I had just left CM for chaos magick and found was looking for a system that allowed me to work with energy directly but was more structured than chaos magick. Unfortunately, it was lost on me for a time, and I moved on to sorcery, which at the time seemed to involve occult gnosis.

In sorcery I was taught meditation is key to controlling the mind, and by extension magickal prowess. The first thing I leaned was single point awareness and even now I can focus for hours. It started simply, just a few moments when ever I had a chance, in some months it was minutes, then latter hours. Much more difficult is letting all thoughts go allowing them to play out to the end. I still have trouble with this. The mind collects a lot of junk as you live and it takes maintenance to keep it under control. So part of my daily practice is to let a single thought play out until completion. This has the rather practical result of me worrying less.

My motivation for starting on my path has always been power, and I had read an analogy of enlightenment that liked it to an elevator. Most people are at the bottom and stay on the first few floors, some make it part way up, other make it to the top and cannot come down, and a very few make it to the top and can go to any floor in between. The benefits to enlightenment where many and great but they came at the price of leaving the lower levels. Problem is I like the lower levels. So my path acquaints me with many systems and when one offers something that can help me, I add it to my practice.

Such was the case with internal alchemy. Like I said, I had thought that sorcery required or at least dealt with occult gnosis. I had for some time been practicing esoteric Taoism for the gross manifestation it offered, but the writings where many and varied and written in the most unclear fashion. The Hindus on the other hand have a very well establish system of internal alchemy, so I read, and prepared to add kundalini yoga to my practice. That engaged me for two months, and during that time the similarities between the yogic and Taoist approaches enlightened me somewhat and I was able to add some more Taoist aspects.

Perhaps the understanding is what gets me to continue. Heading towards the longer term goal gives me many small epiphanies- one system fits nicely into another and some principle is highlighted.

This post has been edited by fatherjhon: Aug 6 2010, 01:24 AM

I had read an analogy of enlightenment that liked it to an elevator. Most people are at the bottom and stay on the first few floors, some make it part way up, other make it to the top and cannot come down, and a very few make it to the top and can go to any floor in between.

Do you happen to remember where you read that analogy? I have an interest in enlightenment and would like to read more from this source.


As for my regular practice.....

I like to meditate and try to control my mind, to learn the inner subtleties, to know thy self.

My interests take me all over the place with regards to subject matter.

Do you happen to remember where you read that analogy? I have an interest in enlightenment and would like to read more from this source.

Afraid not, I tried to look it up for you, but the best I can remember is that it was an autobiography of a modern yogi. Swami KriyanandaSwami Kriyananda, or perhaps Paramahansa Yogananda. in any case both are works worth reading.

A lot of my practice has become incorporated into my daily activities so much that I'm just used to it. Generally this involves performing some repetitive task with my hands while maintaining a focus on the work at hand. Or it may simply be increasing awareness of something, or noticing certain things. I try to maintain a more aware, awake state of consciousness rather than doing things as much on autopilot. One of my teachers used to say that most of us spend most of our waking hours essentially sleepwalking.

Good point. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Little rituals are a effective way to start a practice more so it its a ritual you can do at any time. I find that giveing a significance to something and getting lost in the motions of it makes it easier to do.

Afraid not, I tried to look it up for you, but the best I can remember is that it was an autobiography of a modern yogi. Swami KriyanandaSwami Kriyananda, or perhaps Paramahansa Yogananda. in any case both are works worth reading.
Good point. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Little rituals are a effective way to start a practice more so it its a ritual you can do at any time. I find that giveing a significance to something and getting lost in the motions of it makes it easier to do.

Thanks, I will have to look and see what I can find.

Although that Taoist wizard one sounds more interesting!