What's Your Method Of Centering/grounding/shielding?, Sorry if this is in the wrong section. Options

Hi guys,
I was wondering, how do you do it? Visualization? Ritual? Both or neither? What thoughts/images do you have while doing so?

Blessed be,
~Rae ♪

You almost certainly know what a strong, true desire feels like. This is part of the human experience. A raw, deep, unshakable longing that isn't just a superficial "want". True desire can consume your thoughts and drive your actions. When you feel this way about the objective you are trying to achieve with magic, then you have enough energy for efficient magic. Less than this doesn't mean that nothing will ever happen - but magic is not just getting whT you want, but also doing so effectively and efficiently.

I am reading an excellent book on the mindset behind proper and true prayer by E.M. Bounds and this is real close to what he says also. I agree with distinguishing want from true desire. I thought what you said about the weakening of each successive, and less primordial, desire was very interesting and makes sense to me. I had actually never thought or heard of that specifically before but I'm surprised now because it seems important. I think it is a little tricky figuring out what you really want at first though. Meditation could obviously be used for that. I suppose this has been what I was doing myself but hadn't actually realized it.

It does seem to be taught everywhere, and fairly effectively (or maybe just popularly) too. Visualizing is being used more by business people, churches, and other new age practices. (I assume businesses because I notice more books on productive business practices covering this). Still I think people can only get so far without at some point turning to a religion or spiritual practice where they work on themselves at a more advanced level. This seems to fit right in with what Vagrant said if you consider how most religions/ spiritual practices bring you closer in touch with yourself, meaning that you then become in closer contact to a more primordial part of the being, which as he said was more powerful, yielding more effective results.

The desire you mention seems to be a bit dangerous, compared to honing focus, as opposed to desire. Once you can slip somebody into that state, you can easily lead them anywhere.

I agree completely that desire is dangerous. Dangerous to yourself, to other people, to everything really. But the world in general is a dangerous place.
"...in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure." -Chris McCandless

I do not believe a person in touch with true desire is easily led. I see them as being untamable, emboldened, filled with passion and resistance to being led. Sort of the passion that created the United States. The first battle, the battle of Lexington led by Captain John Parker, shows this. He led a small band into what was known beforehand to be a suicide mission. A mission to stand and fight where death was a certainty as the small band of Americans were nothing compared to the huge group of British coming their way. These men were filled with passion with several generations of family on the battlefield. From the book William Diamond's Drum:

"Skilled as he was in political theory and in its articulation, the Reverend Jonas Clarke was enough of a realist to know that reason did not always prevail... 'where courage, valor or fortitude has reason for its basis... it enables men to face the greatest dangers, to stand the severest shocks, to meet undaunted and serene the charge of the most formidable enemy and all the horrors of war'"

This shows the spirit and power of tapped desire, of tapped passion. It is not easily led. The group of advancing British were known to be passive and would not harm the town they were going through. The (British) general was know to be extremely passive and kind. I hope this was a decent example.

This post has been edited by ☞Tomber☜: Aug 18 2010, 06:12 PM