Your Method Of Magick? Options

So what would any of you say is your standard method of spellwork, or just magick in general? For example, I myself mostly use energy manipulation, or sorcery, for more hands one spells such as healing or helping to open chakras, and a sort of paradigm manipulation, almost mind over matter, approach for spells where one would bring an event to pass. I also do not follow any particular system for magick; I more just use what I know of what one might call "metaphysics", although the term is used rather roughly.

Do you ever feel that you're missing something when you don't use some kind of magick symbology?

Sometimes. And for certain spells I will use candles and pentagrams and circles, but only when I'm doing a spell that I think might be beyond my own immediate abilities.

Symbolism is a useful learning tool and I think any magick practice benefits from it simply because it encourages you to think about many levels of existence at once. I'm not sure about inventing your own, though at one point I thought that a good idea. It is a grand amount of work to piece the relationships between energy and thought together from scratch, and a good, well understood system saves a lot of time. That being said the more you know about the symbols (and the more you internalize them) it becomes less useful looking up every symbol and using its strict definition.

Being eclectic I have dealt with a number of systems before settling on Taoist sorcery/folk magick as my ground. Everything I do in magick comes from this understanding of the world, but I will often find that Shingon Buddhism and Shugendo to provide a useful and complementary set of exercises. I think the only way I get away with this is that Taoism mixed with Buddhism from India and It also retains a strong shamanistic presences, which Shugendo has incorporated from Old Shinto. The three religions and their esoteric sides happen to share a number of gods as well. If I tried to do this with tantric Indian Buddhism and Jewish Quabala I'd likely end up with a garbled mess for the simple reason that the two seek radically different ends by completely separate paths. As a result the way they think about the world - and by extension magick - is so different even the common symbols have different meanings. Its like organizing books by ISBN and also LOC; it can't be done.

If I might ask, what is "paradigm manipulation"? It sounds vaguely like chaos magick but its been years sense I cared to keep abreast of what that lot was up to. I have in mind the type of mental gymnastics that philosophers use to talk themselves out of corners.

By paradigm manipulation I mean that I alter what I fully and earnestly believe to be true, as a form of magick. If I want a certain thing to happen, I simply "know" that it will happen because I want it to. I skip faith and willpower altogether, and simply know it. Although, it can be hard to believe in some things. Whispered doubts in my mind sometimes force me to use willpower instead. But, for me, willpower is lesser than knowing.

Does this make sense to you?

By paradigm manipulation I mean that I alter what I fully and earnestly believe to be true, as a form of magick. If I want a certain thing to happen, I simply "know" that it will happen because I want it to. I skip faith and willpower altogether, and simply know it. Although, it can be hard to believe in some things. Whispered doubts in my mind sometimes force me to use willpower instead. But, for me, willpower is lesser than knowing.

Does this make sense to you?

Sort of.

Hum, I can see allegorically how it might work but I keep thinking of the law of attraction. Let me see if I can state the mechanics a different way and perhaps it will help me understand.

You assert your understanding of things in such a way that things have to function in accordance with your assertion or not function properly.

In a sense, yes.

By paradigm manipulation I mean that I alter what I fully and earnestly believe to be true, as a form of magick. If I want a certain thing to happen, I simply "know" that it will happen because I want it to. I skip faith and willpower altogether, and simply know it. Although, it can be hard to believe in some things. Whispered doubts in my mind sometimes force me to use willpower instead. But, for me, willpower is lesser than knowing.

Does this make sense to you?

It seems that your technique is rather rough here, though I would say I mostly get where you're going, if I were you I would break this up into a more profound, sacred architecture of magic. I know, I know, you're simplifying but you have to tell me what you mean when you say I skip faith and willpower, last I checked faith and willpower were part of 'knowing' as I know it (lol) and as I would say you're defining it.

I would explain further, but it takes a moment to explain, and the more "profound" architecture behind it is something I believe to be somewhat of a gnostic secret.

And I'm hoarding my knowledge until I can levitate. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

But the basic idea is that I "foresee" the said event before it has a chance not to happen.

Your technique sounds very similar to mine Vitalwinds, effectiveness an purity of ones indervidual expression.
I was entirely self-taught (unless you consider tree an spirit guides) an i always had remarkable results as a teenager so i tend to keep other systems of magic at arm's length so as not to loose sight of how powerful the raw stuff is.
Not to say i don't use other peoples symbolism, rune's have been a big part since the start, they are very handy and i've got deep Nordic, German an Welsh roots which might be a part of why.
Astrology is fascinating and primal enough for me to revere their importance but i can't say i've used their symbols in more than a handful of times.

I realized a while ago however that to really consciously grasp what i was doing in life i would need to use symbols of deep personal meaning that i would have to create myself.
I've been at it for years now and finally i have an alter filled with both the primal forces that i see as relatable to all human(or more) kind and the equally powerful forces that distinguish my indervidual life as it is.
Their isn't a single foriean symbol on it.

I did some quick psychological test the other day and apparently i'm a Kinetic thinker as opposed to a Visual or an Auditor, which struck me as quite explanatory.
I don't visulise much more than the viscus flowing of energys present in my world, I don't speak much more than a few sentences in a ritual as it all comes to it's peek, and even then it's usually in my head.
Most of my time an effort in a 'ritual' gose on the substance before words, the building of conceptual realitys and the way they dance both within other reality's and their flirtatious collision with separate ones.

I am by no means stupid.. all the time, but i haven't been able to express myself with worthy words to match my thoughts for most my life, writing things here takes me so frustratingly long..

I myself like to use symbols and visual work in order to manipulate energy. This seems to help focus and clear my mind.

I would say that according to the definition proposed by 'the secret', vital winds is using the law of attraction, based solely on what he has revealed here. It's not an entirely profound secret, though I'm sure the rest of the gnostic elements are.

My method has become more meticulous over time, but I've also spent a lot of time exploring different methods, some as simple and direct as Vital Winds', some as complex as delicately timed rituals incorporating obscure materials and tediously formulated kabbalistic semantic components. What I've learned about magical methods amounts to the connection between intention->will->externalization. How it happens I think is less important than that it does happen. The reason a lot of methods fail, I think, is less because the method is wrong - because all methods are fundamentally arbitrary - and more because there are obstacles within that prevent these connections from taking place efficiently.

Currently my practice involves a period of contemplation as I clarify exactly what I want and how I want it to manifest, inclusive of specifically any obstacles I perceive to be apparently between me and my goal; a period of meditation as I examine both of these things in context to one another and my own temperament; composing a geometric figure representative of the desire, the goal, and it's manifestation; isolation of variables and representation of each variable in the ritual symbolism to be used; composition of the verbal formula; timing according to the factors most symbolic of the nature of the desired venue of manifestation; a period of ritual purification; and if the desire and need is great enough to have gotten all of this done, the ritual itself. For me, this method allows me to weed out of myself the desires that are ultimately superficial. What I have found in the past is that one of the major obstacles in magic is misunderstanding the difference between wants and needs, and the role that each of these plays in the process of 'pushing and pulling', as it were. If a desire is superficial, the will cannot be adequately committed to it's accomplishment. If the desire arises from a need, then taking the time to discover the need itself and acting from that point seems to deliver a more consistent success. At this point magic never fails me, so I don't spend a great deal of time revising my methods anymore. The most recent failure I have encountered was a diversion from this method into Goetia where, in the interest of experimentation, I simply followed the book itself. And even then, not under ideal circumstances. When I am able to acquire a space that is more fitting in terms of what I feel is fitting to the art, I will try this again along with the more psychological element to my own method. However, given what I'm able to accomplish on my own I have to admit this is more about exploration than fulfilling a need I am unable to otherwise meet.

So, I think it's more about discovering our own structured inner elements and applying a method that connects that inner structure to an external 'outlet' as it were. So, the same method may work for a handful of people, but certainly not for everyone. It's like trying to find the right 'hole' into the world that is the same shape as our inner 'peg'. On the other hand, it may also be that with the right understanding of what inner conditions make magic possible, every method will work equally well for any person who acquires such an understanding.

peace

I have been dancing around the proverbial mulberry bush for years with magick - experimenting with this and that and having an absolute blast learning about what works for me.

Sometimes I take a few steps forward with some approaches.
And sometimes I take a few step backward.

Yet regardless of where I step, I continue moving forward along The Path and according to The Way that results with maximizing my growth.

I use words (spell) along with focused exertion of my will. I disdain rituals, I do not have an altar or any tools. I do not dress in special grab and I wish anyone observing me to think I am just lucky or have a guardian angel (in which I happen to believe in).
This works as long as I have complete and unwavering belief that I can do this and it would work. It also helps to make others believe that it works(kinda hypnosis) so a joint creative vortex would have a stronger impact that only mine alone.

This post has been edited by Hermes56: Jul 4 2012, 12:35 AM

I like to leave the body and carry out the magic in a very 'hands on' manner, closely echoing what an entity/servitor/daimon/etc would be doing. i am stronger out of body than in.
I guess you could say that i have always endeavored to be taught how to fish, rather than to be given a fish. and a lot of times i have learned simply by observing.

in terms of Frater U.: D.: 's 'models of magick', i use an approach focusing on both the spirit and energy models mainly, but simultaneously trying to encompass the meta model.
( http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/chaos/texts/model.html )
and I try to work as closely as possible to "direct magick", which is probably a topic unto itself

i'm best at inter-mind stuff, energy work, and entity interaction. but i'll dabble with anything.

This post has been edited by Kath: Jul 30 2012, 11:59 AM

I must have missed this thread in the past. Anyway most people probably already know that I focus on astrology, dreams, meditation, astral stuff and more recently I have been working with spirit stuff. Also I've been trying to read up on religions since there is a lot of useful (and opinionated) stuff there.

I'd have to say spirits and what I carry inside of me. Affecting spirits can be done logically through only a few paths. Either you must make something do something, or you must make them do something in one way or another. I fine that this is done best with two opposing forces, light and dark. They are also life and death. For instance: I made a terribly dumb decision about two years ago. I was out of line and out of control and I made a stupid decision. I wanted to see if I could manipulate a spirit. So I went to a graveyard one night where I had felt lingering presences before. Conveniently it was just down the road. To start, I filled my soul with darkness. I then walked to the cemetery. I let the darkness guide me to the fading light of a spirit. I then flicked out a lighter and lit it. I put the force of my life and light behind it, but kept my soul in darkness. I then walked the spirit back to my place and once the door was shut I flicked out the lighter. This is the most shameful and evil thing I have ever done. For the past two years the spirit has lingered in the house. I decided a few days ago that that needed to change, so I did something else.

First I filled my soul with light and met with a friend who always opens my eyes to the spirit world a bit too well. I then spoke to the spirit that had, at this point, become rather angry about her imprisonment and I promised I would take her home, but I needed her help. I didn't know who I had grabbed from that place and I needed to find out to layer her to rest. I lit a cigarette and filled it with the light inside me. It's a powerful thing to use something that is killing you for spirit work, but it seems I got her attention. I walked her to the cemetery and then I let her guide me to a grave stone. We stopped at a stone with the name JANE on it. That was the one. Then and there I offered a small part of my death and a fraction of my soul as well to bring her to rest. The cigarette went out and I believe she found peace.

Trouble is I believe something followed me home. And it isn't something pleasant.

I agree that VitalWinds seems to be describing something in the same family as Law of Attraction.

I try to learn about all different magical systems but I have to say that I really only use a handful in regular practice.

Most of my work involves a combination of meditation, law of attraction, and conversations with divinity.
I have used tarot my whole life for divination and also for self-reflection.
When under particularly heavy stress I will use a spell/sigil combination, but this is very rare for me.

The spell/sigil combo has gotten the most consistent and consistently verifiable results for me.
I would use it more except that it is the heavy stress that allows me to have the laser-focus and intensity that seems to make it work.
Now if only I could get that laser-focus and intensity at will, without the stress.......

But then again, if I could do that, I would probably be a very good magician and not just a piker. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bramwell

In ceremonial magick we focus on getting contact with our higher self. It isn't just to be enlightened, whatever that means. Knowing your higher self makes you void. By "void" I mean that you're simply lucky. You don't need to care about anything 'cause everything is always in the right place at the right time. Then all you need is just trusting yourself.

I wrote all this because I think, that this self-confidence of VitalWinds works similar. He just don't care about future 'cause "everything will go right anyway". Like going to shop without a single cent with intention on buying something. In mind there are words "I'll pay... somehow". Somehow - this word makes the whole action start. Then he might find some money on the ground while walking to the shop or just meet someone who'd pay for him.

For small needs I usually use similar method. I just add creative visualization into this. If I'm planning something big, I make a rite. It's easier with help of gods and ghosts.

My rituals are based on the idea of experiencing truth. For example, when I have an experience that means 'I will meet my Holy Guardian Angel in a dream', then the meaning of the experience becomes a truth. Results must necessarily follow. Depending on the nature of the result I want, I'll choose an aesthetic with the technique that I think is most appropriate. Sometimes a simple sigil is all that is required. For the example above I might choose a more involved working. What I've found difficult about the idea of experiencing truth is overcoming things like desire, doubt, fear, as they tend to alter the meaning of the experience. This concept of experiencing truth is from Alan Chapman's book, 'Advanced Magick for Beginners'. Just my five cents ...

I find that i do my best magic when I adress my Self. It is only when i work through my Self that find any real results. As for all this Buddhist Taoist Crap, Ill just say it like it is. It dont work. If you want to anything about anything you go to your Self. Your own higher Self knows all the good stuff,without the risk of bad / wrong things happening in your invocation

This post has been edited by idiotkuk: Dec 13 2017, 08:41 PM