1024 lines
39 KiB
Plaintext
1024 lines
39 KiB
Plaintext
I. MAGIC IN THE CRAFT
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A. Working Definition
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1. Magic is the craft of shaping and has been defined as "the art
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of changing consciousness at will".
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a. The art of changing consciousness at will is a demanding one,
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needing long and disciplined apprenticeship.
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(1) The outward acts of waving a wand, lighting a candle, or
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crooning a rhymed incantation, are meaningless without the proper
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mental preparation.
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(a) But when the force of a trained awareness is behind the
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gestures, they are far more than empty motions.
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B. The Witch as Cosmic Artist
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1. We exist on this plane as multi-faceted jewels, which conceal a
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spark of the essence of the Goddess in the heart of each jewel.
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a. Each facet of the jewel that is ourself is likened to shells,
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or "bodies" in which we wrap the heart of our jewel.
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2. These "bodies" are divided into two groups.
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a. The Individuality
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(1) Upper Spiritual- Consists of pure or abstract Spirit.
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Sometimes call the 'Divine Spark', it is substance and energy from the
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Great Unmanifest which we symbolize with the archetype of the Goddess.
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(2) Lower Spiritual- This is the individualized spirit which
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has separated from the abstract. This is where the spirit embarks upon
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it's own journey of self-discovery. And where it eventually returns
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before it adds its experiences to the Great Whole and rejoins it as a
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drop in the endless ocean of being.
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(3) Upper Mental- This is the realm of the abstract mind.
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Individualized spirit begins to be self-aware, and form polarities
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which lead to the development of the personality.
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b. The Personality
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(1) Lower Mental- The person develops a concrete mind held
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together by form and memory.
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(2) Upper Astral- Level of abstract emotions. Attraction of
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polarities leads to a desire for union.
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(3) Lower Astral- Level of instincts and passions. A desire to
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attract other polarities and to possess things develops.
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(4) Etheric Body- Tenuous energy-web of near-matter which
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links the Physical with the subtler planes. Without the Etheric body
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to hold the physical body together, individual sparks of the spirit
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cannot manifest on the physical plane.
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(5) Physical Body- Made of dense matter.
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3. Taking a broad look at the Personality, we find that it is an
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instrument, or machine, consisting of three distinct 'bodies'.
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a. These 'bodies' are built up during one incarnation and
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discarded in the Summerland after they have served their purpose.
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(1) A physical form that naturally moves and acts on instinct
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and orders from your mind.
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(a) This physical form has its own set of laws that govern
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it.
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(b) It exists in time and space, and it has to be acted
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upon; it is not capable of thinking.
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(c) We know that our body is not the cause of us, because
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it has to be acted upon to function. And anything that has to be acted
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upon is an effect, caused by something else.
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(2) An emotional 'body', operating from laws similar to
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hydrodynamics.
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(a) If our emotions become blocked, we are like a river
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whose flow is dammed up, building up untold pressure until some
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release occurs; or we go dead inside and stagnate, diseased and toxic
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to ourselves and others.
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(b) Crafters know that pent-up emotions are to be released
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and understood, so that this constricted energy can be expressed for
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the purpose of validating our existence.
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(3) A mental life, our unique world of personal thoughts, that
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is creative by nature, and has no limits except those it chooses to
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construct for itself.
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(a) Since we exist in a Universal Mind that is all knowing
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and limitless, we know that limitation is not a universal law, but
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only exists in the individual use we make of these universal laws.
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4. Our Personality is responsible for our being able to function
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on this plane and it is through our personality that we create the
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world around us.
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a. Without our input the world is neutral, colorless and
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meaningless.
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(1) It is only when we assume the role of creators or artists
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and paint an image of the world in our minds, colored by our feelings,
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does the world affect us.
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(a) This is way two people can have the same experience and
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respond in two entirely different ways.
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(2) We constantly choose moment-by-moment what our world is
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like.
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(a) A person who opts for a negative experience descends
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into a universe that contains all the potentially negative forces that
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are waiting to make up reality.
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(b) And no matter what someone outside does to make it less
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negative, it will not change.
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(c) Having set up the polarity for a negative experience,
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the negativity acts as a magnet, attracting more and more negativity
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until it is overwhelming.
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(d) On the other hand, a person who opts for a positive
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experience, ascends into another universe, that immediately
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cooperates, and instantly, forces begin moving to manifest a positive
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result.
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5. The main work of a person on the Path of Return is to integrate
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the creative aspects of the Personality under the guidance of the
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Individuality, or Essence, so that they can develop as a member of the
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universe in full harmony with the rest of it.
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a. When this happens the Seeker discovers an inner state of
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harmony where all actions begin corresponding to a deeper truth
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resident within.
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(1) It is as though every thing flows naturally and easily.
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(a) Even what had seemed 'impossible' before fades into non-
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existence and a new possibility takes its place.
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II. CULTIVATION OF THE MAGICAL PERSONALITY
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A. Magic is the Craft of Witchcraft
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1. The power of magic should not be under-estimated.
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a. It works, often in ways that are unexpected and difficult to
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control.
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(1) But neither should the power of magic be over- estimated.
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(a) It does not work simply, or effortlessly and it does
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not confer omnipotence.
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B. Learning to work magic is a process of neurological repatterning,
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of changing the way we use our brains.
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1. In order to manifest anything on the physical plane, it must be
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formulated and given life on the mental plane.
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2. Unless a person can concentrate his thoughts and desires down
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into a tightly controlled set of symbols, the mental plane has
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insufficient information to create what is desired.
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a. The Archtype of the Magician in the Major Arcanum of the
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Tarot deck teaches some valuable lessons in concentration.
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(1) The traditional picture of the Magician shows a man
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dressed in a white robe, encircled by a belt in the shape of a snake
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holding its tail in its mouth, and he is wearing a cloak of vermilion.
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(a) He stands in a garden with four white lilies and five
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red roses, behind a table where he has laid out his magical tools.
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(2) With his right hand, the Magician lifts a wand upward
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toward the sky. His left hand makes the universal gesture of
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attention, pointing with extended forefinger toward the fertile earth
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at his feet.
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(a) The message inherent in this gesture is that the Force
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of the higher levels flows through the Magician to whatever he gives
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his full measure of attention.
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(3) The garden in which the Magician works represents the
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subconscious field.
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(a) It is from this subconscious field that the hidden
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powers come that the Magician directs in his quest for increased
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freedom.
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(b) These powers are symbolized by the lilies which stand
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for various aspects of truth and the roses which are symbols of human
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desire.
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(4) The Magician is a transformer and transmuter of
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experience.
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(a) He cultivates the flowers in his garden, improving
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them and by force of his control of their development, takes them far
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beyond the conditions spontaneously provided by nature.
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(b) Taking things as he finds them, he watches until he
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perceives the underlying principle at work in what he observes. Then
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he applies that principle in novel ways so as to produce a different
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situation.
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C. The Language of the Old Belief, the Language of Magic, is
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expressed in Symbols and Images.
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1. Poetry, which is itself a form of magic, is magic speech.
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a. Spells and charms worked by witches in rhyme are truly
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concrete poetry.
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b. The American Indians would call them Songs of Power.
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2. Images bridge the gap between the verbal and non-verbal modes
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of awareness.
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a. They allow the two sides of the brain to communicate,
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arousing the emotions as well as the intellect.
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b. The vast storehouse of symbols, which embody all the possible
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realities of this universe is the subconscious mind.
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c. The Archtype representing the subconscious mind is the High
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Priestess.
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(1) The High Priestess is depicted as a solitary woman, seated
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on a cube placed between two pillars of opposite colors. There is a
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veil hung between the pillars with pomegranites and hearts of palms
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woven into it.
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(a) She is dressed in a white garment adorned with an
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equilateral cross on her breast and surrounded by a blue robe that
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flows down and out of the picture.
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(c) She wears a silver crown, made of two crescents and an
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orb and holds a scroll in her lap.
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(2) The message conveyed by the High Priestess is two-fold.
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(a) First she represents memory. Everything that comes to
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the attention of the mind of her counterpart, the Magician, is
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recorded on her scroll.
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(b) Like all languages, the records she keeps are symbols
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for the reality they represent and it is the second function that she
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represents that makes the knowledge available to the Magician.
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(c) The imagery of water flowing through this tarot card
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is reinforced by the blue color of her robe, and the way it pools down
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at the bottom right side of the card and seems to flow off the card.
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Water is the universal symbol of the astral essence of the higher
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planes and just as waterways on earth served as highways of
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communication and commerce in the old ways, it is the astral essence
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that serves as a bridge between the different planes.
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(d) In order to recall things stored in memory as written
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down on the High Priestess's scroll it is necessary to still the
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waters so that they become a mirror and reflect the images you are
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seeking.
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(3) The ability to concentrate to the point where a still
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calmness in the mind is achieved, coupled with the images that surface
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from the subconsciousness leads to the point where new realities can
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be visualized.
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D. All manifestations on the physical world are rooted in the mental
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and astral planes.
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1. In order to change your physical reality, you need to be able
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to use creative visualization to plant the seeds of your new reality
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in the higher planes.
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a. The Archtype of the Creative Imagination is the Empress of
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the Tarot deck.
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(1) In direct contrast to the virginal High Priestess, the
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Empress is a pregnant matron. She is Venus, goddess of Love, Beauty,
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Growth and Fruitfulness.
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(a) She is seated in a garden backed by trees, with a river
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cascading down a waterfall and forming a pool at her feet.
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(b) Wheat grows at her feet and her gown is the color of
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Spring. She holds a copper shield with a dove on it and a sceptre of
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an orb divided on two and topped by a cross.
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(c) A crescent moon is at her feet and a crown of 12 stars
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over her head. She wears a necklace of 7 pearls.
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(2) When the Magician is joined with the Empress, the cold
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virginity of the High Priestess is transformed into the rich fertility
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of Venus.
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(a) The Empress is imagination, the mind's power to make
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new combinations from remembered experiences.
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(b) What you make the object of your attention is what you
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become, sooner or later. Fix your attention on images of misery,
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poverty, and weakness, and their actual physical embodiments will
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become part of your surroundings.
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(c) Change the patterns by attending to their opposites,
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and presently creative imagination, symbolized by the Empress, will
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begin to build you a new life and will impress even the conditions of
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your environment with new ideas.
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(d) Remember, even your physical body is part of your
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environment.
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E. The generation of mental images at the level of self-
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consciousness is a necessary forerunner of changing your
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circumstances, but it does not do any good if you do not prepare the
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ground for the seed to grow.
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1. Creating prosperity thoughtforms and then doing nothing to
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allow them to come through on the physical plane is as senseless as
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buying a high performance car without any tires.
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a. Getting control over your own environment is a necessary
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first step in preparing for the changes you are working for.
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(1) Working with the resources at hand, you need to gain
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control over your environment.
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(a) Physical and spiritual cleansing of your environment
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clears away the clutter of old worn-out thought- forms.
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(b) Actively seeking out knowledge of how to effectively
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manage the conditions you are trying to bring about sends messages to
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your subconscious that you are serious in you work and ar not going to
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waste any gifts that come your way.
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2. Regulation and supervision are implied by every- thing in the
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Archtype of the Emperor.
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a. Supervision is overseeing. Thus the function of sight is
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chief among our senses.
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(1) The Emperor is seated on a cube on the edge of a cliff
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overlooking a river which has worn a channel through the mountains
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turning them into the soil that serves as the base for the garden of
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the Emperor.
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(a) He is dressed in armour, symbolizing his willingness to
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impress his will on his surroundings but he sits in a passive stance
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content to observe the conditions that exist before he acts.
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(2) The quality of our vision or observations of how things
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are determines the course of our progress towards liberation.
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(a) Unless we imagine, we do not really see.
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(b) The mind is the true seer. Unless we learn to
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supplement what our eyes report with imagination based on other senses
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no true vision of the world can be made.
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b. Regulation is dependent on the ability to reason which is the
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second aspect represented by the Emperor.
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(1) The basic function of reason is to oversee and control.
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(a) Through the development of our ability to reason we
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learn to supervise and control our daily activities.
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F. After we have learned to concentrate and visualize what we want
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to do using symbols from the unconscious and prepared for the work to
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manifest on the physical plane through observation and regulation of
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our daily lives we are ready to manifest our new reality through our
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Personality.
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1. Our Personality is not what we truly are, but how we express
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our Inner Self. It is important that we work in accordance with the
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guidance of our true 'Essence'.
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a. The Archtype of the Hierophant represents the Self.
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(1) The Hierophant sits between two pillars in a temple like
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the High Priestess.
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(a) He is the Inner Self who is also the Emperor. Only the
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spheres of operation are different.
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(b) The ministers kneeling before the True Teacher wear
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garments which are embroidered with the same flowers that appear in
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the garden of the Magician.
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(2) The general meaning of the Hierophant is summed up in the
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word Intuition.
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(a) Intuition is the Voice of the True Self.
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(b) Genuine intuition is not a substitute for reason. It is
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a logical consequence of good reasoning.
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(c) The inner Teacher wastes no time in fruitless endeavors
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to instruct the incompetent who will not take the trouble to observe,
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to remember, to imagine, or to reason.
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(3) The Voice never speaks loudly and many fail to hear it
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over the clamor of their own thoughts.
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(a) Practicing the listening attitude of mind leads to
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eventually hearing it.
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(b) The fundamental practice is to be still when you wish
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the counsel of the Voice.
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(c) Stop racking your brains when a seemingly insoluble
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problem confronts you. The harder you try the less likely you are to
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hear the answer.
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G. Patterns appear when we have contrasting elements in what we are
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examining.
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1. The Tables of Correspondence (Spiral Dance) are based on the
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recognition that everything exists in relation to other things, and we
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use the process of discrimination to find the correspondences.
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a. The Archtype of the Lovers represents the process of
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discrimination.
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(1) The tarot card of the Lovers shows an angel bestowing
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blessings upon a naked man and woman.
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(a) The message here is that the self- consciousness and
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subconsciousness are equal and receive the blessings of the True Self.
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(b) When there are no secrets between the two (nudity) they
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work in harmony under the guidance of the Self and can see the
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connections between seemingly unrelated facts.
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H. The final ingredient needed in the development of the magical
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personality is the development of the magical will.
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1. Development of the Magical Will comes about as the result of
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synthesizing all the aspects we have been talking about so far.
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a. The Chariot is the Archtype of the Will
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(1) The Chariot depicts a person standing in a chariot pulled
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by two sphinxes of opposite polarity, before a city surrounded by a
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wall. At the foot of the wall runs a river.
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(a) The Charioteer is the Inner Self.
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(b) The sphinxes represent the senses and the reins (which
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are invisible) by which he guides them represent the mind.
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(c) The chariot itself is the physical body and it is drawn
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by the sphinxes.
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(2) The starry canopy represents the celestial forces whose
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descent into matter is the cause of all manifestation.
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(a) On the shield is the Hindu Lingam-Yoni symbolizing
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the union of opposites.
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(3) The charioteer is a victor.
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(a) This card represents the conquest of illusion which
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comes about when the Self guides the personality.
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2. The Magical Will is very much akin to what Victorian
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schoolmasters called character: honesty, self-discipline, commitment
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and conviction.
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a. Anyone who wishes to practice magic must be scrupulously
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honest in their personal lives.
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(1) A bag of herbs acquires the power to heal because I say it
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does. For my word to take on such force, I must be deeply and
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completely convinced that it is identified with truth as I know it.
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(a) In this sense, magic works on the principle that "It is
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so because I say it is so."
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b. Unless I have enough personal power to keep my commitments in
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daily life, I will be unable to wield magical power.
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(1) To a person who practices honesty and keeps commitments,
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"As I will, so mote it be." is not just a pretty phrase; it is a
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statement of fact.
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III. THE ART OF CASTING SPELLS
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A. Definition
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1. "A spell is a symbolic act done in an altered state of
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consciousness in order to cause a desired change."
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a. To cast a spell is to project energy through a symbol.
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(1) Too often, the symbols are mistaken for the agent that
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casts the spell.
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(a) Props are useful at times, but it is the mind that
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works the magic.
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b. Correspondences between colors, planets, metals, numbers,
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plants and minerals, and musical notes make up a great deal of magical
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lore.
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(1) Particular objects, shapes, colors, scents, and images do
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work better than others to embody certain ideas.
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(a) But the most powerful spells are often improvised from
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materials that feel right or that simply happen to come to hand.
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B. Theory of Spellcasting
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1. Spells are an important aspect of magical training.
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a. They require the use of the combined faculties of relaxation,
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visualization, concentration and projection.
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(1) The casting of spells provides practice in coordinating
|
|
these skills and developing them further.
|
|
|
|
2. Spells are extremely sophisticated psychological tools that
|
|
have subtle, but important, effects on a person's inner growth.
|
|
|
|
a. Spells may highlight otherwise hidden complexes of the person
|
|
casting the spell.
|
|
|
|
(1) A person who has conflicts about success will find great
|
|
difficulty in concentrating on a money spell.
|
|
|
|
(a) Many times the practical results of a spell are far
|
|
less important than the psychological insights that arise during the
|
|
magical work.
|
|
|
|
(b) Discovering our inner blocks and fears is the first
|
|
step in overcoming them.
|
|
|
|
b. Spells also go one step further than most forms of
|
|
psychotherapy.
|
|
|
|
(1) They allow us not only to listen to and interpret the
|
|
unconscious, but also to speak to it in the language it understands.
|
|
|
|
(a) Symbols, images, and objects used in spells communicate
|
|
directly with Younger Self, who is the guardian of our emotions and
|
|
who is barely affected by the intellect.
|
|
|
|
(b) We often understand our feelings and behavior but find
|
|
ourselves unable to change them.
|
|
|
|
(c) Through spells, we can attain the most important power
|
|
- the power to change our lives.
|
|
|
|
3. Spellcasting also forces us to come to terms with the material
|
|
world.
|
|
|
|
a. Many people attracted to the spiritual path of the Craft find
|
|
themselves uneasy with using magic for practical or material goals.
|
|
|
|
(1) Somehow it seems wrong to work magic for oneself, to want
|
|
things and to get things.
|
|
|
|
(a) This is an attitude which is a holdover of the Judaeo-
|
|
Christian world view that sees spirit and matter as separate and that
|
|
identifies matter with evil and corruption.
|
|
|
|
(2) In the Craft, flesh, the material world, none of what is
|
|
commonly thought of as matter is separate from spirit.
|
|
|
|
(a) The universe is made up of the Goddess who is manifest
|
|
in all things.
|
|
|
|
(b) Union with the Goddess comes through embracing the
|
|
material world and all the gifts that She has placed in it for us.
|
|
|
|
(3) Our major task on this plane of existence is to become
|
|
masters of this realm of manifestation.
|
|
|
|
(a) We do not fight self-interest; we follow it, but with
|
|
an awareness that transmutes it into something sacred.
|
|
|
|
C. Mechanics of Spellcasting
|
|
|
|
1. Spellcasting is the lesser, not the greater magic; but the
|
|
greater magic builds on the lesser.
|
|
|
|
a. The paradox is that in spellcasting we may start out working
|
|
with the personal self, but in order to work the magic we are forced
|
|
to expand and recognize the Self that moves through all beings.
|
|
|
|
(1) Magic involves the deliberate self- identification with
|
|
other objects and people.
|
|
|
|
(a) To do a healing, we must become the healer, the one who
|
|
is healed, and the energy that is to do the healing.
|
|
|
|
(b) To attract love, we must be able to love ourselves and
|
|
to become love its self.
|
|
|
|
2. Spells work in two basic ways.
|
|
|
|
a. The first is through suggestion
|
|
|
|
(1) Symbols and images implant certain ideas in Younger Self,
|
|
or the subconscious mind.
|
|
|
|
(a) We are then influenced to actualize those ideas.
|
|
|
|
b. Spells can also influence the external world.
|
|
|
|
(1) The theoretical model that witches use to explain the
|
|
workings of magic is a clear one and coincides in many ways with the
|
|
"new" physics.
|
|
|
|
(a) It is simply an elaborate but extremely useful
|
|
metaphor.
|
|
|
|
(b) The metaphor is based on a world view that sees things
|
|
not as fixed objects, but as vortexes of energy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
(c) The physical world is formed by the vortexes of energy,
|
|
and if we cause a change in the energy patterns they, in turn, cause a
|
|
change in the physical world.
|
|
|
|
(2) When our own energy is concentrated and channeled, it can
|
|
move the broader energy currents.
|
|
|
|
(a) The images and objects used in spells are the channels.
|
|
They are the vessels through which our power is poured, and by which
|
|
it is shaped.
|
|
|
|
3. As energy is directed into the images we visualize, it
|
|
gradually manifests physical form and takes shape in the material
|
|
world.
|
|
|
|
a. Directing energy is not a matter of simply emoting.
|
|
|
|
(1) Emotion can be likened to a strobe light which provides a
|
|
very inconstant light.
|
|
|
|
(2) Directed energy is more like a laser beam.
|
|
|
|
(a) Even concentrated power is a small stream compared with
|
|
the vast surges of energy that surround us.
|
|
|
|
(b) The most adept witch cannot be successful in all her
|
|
spells. The opposing currents are often too strong.
|
|
|
|
4. The craft teaches to first identify the flow of energy and then
|
|
to decide whether or not it is going where we want it to go.
|
|
|
|
a. If not, then we can try to deflect it.
|
|
|
|
b. Or, we may have to change our own course.
|
|
|
|
(1) Sensing the energy climate is a matter of intuition and
|
|
experience.
|
|
|
|
(a) Some witches make a study of Astrology in an effort to
|
|
plan their magical workings at the optimal times.
|
|
|
|
(b) Others prefer to work when they feel the time is right.
|
|
|
|
(2) Of all the planets, the Moon's influence on subtle energies
|
|
is the strongest.
|
|
|
|
(a) Subtle power increases as the Moon waxes, so the time of
|
|
the waxing Moon is best for spells involving growth or increase, such
|
|
as money spells.
|
|
|
|
(b) The power peaks when the Moon is full and that is the
|
|
best time for workings of culmination and love.
|
|
|
|
(c) During the waning Moon, power subsides and turns inward.
|
|
The waning Moon's period is used for banishings, bindings, and
|
|
discovering hidden secrets.
|
|
|
|
(3) The practical witch soon learns to adjust her spells to fit
|
|
the time of the Moon. If, for example, she needs to do a money spell
|
|
during the waning Moon, she would put a little 'english' on it and
|
|
make it a poverty banishing spell.
|
|
|
|
5. Energy pursues the path of least resistance.
|
|
|
|
a. Material results are more easily achieved on this plane of
|
|
existence through physical actions that through magical workings.
|
|
|
|
(1) Example - it is simpler to lock your door than suffer the
|
|
constant drain from maintaining psychic seals on your doors and
|
|
windows while you are away from home.
|
|
|
|
(a) Of course once you have locked your door, you might
|
|
feel more reassured by placing seals on it.
|
|
|
|
6. No magic spell is going to bring results unless channels are
|
|
opened into the material world.
|
|
|
|
a. A job spell is useless if you are not willing to go out and
|
|
interview for jobs or at least let potential employers know that you
|
|
are in the market for one.
|
|
|
|
b. In the same vein, a healing spell is no substitute for
|
|
medical care.
|
|
|
|
(1) Most medicine today can be broken down into two broad
|
|
categories, emergency medicine and that which is not needed for
|
|
immediate life-threatening situations.
|
|
|
|
(a) Emergency medicine has excelled at stabilizing the
|
|
body's condition so that it can repair itself at it's own pace.
|
|
|
|
(b) Most other forms of medicine consist of treatment
|
|
through surgery or chemotherapy or a combination of both.
|
|
|
|
(c) The procedures noted above work on the physical body
|
|
and do not take the other levels into consideration.
|
|
|
|
(d) Psychic healing works at healing the higher levels of
|
|
the person so that the physical heals itself or allows the person to
|
|
let go of their physical body if it cannot be repaired. In either case
|
|
the choice rests with the person who is being healed and not the
|
|
healer.
|
|
|
|
7. Visualization used in creating a spell should focus on the
|
|
desired result not the individual steps leading up to the result.
|
|
|
|
a. We give the spell free rein in how it goes about achieving
|
|
the results with the understanding that it is not to bring harm to
|
|
anyone or any being.
|
|
|
|
(1) For this reason, spells have a habit of working in very
|
|
unexpected ways.
|
|
|
|
8. To assure that the power we have unleashed does not
|
|
inadvertantly cause harm, we bind the spell.
|
|
|
|
a. This serves to 'set' the form we have created so that the
|
|
energy becomes fixed in the pattern we desire.
|
|
|
|
(1) The energy we project to others affects us even more
|
|
strongly than the other person. This is because we have generated the
|
|
energy, and thus we have become the object at which the energy is
|
|
directed.
|
|
|
|
(2) If healing energy is sent out, then the health of the
|
|
person casting the spell is enhanced.
|
|
|
|
(a) By the same token, any hex or curse that is sent out
|
|
ALWAYS effects the person who sends it no matter whether it affected
|
|
the person it was sent at or not.
|
|
|
|
9. MAGIC IS NOT TO BE USED TO GAIN POWER OVER OTHERS.
|
|
|
|
a. Magic is a technique used in developing your own 'power from
|
|
within'. Spells that are directed at gaining power over others weakens
|
|
the 'power from within'.
|
|
|
|
(1) Aside form the damage done to oneself, it is important for
|
|
another reason.
|
|
|
|
(a) Many people who do not understand the laws of magic are
|
|
afraid of being attacked magically and are given to paranoia.
|
|
|
|
(b) The witch's main stock-in-trade used to be removing a
|
|
competitor's hexes and preparing charms to protect their clients.
|
|
|
|
(c) While true psychic attacks are EXTREMELY RARE a persons
|
|
guilt makes up for any lack and after using 'forbidden' help, their
|
|
paranoia leads them to seek protection from the same person they just
|
|
turned to in desperation. Do your self a favor, and resist the
|
|
temptation to 'help' these types.
|
|
|
|
(2) Most magical formularies consist of formulae gathered and
|
|
tested by witches as well as many charms to protect the common man
|
|
from those same witches who sold them their charms.
|
|
|
|
D. Times and Correspondences
|
|
|
|
1. I mentioned earlier that timing and the right props are
|
|
considered important in spellcasting.
|
|
|
|
a. For your convenience there is a Table of Hours included at
|
|
the end of this lesson.
|
|
|
|
(1) Keep in mind that all times are Pacific Standard Time.
|
|
|
|
(a) You will need to adjust for different time zones and
|
|
those periods of Daylight Savings Time as may be in effect in your
|
|
area.
|
|
|
|
b. Over the years, systems of Correspondences were developed
|
|
which assigned certain attributes and aspects to the seven ancient
|
|
planets of Astrology.
|
|
|
|
(1) Each planet was assigned a God or Goddess, who embodies
|
|
the attributes the ancients wished to invoke.
|
|
|
|
(a) Each of the Gods and Goddesses were assigned an hour of
|
|
the day, color, incense, metal, number, signature, plant, mineral,
|
|
musical note, and animal or bird.
|
|
|
|
(b) There is a Table of Correspondences in the back of The
|
|
Spiral Dance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. General Guidelines for Casting Spells
|
|
|
|
1. Set aside a room for your magical work.
|
|
|
|
a. Decorate it with things that put you in a magical mood.
|
|
|
|
(1) Remember to use things that stimulate all five of your
|
|
physical senses.
|
|
|
|
(a) Some obvious things would be the use of appropriate
|
|
colors for sight, incense for scent music for hearing, wines for
|
|
taste, and textures for feel.
|
|
|
|
2. If you do not have a room you can set aside exclusively for
|
|
your magical work then choose a room that can be locked while you do
|
|
your work.
|
|
|
|
a. This will allow you to work undisturbed.
|
|
|
|
(1) In any case you should clean your work area periodically
|
|
with a purifying powder/floorwash to keep away negative vibrations.
|
|
|
|
3. Set up an altar to be used as your worktable.
|
|
|
|
a. It's size and shape should be those that appeal to you.
|
|
|
|
(1) Placing candles and other items that assist you to
|
|
concentrate on the work at hand is a good practice.
|
|
|
|
(a) Some people like to cover their altar with a white
|
|
cloth and place fresh cut flowers on it every day.
|
|
|
|
4. Always use the best candles, oils, and incenses that you can
|
|
afford, or make your own.
|
|
|
|
a. Scrimping on materials has a negative effect on the
|
|
subconscious.
|
|
|
|
(1) Don't forget that the subconscious is very good at making
|
|
do with raw materials that it can shape to it's own use.
|
|
|
|
5. Never cast a spell until you have a clear and concise picture
|
|
of what it is you wish to accomplish.
|
|
|
|
a. This ties in with the saying "Be careful what you wish for,
|
|
you just might get it."
|
|
|
|
6. Always ground out any extra energy you raise for the spell, and
|
|
bind the spell so that it expires within the pre- determined amount of
|
|
time.
|
|
|
|
7. Once you have cast the spell do not discuss it with any one
|
|
until after it has worked.
|
|
|
|
a. Most spells peter out because the person who casts it boasts
|
|
about it to so many people, that the spell is robbed of power before
|
|
it has a chance to work.
|
|
|
|
(1) The ancient bond placed on the magician was to dare, to
|
|
know and to keep silent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IV. A BASIC FORMULARY
|
|
|
|
A. Preparation of candles
|
|
|
|
1. Types of candles
|
|
|
|
a. Votives
|
|
|
|
(1) Short and stubby. Usually burned in a small cup or
|
|
container.
|
|
|
|
(a) Used to provide a light for several hours.
|
|
|
|
(b) Less space consuming so more candles can be placed on
|
|
the altar at the same time.
|
|
|
|
b. Taper
|
|
|
|
(1) Long and slender. May be burned in a candle holder.
|
|
|
|
(a) Very elegant and can be allowed to drip into a pie pan
|
|
so that the drippings can be read in a manner similar to tea leaf
|
|
reading.
|
|
|
|
(2) Come in many different lengths and thicknesses.
|
|
|
|
c. Candle-in-a-jar
|
|
|
|
(1) Large, long-lasting candle, which is formed by pouring
|
|
either colored wax into a clear glass container, or clear wax into a
|
|
colored glass container.
|
|
|
|
(a) When annointing the candle, only the top of the candle
|
|
is annointed.
|
|
|
|
(2) This is probably the safest candle to leave burning
|
|
unattended, provided the maker of the candle took care to ensure that
|
|
the wick runs in the center of the candle.
|
|
|
|
(a) Although leaving any candle or open flame burning with
|
|
on one around is considered dangerous and foolish.
|
|
|
|
d. Specialty Candles
|
|
|
|
(1) Candle-in-a-jar
|
|
|
|
(a) Candles dedicated to a christian Saint or to a Voodoo
|
|
Loa. The designs, signatures and instructions on how to use the candle
|
|
are printed on the glass container.
|
|
|
|
(2) Cross Candles
|
|
|
|
(a) Candles formed into the shape of a cross. Comes in
|
|
black, white, green and red. Used as altar pieces for christian
|
|
oriented work tables.
|
|
|
|
(3) Male and Female Figurine Candles
|
|
|
|
(a) Comes in black, white, green and red. Used to bind two
|
|
people together or to separate them.
|
|
|
|
(b) Burned face to face & they melt into each other to
|
|
bind.
|
|
|
|
(c) Burned back to back so that no wax mixes to bring about
|
|
a banishment.
|
|
|
|
(4) Seven Day Knob Candles
|
|
|
|
(a) A candle which is cast so that its length is made of
|
|
seven knobs. One knob is burned each day for the duration of the
|
|
spell.
|
|
|
|
2. Colors
|
|
|
|
a. The color of the candle should reflect the planetary aspect
|
|
that is assigned to the incense you are going to use.
|
|
|
|
3. Annointing the Candle
|
|
|
|
a. There are two general methods which are used to anoint the
|
|
candle.
|
|
|
|
(1) The first consists of starting at the middle of the candle
|
|
and annointing it to the top, and then going back to the middle you
|
|
would anoint down toward the bottom.
|
|
|
|
(a) The principle behind this is that you are the center of
|
|
the candle, sending your energy both upward into the spiritual planes
|
|
and downward into the physical.
|
|
|
|
(2) The second method is to start at the top of the candle and
|
|
draw an unbroken line down the side, under its base, and back up the
|
|
other side.
|
|
|
|
(a) When you reach the top of the candle, you turn it 1/4
|
|
turn and trace another unbroken line in the previous manner so that
|
|
the candle is 'tied' to your purpose
|
|
|
|
b. When you are using a candle-in-a-jar you would anoint it by
|
|
placing your moistened finger inside and rubbing clockwise, or
|
|
counterclockwise as needed, three times in a circle in three sets to
|
|
make up nine.
|
|
|
|
(1) Here is one of the more popular rhymes used to focus your
|
|
attention on what you are doing. Perhaps you have heard it before.
|
|
|
|
"The wyrd sisters, hand in hand
|
|
|
|
Posters of the Sea and Land
|
|
|
|
Do go about and about
|
|
|
|
Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine
|
|
|
|
And thrice again to make up nine.
|
|
|
|
Peace! The charm's wound up!"
|
|
|
|
END OF LESSON SEVEN PART A
|
|
|
|
|
|
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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