The Basics

             
              There are a multitude of books, tapes, workshops, and articles that focus on what are considered to be the basics of magical practice. As such, there will be no exhaustive discourse on these elements. However, there are three basic aspects of magical practice that are of great importance to the understanding and capacity to interact with the concepts presented in this text, and pursuant to this will be presented in a limited fashion here. These basic elements are physical fitness, meditation, and energy manipulation.
              Despite how much we may or may not view the flesh as a prison, after a Gnostic fashion, we are beings housed in and a part of the physical realm. Keeping the body, this temple, at peak condition is important to any magical endeavor. When the body is good physical condition there is an abundance of vitality, awareness, and endurance, all of which are important faculties in magical practice. This is best done through balanced diet, consistent exercise, uninterrupted restful sleep, and good personal hygiene. When the body is well rested as a result of sleep, full of vitality as a result of a balanced diet, refreshed by cleanliness, and poised from exercise, the magus is ready to engage in effective magical practice. Not only will these healthy habits improve the quality of your life, but also the potency, duration, and precision of your magick.             
              Meditation is a cornerstone of magical practice, though is not as rigid as one might think. There are a multitude of theories and methods of meditation, in fact, it is not the act of meditation that is of importance, it is the resulting state of relaxed readiness that is the goal. The most simple meditation technique is to find a comfortable physical position, though not one that will encourage the practitioner to fall asleep unexpectedly (hence the common usage of an upright or sitting position). Once in place, the practitioner begins to breath deeply, not hyperventilating, but drawing breath all the way down into the lower parts of the lung, and breathing out in a controlled and slow manner. Eventually the mind will sharpen and the body will relax, creating the ideal state of relaxed readiness. It is from this state of relaxed readiness that effective magick springs forth. In time the practitioner will become adept at achieving this R&R state with a single controlled breath, allowing them to prepare for empowered magical action at a moment’s notice.             

Energy manipulation, like fitness and meditation, is discussed at length in many texts and sources external to this book, though a brief overview will be given. Magical energy, as the fundamental element of any magical endeavor, must be manipulated by the practitioner in order to manifest the will. There are a plethora of theories and techniques regarding energy manipulation, and it is likely that the reader of this book is already well versed in such techniques, though some things bear repeating. Energy must first be sensed, this can be done with a combination of the ‘magical senses’ which will be discussed later in the book and the act of visualizing the energy you are being faced with in whatever manner is most compatible with your personal worldview. Once the energy is sensed you must reach out with your will and take control of that energy, shaping it into patterns of your choosing, or using the pre-existing patterns as you see fit. This is the most basic element of magick, and is heavily reliant upon the strength of your will and your belief in the existence of magick itself. Once the energy is shaped it can be used for the magical sending or spell you are attempting to produce. When the magical act has been completed, ground the leftover energy by projecting it into either an object, the ground itself, or dissipating it into the ambient environment. When you have mastered these basics…
…the world of magick is an open door.