IIH Step I............................................ I................................................................... .............................................. .............................................. ...........................................1 ....................1 Mental Level.......................................... Level................................................................. .............................................. .......................................................... ................................... 1 Introduction to Mental Plane Exercises ........................................... .............................................................................. ................................... 2 Initiation into Hermetics, Chapter 1, Mental Level............................................................3 stral Level........................................... Level.................................................................. .............................................. .............................................. ....................................! .............! stral Level Part II" #he ps$cholo%$ ps$cholo%$ o& the elements.................................................... elements.................................................... .....1' (ire......................................... (ire................................................................ .............................................. .............................................. .......................................... ......................1' ...1' ir......................................... ir................................................................ .............................................. .............................................. ....................................... .......................1) .......1) *ater.............................................. ater..................................................................... .............................................. ............................................................1! .....................................1! Earth........................................ Earth............................................................... .............................................. ............................................... ............................................2+ ....................2+ Ps$chic Level Part III" II I" Introduction to (ire..........................................................................21 (ire..........................................................................21 Ph$sical Exercises.......................... Exercises................................................. .............................................. .............................................. .........................................2' ..................2' 1. #he Material od$" Stretchin% and S-in Maintenance.................................................2' Maintenance.................................................2' 2. Conscious reathin%M$ster$ o& reathin%......................................... reathin%..................................................................2' .........................2' 3. Conscious /eception o& (ood.................................................. (ood.......................................................................................20 .....................................20 . #he Ma%ic- o& *ater.................................................. ater.................................................................................................. ................................................ ..2
IIH Step I Mental Level Preliminary Comments: It is important in Bardon's book to master each exercise before going on to the next one. Over time, yo also increase yor mastery mastery over the beginning exercises. exercises. !n exercise yo do for five five mintes in chapter " yo extend to fifteen mintes or a half hor by chapter #. $he exercises of each chapter%%the mental, psychic, and physical levels%%mst also be mastered together before going on to the next chapter. $his enables a stdent to avoid rnning into severe karmic difficlties de to a one%sided development. &eep a carefl record of yor practices and make them a habit. ome things are are best learned throgh throgh repeated repeated practice. practice. $he training training (ill re)ire yor greatest commitment and highest spirital (ill. *o not become discoraged. +ealie, ho(ever, that this line of practice is possibly the most difficlt thing on earth to master. !fter all, in book one yo are preparing to internalie in yorself the essence of all spirital (isdom and po(er that exist on this planet. If yo get stck some(here, do not despair. $he exercises are set p to reinforce each other. !nd there is al(ays someone arond (ho can assist yo. Internet pts s into toch (ith practitioners from arond the (orld. !nd -st abot every single exercise in Bardon's book has been made into a life long practice by someone. $he practitioners of varios religios or spirital training systems often take a variation of one or more of these techni)es and treat them like an onion. $hey careflly peel layer after layer ntil they arrive at the (isdom in its core. $hey then honor this achievement as the final realiation of their system. $he depths to (hich they go to accomplish their ob-ectives can be appreciated
by a magician (ithot having to adopt the limited goals and cltral vales nderlying their methods. or example, varios cognitive psychologists love stdying mental processes and ho( thoghts inflence behavior /a chapter " mental exercise0. In Chinese Chi &ng, they love practicing breathing and circlating energy throgh the body /a chapter " physical exercise0. One of the most difficlt exercises in Bardon is attaining magical e)ilibrim beginning (ith introspection. introspection . Bt the practitioners practitioner s of a system developed from the (ritings of Carlos Castaneda try to recall in detail their entire life. Ira Progoff, (ho (orks (ith intensive -ornal, careflly gides his stdents to become conscios of the psychic threads (hich form the pattern and stream of energy shaping their oter lives. !s fascinating as many training systems are, they do not try to nderstand all aspects of hman natre )ite like a magician. $he magician seeks to reflect and harmonie (ithin his o(n sol the larger niverse and all the po(ers (ithin it. Bt the great training systems of the earth do offer insight and exploration of specific trths. ! magician (ill nderstand the niversal aspect of these many procedres and identify them as steppingstones he can tilie, at his o(n discretion, as he moves to(ards the mastery of the akashic plane of or planet. I add here a fe( paragraphs from my essay on the for planes: 1y kids sometimes ask abot magick. I tell them that in regard to Bardon's practices, the concept he has of basic mastery is a spirital ideal in itself: Bardon expects yo to have ". $he mental clarity of an advanced 2en master%%that is, a mind empty like a mirror and sharp as a diamond. 3hen yo concentrate on something yo easily focs (ithot any distraction (hatsoever so there is nothing else in yor consciosness. 4. $he concentration and artistic imagination of tephen pielberg. pielberg can visalie each scene in a movie inclding camera angles. 5e can hear the intonations in the voices of the characters and see the emotions they portray. 5e can do all of this before he begins shooting. 6. $he ability to nderstand personal problems from a niversal perspective as one or t(o Ph.*.s in transpersonal psychology might impart. 7. $he level of vitality and chi possessed by a sixth don aikido sensei or a forth generation tai chi master. 8. $he )alities of a sccessfl individal in any profession: 5is life mst be organied. 5e mst be free of needless distractions. 5e mst have rgged endrance, patience, self% motivation, and determination. !nd, like those at the top of any profession or career, he mst love his (ork (ith all his mind, heart, and sol. !nd these abilities and attitdes Bardon expects yo to someho( ac)ire before yo move on to (orking (ith higher spirits. I mention these five points becase they represent skills present in professions (hich are already part of or society. $here is absoltely nothing secret or esoteric abot them. $hey are the po(ers of creative imagination ac)ired and applied throgh hard (ork and commitment. $he first step in magick is not (ithdra(al. It is to internalie some of the creativity (hich already srronds s.
Introduction to Mental Plane Exercises $he goal of the mental plane exercises (ill be to master yor o(n mind. $his (ill involve observing yor o(n thoght processes and controlling yor thoghts. Inherent in this process is the development of or imagination. or example, Bardon emphasies being able to concentrate to the extent (e can recreate mentally anything (e can experience sensally throgh or five senses. $his mental agility and resilience is the basis for developing psychic abilities as (ell as being able to nderstand the minds of animals, other hman beings, and spirits as (ell. !nother goal of the mental training is to be able to move freely
bet(een or physical (orld and varios realms on the inner planes and to do so comfortably comfortably so that that (e avoid avoid varios dangers dangers and temptations. temptations. In entering the sphere of elemental beings, the varios degrees of the astral plane, and the akashic level of the earthone, or minds (ill enter environments (hich offer no spport for or five senses. $here are no familiar sensory impressions similar to (hat (e enconter in everyday life. $o be flly conscios and to perceive on these planes, or minds (ill need great clarity and penetrating intition. Before this can happen (e have to strengthen or mental abilities and become conscios of everything (hich inflences or perception and imagination. In fact, the mind of a magician is meant to comprehend (ith ease the thoghts of a sinner or a saint, a fool or a (ise man, an atistic individal or a genis, a salamander (ho commands a volcano to erpt or an ndine (ho d(ells in the depths of the seas, a spirit (ho gides the destinies of the nations or one (ho can resolve any conflict on this planet, heal any disease, or transform any karma. Bardon's training system is this demanding and this complete. $he task of a stdent, then, (ill be to take these exercises, ho(ever difficlt and nfamiliar, and someho( to make them his o(n so they become second natre. $herefore, consider making the first book a life long friend. +etrn to it it again and again. $he teachings of the elemental elemental beings and many spirits of the earthone and other spheres often take these basic exercises and expand on them. $hese spirits increase yor po(er and heighten yor concentration. concentration. $hey introdce into hman natre a planetary and cosmic perspective bilding on yor crrent nderstanding. !s in any academic crriclm, ho(ever, yo have to complete the basics. Other(ise, (hen yo -mp into an advanced class yo can neither nderstand nor can yo keep p (ith the lessons. 3hen, for example, yo arrive at the sphere of 9ens, these magnificent creatres of beaty (ill entice yo to retrn to those basic areas (hich yo have failed to master. $hey make the most simple needs in life seem fantastically fantastically interesting. interesting. !nd that is part of their their -ob%%to prepare s so (e have enogh experience that (e are ready to make the next step into the sphere of the sn. In the solar sphere, (e -oin orselves to divinity, to pre light, and become radiant servants of life.
Initiation into Hermetics, Chapter 1, Mental Level $here are for exercises for the mental level in chapter ". In all of Bardon's exercises, it sometimes helps to imagine yo have already mastered the exercise. $his is an exercise in imagination. It gives yo a chance to feel (hat it is like to do something yo do not yet kno( ho( to do. !nd there is a sense that if yo can imagine it then yo can get it. $he thoght or image of already being able to do something creates energy (hich generates momentm and sccess. xercise ": Observing yor thoghts. $aking the perspective of an alert and silent observer, close yor eyes and observe yor thoghts. *o this for a minte and (ork p to five mintes. $ry to recall all that happens (ithin yor mind. Comments: $his exercise makes yo more conscios of yor mental body and the processes and contents of yor mind. 3hen I first tried this exercise, I felt very odd not only noticing mental events bt also trying to remember (hat had occrred (hile meditating. I notice, thogh, that the exercise made my mind sharper and more observant. I cold recall, by the (ay, p to six separate mental events bt six things is abot all I can remember. remember. I feels a little little odd to be observing observing mental events and then trying also to remember them as (ell bt I take it that this is also part of the exercise. If yo are alert enogh to notice the smallest change in yor mental
activity, yo also become very observant abot (hat is happening immediately in front of yo. !ll five senses become more alert. It seems natral for me, ho(ever, to also become ac)ainted (ith other individals (ho practiced varios kinds of mental control and meditation. or example, I once sat in a beginning class at a 2en monastery. $he teacher had s sitting almost elbo( to elbo( facing a (all a fe( feet in front of s. 3e (ere to think no thoghts. I noticed right off that if yo practice this form of sensory deprivation after(ards a small sensory stimls feels colorfl, enchanting, and fll of life. !fter the meditation, the instrctor debriefed each of s. 5e (anted to kno( in detail (hat had occrred (ithin or minds. $here it is again%%that again%%that expectation that yo are to recall (hat occrred (hen yo (ere spposed to not be thinking. $o be honest, I felt like telling him, ;It is none of yor bsiness.; I did not (ant to be sb-ect to another individal's inflence by letting him kno( my strengths and (eaknesses. I -st (anted the discipline and sharing that comes (ith -oining in a grop committed to mastering the self.
element of (ater. It is nice nice to learn both. Bardon's system happens to emphasie po(er and (ill. (ill. It is p to to the stdent stdent to find his his or her o(n o(n best approach. xercise 4: 1indflness. $his exercise involves being flly attentive to (hatever task yo are performing (ithot being distracted or letting other thoghts intrde. intrde. I imagine there there are a nmber of (ays (ays to approach approach this exercise. Bardon emphasies yo shold be able to be flly conscios and alert (hether yo are at (ork or engage in something simple and seemingly trivial. =o shold (ork at this exercise ntil it becomes a life long habit. $his kind of exercise is common in the Orient and is often referred to as practicing mindflness. mindflness. In 2en, they say (ords to the effect, ;3hen yo tie yor shoes, yo tie yor shoes. 3hen yo drink tea, yo drink tea.; Of corse if yo are living in a completely artificial environment like a monastery dedicated to practicing asterities yo have an atmosphere condcive for cltivating mental discipline. $he bilding, the stdents, the master, and the daily schedle are like a magical rital designed to enhance and reinforce very specific kinds of a(areness. till, it is important to internalie internalie the 2en monastery (ithin oneself. $his means being able to focs yor entire mental body on (hatever yor are doing as if this moment is of significance and important%%not the activity bt bt (hatever yo happen to be doing in this moment moment of time. $his practice strengthens the ties bet(een yor mind, sol, and body. $he mental, astral, and physical are nited in yor a(areness. $his opens consciosness consciosness to akasha%%to a timeless and spaceless state of a(areness. It makes anything yo do a spirital activity. $his may not seem very important bt it is extremely valable. It provides spport for yo consciosness after engaging in the incredible set of explorations of the psyche (hich Bardon's system encorages. =o need to kno( that (hen yo are done (ith a psychic or mystical practice yo can retrn to yor ordinary consciosness (ithot any part of yor a(areness being else(here. else(here. $here is nothing nothing allo(ed allo(ed to intrde intrde pon or distrb yor focs. 1ost people do not need this skill bt a magician does. 5aving made my point, I (ill discss here and else(here (hy this may case problems for some individals. $he Bardon system is extremely dangeros, from my perspective, if yo overdevelop yor mind to the exclsion of yor feelings and ability to express ade)ately yor emotions. Often nexpected thoghts, feelings, and sensations may inter-ect themselves into yor a(areness dring the day or night. $hese may signal deep feelings or intitions stirring (ithin yo (hich yo need to attend to. ome individals individals (orry too mch or constantly. One (ay of (orking (ith that problem is to set aside a reglar time (hen all yo do is (orry. In this (ay, yo take charge of (hatever is bothering yo. =o give it the attention it demands. imilarly, if something is bothering or psetting yo, then it is not a good idea to ;exclde; it from yor thoghts. $his is repression. =o can get a(ay (ith it for days, months, or even years. ventally, ho(ever, either yo solve the problem or it (ill gro( strong enogh to demand yor total attention by ndermining yor motivation or making yor ill sho(ing p in other (ays. lse(here I mention that the mind Bardon (ants to develop in the stdent is open like the sky, flo(ing like (ater, serene like moonlight, intense like lightning abot to strike, radiant like the sn, empty like a void, and so forth. 3hen yo develop a high caliber level of concentration, yo also have to apply it so it harmonies yor personal life. or example, I can listen to my (ife (ith a magical level of concentration. concentration . 1y mental body is then like a mirror in (hich she can see herself more clearly. !nd she en-oys this attention.
Bt (hat she likes a (hole lot better is (hen I change my brain (aves to match her her o(n. $hen the interactions interactions bet(een the left and right right sides of my brain are more rapid. $hen thoghts, emotions, and body langage are more blended and expressive. In other (ords, as magicians (e are after a mental concentration bt one (hich is flexible and not rigid. Bardon says that the stdent shold be able to change his personality completely pon entering different sitations sch as being at home verss being at (ork. xercise 6: !ttending to one thoght or a thoght train. In this exercise, focs on one thoght or a train of thoghts (ithot any other non%related thoghts intrding. I am abot to do my income tax so I cold -st sort throgh everything I (ill need to do to get my taxes done. $hat (old be a thoght train. I cold pick a simple thoght sch as my dog or the tree in in the backyard. backyard. I cold focs focs on an affirmation affirmation sch sch as, ;I feel a deep sense of inner peace.; Bardon does not elaborate on the level or (ay (e are to approach this exercise bt it seems fairly straightfor(ard. straightfor(a rd. 3e already practiced focsing on one activity in exercise t(o so no( (e simply focs on one mental activity instead of something physical. veryone, of corse, already kno(s ho( to do this exercise to some extent. >st consider thinking abot something yo love doing or are emotionally involved (ith. =or interest alone shold be able to keep yo focsed (ithot (ithot distraction. distraction. I have sat do(n at # P1 playing a compter game and (as srprised (hen I sa( snlight otside the (indo( becase time had flo(n and no( it (as da(n. $he only thoghts in my mind dring this time related to the game I (as playing. $hat kind of recreational activity is more a (ay of being absorbed than it is being alert and conscios bt it reminds me of (hat I am capable of doing. $he idea, ho(ever, is to train yor mind so yo have a habit of focsing (ithot distraction. xercise 7: Controlling thoghts. In this exercise, practice meditating (ithot any thoghts entering yor mind ntil yo can do so for ten mintes. $here is a real advantage to being able to do this. 5aving an open and empty mind (hich is flly alert and attentive greatly enhances nderstanding. nderstanding . It means yo can regard something (ithot having to search immediately for a label or concept to explain it. $his is a mental ability (hich yo rarely rn into. 1ost people have a mental anxiety (hich means they have to identify everything as something familiar or else they do not care enogh to notice (hat is in front of them. 5aving a mind capable of being being empty empty of of thoghts thoghts means means yo can can pt a lot of things things in this mind (ithot (ithot casing a reaction. =o can then consider a problem from from all sides. sides. =o hold the the entire problem problem (ithin yor mind (hile remaining remaining completely completely relaxed relaxed and clear. !gain, this this ability is absoltely essential for a magician. ! magician often deals (ith nkno(n experiences experiences and ne( perceptions. perceptions. If he tries to label them or make them fit (hat he believes or already thinks he distorts their their content. ! clear and empty mind is also a psychic tool. It can receive extremely faint impressions and then amplify them (hich is like looking at something nder a magnifying glass. $his is becase there is nothing else in yor consciosness than (hat yo are focsing pon. 1y original notes sho( I (as able to do this exercise after abot a month and a half of reglar reglar daily practice. I believe, ho(ever, it is very easy to lose this emptiness of mind practice once yo learn it. =o have to keep yorself in shape. It is as easy as breathing for me to stop all thinking for three or for mintes. $o do so for ten mintes takes more effort. effort. !fter (orking (orking (ith a fe( fe( spirits like like >ah%5el of the 1ercry 1ercry sphere, I ac)ired a taste for meditating for three or for hors at a time. I take a lot of breaks dring this time. or example, I (rite p
(hat is occrring bt everything I (rite abot arises from (ithin an empty mind. I notice, ho(ever, that if I force myself to be free of thoghts there is a strain on my nervos system. Bardon mentions practicing (hile being relaxed and this took me a long time to learn. It is also easy for me to cheat on this exercise by placing my mind in an akashic trance%%a timeless and spaceless state of a(areness. In akasha, there is no vibration relating to thinking nless yo place it there. Bt sing trance or self%hypnosis to perform this exercise is off track. $he idea is to be free of thoghts in a (ay (hich is natral, comfortable, and even en-oyable. !s I practice no( I notice that my thoghts and mental activities are very distant. $hey do not even appear as a thoght or an idea becase I am sensitive to the vibration thinking possesses. I can shn it before it enters the lingistic or mental part of my brain (here an action occrs (hich I label thinking. If yo sense the mental vibration yo can send it off )ickly (ithot deciphering it in terms of a sensory perception or interpreting it in terms of ideas and langage, symbols, images, etc. I can also feel each thoght as an energy or sensation some(here in my body sally, e.g., as a faint flash of sensation in my throat or head, etc. 3hat I am saying here is that not thinking has a certain vibration, energy field, or set of brain (aves associated (ith it. If yo can sense that energy field and remain (ithin it yo also in effect stop thinking. Bt this ability came mch later in my practice. If I (ere giving advice to myself (hen I (as first beginning this exercise I (old sggest (orking on my sense of peace, stillness, and feeling a part of the planet earth. $hen (hen I meditate I (old be in an emotional and mental state (here thoghts do not vibrate. $here are other advantages to getting this exercise. I notice that every time a thoght appears it briefly breaks the connection (ith (hatever I am concentrating on or attempting to attne myself (ith. $he mind is like a television set (hich blinks off or a telephone conversation (hen static intervenes and obscres the (ords being spoken. 1y mother often says to me (hen (e talk long distance that it sonds like I next door. $he connection is excellent throgh the satellite relays. $hat is (hat yo (ant for telepathy, clairvoyance, clairsentience, and magical practices%%a crystal clear receptivity and sending capacity. If yo make a connection to an elemental being or spirit, yo (ant to be confident that the connection is complete and that there are no interrptions. =o (ant to be able to say, ;I am here. peak to me. 3hat is the ans(er to my )estion?; $o receive that ans(er often takes some time in the beginning becase yo may be trying to receive into yor mind a mental vibration (hich is different from anything yo have experienced before. In order to listen, yo have to s(itch off the metal activity in yor o(n mind so yo can receive (hat is being sent to yo. Of corse, many individals are sed to concentrating on a hobby or activity for thirty mintes or longer (ithot a single extraneos thoght entering their minds. $hey are completely involved (ith (hat they are doing so that their interest stops all distractions. $he empty mind is -st the same mental vibration bt (ithot a specific content. or example, I raced sailboats for years and (as accstomed to concentrate on the (ind interacting (ith the sail for many hors at a time (ith an absolte minimm of conversation. 3hen I imagine myself sailing again, I can notice ho( my concentration intensifies so that I feel nothing else in the (orld exists bt (hat I am doing. 3hen I close my eyes and keep the concentration (ithot any imagery, this form of concentration is like acid%%it dissolves thoghts before they enter my mind. =o might try this for yorself by gearing yor mind p to a mental level of concentration (hich yo have already developed throgh some other activity. $hen s(itch back and forth bet(een the activity (hich engages yo and an empty mind.
I (old also mention the sitation (here an Oriental teacher (ill bring his method of training to 3esterners. ! 9ipassana teacher, e.g., teaches concentrating on breath, the body, the mind and so forth for extended period of time. I kno( one individal (ho loves this sort of thing. he feels she has come home by participating in one of these retreats. Bt other !mericans have some serios difficlties. $hogh the 9ipassana teacher's methods are very clear, he does not in fact teach (hat many !mericans do not have. rom his cltre in India, he has ac)ired a (onderfl sense of (ell%being and peace. $his is part of his etheric body. 5e had a love of spirital things from childhood and the cltre spported this kind of endeavor and exploration. Bt 3estern cltre in many instances has been extremely hostile to inner exploration of the psyche and spirit. $o empty yor mind is to also allo( not only thoghts bt po(erfl emotions to arise. It is as if yo are opening a door to a realm (hose existence has been denied for thosands of years. I do not mean to overplay this example bt I think yo have to feel there is some sort of greater harmony or prpose to (hich yo are connected. Other(ise, an individal may find himself having to deal not (ith the point of the exercise%%controlling thoghts%%bt (ith another )estion: 3hat happens to yor identity or to yor self (hen there are no thoghts (ithin the mind? $his )estion is not ans(ered intellectally nor does it belong to the mental body. It belongs to the astral body (hich (ill demand of yo at some point that yo feel loved and spported (ithot having a mental reference point for yor identity. $he reason for this is that only in love can individals let go of identity and ndergo transformation (ithot needing to kno( (ho they are or kno( in advance (hat they are becoming. $he great voids and empty spaces (ithin the heart, sol, mind, and spirit are not crossed by those (ith great (ill. $hey are crossed by those (ho love becase love can contain everything (ithin its heart. Bardon, of corse, re)ires an e)al development of the physical, astral, and mental bodies. I (old also mention that the earthone spirit !losom, 48 degrees agittaris, specialies in the magick of silence. I have a (rite p on my experiences (ith !losom on my (eb page. ilence is not -st an empty mind. It has astral and physical )alities. One of the nicest images I got from (orking (ith !losom (as of sitting in silence in a room filled (ith masters from all ages. !ll of them have an appreciation for silence and the mystery of the earth. =o can also explore the imagery and feeling of a rock, a tree, or a montain. 3e do this later on in mental pro-ection in (hich (e identify or consciosness (ith things in natre. $he energies (ithin natre provide a natral spport to becoming free of thoghts. I often get the impression from the Bardon gnomes that they cold (alk throgh a montain or a forest for months (ithot thinking a single thoght. $hey are conscios, alert, and perceiving bt (ithot any thinking occrring. @nomes embody the energies of the earth. ! not ncommon problem (ith heavy mental training is that for some individals empty mind and sense concentration exercises place too mch pressre on their third eyes. $he third eye chakra behind the eye bro(s becomes over energied. $hey then get headaches, feel tension in their sklls, or find themselves locked into the mental plane. $he remedy, again, is to only concentrate (hen yo are completely relaxed. $ry to perfect the state of relaxation so that it is al(ays able to match yor magical development. tay in toch (ith natre's energies. tdy forests and (ater and air. &eep yor astral body charged p (ith organic energy. *o not allo( yorself to be separate from others like a hermit becase yor concentration is so intense.
rid of those headaches (as to go for a (alk for thirty mintes in the (oods. $his allo(ed the energy in my feet and first chakra to balance and relax the energy in my third eye. In &ndalini yoga, they often sggest drinking sch things as a s(eet, milk rich tea. $he caffeine, sgar, and milk serve to dissolve the tension in the brain and head. !s (ith any physical side effects yo may experience from meditating, the idea is to take it a little slo(er. *o not obsessed on concentration exercises. ach individal has a natral rhythm and balance (hich yo do not (ant to lose by brning ot or over doing it.
Astral Level $here are for parts to this exercise. =o smmarie in a diary all the ;bad sides of yor sol.; $hese inclde all bad habits, deficiencies, (eaknesses of character and temperament, failings, passions, and negative aspects of yorself. econd, assign each falt to one of the for elements or as indifferent. $hird, rate each falt on three levels as to its degree of difficlty. orth, repeat the first three steps for the positive side of yorself as (ell. $his exercise relates to attaining a magical e)ilibrim (ithin the astral body. I follo(ed this exercise exactly as Bardon laid it ot. $his seemed to (ork fairly (ell for me since I tend to analye things and I like to describe behaviors. I spent a lot of time on it. I (as not very happy (ith my reslts, ho(ever. very time I think I nderstand my astral body something ne( comes bbbling p from the depths (hich defies all analysis. It is only lately that I am beginning to nderstand ho( the elements (ork on the astral plane. Bardon's approach in this matter, ho(ever, follo(s some traditions in the 3estern (orld (hich do ascribe psychological traits to the for elements. $he air element for example is sangine, casal, friendly, cheerfl, (elcoming, crios, sometimes over familiar, at ease, balanced, and so forth. arth is solid, stable, endring, hard (orking, persevering, and practical. $he earth element emphasies attaining real, physical reslts. $he fire element is energetic, dynamic, bright and shiny, intense and earnest, etc. $he (ater element is sensitive, caring, empathic, giving, nrtring, etc. . $his approach follo(s astrology fairly closely so yo cold -st as easily branch off into a stdy of yorself in terms of yor natal chart. @emini,
seeks to serve niversal, (ide%ranging ideals and prposes. o, in this sense, (orking on oneself in terms of self%analysis of the for elements in one's sol has a lot in common (ith astrology. ome Bardon stdents simply convert the mirrors of the sol into stdies of astrology. !strologers do not sally, ho(ever, say to yo that if yo have a lot of fire yo need to (ork on the odiac signs pertaining to (ater and so forth. $hey do not tell yo to integrate yor natal chart so yo in effect create for grand trines throgh yor o(n psychological (ork. I once met an extremely talented astrologer (ho did a marvelos interpretation of my natal chart and progressions. I told her she shold consel people like therapists (ho meet reglarly (ith a client over a long period of time. he did not nderstand. or her, her -ob (as done once she had conveyed the information. Bt this information has to be applied. It takes a lot of (ork to se the kno(ledge so something comes of it. or example, I have an !)aris 1ar direct opposition to a
$his leaves a lot of (ork to be done on connecting the energies of the elements in the personality to those of divinity. !nd also a stdent has to figre ot ho( the elemental energies themselves exist as a continm bet(een or everyday personality experiences and or experiences (ith the for elements on the inner planes and as aspects of *ivine Providence. In my stories (ith the elemental beings, my interactions (ith Bardon's elementals often lead into discssions of (hat it is like to feel and think and perceive as an elemental being. I kno( individals (ho on occasion act like a sylph or a salamander or a gnome. $here is an overlap bet(een the astral bodies of hman beings and elemental beings and I continally try to explore that. $o this end, I have (ritten for essays and meditations on ho( to find the ndineAsylphAgnomeAsalamander in yorself. I se the specific )alities of for elemental beings to assist me in those essays. or example, in meditating (ith the gnome rami I (ork (ith him on developing for steps for mastering his ara. I happen to like that approach. It is kind of shamanistic. It involves increasing yor attentiveness to the land (here yo live. ome of the etheric energy in the land then makes its (ay into yor ara. =o begin to feel a part of the earth the (ay a gnome like rami does. $his reslts in a feeling of (ell%being and of being gronded. I have already met individals (ho have rami's sense of (ell%being. I have kept an eye on them and commnicated (ith them for decades (atching ho( they live their lives and ho( they think and feel. Bt ntil I (orked (ith rami on this inner peace I have not seen anything in literatre or psychology (hich gives me the faintest cle as to ho( to develop these )alities in myself. =o cold say for me that to balance my magic mirror I really need to make the elemental beings close friends. $hey possess many of the astral )alities I need in order to feel (hole and complete. I am extremely gratefl for having had the chance to meet so many masters from different religios traditions. =et none of these masters can hold a candle to the po(ers and energies (hich are fond in these elementals mentioned by Bardon as least as far as the astral and etheric planes are concerned. !s is typical in Bardon, yo can (ork (ith a spirit to master an energy or )ality. =o can also -st (ork (ith the energy itself (ithot connecting to a spirit. In this later case, (e are doing a kind of psychology%%(e are niversaliing or astral body little by little so (e are comfortable (ith the energies (ithin the natral (orld arond s. or example, (e can meet loving people. 3e can also contemplate divine love and omnipresence. Bt the ndines embody an expansive a(areness of love (hich exists bet(een the hman personality and the consciosness of divinity. 3e do not need to evoke an ndine bt the seas of the earth shine (ith a magnetic field (hich has the natre of love. ailors do not kno( abot this. $heologians and scholars are completely ignorant of this bliss. cientists dismiss the possibility as ridiclos.
flo(ing directly like a strong crrent or the taste of the (ater in a clear montain pool the astral body of anyone else on earth? $his open, receptive and free clairsentience is the most natral of things. Bt ho( cold it ever be learned? If yo are (ith an ndine like Isaphil or Istiphl, they can meditate for a moment and feel the (aves breaking on any shore on any island on this planet. $hey can feel the rivers that flo( and hear the songs of the (hales any(here they choose. $hey can sing a note so beatifl the entire magnetic field of an ocean for a moment is captred in that song and lends its po(er to (hat they desire. >ngian psychologists (old call descriptions sch as these archetypes and to some extent the Bardon elementals resemble archetypes. $hey are both the same and yet al(ays ni)e and different for each individal (ho enconters them. $heir domain is the collective nconscios bt they are more than this. $hey have an intelligence of their o(n, their o(n harmony and natre, and also are void of the hman preoccpation (ith a personal identity. $hey reveal themselves in a ni)e manner to (homever they are (ith. Bt they are more the consciosness (hich the hman race has yet to attain%%an a(areness of all the energies (hich shape and animate this planet on (hich (e live. !t (hat point does yor magic mirror of the sol lead yo to connect to these archetypes? Bardon leaves this to the last chapter of his first book on initiation. $hey are also the first set of beings to (ork (ithin his second book on evocation. Bardon prepares yo for these enconters by having yo develop immense mental, psychic, and etheric po(ers. Bt again I (old like more literatre, psychology, and methods of transformation relating to the elements set forth as a compliment to Bardon's system. !nd this is one of the main things I am (orking on. ! nmber of the earthone spirits also specialie in magical e)ilibrim sch as >var at 7 degrees var sggested I internalie (ithin myself a sylph's light, airy cheerflness and playflness since I tend to be overly serios. I think his sggestion (as right on and still this is an area I contine to (ork on. $hat light airy )ality also manifests as an artistic temperament. !nother earthone spirit, 2agriona, broght back from a former life a sympathy for (riting poetry (hich falls nder the air element also. till, as mch as (e need a lot of material to help s better nderstand the for elements, Bardon himself is emphasiing that the stdent develop direct perception of his o(n astral body. or example, (hen yo internalie and breathe in fire yo get a feeling for that degree of heat and the intensity of fire. =o can sense it is energiing and expansive and this natrally leads to a feeling of being in charge and commanding. 3hen (e are angry, (e can spposedly notice that anger is also astral fire energy bt more negative%%it is demanding and forcefl and ot of control. o( anger has been stdied a great deal in psychology bt certainly not in these terms of fiery )alities. ! magician can certainly learn a lot from the physiology and psychology of anger in terms of ho( to deal (ith it. Bt a magician also goes on to (ork (ith fire on the astral planes and in enconters (ith elemental beings and then psychology is not going to be real helpfl. Psychologists, for example, do not nderstand a (hole lot abot the po(er (hich is sed by politicians or the political (ill to srvive or the (ill that only (ants more. $he salamanders have immense po(ers in their astral bodies relating to many aspects of fire (hich are still fairly nfamiliar to science and to scholarship. I again have soght to describe these fiery )alities in a nmber of stories I have (ritten on my enconters (ith the Bardon salamanders. !nd yet (hen (e raise the fire content in or astral bodies from (orking (ith fire in some form (e still have to be actely a(are of ho( this fire effects or personalities.
It is conterprodctive to master fire on the inner planes only to end p being a manic depressive and domineering individal in or personal lives. $he latter (ill cancel ot the advantages of achieving the former. 1agical aptitde (ill then be controlled and expressed by or (eaknesses rather than by or higher intition and conscience. !nd this is probably the strongest reason for seeking to attain magical e)ilibrim. 3ithot it, all spirital and magical abilities become the playthings of an ot of control personality. =o can see this again and again in the lives of varios spirital masters (ho in their daily lives are sometimes driven by obsession (ith illsions they have never bothered to examine. !lso, in a nmber of my enconters (ith the earthone spirits I often get in a trance (here the for elements are in perfect balance. ometimes this is -st like Bardon sggests (ith earth in the legs, (ater in the abdomen, air in the chest, and fire in the head. Other times it is more like the cosmic letter > in the cosmic langage in (hich the for elements, like the colors in opal, shine in and throgh each other blending together in harmony. ometimes as (ith Cigila, an earthone spirit in Pisces, the for elements become indistingishable and fsed into one consciosness. o, there is an integration to be achieved, a (holeness, and a completion in (orking (ith the for elements. $here are ho(ever contless (ays for seeking mastery and integration of the for elements. If yo take the alchemical motif, there is often an intensive internal process (hich goes on inside the individal. =o seal yor senses and ara off from the oter (orld in some (ay dring practice to blend and fse the elements together dring a process of refining and prification. 3hen I do this (ith the gnome rami it feels (onderfl bt gnomes, that is, the earth element also incldes the energies (ithin natre relating to the animal and plant kingdoms. o (hen I rn into a ne( energy (hich is po(erfl I often (ill find myself transferring my a(areness into some sitable image from natre. I did this (hen I (rote the poem on the (olverine (hich I posted nder poems and stories on my (eb site. $hat is more a shamanistic exploration of the elemental energies bt a magician shold feel comfortable transferring his a(areness into anything. !fter all, actors like !nthony 5opkins and *sty 5offman have incredible range (hen it comes to identifying (ith characters and they do so in an effective and convincing manner. 3hen I (ork (ith the gnome 1entifil, his methods are spremely advanced and also feel really neat bt his system re)ires many years to master. 1entifil is like a physicist (ho emphasies mastering the energies of the periodic table at least as far as the planetary metals are concerned. Bt his method is also typically alchemical in that it is very internal and sealed off from the external (orld. 1eeting and (orking (ith the elemental beings is not at all internal. =o become ac)ainted (ith the elemental energies and then transfer yor consciosness into the elementals realms and gradally make their domains a second home, a place yo learn to kno( very (ell. 3hen yo retrn to yor ordinary personality, eventally yo feel balanced and detached like sylphs or incredibly empathic like ndines, astonishingly gronded like gnomes, or intense like a navy seal or a commander in the special forces. Indeed, some salamanders present themselves as pre po(er (hich is focsed only on the mission nder consideration. $here is, then, a center point the hermeticist (ishes to attain on the tetrapolar cross in balancing the for elements in himself. !nd there is also a gradally alchemical process of transmting the dark )alities and energies into bright and transforming energies. I am interested in transpersonal psychology becomes (ithin it I find some tools (hich emphasie a gradally process of self%exploration (hich lead to (holeness. $hese psychologists also insist that the dark aspects of the personality, e.g., the shado(, are essential to explore in order to become transformed. $he dark contains the energy and the nconscios a(areness (hich eventally becomes a clairvoyant tool and healing energy in the hands of
the magician, that is, (hen yo finally master it. Bt in the beginning, as in alchemy or the cosmic letter O (hich relates to alchemy, there mst be acceptance, appreciation, and compassion for yorself. =o do not flee from self%kno(ledge. =o become a(are of all aspects of a problem. =o observe yor history, yor behavior, yor thoghts, yor emotions, and the dynamics of ho( these interact. $hen, (ith this expanded a(areness, yo are ready to ndergo a process of transformation. I (old sggest that magick is also a stdy of creativity in all its forms. Ira Progoff points ot that creative individals have a special (ay of taking the implses and intitions they have and constantly revie(ing and monitoring them. $here is a continos interaction bet(een their conscios minds and the streams of energy rnning throgh them on deeper levels. Creativity finds (ays to express these deeper streams sometimes sinking into them and flo(ing (ith them (ithot having the faintest cle as to (here they are going. !nd sometimes (ith great effort yo consciosly dig a (ell do(n to them so they can be broght p to the light of day and sed in practical (ays. ! lot of great masters do not emphasie art becase they have reached a level (here life is art and (hat cold compare to the sonds and sights they can hear and see -st by closing their eyes and contemplating? !nd (hat need is there to share art (ith others to express themselves (hen their very presence is inspiring? Bt I think for stdents it is really important to cltivate the ability to express one's feelings and intitions in any sitable manner as a (ay of sharing (ith and enriching other's lives. !nd it is also important to emphasie keeping oneself inspired for this is one of the great paths to transformation%%having the light present in one's sol (hich possesses sfficient beaty and desire that it can take hold of all other desires and conflicts and, absorbing them into itself, transform them on to a higher level. Bardon does not seem to mention anything in the area of having and maintaining a rich devotional life or some means throgh (hich inspiration is cltivated. 5e does talk abot having high and pre thoghts before going to sleep at night as a (ay to inflence the sbconscios. !nd, as I have mentioned, at the end of Initiation identifying (ith *ivine Providence becomes a formal exercise. !lso, in his third book, he mentions combinations of cosmic letters (hich are sed prely as an adoration for *ivine Providence. !cts of devotion, adoration, meditation, contemplation, appreciation, (orship, faith, etc. are also a means for spiritaliing the astral body. I notice that the Order of Bards, Ovates, and *rids likes to collect and pblish stdents poems. $his serves as a means for the members to share their inspiration and experience (ith each other. Dnder the 5ome Page of akasha on my (eb site I have (ritten some poems on the cosmic letters (hich are inspiring for me and reminders of my o(n experiences dring meditation. I kno( some people are shocked and pset that I (rite pblicly abot the elemental beings. Bt I am convinced that some of the ndines, e.g., (old love to have a (oman portray their songs and dances on a stage on Broad(ay if the msical (as (ell (ritten. 3ater encompasses this planet and hears the songs of the stars at night. $he hman race has barely begn to perceive and listen to the dreams (hich (ater contains. $hese dreams are part of or destiny (hen (e are ready to listen. In other (ords, I do not see a grop of secretive masters developing ot of the Bardon tradition%%not after Bardon has gone to sch great lengths to pblish the sigils and descriptions of over five hndred spirits along (ith the cosmic langage and a training system (hich prepares yo to se these things. I conceive of a commnity of individals in (hich natre, hman, and divine are -oined and celebrated. $his light and inspiration are so radiant and engaging they transform or (orld. !ccording to legend, there once (as a civiliation in (hich scientist, poet, politician, (arrior, and magician all sharted the same
heartfl inspiration. $he time has come for this to retrn. $he forth part of this exercise is to list all the positive aspects of yorself, assign these to the for elements, and rate them also on three levels. It may be easy to ignore this exercise bt it is also important. One of or great tasks in life is to find sitations (here or ni)e skills and abilities can be of greatest service to others. $o do this, (e mst also kno( orselves very (ell and learn to rely pon or strengths.
Astral Level Part II: The psychology of the elements ote: or this essay, I (orked (ith >var, a spirit in
Fire 3e practice seeing and feeling fire. 3e evoke the sensation of intense heat (ithin orselves. $he basic procedre is to imagine that or bodies are hollo( inside and so able to accmlate any energy (e (ish. 3hen (e are done, (e imagine that the energy dissolves again into the niverse.
$he liver can be seen as representing natral gro(th and spirital consciosness. In besto(ing the gift of fire to hmanity, Promethes (as giving po(er (ithot the spirital ability to kno( ho( to se it (isely. One (ay to (ork (ith the element of fire is to revie( fire in all the (ays it exists in natre, in society, and (ithin orselves.
sensation (hich is intense enogh to feel real. !s I have pointed ot else(here, there are $ibetan yogis (ho visalie fire and manage to increase their body temperatre by seventeen degrees. $his is no longer -st a perceived sensation. cientists have measred it (ith a thermometer. $he next step is to imagine and believe )ite clearly that the presence of this element (ithin yorself is the same as embodying (ill. In psychological terms, fire radiates rgency, po(er, and light. It is fll of conviction and it dissolves fear. Becase of its (armth and dynamic presence, it gathers others to itself. It offers leadership, corage, and a est for living life. Consider the affirmation: ;I am a strong and assertive individal. I present myself in a clear and convincing (ay to other people.; It is possible to form a pictre in yor mind that yo indeed embody these )alities. Bt others may still see yo as a (himp. $hey may treat yo like yo are helpless and ineffective. $he reason for this is that yo have failed to create an astral component for this thoght form. =or ara does not radiate any po(er or charisma. $he task is to combine the mental affirmation (ith an astral sensation (hich radiates fiery po(er. Others (ill then immediately feel the (armth of yor ara and a sorce of po(er (ithin yo (hich can take charge of any sitation. !gain, there is the other extreme. ome individals (ill find it easy to prodce in themselves the hot, brning sensation of a fire. ome individals (ith ease can imagine the entire (orld as one vast sea of flames and feel that heat extending arond them for miles. $hey can do this becase they have a natral ability or else they have a vivid astral imagination. Bt there may be a do(nside to this. If they expand the fire element in their aras, they may lack the ethics, character, and commitment to se this force (isely. ometimes at a red light, an individal in one car (ith casally glance at someone in another car. $he second person may have an astral body fll of fire (hich is ready to ignite. $he glance is like striking a match. $he enconter reslts in violence. In this case, the feeling of po(er (ith its rgent need to act and to dominate the sitation prodces negative reslts. $he fire has not been channeled throgh an alert and clear mind. Blind emotion has taken control. Conse)ently, (hen the fiery element in the astral body is easily stimlated, the individal has to spend more time (orking on the mental plane. $he prposes for (hich (ill and po(er are to be sed mst be careflly revie(ed. $he individal has to identity and commit himself to core vales (hich are persasive enogh to hold the negative aspects of fire in check.
Air !s (ith fire, yo imagine yor body is a hollo( space and that only the air element exists (ithin yo. =o might imagine yorself to be like a helim balloon so yo feel (eightless. =o feel yorself float p into the sky. $he sensation of (eightlessness and floating is basic. $hen yo extend yor imagination frther. =o imagine the (inds are part of yor body. $he vacm into (hich air flo(s is like yor lngs exerting a pll as yo inhale. !ctally, there is a rhythmic flo( in the (inds and the seasons (hich is like breathing.
hrricane, the thnderstorm, and the tiny gst that t(irls the leaves in yor garden. In meditation, there is no light or energy the mind can not find and reprodce to some extent (ithin itself. Becoming familiar (ith the sky is -st a matter of practice and taking time. $he air element can also be overdeveloped (ithin an individal. If yo make astral contact (ith the air element or commnicate (ith sylphs, there is a tendency for the other elements in yorself to be shoved aside. $his may lead yo to a part of yorself (hich is (ild and restless. It is impersonal, distant, and aloof. It is not at all concerned (ith the (orries and responsibilities of hman beings. It kno(s itself to be free and so it no longer cares abot the demands of society, personality, or hman feeling. !n individal (ith this passive aspect of the air element may be alert, detached, and balanced (ithin himself. Bt he can also be insensitive to the extent of becoming amoral. $his is not ne( information. Psychology talks abot psychopaths and athors (rite abot individals (ho have lost their connections to others. 5o(ever, the phenomenon I am describing derives from an astral enchantment. Part of the individal's astral body is no longer focsed on hman existence. $he individal perceives the (ay a sylph perceives or as the fairies of lore (ho enchant hman beings to come a(ay (ith them to the inner planes. !s 3illiam Btler =eats describes it: Come a(ay, O hman childE $o the (aters and the (ild 3ith a fairy, hand in hand, or the (orld's more fll of (eeping than yo can nderstand. !gain, psychologists sch as Carl >ng have (ritten abot a circle of enchantment (hich holds hman beings in enthrallment. $he individal is hanted and possessed by (hat is nfilled in the past, by the nmet needs of childhood and family. 5e does not see the actal sitations he enters and other hman beings as they are bt only a distorted reflection, an illsion seen from afar. @iving and receiving, bonding, and intimacy are t(isted and bent becase the heart is incomplete. Bt the enchantment of air is slightly different. $he individal has an over abndance of the air element (hich lacks positive expression. $here is nothing a matter (ith having a sylph's heightened a(areness. $he *alai
my imagination. Its images are a mirror captring the light I see reflected in life.; !nd msicians do this (hen the msic is -st right. $hey are no longer a(are of themselves. $he notes carry them along. $he song takes on its o(n life and they are (ithin both the hman plane and another domain. $oo mch airy sbstance in the sol tempts s all to let go and forget or ties to others.
Water $o develop the sensation of (ater (hich is cold and (et, imagine yo are s(imming and diving in a stream, river, lake, or ocean. It is possible to extend yor meditations along these lines ntil the sensations of (ater become )ite strong. !t some point along the (ay, imagine yorself becoming the (ater srronding yor body. eel the s(immer and the diver moving throgh yor space. !nd again feel the coldness of (ater (ithin yor body as if yor body is hollo( inside. In my varios stories abot my enconters (ith the ndines, I go into detailed descriptions abot their specific astral natres. $he for I describe are all loving, receptive, sensitive, empathic, healing, and nrtring. !lso, they each have a slightly different (ay they commnicate the bliss and ecstasy (ithin the (ater element. $hese ndines are very enchanting and possess many magical secrets relating to the (ater element. rom my experience, ndines extend their aras ot into the (atery domains srronding them. If they (ish to create an atmosphere like a (ondros festival fll of dancing and song, the (ater is magnetied to express their feeling. If they (ish to commnicate a profond state of oneness and love, again, the (ater element becomes a vehicle (hich carries and amplifies their intentions. Or task in exploring the psychology of (ater is to do something
similar. Once (e can clearly prodce the sensations of cold (ater in and arond orselves, then (e imagine that this (atery expanse acts to express or feelings. 3ater absorbs, releases, flo(s and circlates energy. In a similar (ay, or ara encompasses and revives the life of those (ith (hom (e have contact. It prodces a magical space in (hich individals are free to be receptive to each other and to feel acceptance and love. !s (ith the other elements, (e no( combine the energies of the mental and astral planes. 3e need a clear definition and commitment in or minds to all that (ater represents in its highest sense. !gain, the )alities are love, healing, nrtring, sensitivity, acceptance, clairsentience, serenity, tran)ility, prity, and so forth. !nd (e need a total and complete conviction that (e exist (ithin and are a part of a magnetic (atery field of energy flo(ing throgh s and encompassing orselves and others as (ell. Both the mental and astral planes (ith their different approach to (ater mst then be nited in a natral (ay. Part of or sccess in this endeavor (ill arise from or stdy and appreciation of other individals (ho express feelings and ideals of love in their personalities. !nd part of or (ork (ill involve recogniing the great variety of sensations and (ays in (hich (ater exists in the (orld of natre. !gain, I have given examples throgh poems and stories of (ays the ndines have soght to deepen my nderstanding of the environment and element of (ater in (hich they live. Dltimately, their domain and their range of activities are also or o(n.
Earth If (e conceive of fire as (ill, air as intelligence and clarity of mind, and (ater as love and affection, (hat then shall (e make of the element of earth? In (ay can earth represent the integration and strength of consciosness? $he granite bolder is stable. It retains its shape, its form and mass, and only very gradally changes. $he precios stone is harder and more endring and yet its strctre permits the energy of light to pass throgh it. Ice is (ater in a solid form. Its molecles thogh fixed cover a (ider expanse so that it floats. !ir is in (ater and (ater is in the volcanic magma as it explodes. !s the heat is released, the flo(ing lava trns to stone. Plants gro( on the rich ntrients of volcanic islands. $opsoil develops and then forests. $he land mass provides an environment (here life can florish. Consciosness integrates the different aspects of orselves. It is the endring and stable landscape (here or sol and spirit accomplish their tasks. Consciosness sets priorities, identifies vales, and applies its resorces and time to prodctive ends. $here are conflicts bet(een vales, goals, desires, and different individals. Consciosness ses the nderstanding of air, the (ill of fire, and the empathy of (ater to arrive at practical and satisfying soltions. $he main sensations (e are after (ith the earth element are (eight and density. =o imagine yorself as a little more heavy.
continity. Past, present, and ftre form a continm. $he events of life occr along a time line. =o do not have to rsh any(here. =o -st se the present moment in the best (ay yo can. I place my hand on a standing stone five thosand years old. $here is nothing fancy abot this stone circle. It seems )ite casal like an afterthoght the (ay it is set do(n at the end of a co( pastre on 1ll Island, cotland. Bt I think to myself that all the events of hman history from the gyptian pyramids to the present nfolded (hile these stone have stood here and (aited. Consciosness can take the events of or lives and give them order and definition. It can say, ;$his relationship and that event are important to me. $hey al(ays (ill be. $hese ideals I live for%% they are (hat give my life prpose. =o see, amid all the changes%% the accidents, the failres, and the (rong trns%%there is a core set of vales (ithin myself (hich I phold and experiences (hich I honor.; ire is tenacios bt earth is persevering. 3ater offers love and spport, s(eet intimacy and pleasre. Bt earth bilds and provides those things (hich satisfy or deepest desires. $he air element likes to think and to reason. It offers clarity so vast that the thoght process is lost in the illmination. Bt the earth element kno(s in its heart that it is alive and participates in those prposes (hich endre throgh all ages of time. arth cts to the bottom line. It is not distracted by the rgency and rapacios hnger of fire and all the isses srronding the maintenance of po(er. It is not so easily distracted by the enchantments, romance, and passions of love. !nd thogh it too seeks and reaches for peaks of nderstanding and illmination, it does not fly off content to be detached or aloof. arth stays focsed on the concrete and practical (ays (e can materialie or ideals and operate in an effective manner in accordance (ith or core vales. It leaves behind a legacy. It provides a fondation pon (hich ftre generations (ill bild. !nd if this sonds too abstract, then (e can apply the same to or o(n lives. In each stage of or life, (e act (ith integrity and accomplish or basic tasks. $hen (e are able to move for(ard and scceed (ith (hat comes next. In smmary, this is only a tiny introdction to the psychology of the for elements. I have not discssed here the ecstasies of the for elements. !nd there are the for divine attribtes relating to different elements%%omnipotence, enlightenment, omnipresence or all%encompassing love, and immortality. I have sggested else(here that the t(elve signs of the odiac and astrology also provide insight into the for elements. !n important step in this area (ill be identifying for each of the t(elve signs of the odiac its corresponding elemental sensation. $hen that rich set of symbols and interpretations can be integrated into the psychology of the elements. $o do this (ill re)ire a shamanistic approach to the symbols (hich characterie the odiac signs.
Psychic Level Part III: Introduction to Fire 3hen (e explore (ind and sea, (e can savor the delightfl sensality and the familiar sensations contained in these elements. $he stories of sylphs and ndines stimlate or emotional life even as they call forth balance and harmony. $he songs in (ater and air are of freedom, gentleness, and empathy. $he gnomes also are not so distant from s. $hey are the intelligence and the consciosness in the rocks pon (hich (e sit or the montains (e climb. Bt fire is different. 5ere (e enter a domain of
pre po(er and (ill. 9olcanoes exploding, raging forest fires, lava flo(s%%these exhibitions (ithin natre strike a different cord as they resonate (ithin or sols. ire is expansive and ninhibited. 3e kno( (hat it is to feel exberance, excitement, and exhilaration. 3e have all been thrilled and enthralled. In sch feelings, there is a amplification and intensification of or energy. !nd, at times, there is an explosion of vitality combined (ith eal. On the other hand, being obsessed, infatated, or spellbond%%these emotional states reslt in part from a (eakness of the fire element (ithin orselves. 3e have failed to master the sorces of po(er (hich animate or sols. Conse)ently, there are times (hen (e may find orselves attracted to experiences or people (ho are nfamiliar and yet strangely appealing. Captivating images may come to s in dreams or (e may enconter ideals (hich bedale or imaginations. !nother person may bring into or lives a vision of happiness and -oy (e have never kno(n. ! dream may re% mind s of the love (e once shared. !n ideal may seie s, asking s to make a commitment or to live on a higher level. ! religion or a ne( set of beliefs may insist (e make peace (ith orselves. 5o(ever, (e mst be (ise as (e approach sch radiant sorces of inspiration. $hey may seem to offer s feel% ings of being more alive and energied. $hey may appear to offer direction and prpose. Bt if (e are nable to find the light and po(er shining in these images (ithin or o(n being, (e risk becoming dependent on something external. $his need for external stimlation is typical in drg addiction. $hose, for example, (ith an addiction to amphetamine have the greatest difficlty living (ithot the rsh, the psh, and drive (hich the drg generates (ithin their nervos system. *rgs may indce temporary bt height% ened states of fearlessness and aggression as adrenalin is released into the bloodstream. $he sympathetic ner% vos system takes over. $he rate, force, and amplitde of heartbeat increase along (ith blood pressre. Blood vessels throghot the body constrict. $he bronchii of the lngs dilate in% creasing the body's ability to engage in vigoros ms% clar activity. $he liver releases more glcose into the bloodstream. $he processing of glycogen to lactic acid in the mscles increases. 1scles go tat, the mind hypervigilent. $he lo(er brain takes control. Or sense percep% tions seem more acte. Or ppils dilate. $he sympa% thetic nervos system increases or instinct for srvival and, at times, or capacity to take charge of or lives. =et the price the drg addict pays is also very great. $heir bodies and brains become exhasted. $he fire, rather than illminating and healing, brns p their health and devors their sols. 3hen (e (ork (ith fire, (e are (orking (ith (ill and po(er. ire is more (ild and ninhibited compared to the other elements. $o that extent, therefore, (e mst al(ays be conscios of the prposes (hich (e are prsing. ince fire increases or inflence and or options, (e mst be carefl abot the choices (e make as its po(er is amplified (ithin s. $raditional symbols handed do(n for many millennia
have honored and paid tribte to this po(er and the (is% dom (ithin the fire element. ire has symbolied a means for nderstanding ho( (e shape or destinies. ch sym% bols still speak to s. $hey remind s that fire is at the roots of or deepest motivations and sorces of in% spiration. or example, the ancients decorated the night sky (ith their mythologies. !stronomy and astrology (ere one and the same. Conse)ently, cosmology and hman destiny (ere not separate. 5man (ill and *ivine (ill (orked together in the nfolding the niverse. Is this sch a )aint notion (hen (e no( kno( that the choices (e make as a species (ill maintain or destroy the biosphere? Consider that profession of disrepte kno(n as alch% emy. Its practitioners, in part, soght to transmte one metal into another. Bt (e no( create conditions in or laboratories in (hich atoms melt together.
bild resoltion. $he property of heat, for example, to expand indefinitely relates to (ill. !s concentration on the intensity in heat increases so does the feeling of being able to overcome obstacles (ith corage and (ithot fear. $he second fire sign in the odiac is
obstacles. Its (armth heals and regenerates. Its light opens the path(ays (hich lead ot of darkness. By its might are the (orlds created. $ime and space nfold according to the plans concealed (ithin it. ire is part of the symbol of *ivine Providence, of the One
Physical Exercises $here are for exercises for the physical level. $hey correspond roghly to the for elements. $he first helps (ake yo p in the morning and relates to the invigorating and cleansing aspect of fire. $he second dealing (ith breath relates to air. $he third involves food and is mostly earth. $he forth relates to the (ater element.
1 !he Material "od#$ Stretchin% and S&in Maintenance $he first exercise relates to stretching the body and rbbing the skin. $hat seems fairly straightfor(ard and I (ill let the book speak for itself on that point. !s (ith other exercises, each person has to find their o(n pace and (ay of applying the exercise so it flfills its prpose.
' Conscious "reathin%(M#ster# o) "reathin% $he second exercise relates to breathing. Basically, yo breathe in starting (ith seven breaths and gradally increasing the nmber. =o do this t(ice a day. ventally yo practice for abot ten mintes a day. !s yo breathe in, yo place a thoght or (ish (ithin the air yo are inhaling. $he air serves as a medim for transmitting yor desire throgh the planes to the akashic plane (ithin yor body. rom this level, it then seeks to manifest as reality. $he idea is to stick to desires (hich relate to yo directly and (hich serve to strengthen yor health, harmony, and spirit. $o do this yo need to be very relaxed. =o also need to imagine the desire in a (ay so yo feel the otcome is completely real for yo. In other (ords, if yo desire health, yo visalie or feel yorself being completely healthy. If yo are after inner peace, happiness, contentment, confidence, etc. yo imagine this as being the reality right no(. $his is, in effect, a magical rital tiliing the air element. It is taking something ordinary and, as (ith the follo(ing exercise involving eating, trning it into a sacred act. ormally, breathing exercises fall nder the stdy of pranayama. $here are a great many specific practices involved (ith pranayama. fis, Bddhists, 5ind's, 1oslems, $aoists and many other traditions (ork (ith breathing and approach the exercises according to their o(n interests and prposes. In one 5ind practice, yo mst s(ear forever that yo (ill not reveal the secret teaching abot the specific rote the breath follo(s as it enters yor body. Bardon mentions the for elements are present in air. fis breathe in throgh the nose and ot throgh the moth, vice versa, or in other (ays so as to focs on specific elements. $aoists breathe the chi in the air into the body and circlate it throgh varios meridians. In 5atha
=oga, yo can breathe air into the mscles yo are stretching. I have (ritten an essay called, inding the ylph (ithin =orself, based on the sylph Cargoste's )alities. In this approach, the idea is to increase yor a(areness of the etheric energy in the air element (hich srronds yor body. !s I inhale no(, I tend to identify (ith the air element since focsing completely on breathing leads me in this direction. In other (ords, I sense the etheric airy energy field arond myself. It is incredibly relaxed, vibrant, plifting, boyant, and energiing. Its very natre is harmony and freedom. !s I inhale, I observe the process of breathing from the point of vie( of this energy field of etheric air. I feel part of that energy field circlating throgh my lngs, blood, and body. *ring this process, it feels like my ara is expanding and -oining (ith the air arond me. ince the air element contains )alities I am interested in internaliing (ithin myself, it seems to me sperflos to place a thoght form into the air I am breathing. In fact, I have a great deal of difficlty doing magick on an ordinary level like this. $he ;thoght; tends to rsh throgh the air and my body and then center itself in my mental body (here it creates more tension than I feel comfortable having inside myself. It cold be I -st need to lighten p and concentrate in a more gentle (ay. I do not think this is a problem for others bt it tends to be something I personally have to be very carefl (ith. $he other thing I (old sggest in performing breathing exercises is to spend some time observing all yo can abot the breathing process itself. =o might like to revie( the anatomy and physiology of breathing. =o can also notice ho( first yor pper chest, then yor ribs, and finally yor belly expand ot(ard as yo inhale. =o can focs on the sensation of air as it moves bet(een yor nostrils and yor lngs. =o can concentrate on yor sins cavities as yo are breathing. =o may also be able to notice the particlar vibration or vitality in the air as it moves into yor lngs and circlates throgh yor body. =o may feel yor heart beat and ho( the heart mscles are more ;hngry; for oxygen than other mscles. $he heart mscles die (ithot ade)ate oxygen spply (hereas other mscles can sstain their strength longer (ithot air. 3hen it comes to breathing exercises, I like to combine breathing (ith movement. I en-oy $ai Chi Chan and Chi &ng exercises. or me, there is a different feeling and se of vitality in the $ai Chi Chan forms of different Chinese masters. $his is even more noticeable in different Chi &ng forms. One set of $aoist Chi &ng forms leaves me feeling like I am sitting amid a tran)il montain pool. !nother (alking form stimlates the lng meridians (hich helps to open p the nose and sinses. Other forms imitate flo(ers, animals, clods, and to some extent prodce the etheric energy of these aspects of natre in the practitioner. I (old also point ot that the t(o Chinese meridians relating to the air element are the lng and large intestine meridians. $he lng meridian tends to carry (ith it a feeling of harmonios movement into the ftre. $his contrasts (ith the opposite feelings of having anxiety or (orrying abot ftre events. $he large intestine meridian carries (ith it a feeling of being relaxed, balanced, and at ease. $his contrasts (ith a feeling of depression or of being plled do(n. !ltogether, the air element has (ithin it the )alities of clarity, nhindered movement, freedom, balance, harmony, etc. !s yo (ork (ith breath, try to notice ho( yor o(n emotional and mental states effect yor breathing. Breathing is a celebration of the air element and of participating in a vast ocean of life force (hich srronds s. On the other hand, it is easy to fall into emotional states sch as (orry and insecrity (hich rob s of this connection. Besides becoming an addictive habit, some individals se smoking as a means to evoke a state of harmony and detachment. !s soon as the cigarette is lit and the smoke enters their lngs, their anxiety and distress are banished. It is as if they have created a psychic bbble arond themselves (hich the concerns of
the (orld can not penetrate. In this case, the air element in the lngs is netralied. $he individal can then see and feel in a different (ay. $he (orries and the disharmonies are briefly relieved. $he breathing exercise serves a similar prpose. !s yo focs completely on breathing, time and space are sspended. =o are immersed (ithin a state of harmony and freedom. =o feel nited to a greater presence. Bt in this case, the feelings are not generated by sppressing the air element. $he etheric or vital energy in air enters into and spports yor meditation.
* Conscious +eception o) Food $his exercise is similar to conscios breathing. If (e can place a thoght in the air (hich (e inhale, (e can do the same (ith food and drink. ood, being more material, is sed more for material desires or those relating to or bodies. Before yo eat, concentrate a thoght or (ish into yor food as if (hat yo desire is real right no(. !s yo eat, stay focsed on yor thoght or meditation as yo imagine yor desire entering every cell of yor body. at all the food. Once again, (e are taking something ordinary and trning it into a magical act. 3e are converting eating into a sacred rital. Bardon says this is similar to the commnion of Christians. $hese days many individals eat fast foods and they eat (hile (atching $9, talking, or doing other things. $o some extent, this may be navoidable for some individals depending on their (ork sitations and other factors. Once (hen I (as talking to an Islamic heik at a niversity, he exclaimed that he cold not nderstand ho( the stdents cold eat in pblic mch less (hile (alking bet(een classes. In fact, in his tradition it (as inappropriate for a man to eat in the presence of a (oman%%and this even thogh he had three (ivesE or him, eating (as a careflly constred rital activity. !s (ith the breathing exercises, if I place a thoght into the food I am eating, I can feel the vibration of that thoght transferred immediately to my mental body. I do not think this is a real concern for others. !ny form of rital magick is fairly po(erfl for me and I have to be carefl (ith ho( I se it. $hat is, I have to be sre to align myself (ith natral processes as mch as possible and avoid over se of mental forms of concentration. If (e compare eating to taking commnion, it relates to the echaristic mystery. $his is a vast topic (hich can be explored from many sides. or myself, I like to concentrate on food imagining the sorces from (hich it comes. I see the grapefrit on the tree and the grape -ice as grapes on a vine. I see the bread as (heat in the field, the carrots in the grond, etc. I then place my mind (ithin the food. I try to feel the vibration of the physical sbstance of the food I am abot to eat. I also try to sense the life force (ithin it. I -oin my mind (ith both the physical sbstance and the energy of the food. $his prodces in me a feeling of being gronded, of being connected to the earth, of being strong, vibrant, and stable. $his method is more alchemical than the procedre of concentrating a thoght into the food. $hose (ho stdy the cosmic langage (ill notice that the letter O pertains to alchemy. $he O ses both sensations of (eight belonging to the earth element and the penetrating sensation of akasha. O carries (ith it a sense of perfectly accepting and -oining yor conscios to (hat yo are (orking on. irst yo nderstand something exactly as it is. Bt becase yo are penetrating it (ith yor a(areness, yo also sense the sbtle, etheric energy nderlying it. !nd finally, yo come to see the perfection of this material in its highest etheric vibration. $he O deals (ith the
philosopher's stone or the )intessence of life force dra(n from ot of (hat already exists (ithin natre. ince I am (orking (ith gnome magicians, the alchemical method is more comfortable for me. !s I mention else(here, a gnome (ill place his a(areness (ithin a precios stone to accomplish a specific effect. 5e might also (ork (ith an area of the earth sch as a montain or rock otcropping. 3hen he is done, the physical location is invested (ith an astral and etheric vibration sch as (ell%being and peace. Conscios eating can be done in a similar (ay. By briefly -oining yor spirit (ith the food before yo eat it, yo transform it raising and refining its vibration. In a sense, this activity can also express itself by visaliing the food or concentrating into it the thoght that the food is a niversal healing energy or an elixir of life. !lso, Bardon says of the cosmic letter C that it relates to )abbalistic alchemy%%the ;modification of matter by the (ord.; $hat is, yo impregnate a material form (ith a spirital, mental, or astral )ality. $he echaristic celebration pertains to the letter C as compared to the letter O. $he goal in letter C is not so mch the perfection of the life force of natre. $he letter C is sefl for embodying high spirital or divine )alities (ithin oneself. xcept for the Celtic Chrch in Ireland, the early Christian monks in their monasteries (ere not sally concerned (ith natre spirits or the life force in the trees, frits, (heat, and harvest. $he early monks conceived of -oining themselves to a love so pre and radiant that a small part of @od's presence cold be felt and reflected (ithin them. !nd so (e have the (ords of Christ /as a variation on many ancient ritals of -oining (ith deity0 saying, ;$ake and eat, for this is my flesh....; $here is a tendency for monks in monasteries to obsess (ith the mental and akashic planes (hen they approach divinity. !s opposed to this, I think (hat Christ (as offering in the
!he Ma%ic& o) Water Bardon points ot that (ater can also be impregnated as can any sbstance throgh the akasha principle (hich is part of it. 5o(ever, (ater also has a magnetic aspect (hich is especially sefl as an accmlator of energy. $he magnetic aspect Bardon is interested in is strongest arond 6G degrees and slo(ly loses its po(er as it becomes (armer ntil arond GH degrees (here it no longer operates. In the first part of this exercise, as yo (ash yorself (ith (ater, imagine that (hatever (eakness, illness, or nhappiness that afflicts yo is removed from yorself and absorbed by the (ater. =o can do this (hile yo take a sho(er, (ith yor hands nder a tap, by placing yor hands in a bo(l of (ater, or by taking a dip in a stream. !s yo (ash yorself, also se soap. *o not let another individal come in contact (ith the (ater yo se. =o can also impregnate a bo(l of (ater (ith a desire. Place yor hands in the (ater and concentrate on absorbing the realiation of yor desire into yorself. =o can also (ash yorself of some (eakness in one bo(l of (ater and then absorb into yorself yor (ish realiation (ith a second bo(l. Bardon also mentions t(o other possibilities. ! (oman can magnetie some (ater (ith the idea of becoming more attractive (ith a more yothfl face and skin. In this case, she can add a bit of borax to the (ater. he can (ash or, better, dip her face in the (ater seven times /seven relating to the sphere of 9ens0 as she does this. Bardon also mentions a similar aspect for strengthening the eyes or developing clairvoyance by sing an eye bath. I (ill leave this last exercise as it is stated in the book. ome ndines sch as Istiphl se (ater for seeing into the ftre. $here are )ite a fe( practices involving (ater. ome individals I kno( (old mention adding varios ingredients to bath (ater%%herbs, spices, fragrances, etc. *ifferent herbs are said to prodce different inflences on the physical and astral bodies. 5ydrotherapy is also a speciality of one of the earthone spirits Bardon mentions in his second book. !t one $aoist monastery, (e heated pine cones, ecalypts bark, and fresh ginger in a pot and then dipped the (ater on to to(els. 3e then gave massages throgh the hot to(els. Obviosly, there are a nmber of different spices or herbs (hich can be sed for this kind of herbal massage. 3hen I se (ater to cleanse myself, something similar happens to me as (hen I do the earlier breathing exercise. 3ith breath, I sense and identify (ith the air element arond me almost as if I am a sylph. 3orking (ith (ater, I spontaneosly feel myself srronded by (ater. $his comes from concentrating on the (ater to the exclsion of all other sensory impressions. 3hen I first (rote abot the ndine Isaphil abot five years ago, I presented an exercise for connecting to the (ater element. =o place yor hands in a sink or bo(l filled (ith cold (ater. =o concentrate on that cold sensation on yor skin. $hen yo extend yor mind into the (ater arond yor hands. =o place yor consciosness (ithin this (ater as if it is part of yorself. $hen yo imagine yo are the (ater srronding yor hands. =o feel yor hands from the point of vie( of the cold (ater. !t this point, as yo bring yor hands ot of the (ater, try to sstain the sensation of cold (ater srronding them. =o may also be able to feel a magnetic field arond yor hands (hich yo can also sstain (ith yor mind. $his magnetic field is the medim in (hich ndines often operate. It is the etheric energy nderlying the (ater element. $his preliminary exercise seems to do a lot for me in terms of attning my mind to (ater. >st no( I did the first part of the exercise in (hich I (as imagining
(ater absorbing the excess tension in my body. I held my hands nder the bathtb tap for several mintes. !s I focsed solely on the (ater flo(ing over my hands, I again rather spontaneosly visalied the sorce of this (ater%%clods and rain over the nearby montains. 3ater dripping from the leaves of trees and rnning into streams and flo(ing over falls and also sinking do(n into the (ater table. I cold smell the air and imagine I (as there. $his imaginative extension of the exercise seems to increase its effectiveness for me. or the part of the exercise in (hich (e (ork on a desire, I held my hands over a sink filled (ith cold (ater. I charged the (ater (ith the feeling of serenity%%of being very happy, peacefl, and clear. I imagined this energyAcharge flo(ing from my hands into the (ater. !nd I also pictred this (ish (ithin the (ater. $hen I placed my hands in the (ater and absorbed the (ish back into myself along (ith the magnetic charge (ithin the (ater. $his time as I placed my hands in the (ater I felt my (hole body nder the ocean srronded my miles of (atery energy. !bsorbing the serenity into myself seems to prodce a very soothing feeling. ome of the etheric energy in (ater is transferred back into me.
IIH Step ' Mental Level D11!+= O +CI. In the mental level exercise for the second chapter, yo practice concentrating on the five senses one after the other. $he goal is to concentrate on a sensory perception from one of the five senses for five mintes (ithot any mental distraction or interference from another sense. =o accomplish this first (ith yor eyes closed and then (ith them open. tart (ith the sense of sight. otice something arond yo like a pencil, a lamp, an apple, a chair, etc. $hen close yor eyes and visalie this ob-ect. =o exert yor imagination so that the visal image is completely real as if it is right there in front of yo. =o note distractions (hich occr (hile yo practice. !t first, practice no more than ten mintes bt eventally (ork p to a half hor. &eep (orking (ith different visaliations ntil yo can hold the pictre of an ob-ect clearly in yor mind for five mintes. $hen yo do the same exercise (ith yor eyes open. $he ob-ect hangs in the air in front of yo. =o focs on it to the exclsion of anything else sch as the backgrond or other nearby ob-ects. =o proceed to practice in this (ay (ith the other for senses also ntil yor concentration on each is e)al to that of any other sense.
-IS.ALI/A!I0 ;Of all the gifts (e have received, of all or five senses, sight is perhaps the most precios. !s the first among e)als, sight imposes order in the chaotic (orld of the senses. ight also has direct access to the higher fnctions of the hman brain and holds the key to the hidden (orld of the nconscios. $he very fact that this thoght can be expressed in this (ay%%sing the metaphor of a key%%is becase the sense of sight has allo(ed s to develop the po(erfl langage of symbolism.; liabeth ash
ome individals do not se visal images (hen they think. One individal I met fell asleep (henever she tried to visalie something or even meditate. I sed to not think in pictres. 3orking (ith the Bardon exercises changed my thoght process to (here I no( visalie (ith ease. It is perhaps easier for me to visalie an ob-ect in front of me (ith my eyes opened than closed. Individals often (rite me and say they have a lot of difficlty practicing visaliation exercises. Bardon presents his exercises in a straightfor(ard and dry manner. 5e explains to yo (hat he (ants and expects yo to (ork throgh it and then move on to the next exercise. I find it is tre that if yo practice an exercise even for one minte a day over the period of a month, a year, ten years, thirty years, (hatever, yo (ill arrive at complete mastery in the end. ome of the Bardon exercises are like that. =o do them ntil they become second natre. On the other hand, it is possible to play (ith all of these exercises so yo trn them into something en-oyable and even fn. I sed do pencil dra(ings of individal's faces, animals, natre scenes, etc. to help my visaliation. I notice, ho(ever, that my mind already is extremely adept at visaliation. Bt if I try this chapter 4 visaliation exercise by starting (ith a pencil or a clock as Bardon sggests, it seems )ite difficlt. On the other hand, if I recall an emotionally charged memory, some event or enconter (hich (as dramatic and intense, I can visalie the memory as if I am again (ithin it. motional involvement, mood, and enthsiasm, then, play a role in the development of or senses. =o might try testing yor visal abilities in terms of seeing (hich memories are more clear in terms of visal detail. $his kind of recollection serves to activate at least temporarily the part of yor brain (hich relates to visaliation. $ry visaliing ordinary ob-ects after yo evoke some memories (ith strong visal content. ! 9an @ogh painting of a chair, a table, or flo(ers exdes a feeling of life. If yo bring to these exercises an artist's appreciation of color, form, image, detail, textre, and composition, more of the brain and emotions are involved in the exercise. It then becomes easier to get reslts. If yo (atch $9, go to the movies, or play compter games, yo might try visaliing yor favorite characters and scenes. !gain, this shold serve to remind yo of the level of ability yo already possess. erolingists like to tell s ho( individals (ill se different combinations of senses (hen they solve problems or (ork throgh emotions. If yo recall someone, yo may first see them in yor mind. $he pictre then evokes a feeling of being in the other person's presence. =o may see the person as if yo are there (ith them and in the pictre or perhaps from a third person perspective in (hich yo are not present. $his mental process may contine to (here yo begin to talk to yorself abot this individal so that yo describe (hat yo feel or perhaps yo recall their voice or a conversation yo had (ith him or her. $here are a great variety of (ays individals employ their five senses in mental processing in everyday life. !n attorney may note and be able to recall the body postre and facial expression of every -ry member (hen he arges a case in a cort room. 3hen he gets home, he may pt aside his astte po(ers of observation and fail to make eye contact (ith his (ife or notice (hat his children are feeling. ! movie director may exercise total command over his material. 5e can visalie (hat each camera on the set is recording and imagine every scene in the script from a nmber of angles. !s the shoot contines, he is already editing the film in his mind selecting (hich shots to splice together to establish the mood and dramatic
presentation he is after. Bt (hen he is at a party he acts timid and vlnerable. Other people seem to invade his personal space. 5e has s(itched from dominant visal and aditory senses to a feeling mode. 1y kids have an interesting (ay of visaliing the characters (hen they read a novel. One of my children ses the same pictres over and over again transposing the pictre of a character from one book to another book the (ay 5olly(ood ses (ell%kno(n actors to play parts in different movies. !nother of my children makes p ne( pictres of the people in each novel he reads. 3hen I read, I tend to visalie the scenery very careflly and also I hear the conversations as if they are spoken alod bt I sally do not go into any detail in visaliing the characters. I (ill do so from no( on.
attaining completion%%she is the nkno(n, the part of himself he has not yet met as (ell as being a companion, partner, lover, friend, etc. Conse)ently, the right female image can inflence, a(aken, or stimlate every aspect of his nervos system and chakras (ithin his body. If yo enter a meditative state in (hich yo are relaxed and yor mind is clear, yo can contemplate problems or experiences and see them in symbolic terms. Ira Progoff explores this approach. $here are, for example, yor inner and oter experiences in life. =o can find an image for the oter and also for the inner. =o then take the t(o images and hold them in yor mind allo(ing them to interact in their o(n (ay ntil a third image appears (hich represents their connection. $his third image offers yo ne( insight and clarity. It grants ne( feelings and (ays of being alive. =o can also visalie sigils, symbolic or occlt diagrams (hich represent the energy of spirital beings. If yo visalie a sigil (ith the correct color in front of yo (ith energy and concentration, it serves to connect yo to the spirit. If yo have psychic ability or are sensitive, yo may be able to sense this connection. If yo se enogh force (hen yo concentrate and imagine the sigil on the physical, astral, and mental planes, this action can dra( the spirit of the sigil into yor room. $he eye does not -st receive impressions. It transmits and pro-ects pictres, feeling, energy, and it forms connections. In martial arts, they talk abot a hard verss a soft gae. If yo are tense, the tension narro(s (hat yo are able to see. If yo relax and observe yor environment from yor $an $ien or the center of yor abdomen, yor observation is more alert. =o see more detail and possibilities. If yo gae from yor heart, yo pro-ect healing energy. 3hen lovers are together, their eyes inflence each others' aras. ose ilva otlines a concise method. =o visalie yor sitation or problem exactly as it is right no(. =o see this as a pictre on a (hite screen in front of yo. =o move the screen, for example, over to the right. o( visalie a second pictre. $his one is of the same sitation or problem (hen it is the (ay yo (old like it. =o
see the ftre right no( and the problem solved. =o then move this pictre over to the right. o( yo visalie a third pictre. In this pictre, yo see yorself as being in a sitation in the ftre (here this problem no longer comes p. =o have moved beyond it and are involved in another stage of life. $he process of (orking (ith these three pictres is that it enables individals, throgh the process of visaliing, to feel (hat it is like to be free of (hatever is holding them back. $he emotional bottleneck or feeling of being closed in is temporarily overcome. $he mind is then able to think abot ho( to bring these sitations abot. ight relates to (ill also in that light is a fnction of fire.
A.2I!0+3 ;5earing is the sense (hich binds the other senses together in harmony. It is also the sense most concerned (ith interaction bet(een hman beings: it is the fondation of langage, (hich is commnication bet(een minds, and msic (hich is the commnication bet(een hearts.; liabeth ash ;1agick involves a great deal of listening and a little techni)e.; Peter Beagle ;I sometimes fool deer. $hey think I am one of them becase I can stand perfectly still for a half hor listening to the (ind. I sometimes fool gnomes. $hey think I am one of their o(n becase it is clear that silence is my home. I sometimes fool spirits of the earthone. $hey think I am like nto them%%a gardian of the (orld%%becase in my heart is a void, an empty space (here yo can hear the stars sing, the song in the (ind, and discover the peace from (hich the arth dreams 5er dreams.; =o practice sonds in a similar (ay to visaliing a pictre. =o concentrate on different sonds again seeking to be free of distraction and from allo(ing other senses to interfere. $ake any sonds from yor environment and practice imagining yo can hear them one by one. $here is the song of the bird, the cat meo(ing, the dog barking, the clock ticking, (ind ho(ling, lightning thndering, different msical instrments, etc. ond, like sight, also has psychological, spirital, and magical aspects. Children (ho gro( p in homes (here the family often sings are more ad-sted and otgoing. ong carries (ith it a sense of -oy and a (illingness to express feeling. In a more magical vein, yo can take a song or symphony and redce all yor impressions and feelings abot that song into one note. =o then allo( that note to be the only thing in yor a(areness. In practicing the cosmic langage, the stdent adds notes to the color and sensation concentrations. Bardon also mentions ho( the ndines practice tone magick. By singing one note, a ndine can create a magical space of enchantment and love. ! sylph sggested to me that in order to better nderstand the mind of sylphs I shold practice imagining a different note for each (eather phenomenon I observe. $he
thnderstorm has a note as do the trade (inds , fog, clods, the montain breee as (ell as the entire sky. $ranslating (eather into sond attnes yor mind to the air element in (hich the sylph exists. !lso note that (ords are po(erfl. 3ords can command, bind, illminate, set free, and heal. $hey can convey love and inflict pain. 3hen (e se or voice, (e are free to speak from any or all of or seven chakras, from or heart, from or mind, from or spirit exerting or (ill or offering kindness and nderstanding. !gain, some individals (ill find sond concentration exercises easy and others (ill find them extremely difficlt. >st as someone (ho paints portraits is more likely to observe and recall faces better than other people, it is probably easier for a msician to recall tones and sonds better than others. imilarly, the dramatist (ho (rites dialoge has developed an ear for diction and spoken langage. $ry to recall as many different individal voices as yo can. tart (ith people yo kno( and also actors yo like. In terms of professions, a skilled therapist, for example, is a excellent listener. 5e or she notices the sbtle changes in voice. By noticing the lodness, speed, intonation, pitch, diction, and (ord choice, the psychologist discerns changes in emotions and attitde in the other individal. ! friend, for example, in listening careflly creates a psychic space in (hich another person can feel safe and accepted.
!AC!ILE ;Only toch can make the (orld completely real: it is the first and last link (hich connects s to life and to each other. K&eep in toch' (e sayF K
concentrating on hot and cold sensations. inally, after visaliing a niverse fll of fire I can evoke a heat sensation and sstain that (ithot sing the other senses. or the cold sensation, I have actally practice holding ice cbes in my hands and doing this repeatedly ntil my brain cold figre ot ho( to reprodce this sensation throgh concentration. It has taken me years to get something so basic bt no( the concentration is easy and feels natral. In exploring body sensations, (e are opening the doors to or entire nervos system. !ddictions, obsessions, and fascinations all involve strong bodily sensations rooted in nerology and biochemistry. onetheless, these sensations are ssceptible to conscios control. $here are bodily sensations involved in any form of bonding (ith others. $he more ac)ainted yo are (ith yor body%%yor breathing, yor ability to relax, the feel of yor stomach, yor heart, yor internal organs, and the (hole spectrm of body sensations from prenatal to adlt%%the more creative yo can be in interacting (ith others. In shamanistic practice, individals often imagine themselves as varios animals. $his serves to heighten sensory impressions. It also introdces the individals to the bodily sense and the drives and desires (ithin the animal (orld. In (orking (ith magick, (e often discover and meet (ithin orselves desires and instinctal energies (hich are otside the band of normal consciosness. 3e feel the fire of the tiger, the acte alertness of the deer, the mesmeric concentration of the snake, and the inner strength of the bear. Conse)ently, it is important not to ignore or nderestimate the inflence of bodily sensations. By kno(ing them (ell and (orking throgh them (ith or minds, (e strengthen or consciosness and expand or ability to feel. ome individals have a remarkable sensitivity to toch and the sensory perception it opens p. cientists have stdied ho( some individals can sense earth)akes as or before they are happening. $hey sense the lo( (ave fre)encies earth)akes give off. ome individals can sense changes in another person's body temperatre across a room. mpaths can often feel the sensations in other's bodies as pain, excitement, and strong emotions. $he other person's sensations manifest in the empaths' bodies as if it is their o(n. $och grants a fantastic array of experiences (hen it is mastered. 1astering toch is almost like being able to relive any memory as if yo are there and it is happening right no(. =o can enter any dream or imaginary scene and live (ithin it and experience it as real. $he mind has this capacity bt yo learn to control it consciosly throgh practice. In psychic terms, there is a rolfer (ho (orks (ith deep massage on other's bodies. 5e discovers that throgh only imagination he can get the same reslts as he can (hen he physically maniplates their bodies. If he concentrates on another person and ses only his mind to (ork on their mscles, he can present photos of the individal before and after his (ork sho(ing the (ay in (hich their postre, msclatre, and spine have changed alignment. In clairfeeling, yo extend yor toch any(here. =o can be (ith another person (ho is not present. pace and distance are sspended. Bt first it helps to be able to imagine any sensation yo can experience so clearly it feels real.
!AS!E $he sense of taste can be explored magically in that yo become more sensitive to the food yo are eating and prepare yor body to better digest it. =o sense in advance ho( a food is going to affect
yo and (hat its )ality and energy level are. In more mndane terms, taste and eating are very gronding.
SMELL mell, like taste, serves to grond s. !nimals have a high developed olfactory sense. $hey can discern a vast array of scents. Incense is sed in evocation, to spports states of trance, and it is also sed in aromotherapy. In psychic (ork, some individals may learn ho( to smell energy. =o can smell (hen there is an astral presence of a spirit or some other entity near. $hey can smell the vibration of a hose or location. In this (ay, the sense of smell alerts an individal to the )ality of the space they are entering. In another (ay, smell can take on a symbolic and intitive fnction. ;omething doesn't smell right,; someone (ill say. $heir intition is sing the sense of smell to convey a gt feeling or psychic impression to the conscios mind. I don't kno( anyone (ho does this, bt as I think abot it I notice I can smell an aroma for the seven chakras of the body of someone I am concentrating on. 3ith each chakra, I discern a scent and also I get a pictre of the flo(er (hich goes (ith that scent. $he scent offers me direct immersion in the other's energy. It is not for nothing that the chakras are sometimes referred to as lots blossoms. $hey radiate energy bt yo can learn to perceive this energy (ith any of yor five senses.
!he Five Senses If yo observe careflly different (orld leaders, yo can notice something they share in common. $heir voice, eyes, and face are sed in combination to extend their po(er and their ability to connect to others. One of these three things (ill often be very hard, togh, and commanding. !nother (ill be very soft, gentle, and inviting almost to the point of sedction. $he third may then be netral%%it is steady and nchanging. One individal may have a voice (hich is (arm, empathic, and almost hypnotic in its resonance. Bt his face is like a steel mask (hile his eyes are clear, shiny, and affirming. !nother individal has a harsh, argmentative voice bt his face is (arm like a teddy bear (hile his eyes are vlnerable and shy. It the combination (hich enables these leaders to reach ot and connect even to their enemies on an nconscios level (ithot compromising their o(n strength. By stdying ho( (e and others se or senses both to receive and to pro-ect energy, (e are extending or magical skills. In the earthone, the spirit !magestol's eyes see oneness and love and his toch is kindness and acceptance. Bt he speaks (ith the voice of prophecy, of (hat shall be. 5is voice calls things into being. It is a dynamic combination and throgh (orking (ith this spirit, yo can learn to approximate his abilities (hich are fablos for resolving conflicts and attaining harmony. $he stdy of the hman ara and the ara of spirits, then, compliment each other. !nother aspect of the five senses is that the hman brain has cells for each sense (hich are located (ithin areas of the brain relating to the other for senses. 3hen yo see, yo are also hearing, tasting, smelling, and toching and so on (ith each sense. =o can take, therefore, any sense and get a sensory impression from another sense to replace it. 1en en-oy looking at (omen. $he sight activates the brain to release endorphins and opiates into the blood stream. $hey don't -st see (omen. $hey feel an entire spectrm of emotions at the same time.
$his may seem rather mndane bt there is a spirital side to it. $he *alai
spirit to materialie its prposes. =o learn to se and master yor senses on each of the for planes. $hen yo are able to reach yor highest level of creativity.
In this chapter, (e (ork at attaining astral e)ilibrim (ith the for elements by /"0 ight or control, /40 ato%sggestion andAor /60 transmtation or transforming it into its opposite )ality. $o revie(, in the psychic exercise for the first chapter, (e began the practice of introspection. 3e recorded or positive and negative )alities of character sing the for elements as a gide. 3e then rated the relative strength of the different )alities (ithin s dividing them into three grops. $his gave s a kind of mirror of the sol, a reference point for )ickly vie(ing or state of astral e)ilibrim. $he task in chapter t(o is to establish a balance bet(een the for elements. or Bardon, ;$he scholar oght, therefore, to endeavor )ickly and srely to get rid of those passions (hich most hinder him from being sccessfl in the magic art.; !nd, ;$he refinement of character shold be aspired after, dring the entire corse, bt, as early as on this level, falts rapidly gaining grond and bad )alities handicapping development in a higher order, oght to be eradicated.; ince in the next chapter, chapter 6, (e begin accmlating the for elements in the astral body, Bardon insists ;Before starting on the training for this step /Chapter 60, the astral e)ipoise of the elements in the sol has to be established by introspection and self% control nless yo (ish to do mischief to yorself.; Bardon asserts that ;3ithot a balance of the elements in the astral body or in the sol, there is no possible progress or rise.; !t the beginning of Chapter 4, Bardon discsses atosggestion. If yo are (orking on a personal falt sch as a lack of enthsiasm or conviction, the idea is to phrase yor self%sggestion in the present tense or imperative: ;I am fll of enthsiasm,; or, ;I have strong conviction.; =o then practice this atosggestion by repeating the phrase a nmber of times, especially as yo fall asleep at night or (ake p in the morning. Bardon says, ;$he main point is that yo do imagine yor (ish as being realied already and having actal existence.; It (old seem that from Bardon's perspective, the sbconscios%% the sorce of falts, (eaknesses, and passions%%vie(s the conscios mind as being kind of stpid. People say (hat they (ant, are planning, or (ishing for, bt they do not really believe it. $he conscios self acts to defeat itself by lacking conviction (hen it speaks. $o not be completely certain abot scceeding (hen yo make a (ish is to plan for yor o(n failre. !nd (hat is far (orse from the sbconscios point of vie( is that the conscios mind fails all reasonable tests (hen it comes to imagining in a concrete and graphic (ay (hat it (ishes to be or to accomplish. ince part of the -ob of the sbconscios is to contain and store energy, it is pretty mch a (aste of its time and resorces to cooperate (ith the conscios mind. $he conscios mind acts arbitrarily, nreasonably, implsively, and (ithot any regard for the real isses of life. It is as if the conscios self intentionally refses to speak the langage of the sbconscios or sho( any respect (hen it makes its re)ests. $he remedy for this sitation is to demonstrate real conviction, feeling, and imagination (hen seeking to bring abot a change in yorself. $he conviction is in part demonstrated by imagining that (hat yo (ant is real right no( in this moment. o again, as Bardon points ot, yo make yor (ish in the present tense (ithot any hesitation or dobt: or example, yo say ;I am fll of enthsiasm; if yor problem is apathy or being phlegmatic.
$o this yo add feeling. =o have to search yor o(n memory and experiences (ith others ntil yo con-re p a completely convincing set of examples abot (hat it is to be enthsiastic. $hen yo pt yorself (ithin those images or reflect on them ntil yo can accrately reprodce in yorself the feeling of enthsiasm. !t this point, yor sbconscios (ill be able to say, ;!h, no( yo are speaking my langage. o( I kno( (hat yo mean (hen yo say, KI am fll of enthsiasm.'; !nd finally, yo have to explore (ith yor imagination (hat it means for yor (ish to be completely real right no(, as something already accomplished. Bardon mentions the great advantage of sing atosggestion (hen yo are falling asleep or (aking p from sleep. $hen yor brain (aves shift from beta throgh theta to alpha. 3hen yo (ake p from sleep, the brain (aves (ill remain in alpha for arond five mintes. If yo practice atosggestion dring this time, yo have a stronger access to and commnication (ith yor sbconscios. $his is (here daydreaming or imaginative explorations take on the po(er of magick. !gain, (hat (old that be like if (hat yo (ish for has already become real? =or sbconscios (old sre like to kno( the ans(er to that )estion. $his is becase the sbconscios has to take all the energy it has allotted to one set of behaviors, beliefs, and emotions and rechannel that energy into a ne( set of behaviors, beliefs, and emotions. If yo -st sit there saying (hat yo (ant to be and feeling it as real, yo are still making a half%hearted effort from the sbconscios point of vie(. =o have not really done yor home(ork (hen it comes to commnicating (hat yo (ant to yor sbconscios. =or sbconscios (ants yo to enter a dream of the ftre and (alk arond inside of it and experience it as if it is totally real right no(. @et involved (ith details. Dse all yor five senses. 1ake the experience so real and graphic that it feels as if yo are living it right no(. $he imagination has to convince itself that (hat it envisions, at least dring the practice, is absoltely real in the here and no(. $his is not asking too mch. =o see, the sbconscios prodces dreams every single night (hich seem completely real to the dreaming mind. If yo (ant to scceed (ith the sbconscios, yo have to se its o(n tools and langage. =o have to become clever and sbtle enogh to convince yor sbconscios that yo are able to take over some of its fnctions. If the dream of (hat yo (ish to be is a "LLM real to yo (ithin yor astral body, then yo already radiate the energy of (hat it is like to be (hat yo (ant. =or actions and thoghts then change in order to fall into alignment (ith this ne( self%image, energy, feeling, and thoght. $his is my smmary or version of Bardon's perspective on atosggestion. If yo (ant a )ick and easy method (hich many individals find extremely sefl, yo might try >ose ilva's exercise in mind control. $his involves visaliing three pictres one after the other. irst, yo visalie yor problem on a (hite screen in front of yo. Imagine all aspects of the sitation. $his is the (ay things are right no(. ext, yo move this screen off to the left side. $hen on another (hite screen yo visalie the soltion to the problem, that is, exactly ho( yo (old like things to be. $his is a point in the ftre (here the problem is solved. =o look at it right no( in front of yo. !gain, make it real and convincing. o( move this screen also off to the left side. inally, yo visalie yorself on another screen in front of yo. $his is a frther point in the ftre (here the problem no longer even comes p. =o are altogether beyond it and involved in other things.
!s an exercise in ilva 1ind Control, this is an exercise yo can do in several mintes. It is often very helpfl for individals (ho can not even imagine (hat a resoltion of their problem (old be like. I like to take exercises like this and expand on them. I practice them not for a fe( mintes bt more like for a half hor or more. I make them into a deep contemplative exercise. In this case, I continally test myself to see if I feel and can imagine myself being "LLM (ithin the pictre I am visaliing. ince some of the )alities (e seek to embody (ithin orselves are not only completely ne( to or experience bt also involve remarkable psychological and spirital virtes, the visaliation is also a high art of self%transformation. It is the thoght, the feeling, the image, and the energy%%all of these at once (hich (e are generating or creating (ithin orselves dring the practice. ote also that rital can be sed to reinforce atosggestion. It is common in ne( age seminars to (rite do(n the problem yo have and then srrender or give that problem to the fire element. =o place the paper on (hich yo have (ritten yor problem into the fire in the solemn presence of others. If done in the right grop and in the right mood, this can be helpfl. $he action lays hold of yor sbconscios on a deep level. Bardon mentions (orking simple elemental magick like the above later on in his first book. Bardon also mentions ho( one time he (as concentrating his (ish so intensely on the srface of a mirror that the mirror actally shattered. +ight before I became ac)ainted (ith Bardon's book, I had been visaliing myself in some of the ma-or arcana of the $arot cards every day for abot for months. One of the cards (as $he 1agician. ometimes yo have to (ork at yor (ish (ith a lot of concentration and persistence.
An Astral E4uili5rium Meditation 3hen I se my psychic intition and focs in on (hat Bardon (ants in regard to astral e)ilibrim, it seems to me that he (ants the stdent to experience first hand the state of astral e)ipoise. =o shold be able to feel (hat it is like (hen the for elements are in harmony and balanced in yor astral body. $hogh this is obviosly -mping ahead, I (old like to explain a little more abot this. =o might try this as an exercise. Imagine dark violet light shining in and arond yor body. $his light represents akasha. $he light shines ot(ard from yo penetrating throgh space and time. !nd yo are this light. =o are after a physical sensation of penetrating throgh space and time (ith yor consciosness. othing limits (hat yo can feel, observe, think, and experience. o( add to this identification (ith akasha the )alities of the for elements as they act (ithin the personality. =o see and feel yorself embodying the po(ers of (ater%%yo are loving, sensitive to others, empathic, vivacios, nrtring, and tender. !dd to this the po(ers of air%%yo are bright, alert, detached, ob-ective, articlate, nderstanding, and (ise. o( add the po(ers of earth%%yo are solid, stable, rgged, persevering, hard%(orking, shre(d, practical, do(n%to%earth, and attentive to details. !nd also add the po(ers of fire%%yo are in charge, determined, committed, commanding, fll of conviction and certainty abot yor prposes, dynamic, and corageos. $ake some time and blend the for elemental sets of )alities into the akasha (hich radiates from yor body. 1ove bet(een the for elements ntil yo gain the sense that each is flly present (ithin yo. eel the confidence and reassrance (hich comes from having this harmony. !nd notice ho( each element is complimented, spported, and strengthened by being aligned (ith the other three
elements. 5aving the balance of the for elements (ithin the astral body is a highly creative state. It grants an individal great adaptability and flexibility. 1agicians often se magick circles dring their evocational practices. $he for directions often symbolie the for elements. Bt establishing magical e)ilibrim (ithin yorself is a (ay of internaliing the magick circle. It offers a great deal of protection by insring that yor ara is not vlnerable to being inflenced or infiltrated by otside energies. ee also my essay on ocsing nder $ranspersonal Psychology on my (eb site. I often (ill focs on a personal problem or difficlty follo(ing gene @endlin's six steps. Bt I extend @endlin's method by taking more time and employing more concentration -st as do (ith >ose ilva's exercise. I change the exercise into a magical form of contemplation (hich (orks more directly (ith energy than (hat these men sally imagine. ote that (hile ilva's visaliations involve the sense of sight, @endlin's focsing is for those (ho (ork more (ith the tactile or kinesthetic sense. I also like to se Ira Progoff's -ornaliing method and method of dialoging. Progoff is more verbal or aditory oriented thogh he has yo (riting things do(n. !gain, there are a vast nmber of (ays to interact (ith the sbconscios. =o can intervene and change yor behavior directly as is done in some methods of behavioral psychology. Or yo can se a more cognitive approach monitoring and reframing yor thoghts. =o can engage in introspection and contemplation by processing yor feelings. =o can trn personal problems into a spirital )est or reframe them as a -orney throgh a spirital landscape of the sol. $his is a kind of path(orking, symbolic exploration, tantra, or free association in a state of trance. =o can do all of these one after the other or all at once. elf%transformation is a vast area of stdy and many methods and resorces are available and shold be available to those (ho pass this (ay.
Some Personal Comments =ears ago, I prsed this exercise on magical e)ilibrim (ith great effort. I (old emphasie the importance of attaining magical e)ilibrim along (ith Bardon. Before an individal enters a spirital niverse throgh opening his psychic senses and spirital intition, he needs to have mastered the habit of being flly attentive to accomplishing every responsibility in his daily life. If yo can do this, yor personality is then defined by clear bondaries. 1ystical feelings and cosmic a(areness do not blr or confse yor responses. $here is no hay ambigity or emotional ndercrrent present (hen yo interact (ith others. In astral e)ilibrim, (e are prsing character )alities associated (ith ho( (e act in or everyday lives. 3e are making the ordinary into a spirital training grond. In doing this, (e are reinforcing or (ill so it becomes as strong as steel. $his is absoltely necessary since a magician can not afford to be (eak or carry excess emotional baggage from the past. !nd this brings s to great paradox in this exercise. If yo find a loose thread in a shirt, yo can snap it off. Bt if yo pll on that thread even gently, sometimes yo (ill rend the fabric. =o discover the material is fla(ed almost to the point of being (orthless. If yo find a leak in the hll of a (ooden boat, yo can patch it. Bt if yo psh a needle into the (ood, yo may find the oter varnished srface has dry rot hidden beneath it. $he needle slips
right throgh the (ood as if it is cheese or plaster board. In this case, a mch larger area needs to be replaced. $he same is sometimes tre abot or exercise. =o can say to yorself, ;I am going to (ork on my personal falts and (eaknesses,; and then yo proceed to do so. $his can be like spring cleaning of a hose. =o perform annal maintenance. =o (ash the (indo(s and stream clean the carpets and thro( ot the -nk yo have been accmlating over the past year. Bt yor attitde of self%)estioning and probing may be the same as holding in yor hands a key to a door into yor psyche (hich yo (old never other(ise nlock. One time my father (as checking the slanting (all of the attic in or hose. 5e fond a lever hidden ot of sight. 5e plled on it and a hidden door clicked open. $he door lead into a secret room (hich (as sed for stockpiling li)or smggled into the Dnited tates from Canada dring Prohibition. $he door (as disgised to look exactly like the (ood spporting the shingles of the roof. $he psyche is similar. If yo find the latch and then give something ordinary a gentle psh, yo may find yorself gaing into an entire dngeon of memories, pain, and nresolved conflicts. $hese may be in part yor o(n and they may also be an accmlation of karmic debt handed do(n from previos generations. $hese may also seem like nexplored, forbidden, and taboo areas of the collective nconscios careflly cordoned off and sealed a(ay from the emotions and instincts acceptable to or society. Or cltres often are bilt on great strengths bt they all conceal areas of great darkness in their fondations. $o pt it simply, if yo (ish to be, for example, more assertive, yo may rn into an inner conflict. Part of yo may (ish to not be assertive ntil yo have overcome the abses of po(er exercised for generations in yor family. On the other hand, if yo (ish to be more sensitive to others' feelings, as yo develop yor empathy yo may feel yo are adrift on an ocean of pain. $hese are not yor personal feelings. Instead, yor empathy comes (rapped p in a profond insight into the )iet desperation and sorro( hidden in others' lives. or some individals, sch insight is over(helming and too mch to handle. Or simple exercise, then, is like an individal going into see a therapist. $he therapist asks, ;3hat do yo (ant me to do for yo?; $he individal replies, ;I (ant to be more in charge of my life. I (ant to se my time better so I can get more done.; $he therapist then asks, ;$ell me abot (hat yo feel is holding yo back from doing this?; !nd shortly thereafter the client recalls after years of repression the memory of ho( he or she (as raped as a child. $his actally happened in a class I (as teaching. ! (oman sddenly recalled and then related to the grop%%a bnch of navy sailors (ho had little ability to nderstand%%this incredibly intense personal trama. ddenly the simple task of learning time management, of setting priorities and goals, evokes a pain (hich seems at first impossible to bear. Perhaps an individal inherits a ssceptibility for alcoholism, drg abse, insanity, or violence from his family or past. $here can be any nmber of nightmares ready and (aiting to a(aken if yo engage in self%exploration. $hese can be are so deeply rooted in yorself yo do not kno( ho( or (here to begin (orking on them. Conse)ently, in some enconter and therapy grops, the members are kept focsed on the present and on the specific behaviors and feelings they can actally change. $he deeper feelings and motivations (hich are more diffse and less ssceptible to conscios control are careflly screened ot and pshed off to the side. $here are often immediate advantages to this approach. ven small sccess in changing yor behavior, self%talk, and feelings bild
self%confidence and strengthens the individal's (ill. $he do(nside of this approach is that the individal's psyche then becomes like a hose (ith some locked rooms containing the nkno(n. $he problem is that an individal (ho strengthens his (ill and identity (ithot processing his deeper emotions and flly exploring the depths of himself lacks (ell%being and inner peace. 5e is not flly at home in the (orld of his psyche. On some level, he kno(s there are inner barriers%%)estions he mst not ask, feelings he mst never a(aken, and dreams he mst never dream. $his may seem like a sbtle point bt if yo are going to learn to exert yor fll (ill or open yor five senses to perceiving on the inner planes, yo have to be free of fear. =o can not bring yor microcosm into harmony (ith the macrocosm (hen there are parts of yor psyche and history (hich yo can not accept and transform. $hese barriers to inner life can be observed in others even in ordinary conversations and personal interactions. 3hen yo talk to someone, yo may find there are parts of them (hich are not transparent. $here are things abot them they do not (ant to talk abot not becase they are private or personal bt becase the pain is nresolved. $he topic evokes anxiety and denial. 3hen I revie( all of Bardon's exercises in his three books on magick, the most difficlt exercise for me is establishing magical e)ilibrim. It is a life long (ork and there is no end to it. If yo stdy !ikido for forty years (ith real passion and eal, yo become a sixth don master. If yo practice $ai Chi Chan for forty years (ith a great master so that yo mind becomes one (ith yo inner chi, ten or even t(enty men can not psh yo over (hen yo stand yor grond. If yo had the time and money, yo cold stdy (ith the great psychologists of the (orld earning three Ph.d.'s. =o (old engage in intense personal (ork exploring yor personal shado( and sbconscios. $hen, as a therapist and facilitator, yo (old be able to lead others throgh the intricate path(ays and corridors of their sols throgh the darkness and pain and back again into healing and light. Bt the !ikido and $ai Chi master and even the psychologist do not need to attain to astral e)ilibrim. It is definitely not a re)irement of their professions. $he idea never enters their imagination. In my experience, there (ere t(o main problems I ran into in first (orking (ith establishing astral e)ilibrim. $o begin (ith, Bardon's first book, Initiation into 5ermetics, is for me an incredibly tedios and boring set of exercises. !s Bardon points ot, these exercises take a nearly sperhman patience and togh endrance to master. Progress, thogh sometimes rapid, is more often accomplished in millimeters. $he time frame is not (eeks or months bt often years before basic exercises are mastered. $his level of difficlty, ho(ever, has some great advantages. or example, sch taxing (ork leaves no room for inflation of ego or for fanatical devotion. Both of these attitdes demand )ick reslts and measre progress by comparing oneself to other hman beings. $he notion that ;I am practicing the highest and greatest magical system on earth; eventally mst come to grips (ith the realiation that actally I am practicing the most challenging and demanding magical system on earth. $he fanatical, pios, holier than tho mind set /so commonly fond in monasteries, religios organiations, and clts0 (hich says ;I am special and sperior to others; rns into the realiation that Bardon's system demands absolte self%a(areness and total self% mastery. =o can not afford to carry self%delsions (ith yo (hen yo are constantly exploring nkno(n (orlds both of the imagination and on the inner planes. $here is simply no room for
arrogance or self%righteosness. !kasha, for example, loves to play (ith yong magicians. 3ith more stealth than any archdemon and like a lover (ith (ild passion, it leads ne( magicians throgh a mae of self%kno(ledge to a central enconter (ith that darkness (ithin themselves (hich contains their greatest fears. 3hat the lover and the archdemon share in common is they both love to test yor bondaries. $hogh sing different methods, they (ill take yo to that very place in yorself (hich is forbidden and nkno(n. It is only there that the fire of spirit d(elling (ithin yo is nleashed and finally freed. Bt a great martial artist, a self%made billionaire, or a masterfl politician (ho overcomes all opposition can still afford to feel sperior and indlge him or herself in feeling he is above others. Bt not a magician. $his is becase a magician is not in competition (ith other hman beings. 5is goal is not to dominate, ot shine, or ot perform others. 5is spirital identity is not defined by his peer grop, society, cltre, civiliation, philosophy, religion, or occlt tradition. Instead, the ineffable, (ondros, and magnificent beaty of *ivine Providence (alks by his side and is his gide. 3hen yo have this inspiration in yor heart, glory, fame, honor, and po(er mean very little to yo. =o can se them to serve yor prposes bt in themselves they are (ithot merit or interest. !nd so the first difficlty%%the great amont of (ork extending over years%%re)ires of yo that yo have yor o(n inspiration and motivation to sstain yor commitment. or me, Bardon provides very little in the (ay of inspiration and it is a strain for me to try to find a devotional sentence in his books. =o cold say that this is becase of the milie in (hich Bardon (rote. 5e (as systematic, analytical, detailed, and re)ired that his stdents master every single exercise before going on to the next. till, (hen I think abot Bardon's (ork, I recall ho( I spent three days meditating one time in a stone circle on 1ll Island in cotland. ach stone embodies a different cosmic letter or drid Ogham letter from some ancient time. $he energies (ere placed in those stones as a legacy to be passed do(n to ftre generations. One of the stones embodied the cosmic letter +. $his is solar energy%%daling, bright, self%radiant, and eternal light. Bt this stone also cloaks itself. 3hen yo first approach it and place yor hand pon it, it hides and conceals its po(er and -oy lest those (ho are exposed too )ickly before their time become blinded and no longer treasre the experiences of daily life. =o have to sit (ith this stone for a (hile in complete stillness. $hen like an old friend (ho has mastered all (isdom on or planet, it greets yo and invites yo to discss (hatever is on yor heart and in yor mind. Bardon is like that for me. I see him as a gate keeper or as a dean of admissions to a spirital college. 5e is both friendly bt he also takes a very close look at yor credentials as he evalates yor level of commitment. 5is books, then, natrally are open, inviting, and also very demanding. $hey pt )estions to yo (hich yo did not expect and that re)ire yo be flly alert and forcefl in reply. $he second difficlty I have had (ith attaining astral e)ilibrim is that I find there is no continity in the practice. Psychologists, for example, like to take society for granted. It is the training field and arena in (hich personality is challenged. or this reason, psychologists like to assist in making individals sccessfl, creative, satisfied, happy, and flfilled. Bt a magician is not practicing magical e)ilibrim in order to be more sccessfl and flfilled (ithin his society. 5e is striving to attain e)ilibrim in the midst of other practices involving high magick. 5e is continosly developing and testing the bondaries
of his imagination as (ell as learning to enter at (ill (orlds (hich are invisible to the people arond him. Conse)ently, in high magick, yo continosly bring ne( treasres of spirit, ne( insights and fablos experiences, back (ith yo into yor ordinary life. Dnless yo proceed (ith great cation and remain in complete charge of yor life, these experiences can easily over(helm and overshado( everything else yo are doing. $hey are all assalts on magical e)ilibrim. $hey heighten, t(ist, or intensify one element over the others. !nd so yo have to (ork to keep the for elements (ithin yorself in balance. In order (ords, no matter ho( mch I think I kno( abot myself and my astral body, (orking (ith Bardon's system constantly forces me to confront ne( and nexpected aspects of myself.
and sggestive detail in his second book on evocation. 1y goal has been to bild a very clear pictre of the entire spirital niverse so I cold reflect its beaty, ma-esty, and (onder (ithin my astral body. or Bardon, astral e)ilibrim is a state of being in balance and in control of the for elements in yor personality. or me, astral e)ilibrim is this. Bt it is also a state of raptre, a trance, and an ecstasy in (hich I feel at one (ith everything that exists. >var, the spirit of on the akashic plane. $his is a feeling of cosmic love. It fills in for something (hich is missing in myself. !nd so my response to the grs (ho complain abot magicians prsing siddhis and magical po(ers is this: ;I have stdied this mistress and searched her sol. !nd she, in trn, has revealed to me her secret, magical name. ;5er name is cosmic love%%and nothing in the niverse is separate from her beaty. he holds the (orld (ithin her heart. $here is no aspect of life or ideal she places higher than something else. o plane of a(areness is prsed or considered to be of greater merit than any other. $rth nderstands every individal's ni)e path of flfillment and also the oneness (hich sstains the (hole.; I (old sggest something in addition to the rigoros practice of attaining the magical e)ilibrim as Bardon describes it. I (old sggest that the stdent right at the beginning explore his or her o(n sense of the sacred. It is the degree and )ality of yor inspiration (hich also empo(ers yo to balance and harmonie the for elements in yorself. $o this end, I have inclded an exercise on transcendence on my (eb page nder this second chapter psychic practice.
Astral Level: Seeing Transcendence I Part of the task in Bardon's first book, Initiation into 5ermetics, is to come in contact (ith yor @ardian !ngel. =o also seek to enconter and to identify (ith *ivine Providence in its for aspects of all%embracing love, po(er, (isdom, and immortality. $hese are very high ideals and goals. I sggest, then, at the very beginning of practicing (ith Bardon that the stdent take stock of (hat his o(n individal sense of the sacred and of transcendence is. !ccording to the mythologist >oseph Campbell, the first and primary condition any mythology or spirital training system mst flfill is to a(aken and sstain a(e and gratitde (ithin s. It is possible to perceive life as radiant (ith light and (onder. $his is a mental realiation. It is a matter of perception%% a (ay of experiencing the (orld as ne(. achil0. $his first fnction of any religion or spirital training system takes s into a state of transcendence. $ranscendence develops in s a state of mind (hich is completely detached and separate from life. !nd yet
it is so illminated (e are free to embrace all that is (ithin life (ith both passion and compassion. $he drid, for example, creates in his mind a grove of trees or stone circle on the astral plane. $here he is free to meet and interact and to be inspired by all the (ise men and (omen of his tradition. $here he meets the @oddess and celebrates the illmination of the sn. 3hen drid is in his inner plane grove, he is completely there (ith all of his imagination. It is a (aking dream and his (ell%being and peace are complete. If he finds a difficlty or distrbance (ithin his psyche or if he has a tramatic experience in his personal life, the grove offers him spport and insight for (orking throgh it. !t the same time, the difficlties in his oter life serve to challenge him to explore more deeply the spirital resorces available (ithin his grove. $he -orney (ithin mst be profond enogh to encompass (ith (isdom and love all that he experiences in life. In this (ay, his personal problems are captred and transformed throgh a spirital )est. $he imagery of transcendence, like the center of a grove or circle, becomes a sacred place (here (e gather the (isdom and -oy from all that (e experience in life. It is a place of celebration. =et (e continosly -orney ot(ard from the center of the circle in order to gro( and to experience ne( things. @ro(th involves going ot(ard and focsing orselves on specific tasks as (ell as retrning (ithin to attain oneness. $he drid has a personal spirital path symbolied by a personal grove. !nd yet he also delights in sharing the his path and sacred imagery (ith others. $here is a collective grove to (hich he also belongs. $his grove is (here the (ise men and (omen from all ages of his tradition come together to share their experiences and inspiration. $his imagery, then, offers reassrance. It keeps him from feelings isolated or stck. In place of feeling anxiety or desperation (hen he discovers the darkness (ithin him, he finds -oy and strength in the challenges (hich lie before him. 5e has the connections and the resorces to help him follo( his path.
Exercise: Exploring !our "#n Transcendence $ake a fe( mintes and consider (hat the sacred is to yo. $hat is, (hat are yor greatest sorces of inspiration? 3hen and (here have yo had enconters (ith the greatest beaty, (onder, a(e, and mystery? 3hen did life feel most alive, most precios, fll of hope and -oy? 3hen did love share (ith yo its greatest treasres and gifts? $hese )estions are ans(ered by reflecting on yor personal experience. Bt the personal, in this case, also contains transpersonal depths. eel the light and the energy nderlying yor experiences. $his brings yo into contact (ith sacred. In these moments, yo (ere able to see life from a great distance, as if standing on the otside looking in. Bt also the depths of life (ere open to and flo(ing throgh yo. ome individals (ill imagine and recall specific locations (here they have been or specific individals (hom they interacted (ith. or others, feelings come to the srface. 5o(ever yo (ish to recall the sacred, imagine no( that yo can connect to these experiences again (henever yo (ish. $he sacred is a place of mind and heart, like the center of the circle, to (hich yo retrn again and again. It is (hat yo enter into (henever yo begin a spirital -orney. It is (hat gides yo and it is to (here yo retrn. Or experiences (ith life enable s to enrich or sense of the sacred. It gro(s stronger as does or identification
(ith akasha, the one light that shines throghot the niverse (ho some call *ivine Providence. !t the same time, (hen (e are amid a great difficlty, conflict, or state of confsion, (e can enter the center of the circle, symboliing akasha. $hen (e can ndertake a inner plane path(orking or series of meditations in search of the resorces and experiences (e need in order to be more effective in life. !kasha, the center of the circle, grove, or inner plane temple, or place of the sacred is (here (e begin or -orneys and it is (here (e retrn from them. $here is a process of processing, gathering in, and integrating the essence of all (e have learned from life. !nd there is also a -oy and conviction (e exde as (e depart on ne( -orneys into the nkno(n. rom this psychological and spirital perspective, or difficlties and problems become challenges. $hey contain the elements of the great (ork (e (illingly embrace in order to transform orselves and the (orld throgh the po(er of love.
Spiritual $ommunity !t the same time, or individal sense of the sacred is not an isolated and private experience. 3e belong to spirital commnities. $here are others like orselves (ho (ish to taste flly and to celebrate life's great mysteries. $herefore, along side or individal symbolism and imagery of the sacred there is also a collective imagery. or the drid, there is a personal grove (here he goes to (ork. $here is also a collective grove (hich is a place on the inner planes. Part of or exercise, then, is to contine on and imagine (hat this place of meeting (old be like as (ell. In chapter G of Initiation into 5ermetics, Bardon gives an exercise relating to mastering the for fndamental divine )alities. 5e says, ;$he trly (ise adept, (ho al(ays considers the for elements in his development, (ill represent the concept of @od in for aspects according to the la(s of the niverse, namely, the omnipotence, corresponding to the fire%principle, the omniscience and (isdom belonging to the air principle, the omnipresence (ith the (ater principle and the immortality (ith the earth principle.; !s yo contemplate and enter into these divine )alities, Bardon says, ;$he meditation has to be so profond, so pervasive and so convincing that the astral body becomes, as it (ere, identical (ith the virte.; Bardon's (ork emphasies individal initiative and accomplishment. $here is certainly also a collective or commnity of those (ho seek to master and to celebrate the highest light of akasha or *ivine Providence. !s the above )ote indicates, for the magician, the divine is represented in for aspects. !s an exercise, take any or all of these for aspects and imagine (hat a commnity (old be like (hich is commited to embodying these )alities. If yo think of a commnity of loving individals, imagine (hat that (old be like. Imagine it as a commnity in the real (orld. !nd imagine and experience it concretely as a inner plane experience. !s if all those on or earth (ho indeed seek to love (ith all of their hearts are able to meet (ith each other and to share their vast array of experiences. 9isit this place on the inner planes. 1ake it part of yor heart. 1ch of magick relates to the po(er of imagination. If yo can imagine something and experience it a "LLM as real, then it is mch easier for it to manifest. =o already embody it (ithin yor heart, mind, and feelings. $hose in contact (ith yo can sense its presence and inflence. $hese exercises, then, serve to plift the vibration of the (orld (e are in. $he images serve as mental and
astral vehicles for establishing telepathic rapport and commnication (tih others. 3e are then dra(n to, norished by, and inspired by those (ho share the same high ideals. /ee also my posting nder !smodel, a spirit of niversal and cosmic love, nder Planetary pirits, in (hich I give for steps for meditating on a commnity dedicated to the highest ideals of love, light, and service0.
Astral Level: Seeing Ttranscendence II In my last article on transcendence, I mentioned ho( I thoght it might be advantageos for stdents of Bardon to imagine and (ork (ith the divine )alities of each of the for elements right at the beginning of their training. I sometimes am asked by individals if they can become my stdent. I sally reply that I myself am a stdent. I can share my experiences bt I am not in a position to take responsibility for giding another's spirital life. I have never met anyone in fact (ho I consider capable of giding another individal's spirital life thogh I see lots of people trying to do so. I imagine (e are all responsible for or o(n spirital lives. onetheless, speaking for myself, if an individal asked me if he or she (as ready to stdy the Bardon system, my response (old be to ask in retrn if they have experienced any transcendence. Briefly, can yo detach yorself from life and see it as from a great distance the (ay the yong girl learns to do in 3ilder's play, Or $o(n? 5aving died, she is permitted to retrn and relive one day of her life. Obviosly, there is no room for complaining, for -ealosy, envy, or (orrying abot trivial things (hen yo realie ho( precios, (onderfl, and fragile life is. *etachment belongs to the air element and to some extent so does (onder. $here are of corse many other aspects of the air element (hich lead to transcendence. In my essays on the cosmic letter ! and the sylph Cargoste I indicate a fe(. *o yo have any faith or conviction? aith in one sense is a feeling yo discover (ithin yorself that yo are nited to omnipotent po(er, to the Creator of the niverse. Conviction is a sense of certainty abot yor ability to accomplish (hat yo intend to do. I kno( individals (ho have been sing ceremonial (ands for decades (ho lack conviction and faith. 3hat good is it to practice in a magical tradition for years and to rise throgh the grades if yo can not find at the core of yor being that yo are nited to the Creator of life and the niverse? 3ho are yo trying to kid? $o sch an individal I (old have to state my opinion, ;=o are not ready to enter the 1ysteries.; =o find things by seeking them. If yo don't look, yo (on't even see (hat is right in front of yo. aith, conviction, and the omnipotence belong to the fire element. ire is in every breath, every heartbeat, in lightning, in candles, in the sn and stars, and the entire center of the earth is in effect on fire. 3ho can live in the presence of so mch po(er and not feel it or find it (ithin oneself? I have discssed some basic exercises (ith the fire element in my article on the salamander's $apheth, !phtiph, and Pyrhm. ee also my forthcoming article on the cosmic letter & (hich prses specifically isses and problems of faith and omnipotence. o do not come to me and tell me yo have been practicing magick for years and that yo have dobts abot yor faith. I (ill tell yo to go back and start over at the beginning. ind the sorces
of po(er (hich exists (ithin yo. $o learn magick, yo have to have some magick to begin (ith and I tell yo magick is in every breath, every heartbeat, every thoght, every feeling, and every sensation. On some level, can yo love others, even those yo hate? ! basic )estion pt to those (ho (old ndergo initiation is, ;Can yo accept all the sffering in life as (ell as all the love?; $his is an especially challenging )estion. It goes to the core of or being, to (hat it is to feel alive, to (hat it is to dream, to hope, and seek healing in orselves and to offer healing to others. $he religions of the (orld are most clever. $hey take selfish individals (rapped p in hatred and greed and dale them (ith trly magnificent ideals of enlightenment, love, (isdom, and divine missions to flfill. Bt in any individal, examining each on a case by case basis, yo can still find and toch the energy (hich is hatred, greed, selfishness, -ealosly, fear, insecrity, and rage. o the )estion remains, inspite of all the religios stff, the ceremonies, ritals, and service, all the devotion, dedication, and sacrifice%%Can yo get yorself into a space of mind or heart in (hich yo can embrace all that life is, the sffering and the love? If yo can not, the mystery of the (ater element is hidden from yo. $he gate is closed, it is sealed, it is locked. !ll the magical training and the (isdom in the (orld (ill not transform yo. =o may find great po(er and achieve great things bt yo yorself (ill remain locked in heart that is impoverished. 3hat good is it to call yorself a magician and an initiate if yo can not feel the serenity in moonlight so it shines in every cell of yor being, the -oy (hich srges throgh the sea of the stars, or the bliss in the seas of the earth (hich have norished and given birth to all life on earth? $o the (ater element is the transcendence called omnipresence. It is being able to feel others' feelings, to sense the -oys and sfferings of their lives as if they are yor o(n. In the Bardon tradition, the practice of omnipresence involves learning to transfer yor consciosness into every aspect of natre and every kind of hman being and spirit. $his practice is at the center of his training. =o (ant (isdom? =o (ant po(er? =o (ant prposes and (ork (hich endre throgh all ages of the (orld? $hen love (ith all of yor heart. $he earth element, of corse, is practical, realistic, solid, and ;do(n to earth.; 3hen I stdy the aras of the varios planets in or solar system, I am strck by ho( mch the ara of or planet has to do (ith bilding things and making things (hich endre. If yo are serios abot life, yo seek to leave behind (hen yo are gone something of endring vale, something (hich enriches life for others. $his can be spirital like contemplation. It can be physical like the mpire tate Bilding. It can be a principle yo seek to manifest sch as -stice and e)ality as seen in the (ords of the Constittion of the Dnited tates. Bt (hatever the activity, something of vale remains and contines on. $his principle of contribting something of endring vale can be very difficlt to come to terms (ith. If anything is tre abot hman civiliations, they rise and fall, they pass a(ay, they fade like grass as the Psalmist says in Psalms GL. $he years of or lives are like a dream and then (e are no more. It is a (onderfl thing to have a -ob and (ork. It plgs yo into the economy of yor nation and the (orld. It is one (ay to participate in this great endeavor called hman life. Bt the psalmist points ot as does the Bddha that everything fades a(ay and everything changes. $he mystery of the earth element is not
(isdom, po(er, or love. It is inner silence. It is the stillness in the command, ;Be still and kno( that I am @od.; One of things (e do in life as (e gro( p and also as (e develop civiliations is to take a hostile (orld and make a home (ithin it. 3e take danger and (e make peace. 3e take ignorance and (e make (isdom. 3e take hatred and (e make love. $here is no end to this process. It is part of (hat (e call life. $he mystery of silence is to nderstand that everything is transitory and yet to be as responsible as yo can for (hat yo control, to contribte (hatever yo can that is of vale. 3e make a home in the (orld and yet as the Psalmist says or d(elling place is @od. $he earth element nites the other three%%fire, air, and (ater%% (ill, (isdom, and love. !s (e do this, (e transform the (orld (ith or lives. $he (orld is a better place for or having passed throgh it. $he )estion relating to the transcendence in the earth element is most basic%%3hat actions, (hat sbstance of vale do yo intend to contribte to life? $o pt it another (ay, I think each person has to ans(er in his or her heart, ;!m I giving all I have to give? !m I giving the best of (hat I have to give?; I can not pt this )estion to yo nor can I hear yor ans(er as if I am yor 2en master listening to see if yo have ans(ered my koan. =o ans(er this )estion in the presence of @od and before the mystery of the niverse (hich exists (ithin yor heart. 3ithot embracing this silence, the seed can not sleep in the earth in (inter to later give birth to ne( life in spring. !nd yo (ill not be able to endre the (inter of yor sol, to find and dream yor deepest dreams, to being them into being, and to become the person yo are meant to be. $his may sond inspirational bt as I say it is most basic and practical. It is abot getting p in the morning and getting done (hat yo need to do. $hese for aspects of transcendence%%faith and omnipotence, love and omnipresence, (isdom and enlightenment, and silence from (hich arises or greatest (ork%%these can be restated as (onder, a(e, and gratitde for being alive. If yo (ish to stdy the mysteries, find and norish these things (ithin yorself at the beginning. $hey are at the core of yor self and yo (ill retrn to them again and again and they in trn (ill provide yo (ith limitless inspiration. $hree years ago, a (onderfl friendship came to end (hich cased me a great deal of grief. hortly after this, I (as meditating (ith a spirit of the sphere of 1ercry named !iel and it is he (ho pt to me my life koan, ;3hat is the sorce (ithin yo (hich heals the (onds of yor heart?; I (rote a poem in reply (hich I (ill share (ith yo again in this place. $he reason I am (riting this essay is that last (eek another friendship came to an end. It (as the kind of friendship (hich is meant to last for a life time. ometimes bet(een hman hearts the flo( of empathy and nderstanding is very deep. Bt even the very best things in life come to an end as the spirit (ho is the Chief >dge of the sphere of atrn likes to remind me. $hese endings are sacred as are ne( beginnings. One reason to prse transcendence throgh all of yor training is becase it is not -st (hat inspires yo to live life flly and to embrace all that life holds. It is yor experiences in life (hich (ill challenge and test yo to see -st ho( deep and rich yor transcendence is. $he process and flo( move in both directions. !nd so, as I say, there are times (hen (e mst retrn to the core of or being to discover (hat is sacred to s and (hat illminates s from (ithin.
$oday I sat (ithin akasha, the akasha of the sphere of atrn and the cosmic letter . $he color of dark violet in this case represents for me the oneness of the niverse and of all creatres%%(e all share in one life, in one being, and in one ltimate destiny. $he sond of ;*; in this case symbolies for me the trth of the physical and the spirital niverse. othing is hidden. $here is nothing (hich can not be fond ot. $here is nothing (hich shall not be revealed. $he penetrating sensation, penetrating throgh space and time, brings everything near so that the life (hich flo(s throgh every being and heart I am nited to as (ell. I am (ithin that openness and that (illingness to embrace and to nderstand. !nd (ith this atrnian meditation I cold feel the pain and loss (ithin me fade a(ay. I did not take t(o months as it did five years before. It took a fe( days and the right spirit (ithin me. 3hich is another (ay to say and to feel at the bottom of my heart that I accept all that is (ithin life, all the sffering and also all of the love. rom akasha, from (ithin this place of spirit (hich is (hat akasha is, proceed the for elements (hich make p the (orld. !nd (ith the air element, in this moment, I can feel -oined to the entire atmosphere of the earth. $he light of the sky, its freedom, (isdom, and delight shine (ithin my mind. 3ith the (ater element, I can feel the oceans of the earth, the ice caps, entire seasons (ithot light, the darkness of the ocean trench, the flo( of the rivers, the calm serenity of montain lakes, the nrtring rain, the flo(ing fog and rising mist%%they fills my dreams (ith acceptance, love, and peace. $he montains, the plains, the minerals, the rocks%%silence embraces all their changes as I embrace the silence (ith (hich this planet moves throgh space. $his silence (hich is behind the changes of natre and (ithin the prposes of @od, this silence is my home. !nd to fire, I sense that the po(er in the stars is the same po(er (ithin my heart and there is no limit to it. 3ithin it is the first light of creation and the ability to dream ne( dreams and to bring them into being. $he (ork that has been given to me I shall accomplish for all of my heart, my love, my sol and my faith are (ithin it. $he (ay I said all of this five years ago is in this poem in ans(er to the koan of my life%%3hat is the sorce (ithin yo (hich heals the (onds of yor heart? $his is one (ay to describe the part of myself or the spirit (ithin me (hich is transcendent. $his is its voice%%
1y mind is the sky%% Pre, clear, and open Its air flo(s throgh my chest Its (inds are my breath 1y body is the arth%% In me, 5er ilence and endrance reach consciosness
$he volcano and magma at the center of the earth !re my (ill and po(er nfolding I brn, I consme, I destroy =et I heal the broken heart !nd bring -oy and excitement to life $he trning of the seasons $he circle of the stars dancing I am ternity niting (ith time I am the nobility of the sn Its inner nion and fsion of opposites !nd throgh its light 1y ong streams forth to the ends of the niverse I am the serenity of the moon lid, malleable, and changing I am harsh, cold, and empty I choose the place of yor birth I am (arm, s(eet, and nrtring I renite (hat is lost !ll dreams arise from my light I am tenderness overflo(ing from the heart I am (ithin and I a(aken $he seeds of spirit hidden (ithin all things I am the Celebration of
$o pt it simply, the beaty of the niverse, of creation, and natre are a sorce of inspiration (hich heals and norishes me (hen I experience pain and loss. ach of s no dobt (ill have or o(n sorces of inspiration (hich heal s and rene( s again and again.
Seeing Transcendence III % &od' Presence and (ermetic Metaphysics Introdction. I (old like to speak briefly abot my vie( of @od and religion dra(ing from (hat I have learned from personal experience. Bt first I (old like abot speak of ran Bardon's point of vie( since he has been of great assistance to me in the areas of method and practice. Bardon, ho(ever, does not give specific ritals and ceremonies (hich an individal might tilie to frther his devotional life. In part, Bardon feels that it is fine for an individal to reply pon the religion of his pbringing if that is (here the individal is most comfortable. By contrast, Bardon's interest is in training an individal according to niversal principles rather than in promoting specific forms of (orship, devotion, and traditional (ays of commning (ith @od.
elements: ;the fiery principle involves the almightiness and the omnipotence, the airy original principle o(ns the (isdom, prity and clearness, from the aspect of (hich proceeds the niversal la(flness. acob (restled (ith an angel and @od commands, ;Be still and kno( that I am @od.; $here is something to be said for first hand, direct, and personal experience. Bardon emphasies this path of direct experience. o( in the Bardon system, in addition to the elaborate beginning practices, there is a grand metaphysics (hich yo can explore depending on yor o(n inclinations and abilities. Besides the beings representing the for elements, the ara of the earth contains vast nmbers of highly developed spirital beings. Bardon describes a fe( paragraphs for over 6L of these beings. If yo are a little psychic or intitive, it is not so difficlt to interact (ith these spirits and get to kno( them in a friendly sort of (ay. ee my article on ome *ialoges (ith arthone pirits and also the articles nder pirits of the arthone. $here are also spirits associated (ith the aras of the varios planets in or solar system%%beginning (ith the moon, 1ercry, 9ens, the n, 1ars, >piter, atrn, Drans, and eptne. Bardon has also described a great nmber of these beings as (ell. In terms of the >e(ish &abbalah, I consider most of these beings to be spirits (ho are presided over to some extent by an archangel of that planetary sphere. or example, the 4# spirits of the lnar one (hich Bardon describes are associated (ith the archangel @abriel. $hese 4# spirits are of less comprehensive ability and po(er than the archangel. =o cold say they are specialists (hereas the archangel is more niversal and has a (ider range of inflence. rom my experience, the spirits Bardon describes are very capable of teaching and acting (ithin their areas of ability. ome are and some are not particlarly friendly. $hat is, they do not like to be bothered nless yo are )ite serios in yor prpose and clearly kno( (hat yo are doing. In other (ords, they are kind of like niversity professors. $hey are bsy and active and do not have time for nonsense. !rchangels, by contrast, are mch more friendly and personable. $hey are like presidents of colleges, the head of the almni association, or the dean of admissions. $hey actively promote good feelings abot their college or area of spirital activity. $hey are in pblic relations. $hey have a reptation to maintain. !nd all of them have interacted in hman history in very specific (ays. $hey kno( hman beings. $he problem (ith talking to an archangel is that they are so
positive and friendly, it is easy to come a(ay being deceived abot the level of difficlty involved in (hatever yo are trying to accomplish. I can talk to the head of a medical school or a specific college and if they feel my interest is genine and my commitment real they (ill speak in lavish terms of the career opportnities available after I have finished my training at their institte. Bt this does not mean in any (ay that organic chemistry, calcls, or statistics are going to be any less easy as classes to get throgh. =o still have to do yor home(ork and attend class if yo are going to accomplish anything at all. I met an individal recently (ho kno(s Bill @ates and Pal !llen, the fonders of 1icrosoft and !pple compters. I do not think she really nderstands the indstries they are involved (ith or their significance and inflence. 5er response is based on personal tastes and opinions abot ho( someone shold act. $he same is tre in my experience (ith archangels. $hey are easy to get to kno( personally bt these beings stand (ithin eternity and oversee the entire history of the hman race so interacting (ith them al(ays carries (ith it the possibility of self%deception for the simple reason that they are often too vast to comprehend. I describe some of my experiences (ith @abriel nder the section pirits of the Planetary pheres. In brief, then, I find that in addition to the over five hndred spirits Bardon describes, there remain the traditional &abbalist archangels (hich preside over these spirits in their respective spheres. Bardon mentions a fe( of these sch as 1etatron. I (as asked recently (hether these archangels relate only to or solar system. In my experience, this is pretty mch the case. $here are spirits of other stars, solar systems, galaxies, and so forth (hich on occasion involve themselves else(here to flfill some prpose. 5aving considered this metaphysical otline of a magician's spirital niverse, (e retrn to the )estion abot @od and religion. In &abbalah, there are ten sephiroth (hich represent the (ays @od emanates energy to the niverse. $hese sephiroth present @od's Presence in ten different (ays according to different themes and prposes. $he aras and spirits of the planets embody these themes and prposes in more concrete (ays. $his is analogos to niversities again. If yo (ant science and technology, yo might consider 1I$. If yo (ant to teach, yo might consider the Dniversity of Chicago. If yo (ant theology, yo go to a divinity school, la( to a la( school, and for the armed forces yo go to a military school sch as !nnapolis or 3est Point. imilarly, if yo (ant contentment and peace yo go to the lnar one. If yo (ant intelligence and science, yo go to the 1ercry one. If yo (ant ecstatic love and art, yo go to the sphere of 9ens. If yo (ant niversal light, love, and service, yo to the sphere of the sn. If yo (ant total self%mastery and divine po(er yo meditate (ithin the sphere of 1ars. If yo (ant to vastly expand yor opportnities for ne( experiences and service yo go to the sphere of >piter. If yo (ant to comprehend first hand cosmic -stice, fate, and the prpose of life's limitations, yo go to the sphere of atrn, and so forth. !ll of these other spheres are represented in a more practical and approachable manner in the 6L spirits of the earthone. onetheless, there is a remarkable difference bet(een specific beings and @od's Presence as presented in the ten sephiroth. 5man beings are fond in the physical (orld. pirits sch as elementals are fond on the astral plane. 5igher spirits are fond on the mental plane or in the planetary spheres and so forth. $hese beings all have specific and limited abilities no matter ho( (ide ranging or vast their inflence and sphere of action.
Bt the @od Presence is fond on all plane, in all spheres, and it is not finite. It is infinite. Its creative capacity is (ithot beginning or end and no specific thing in the niverse can define it. It is best kno(n by stdying all that it has created by it and -oining (ith this Presence itself in an act of creation.
It creates peace and contentment, happiness
In 5odA1ercry: It creates (hatever yo need to flfill yor prposes%%the perfection of intelligence forming and shaping the (orld. In etachA9ens: and love.
It creates oneness, personal beaty, harmony,
In $iparethAthe n: It creates integration, nity, fll consciosness of all aspects of life and the niverse%%a cosmic harmony and nion. $he entire niverse exists in a state of oneness yet (ho is conscios of this? In @evrahA1ars: It creates the (ill and the po(er to overcome all opposition and obstacles. In ChesedA>piter: It creates opportnities for ne( experience, for flfillment, and for (ealth on every level and in every area of life. In BinahAatrn: It creates -stice, order, balance, and responsibility%%that is, responsibility for everything that exists. In ChockmahADrans: It creates ne( destinies, ne( paths of life. It lays the fondations for ne( civiliations. It makes all things ne( by the po(er of its voice. In ðerAeptne: It is (ithin everything, a part of everything, and it is the sorce from (hich all things arise. It creates visions, dreams, intimations, and prophecies of (hat can be (hich reveal the depths of life and of the mysteries of the heart. !ll of the sephiroth are contained and inter(oven as one here -st as all of the sephiroth are manifested in some concrete, physical, and distinct manner in 1alkth. In smmary, then, my experience indicates that entering @od's Presence, the ;Be still and kno( that I am @od,; leads to experiencing the infinite po(er to create in accord (ith these ten different themes and prposes. !gain, yo can sit do(n (ith the president of a college, the President, e.g., of the Dnited tates, or Bill @ates for that matter. Bt (hen yo shake hands and talk, it does not mean that this enconter grants yo a college degree, the right to command the armed forces, or the ability to (rite a simple program sing CNN compter langage. It does mean, ho(ever, that yo can ask )estions and get ans(ers from individals (ho have responsibility for and (ho exercise oversight over their respective disciplines, nations, and indstries.
Astral Level % The Shado# in Psychology and Magic $he shado( in psychology is often thoght of as the part of orselves (hich (e deny and find nsavory. 3e like to think of orselves as being in charge of or lives. 3e like to feel that (e are motivated in specific (ays in accordance (ith or ideals and or beliefs. !nd so natrally (e are neasy (ith those things in
orselves (hich do not fit or conscios self%image. Bt in terms of psychology the shado( is al(ays there. It exists as a reflection of or conterpart to or social existence and the roles (e take on in life. $he shado( is the opposite of (ho yo are not in the sense of yor gender and polar opposite. Instead, the shado( is the part of yor self yo have not integrated into yor consciosness. $herefore, as a constellation or necessary component of psychic life, it has an invalable role to play in spirital gro(th. One (ay to sense yor shado( is to note those moments (hen yo find yorself disliking or hating someone else. $he very thing in them (hich yo find obnoxios or evil is yor o(n shado(. $he other's face acts as a mirror image reflecting back (hat is hidden in yorself. $he dislike or animosity yo may feel is not identical (ith the other's actions or beliefs. $he shado( is more sbtle than that. Instead, it may he that (hat yo dislike is that the other person is giving vent throgh their life to something yo have repressed in yorself. It is the other's motivation of hate, fear, greed, arrogance, lst, malice, cravings, obsessions, etc. (hich is the voice of yor o(n shado( calling ot to yo to recognie and find a form of expression for (hat yo deny in yorself. If this (ere not the case, yo (old be more sympathetic and nderstanding of the motivation behind the other's actions. =o (old not need to agree (ith them or accept their agendas. Bt yo (old not be personally replsed by them. =o (old feel more ob-ective and perhaps even nderstand (hat they are going throgh and the natral (ay they (ill learn throgh experience. $he shado( is a paradox. If yo give into it and srrender to its demands, yo act in gross and n(holesome (ays. If yo deny or repress it, yo lose yor creativity and momentm, for it has the po(er to ndermine yor motivation. It kno(s the sorce of the instincts (hich grant yo yor greatest po(er and energy. $herefore, the shado( re)ires of s that (e invent ne( (ays of living and being. $he shado( is the precise balancing factor (hich appears becase (e find orselves restrained and inhibited by or conventional (ays of thinking and living. In this sense, the shado( is a life long companion, friend, and gardian spirit. It saves s from falling into rigid life style and patterns of thoght (hich deny the free movement of spirit and natral energy (ithin s. $he shado( does not possess the est and light (hich shines in the faces of those (ho are flly alive. Bt the shado( is a gardian spirit (ho appears as a disgised voice of conscience. $he shado( reminds s that (e are not yet flly alive. It asks of s, therefore, to search ot the depths of orselves and to honor every aspect of instinctal life (ithin s. It is not satisfied that (e scceed in life and accomplish mch. It asks, instead, that (hen (e shine, (e shine (ith a transforming radiance%%that innocence be combined (ith timeless (isdom, that yoth be combined (ith the kno(ledge of the ancestors, that love be combined (ith po(er, that tenderness be combined (ith self%mastery, that dream be combined (ith material expression, etc. $he shado(, then, is the darkness cast by the light of consciosness. By defining orselves in a specific (ay, (e atomatically leave ot mch of (hat is active (ithin s. $his can be instinctal cravings, desires, needs, (ays of acting and being (hich (e not only dislike and diso(n bt (hich (e have in some (ay managed to convince orselves do not exist (ithin s. In terms of the psychological shado(, the danger for a magician is that he may be tempted to over rely on his sense of athority. $hat is, he emphasies his sense of conviction, prpose, and commitment and then ends p ignoring his personal desires and
needs. In effect, he may deny those legitimate desires and instinctal needs (ithin himself (hich have a genine claim on his life and consciosness. 1agick is a life long commitment and path of training. Bt being a magician does not mean yo are exempt from flfilling the karmic tasks belonging to each stage of yor life. ! magician seeks to be completely responsible for all aspects of his life so that he frees p the time he needs to train and to practice. Bt in regard to athority, the magician's (ill is balanced by an extraordinary sensitivity. 5e is al(ays (illing to find a (ay to process his feelings and emotions. $hat is, his commitment to magical e)ilibrim makes him completely alert so that he gives his total attention to his experience. ! client (orks (ithin the atmosphere of trst (ith a therapist. $here he discloses and talks abot (hat he feels and his experiences (ith the past. $he therapist, if only by listening, offers the client protection and nderstanding. Bt the magician internalies this process (ithin himself. $he client may retrn again and again over years to talk (ith the therapist abot conflicts (hich remain nresolved in himself. Bt the magician brings the fll force of his magical concentration and psychic intition to bear pon (hatever aspect of his inner life he focses pon. It may also take the magician many years to resolve his inner conflicts, bt he has the advantage of having an entire divine hierarchy of spirits to assist him. $hey amplify his intition and grant him many insights based pon the (isdom they possess. $he alchemist starts (ith the darkest, most impenetrable material. $his is (hat he (orks pon to attain his elixir of life. !nd the individal (ho becomes enlightened mst in the end have a final enconter (ith the lord of all demons. It is the darkest and most incorrigible (hich comes forth to certify (hether or not yo have attained absolte freedom%%(hether anything remains (hich can obstrct yo. Part of the task of developing magical e)ilibrim, therefore, involves becoming ac)ainted (ith yor o(n shado(. =o get to kno( yorself extremely (ell. =o are al(ays alert to observe yor o(n behavior, thoghts, and feelings. One individal I kno( (ho has her o(n temple and order has appointed an individal in her lodge to act as an advocate for (hat she may be denying or repressing. he has given the shado( a permanent role to play. $he other individal's -ob is to insre that this (oman's conscios mind has taken into consideration all factors (hich are relevant to her decisions.
!he Shado6 in Ma%ic& $hose (ho ndertake in(ard -orneys of exploration (ill enconter a darkness (ithin. $hey may think that their goal is to ascend into the light. Bt the moment they close their eyes and -orney (ithin they are also going do(n(ard into the nconscios. $his is becase the higher light embraces all that exists. It denies nothing. It is omniscient and omnipresent. It kno(s everything and it is every(here and (ithin everything. It is only a fool (ho thinks he can lay hold of and command part of the hman spirit at the expense of shnning other parts. $he inner self is a (hole. It does not tolerate for long separation or division. $herefore, on an in(ard -orney, the individal (ill pass door(ays (hich are locked and gates (hich are sealed. 5e (ill move past forms of life (hich appear dead or dying. Bt, like the conscios self, these personal, collective, and ancient desires and longing (ish to srvive. $he secrets of the ancestors and the hidden
pain and sorro( bried for ages has a claim on those (ho pass by. $hese things (ish be alive again, to florish and to expand, so that nothing (ithin them is denied. $hey (ish to be reborn and to be transformed, to be healed or to be renited (ith the (hole so that they find that place (here they rightflly belong. Part of a spirital process, then, is to be a(are that in yor -orney yo (ill rea(aken yor forgotten hopes and dreams. !nd the pain and fear (hich are bried (ith yo (ill come forth again seeking to be healed and to be changed. 3ithin s there are desires so stifled and repressed that (hen they emerge they appear as demons. $hey is no hope or anything positive (ithin them. $hey are so ravenos and in pain that they destroy (hatever they toch. !s in the story of the apprentice magician (ho inadvertently evokes a demon, the spirit appears and then asks, ;or (hat prpose have yo called me?; 3e have desires (ithin s (hich have no avene of expression in or (orld. ome of the desires (ithin s are or o(n. ome are those (hich or parents and line of ancestors have never been able to satisfy for centries or ages. !nd so they are handed do(n to s as part of or tradition or cltre as liabilities carried forth from the past into the present. ome desires predate the hman race by billions of years. If yo are receptive and open to (hat is (ithin yo, if yo -orney far enogh, these desires (ill appear and yo had best be prepared to give a very good ans(er (hen they ask yo, ;or (hat prpose have I been a(akened again into life by the echo of yor feet, by the light in yor eyes, by the (armth of yor body, and by the toch of yor sol as yo pass by?; or a magician, it is absoltely essential to develop an identification (ith the highest light. It is the basis for the mage's athority. It is (hat defines his acts, his prposes, and his goals in life. If yo are (ithin an nkno(n realm on the inner planes, yo never (ant to give the impression that yo are lost or confsed. $his invites (hatever yo enconter to offer yo assistance by taking over yor life and making decisions for yo. 3hether in trance, contemplation, or meditation, then, a magician develops an extremely strong tie to *ivine Providence in its po(er aspect of omnipotence. $he magician seeks to be sovereign lord over the components of his inner psyche. 5e seeks to direct at (ill the po(er they contain. !nd he seeks to nderstand and penetrate them so completely (ith his consciosness that they are more than (illing to obey his command. $he magician also has a shado( since he has a personality. $here is no )estion abot it. Bt the magician finds it mch more easy to (ork creatively (ith his shado(. $he shado( loves being associated (ith someone (ho can hear and respond in ne( (ays to everything it has to say. $he magician as a magician, ho(ever, has (hat (e cold call a cosmic shado(. $his darkness, (hich is the opposite of himself, is the entire hierarchy of demons. In the Bardon system, for every positive spirit, there is a negative conterpart. $he aras of negative beings are darker than the aras of the positive spirits. dges of atrn, /ee my essays on inding atrn in =orself0 yo need to have internalied in yorself an absolte commitment to attaining enlightenment or total cosmic freedom. $he (orlds of form exist as a training field in (hich (e can experience and then
master all aspects of life. It is (ise if (e nderstand that life is imbed (ith this prpose. $he negative spirits tend to tie individals to the denser planes of form. $hey (ill offer all manner of gifts, psychic and even spirital po(ers, as long as yo do not seek to gro( beyond their domain of athority and po(er of reach. $o be free of them, yo have to do exactly (hat yo (old have needed to do any(ay if yo (ished to penetrate the sphere of atrn%%make an absolte commitment to becoming completely enlightened and to embodying cosmic freedom. $he negative spirits (ill so entrap individals and tie them into specific limiting sitations throgh (hich they are nable to gro( that these individals (ill eventally listen to their conscience. $heir conscience (ill remind them that life is sacred and holy. !ny price is (orth paying to let the indescribable beaty (hich is in every aspect of life to shine (ithin them. 3hen individals arrive at this realiation, the negative beings have flfilled their hidden prpose. $hese negative beings no longer have any significant spirital inflence over those (ho trned to(ard the light from (ithin their hearts. Bardon does not mention this danger abot demonic visitations in his first book. In his second book, ho(ever, $he Practice of 1agical vocation, he refers to the example of a reincarnated magician (ho has in a former life (orked (ith negative spirits. $he same negative entities (ill (ith real cnning seek to visit the individal in a ne( incarnation if and (hen he chooses to practice magick. I think there is more going on than this. I sspect that for many genine magicians negative spirits (ill sho( p early on in their practice, even at the very beginning. $his is not inappropriate from my point of vie(. $he Bardom system, (ith its fll disclosre of the means and (ays to master divine po(er, re)ires, again, an absolte commitment to serve *ivine Providence. $he level of po(er is so great that in even minor (ays the magician is already rbbing sholders and (alking (ith divine prposes in everything he does. I do not mean to scare anyone a(ay from practicing Bardon. I (old point ot, ho(ever, that I have met a fe( individals (ho have felt very po(erfl dark inflences enter their lives soon after they began (orking (ith Bardon's system. 3ith sch a challenging system of magick, it helps to be a strong individal (ho is living a healthy and balanced life. It also helps to have great corage and mental clarity. $he problem is that some individals feel ok abot themselves. $hey are in a mental and emotional space of sfficient promise and optimism that they are ready and (illing to take on a challenging system of magick. Bt as they (ork (ith Bardon, as they enter into profond meditations (hich are in every chapter of his first book, they open themselves p to dark forces (ithin their nconscios. 3hen yo are in deep meditation, yo are no longer protected by the order of the natral (orld or the traditions of yor society and religion. !nd these dark forces are stronger than the insight and (ill po(er some individals have their disposal. $his can reslt in feeling overpo(ered at times by these negative po(ers. $he (onds from sch enconters may last a life time nless yo manage to (ork yor (ay past these dangers. On the other hand, had these individals not (orked (ith Bardon, this kind of darkness in many cases (old not have entered their lives. rom my perspective, it is important for a commnity of magicians to make available resorces (hich enrich the magical path. I think individals shold feel free (hen they face difficlties in their practices to stop and take as long as they need to expand their kno(ledge at their crrent level before moving on.
or every problem, there is a soltion. or every difficlty, there is a (ay of (orking throgh it. or myself, I sally -st need to find the right meditation and then my o(n personal problem or the problem I am (orking (ith other individals dissolves. ome times it takes me many years to find the right meditation (hich solves the problem, bt I have a lot of confidence abot being able to find (hat I am looking for. *emons monitor nsal acts of (ill. $his is their -ob. $hey (ant creative (ill to be tied to the physical (orld.
A +itual o) Initiation )or "ardon Ma%icians ralicarision, 46 degrees
)est. Perhaps one by one yo (ill greet the great teachers (ho have (alked the earth and each of them in trn (ill offer yo a gift according to the level of yor commitment and the natre of yor visions. $he commitment ralicarision envisions for Bardon magicians is smmaried in these (ords (hich yo may (ish to speak alod (ithin the temple of (isdom: ;1ay the (ork I perform in training to be a magician serve the highest light of *ivine Providence. 1ay divine -stice, fair play, and harmony shine throgh and (ithin all that I do. 1ay the (ords I speak, the breath I breathe, the light in my eyes, and the love in my heart transform the (orld arond me. 1ay my path be anointed (ith *ivine beaty. ;1ay all (ho enter my life see divine peace reflected throgh me. 1ay the trth of the niverse, the mystery of creation, the light (hich sstains and shines (ithin every created being se me as its servant. 1ay my (ill be so perfected that in the end there is no distinction bet(een the satisfaction of my desires and the (ork of *ivine Providence on earth.; /ee also my path(orking for a similar vision (hich I (rote (hile (orking (ith !losom, a earthone spirit in agittaris (ho specialies in silence0.
e%ative Conscience !nother interesting difficlty for those (ho engaged in inner plane (ork involves (hat I call having a negative conscience. Part of magick involves opening yor heart and mind to yor higher intition. $hat is, yo become sensitive to akasha. =o sense (hat is (holesome, healing, giding, inspirational, and (ise. =o sense (hat the best corse of action is and yor conscience informs yo of (hat choices create the most harmony over the long rn. $here are times, ho(ever, (hen an individal may find that his inner voice is not fnctioning (ell. It is not a good gide. ollo(ing it prodces bad reslts. It prodces discord, ndermines yor ideals, and leads yo into dangeros and compromising sitations. It cases yo to take advantage of others and to respond not (ith (isdom bt (ith agendas (hich yo later on consider to be ot of character and inappropriate. ! temporary lapse in conscience can reslt, for example, from coming nder the inflence of a po(erfl thoghtform. $his thoghtform may belong to an organiation sch as a religion or grop to (hich yo belong or it even may be prodced by another individal. In any case, the thoghtform blocks yor access to yor higher intition. 3hen yo look in(ard, it is the thoghtform (hich speaks and not the still voice (ithin yor heart. or this reason, a magician seeks to master the mental plane so that he screens ot mental vibrations other than the pre sorce of (hat he seeks. 5o(ever, there is another more pernicios and forcefl kind of thoghtform or imbalance (hich occrs for some individals. If they have been engaged in po(erfl negative actions in past lives, especially magical ones, then their conscience or higher intition may be to some extent damaged. If they seek inner gidance, it is the po(erfl akashic negative magical presence (hich speaks to them. In effect, it is the magical athority and prposes developed in a former incarnation (hich is active. $his reslt has been prodced by their o(n karma. ome individals (ill give into this conscience and follo( its negative
sggestions. Others, ho(ever, (ill resist. $hese individals have developed their o(n personalities in this life time and do not (ish to embrace some dark force no matter ho( central it may seem to their inner life. In this case, individals often (ill completely avoid inner plane (ork. $he inner planes are off limit. $hey (ill instead almost al(ays (ork throgh established religions, organiations, or (ell% developed systems of philosophy and ethics. $hey do this so that the external environment can gide and assist them in place of relying pon an inner light. ome individals are so po(erfl as former black magicians or po(er brokers that they are permitted to incarnate only as long as they place themselves nder other individal's athority. In effect, they are on probation. $hey are not permitted to act freely and choose their o(n corse of actions in life. $hey mst stay (ithin careflly defined circles of inflence. Other(ise, the terms of their incarnation are sspended and they may die sddenly. 3hen (e discss magick, therefore, from time to time (e may enconter individals (ho not only prefer bt (ho are obsessed (ith (orking (ith organiations and magical lodges, etc. $hey can not fnction (ithot that external spport from their environment. $hey in fact re)ire constant feedback from others at all times (hen they ndertake inner plane (ork. 3hen they act otside of the rles set p by their grop or organiation or religion, they may become very malicios. On the other hand, it is indeed a vast enterprise to attempt to explore the inner planes on yor o(n. $he astral and other planes are fll of vast ncharted domains (hich have very little to do (ith hman cltre or civiliation. or this reason, even very skilled magicians often (ill attach themselves to varios aspects of the physical plane. $hey (ill limit their magical actions and only se a tiny amont of the spirital and psychic resorces they cold in fact dra( pon if they so desired. >orneys to the inner (orlds, if only to seek gidance and illmination, remain too threatening. !kasha, the realm of pre light, does not stop (ith the ara of or planet earth. !kasha extends to the ends of the niverse. It is a positive thing to appreciate the vastness of or niverse both in its physical and its spirital aspects. !nd it is helpfl to nderstand or o(n limitations, the bondaries (hich protect s from the nkno(n and dangeros. It is another thing to repress yor fear of that vastness by blindly attaching yorself to beliefs and cstoms (hich are arbitrary and have little real meaning in yor life. $his kind of fear or negativity again sho(s p on the mental plane. !n individal may defend himself from the vast void he senses (ithin by binding himself to rigid beliefs, doctrines, philosophies, and thoghts (hich serve as his signposts and taboos. $hese signposts say, ;*o not ventre beyond the reaches of correct doctrine, belief, and interpretation. Beyond the point of correct doctrines lies monsters (hich no man is able to fight.; In other (ords, yo (ill discover a blind, irrational fear behind their beliefs. $heir self%imposed limitations protect them from the nkno(n. $he remedy for this sitation of mental attachment and rigidity is, as (ith the initiation I sggested, to respect the po(er of inner silence. *evelop a mind (hich can observe, listen, contemplate, and sense (ithot having to se thoghts as its primary mode of action. ! trly silent mind is open enogh to feel at ease reflecting the niverse (ithin itself. It is a place (here light is free to appear or disappear. $his is the domain throgh (hich flo(s a love (hich has no beginning or end. or this reason, inspired from this sorce, the mind is beyond all fear.
Astral Level % )egativ Spirits egative pirits or the *ark ide of the orce /rom a description of the positive spirit $agora and his negative conterpart0 +emember that in the Bardon cosmology, for each positive spirit in the earthone there is also a negative conterpart. dges of atrn (ho preside over both positive and negative spirits, a stdy of negativity is not otside the range of my (ork and responsibility. !nd, as a matter of experience, I have met individals (hose negativity cold )alify them to be incarnations of negative beings. I have to deal (ith this kind of thing on a reglar basis. One difference bet(een negative and positive spirits is that the negative are closer to the physical (orld and have darker colors in their aras. or these reasons, they are easier to contact. =o do not have to be as pre nor do yo need some noble prpose to catch their attention. =o neither have to elevate yor consciosness into a profond trance nor -orney far on the inner planes in order to enconter them. $heir activities are more familiar%%their actions are sensational and fll of scandal. Instead of plifting and transforming, they spervise obsession, degradation, and destrction. $his is not to say that they serve no prpose. $hey too grant an opportnity to learn throgh experience. $hey give yo a taste of life and a chance to find ot (ho yo are and (hat yo are made of. In fact, they like to challenge and test yo. If yo do not have an absolte commitment to the divine, if yor (ill is in any (ay (eak or ndefined, they (ill visit yo on occasion or send an emissary deptiing for them%%someone yo (ork (ith or meet in school or in yor social life. $hese spirits are happy to offer their services as yor tor gide, yor confidant, conselor, and the athor of yor life script if yo need a ghost (riter. If yo lack meaning and prpose, they are happy to fill in all the blanks in yor application for incarnation. If yo do not kno( (hat yo are after in life, yo can be sre they (ill find something for yo to do. Is life drab and boring? $hey (ill find yo a task completely captivating and demanding. !fter all, this is their -ob%%to get yo completely involved (ith life if yo do not (ant to play a part or else deny yo the basics so yo come to realie ho( precios the life is that yo gave p. !nd if yo despair for any reason? Oh, (o(, look ot. $hat is like shoting or sending an O sent on their private (avelength saying, ;I am here. Come resce me for I am lost.; =o see, akasha is so sensitive to (ill and imagination that yor choices in life atomatically activate its resorces either for creation or destrction. 5man choice and (ill are that dynamic and po(erfl. egative spirits may appear to be exotic and other(orldly, bt they merely reflect things (ith (hich (e are already familiar. I have a friend (hose ncle is in the mafia. Occasionally, he rns into mob figres. $hey al(ays offer him ;free; gifts ot of respect for his ncle. Bt he kno(s that if he ever accepts a gift he (ill be bond to the mob forever. Once yo take a free handot, they (ill call on yo for special favors. =o have a permanent relationship. I have another friend (hose grandfather (as a kahna, a 5a(aiian priest. 3henever he meets kahnas, they tell him abot the varios 5a(aiian spirits (ith (hom he has a special connection. Bt he (ants no part of this. 5e has never accepted the psychic
(arfare his grandfather, as a kahna, participated in. 5e has s(itched religions thinking that in this (ay he (ill escape from that kind of negative spirital action. ach religion actally has its o(n (ay of dealing (ith negative spirits, performing exorcisms, and so forth. $he topic of negative entities covers a vast area of stdy. ome conceive of negative beings, devils, demons, and sch as being insidios, hideos, and violently destrctive. $his seems to be the case bt yo have to distingish bet(een lo(er astral plane entities and highly developed negative beings. !s (ith the mob, if yo go to a loan shark and defalt on yor loan, the loan shark (ill come rond and case yo physical in-ry. If yo rn, he (ill hnt yo do(n. $he sitation is like srvival in a -ngle. If yo sddenly enconter a (onded animal, an animal (hose territory is invaded or an animal (ith a raging appetite, yo may find yorself attacked (ith an amaing ferocity. Behind the teeth, the -a(s, the cla(s, and the venom is a pain, a rage, or the blind desire to srvive. ntities on the lo(er astral plane can trn on yo (ith a pre, devoring hatred. !nd these negative beings, like the mob or an animal interested in srvival, have a po(erfl sense of territory and of (ho is in charge. Bt in the case of the loan shark, there is something more sbtle. $he negativity takes the form of entrapment. othing is a matter (ith (hat is given%%(ith the money itself. It is the terms attached to the loan (hich make the transaction dark. Often negative spirits (ill sense the po(er (ithin yo. $hey see that yo have a destiny, a mission, or something (onderfl yo are meant to accomplish. 3hat they do is tempt yo (ith a shortct. =o may have something yo really (ant to do (ith yor life. Bt yo do not have the money, the experience, the connections, the friends, the inflence, the kno(ledge, or the magick. It seems (hat is meant to be (ill never happen. =or conviction is inade)ate. In steps a negative being. It says, ;I (ill give yo po(er, connections, and all the kno(ledge yo (ill ever need.; Becase yo lack experience, the offer appears friendly and generos. Bt yo have to be sensitive to (hat is missing. egative spirits often (ill grant very positive things or gifts on t(o bt not all three of the physical, astral, and mental planes. or example, they may dramatically increase yo po(ers of concentration on the mental plane. !nd they (ill give ideal physical circmstances (here yo can (ork to(ard yo dreams. Bt the astral life they provide is contaminated. ven as yor opportnities in life increase, yor emotional life becomes a toxic (asteland devoid of love and affection. $hey hmiliate yo and case degradation to fill yor astral body so yo lose the self%esteem yo need to make independent choices. Consider another example. !s in some grops, there is a physical commnity (here yo belong. !nd there is love and spport nrtring yo and dra(ing yo into a life of sharing and caring. Bt (hat is at stake in this case is yor mind. =o have to think in a certain (ay. !ny deviation from acceptable doctrines, beliefs, or interpretations is intolerable. =o are not permitted to think yor o(n thoghts. If yo have complete control of individals' bodies or their emotions or their minds%%-st one of these three%%yo can pretty mch pt an end to their spirital gro(th. If yo can block a peoples' contact (ith the spirital, then yo can destroy the (orld or case ntold sffering. $he higher negative beings of the earthone are intelligent and conniving. 3e can see the e)ivalent in hman life. $he *rg nforcement !gency sent an ndercover female agent to infiltrate
the drg cartels. he (as set p in a bsiness (hich landers money. he scceeded marvelosly (ith the Colmbians and so forth. Bt (hen she (ent to meet the Italian mob, she ran into something else. $he Italian mob did not kno( her. 3hen she got off the plane in +ome, the mob photographed every single person arriving at the airport that day. $hey (anted to see if there (ere any other kno(n agents (ho came in as her backp. $he Italian mob operates its o(n intelligence service similar to the BI and the CI!. $his agent scceeded in a secring a large nmber of arrests and also the confiscation of 8L million of mob money. Bt the mob also pt ot a for million dollar contract on her life. +nning into higher negative spirits is some(hat similar. =o are p against professionals. $hey have a lot of resorces to dra( pon to maniplate and to harm yo. $he mob may live do(n the street. =o may go to school (ith their children. =o may have bsiness associates or friends (ho are nder their inflence. In some contries like >apan, there is an n(ritten agreement bet(een the government and the yaka. $he >apanese yaka keep -venile delin)ents off the streets. $hey have their o(n system of internal discipline. dges of atrn, enlightenment is mch, mch more than something an individal attains to free himself from sffering. It is a state of mind in (hich yo are free to celebrate the beaty of the niverse. It is not -st personal. It is a cosmic event. lemental beings can not approach an individal (hose mind is centered (ithin akasha. In a similar manner, negative beings can
not approach an individal (ho, in his faith and at his core, identifies (ith *ivine Providence. $he thing is yo never (ant to nderestimate the inflence of po(er either in a positive or negative form. =o never (ant to make the mistake of assming that evil (ill go a(ay, that once it has contacted yo can ignore its toch and go back to the life yo had before. =o can cont on negative spirits to (ait life times for yo to make another mistake and then they (ill offer yo an invitation similar to one yo accepted before. On the other hand, it is interesting ho( mch po(er Christians ascribe to the devil. >e(s (ill tell yo that the devil is a minor annoyance. It is @od yo have to look ot for%%fear 5im and nothing else. It is only (ith @od's permission that evil enters the (orld. !ll po(er is nder @od's spervision. If yo read the psalms of *avid, it is clear that *avid never forgets for an instant that @od is in charge and not the enemy or negative spirits. In or solar system, according to Bardon, the spirits of the sphere of atrn are the >dges (ho govern both positive and negative spirits (hen it comes to karma and cosmic la(. On a planetary level and in the cases of black magicians, it is the >dges of atrn (ho determine for ho( long negative spirits may be nleashed to case destrctive effects. It is the task of atrn to insre that the paths of spirit remain open and ncontaminated. $hey see the physical (orld and time as helping s to discover the divinity (ithin s. Both negative and positive spirits serve this same end. $he negative spirits bind, confine, and destroy. !gain, it re)ires immense (ill to be free of their inflence. $he positive spirits teach ho( to take into yor hands the po(ers of creation. It re)ires immense (ill to (ork (ith them. $he eyes of a magician can see and nderstand the (ork and appointed prpose of both kinds of spirits. Conse)ently, a magician neither fears ho( this or that experience may rob him of his prity nor does he close himself off from the (orld to protect his devotion. Ideally, he is able to offer assistance and insight to (hoever comes to him regardless of their sitation. 3hat black magicians have in common is not their malice, domination, or evil (orks. If yo search their hearts, yo (ill find they have lost a sense of the (onder and beaty of the niverse. In other (ords, their hearts are closed. $hey no longer seek or desire to see ho( akasha is active in giding and inspiring all things throgh the po(er of love. or myself, therefore, one of the most important tasks in developing magical e)ilibrim is keeping myself inspired. or me, po(er serves the prposes of love. It is an aspect of being creative. 3hen I discover something negative in myself, I seek to captre the energy and (ill (ithin it. I find an ecstasy, a divine prpose, or natral (ay of gro(ing (hich allo(s the energy and the po(er (ithin the negative to be expressed in a totally ne( (ay as part of a larger (hole. $he negative is an expression of isolation and destrction. It contaminates and steals. Bt the po(er (ithin akasha is sch that anything can be broght into a greater harmony, anything can be trned arond or remade so it leads to flfillment and deep satisfaction.
Physical Level Por breathing and por breathing inhaling and exhaling varios )alities
Position of body Physical control in daily life $here are for exercises for the physical level of chapter 4 of Initiation into 5ermetics. ince the first t(o relating to por breathing raise a great many )estions, I (ill revie( them last.
E7E+CISE 8 Control o) "od# $he goal of this exercise is to learn to sit ;)ietly, comfortably and (ithot any troble; for a half hor. $he point here is that there are a great many exercises in the Bardon system of training. Part of this training re)ires the stdent to disengage his or her five senses from the physical (orld. $o do this, the body has to be relaxed enogh so it provides no distrbances to the mind. It is al(ays important to have a physical sense of peace, (ell%being, and harmony at the beginning and at the end of yor practice sessions. $his reassrance enables yo to retrn to yor personal and everyday activities after (orking (ith transpersonal and cosmic levels of consciosness and energy. 1astering body position helps develop this. =o begin the exercise by practicing for five mintes. it in a chair (ith yor back straight, yor feet flat on the floor, and yor hands resting on yor thighs. In the beginning, yo can learn against the back of the chair. Close yor eyes and then observe yor body. otice all yo can abot yor body (hile yo contine to remain motionless. !dd a minte to each of yor sbse)ent practice sessions. ventally, yo (ill be able to sit )ietly for a half hor (ithot feeling in any (ay distrbed, anxios, ncomfortable, or constrained. CO11$. It might appear that this exercise is mechanical in natre. =o learn to sit (ithot moving as if yor body is froen. 1embers of the special forces sch as avy eals learn to freee their body postre for hors (hether they are in a stream, on top of an ant nest, or beneath a bsh, it does not matter. $his is an exercise of mind over body. $hose in the armed forces or those ndergoing special training in the martial arts do this becase of the importance of their mission%%the body is an instrment and a (eapon nder the command of (ill. Bardon also points ot that (ill is an element in this exercise. 5e says that yo can (ork (ith controlling physical postre as a means for developing (ill po(er. or example, he says yo may (ish to practice some of the many asanas of yoga positions in the orient. 5e recommends, ho(ever, that yo first learn to sit pright in a chair for an hor before going on to practice asanas. $he above exercise is fairly straightfor(ard. *ifferent individals (ill find it relatively easy or more difficlt depending on their previos training. ome individals sch as those (ho are hyperactive may find it actally ncomfortable to try to sit still. $here is a lot room in the Bardon pantheon of spirits for individal preferences. $here are a nmber of spirits (ho, for example, teach magical dancing or ritalied movement as a means for practicing magick. I can imagine individals (ho get on perfectly (ell (orking throgh many kinds of exercises by combining them (ith movement. 1ovement has rhythmic and also artistic dimensions and these are also important in magick. ome individals may also (ish to find their o(n approach as they (ork (ith their body. $hey may (ant to practice sitting still after doing yoga, stretching their mscles, or even creating or
finding the right setting in (hich to practice. $his cold be a matter of practicing in a temple, ot of doors, or (ith other individals, (ith msic, etc. $he point is to take the exercise and make it (ork for yo individally. 3hen I began practicing meditation, no one pointed ot to me the importance of being a(are of the mscle strctre of my body, my breathing, and the varios exercises for relaxing. I did, ho(ever, have a little bit of a martial art backgrond and a natral flair for shamanism. 3hen I am in a (oods and see a deer, I can freee my body and not move for a half hor becase I like to blend in and feel a part of natre. I like to feel that I am a tree, a rock, a (olf, or a deer. 1y body likes drama and the excitement of a )est. I think it is fair to assert for many individals that if yo (ork throgh some stretching exercises, it becomes mch easier to relax and sit still. $here is a natral high and ephoria the body experiences as yo stretch and then relax varios mscle systems one after the other. $he blood circlation and level of vitality increase (ith slo(, rhythmic breathing. $he body enters a state of deep relaxation and peace and no mental imagery or element of (ill po(er is re)ired to sit still. itting still is then effortless and completely natral. Of corse in magick, as (ith the martial arts and special forces, yo (ant to be able on occasion to focs a hndred per cent of yor attention (ithot yor body in any (ay interfering. =o (ant to be able to do this at any time nder any circmstances. If yo have experienced a natral process of deep relaxation, I think it is perhaps mch easier to enter this state (hen yo need it. =or body is more ready to cooperate (ith yor (ill (ithot interference. $he greater yor a(areness of the kind and location of tension in yor body, the )icker yo (ill be able to identify, to relax, and free yorself of that tension.
E7E+CISE 8 "od# control in ever#da# li)e Bardon says, ;It is entirely p to the scholar to control and force body and nerves by (ill%po(er.; Bardon gives examples of this exercise sch as forcing yorself to do something (hen yo are tiredF if yo feel hngry, don't eat for a half horF if yo feel thirsty, (ait a (hile before drinking somethingF if yo are sally slo( at doing things, try doing them )icklyF and if yo are al(ays active, try slo(ing do(n. CO11$. $he point of this exercise is to observe yor behavior and rotines and learn ho( to change them at (ill. $here a nmber of components involved in being a magician. ! magician is able to observe the (orld (ith a great deal of detachment. $his means yo learn to see yorself as if yo are observing the behavior of another person. =o (ant to bring crystal clarity to yor observations. Other traits magicians have are criosity and a need to experiment. $here is that frame of mind (hich is al(ays ready to ask, ;3hat can I learn if I do things differently?; ;If I observe the process careflly, (hat goes on in my thoghts, feelings, and body (hen I change one of my rotines or behaviors?; ;If I feel resistance or anxiety (hen I change something in myself, can I track do(n that resistance to its sorce in my nervos system, psyche, or belief system?; I think a magician is also an artist. It is perfectly natral for him to ask, ;5o( can I make my life flo( more smoothly so it is more satisfying and harmonios?; 5e sees his life as a (ork of art.
an artist, he feels free to change his methods, style, and the content throgh (hich he expresses his experience. Bt like any artist, he masters the material he is (orking (ith. or this reason, a magician stdies himself and tries to test his limits. 5e remains flexible, adaptable, and ready to change his behavior.
E7E+CISE 8 Conscious pore 5reathin% Bardon says, ;it comfortably in an arm%chair or lie do(n on a sofa, and relax all yor mscles. $ry to think that, (ith each inspiration, not only yor lngs are breathing, i.e., inhaling air, bt the (hole body is doing so. Be firmly convinced that, together (ith yor lngs, simltaneosly each single pore of yor body receives vital po(er and conveys it to the body. =o oght to feel like a dry sponge (hich, (hen dipped into (ater, scks it in greedily. =o mst have the same feeling (hen breathing in.; CO11$. $he se of imagination in this practice facilitates the movement of vital po(er to move from the etheric energy in yor srrondings into yor body. =o also practice exhaling the life force as (ell. Bardon mentions that each individal (ill feel this flo( of vital energy in their o(n (ay. Basically, then, (e imagine or skin to have a magical ability. It can dra( vital energy into the body in a (ay some(hat analogos to the (ay the lngs dra(s oxygen into the blood stream. One of the keys to magick is to imagine that yo already possess the ability yo are trying to master. It is throgh imagination that yo prodce the feelings and experiences yo are seeking to ac)ire. ! scientist constrcts a hypothesis sing a conceptal system, an image, or a metaphor to explain in advance (hat he does not yet nderstand. 3hat a magician does is similar. xcept the magician goes inside of the metaphor to experience it first hand. $his increases his a(areness and accelerates his ability to learn.
control over. $he strength (ith (hich yo believe in something and incorporate this belief into yor life are separate from the content of (hat yo believe in. Conse)ently, a fanatic (ho believes in killing for his ideal may have the same strength of conviction or amont of electrical flid (ithin him as a spreme cort -stice (ho believes in the rle of la(. Both men have great inflence becase the po(er of their belief is radiant and penetrates the aras of those they come in contact (ith thogh obviosly the content and application of or t(o mens' beliefs are different. $he electrical flid relates to or belief in being able to make a difference, to make something happen, or manifest something. It is )ite possible to imagine breathing in life force to the extent that the experience feels completely real and is entirely convincing. Bt this may be no different than going to a movie (here for t(o hors yo are completely absorbed in the action. 3hen yo leave the theater, yo are yor old self again. or all the catharsis and ephoria yo experience dring the movie, there is no application or concrete reslt. othing is changed in the (orld in (hich yo live. $he electrical flid or firm conviction adds to or exercise an over(helming belief and complete certainty that yo are developing the po(er to change yorself and the (orld. 3e all have this level of firm conviction (ithin s. or example, recall several times in yor life (hen yo acted (ith total conviction. =o may have believed in (hat yo (ere doing becase of yor commitment to some ideal or principle. or this reason, yo (ere neither confsed nor did yo have dobts becase of the obstacles yo faced or the strength of those opposing yo. =o may have taken great risks (hen no else (old becase of yor great confidence that yo had the right stff%%the experience and the kno(ledge%%to get the -ob done. =o may have had an inner feeling of certainty, conviction, or intition that yo cold do something creative or difficlt even (hen no one else (as offering spport or nderstanding. $here may have been ma-or life decisions dring (hich yo said to yorself (ords to the effect, ;$his is (hat I need to do to make my life (ork.; !nd then (ith real corage and determination, yo follo(ed throgh (ith (hat yo said yo (old do. Or more simply, (ere there times (hen yo felt on top of the (orld, completely confident, and totally in charge of yorself even if this (as only for an hor, a fe( mintes or a fe( moments? $he point is, (hether the experience (as ma-or or minor, there are times (hen (e have all acted (ith boldness, corage, conviction, or determination. +elive a fe( of these moments. !s yo do so, notice ho( yo feel. Carry the best part of these feelings over to the exercise (ith por breathing. @o back and forth several times in yor imagination bet(een the level of conviction yo possessed in this other experience and this moment. !pply that same conviction to yor ability to breathe in life force throgh the pors of yor skin. Conviction, confidence, kno(ledge, and certainty%%these are also an energy yo prodce (ithin yor body. If yo prodce this electrical energy throgh reliving a past experience, hold that energy (ithin yorself. stain its strength. !pply it to this exercise. $his is one (ay in (hich magick (orks: yo extract from life experience its essence. =o refine it, strengthen it, and then apply it in ne( and creative (ays. Initially, it is sfficient to gain a sense of vital energy entering and leaving the pors of yor skin. =o may feel (armth, increased pressre, tingly sensations, an increase in vitality, a flo( of energy almost like air or a li)id moving throgh yor skin, etc. otice very careflly these sensations and feelings. =o (ill (ant gradally
to strengthen and amplify them. In the long rn, (hat Bardon is after in this exercise is not only a clear and convincing mental plane imagination of breathing in vital energy. 5e (ants more than a rich and over(helming feeling of becoming satrated (ith life force. 5e (ants the stdent to prodce an etheric reslt. 5e (ants the stdent to be able to change the (orld%%to prodce concrete effects in himself and others. $o accomplish this, yo (ill need to pt all of yorself into the exercise. =o (ill need the fll po(er of yor imagination and the fll strength of yor spirit almost to the extent that yo can command the life force to obey yor (ill.
E7E+CISE In this exercise, yo add to the lngs and por breathing the desire inhaling mentioned in chapter one. $hat is, yo inhale throgh the (hole body ;health, sccess, peace, mastering of passions, or (hatever yo need most rgently.; 3hen yo have attained a degree of sccess (ith this exercise, go on to exhaling those things yo do not like sch as character falts, illness, or (hatever cases yo to fail in yor life. CO11$. $his practice develops frther the exercise in the first chapter. +ecall that in the first chapter (e impregnated the vital energy entering or body (ith an image or idea. Combining intense concentration (ith vital energy strengthens the ability of the idea to manifest. If someone is trying to sell yo a car or some other item, the salesperson probably (ill not be very effective if he or she is tired and lacks enthsiasm. Bt if the salesperson is (arm, inviting, and has a radiant sense of friendship, the cstomer is more likely to be interested in making a prchase. $he same thing is tre abot ptting thoghts into action. If yo take an idea and enliven it (ith excitement, good feelings, enthsiasm, and imagination it (ill have a greater opportnity to make a difference in yor life. Part of the process of exhaling psychological )alities or illness involves making yorself empty. By exhaling, yo are letting go and freeing yorself of attachment. In exhaling, there is release and a peace so strong nothing can hold on to yo. =o do not distance yorself from life by letting go and emptying yorself. xhalation is a (ay of opening oneself to receive ne( life. 3ithin the emptiness is also a oneness (hich nites s all. In other (ords, part of the psychology in exhaling things yo do not like involves the feeling that as yo exhale yo are opening yorself p. $his involves trst and a sense of belonging to a greater (hole. ome individals may (onder ho( yo exhale sorro(, depression, anger, lst, etc. $hoghts and emotions are also energy. 5ere, at the beginning of Bardon's training system, (e are learning to treat them as sch. 3e are all continosly dra(ing in, releasing, and circlating energy (ith the (orld arond s. $herefore, it is not a loss to let go of something (hich (e carry inside (hen (e can replace it (ith something better.
Physical Level % "n Pranayama
balance bet(een t(o individals. Bt
apparently has a close tie the solar sphere as (ell as to or earthone. nogh of this mystical raptre (ith endorphins rnning (ild in the bloodstream. Back to or evocation. +omasara's Inner orce of Inspiration: $he energy of @od, (ithot beginning or end, self%originating, and beyond all nderstanding, can be fond (ithin or bodies. It is (ithin or breath. It is met in the perfection of or health and vitality. In other (ords, the body is sacred. It is the temple of @od. It has been the cstom of religions to bild temples and strctres to symbolie the glory and ma-esty of @od. Consciosness and or five senses en-oy having the spport and reassrance (hich comes from entering a great cathedral, a shrine, a stone circle, a grove, or a place of (orship. Bt (hat all these ma-estic bildings and sacred settings point to is *ivine Presence (hich is fond (ithin or bodies and hearts. If I can pt it this (ay, +omasara acts as a tor gide introdcing stdents to an infinite sea of vitality (hich is (ithin or bodies and (hich extends throghot the niverse. $herefore, as yo are dra(ing +omasara's sigil, inclde this a(areness (ithin the light yo visalie. Oter !ra: +omasara's ara emits a very pre light. It refines life force. It brns (ith a radiant prity. Bt as a matter of fact +omasara is very a(are of every aspect of ho( breath and vitality move (ithin the body. It cold (ell be that if he (ere a hman being, he (old teach a great variety of methods. ach stdent (old be introdced to the practice most sefl to him. Inner !ra: $he (ay an ndine is a(are of the sea or a sylph of (inds and (eather patterns, +omasara is a(are of the life force (ithin the sea of air arond s. +omasara has identified his consciosness (ith that sea. In practicing breathing (ith +omasara, yo learn to dra( pon these crrents of energy (hich gradally become larger and stronger. !kashic Plane: $he akashic plane is the e)ivalent of entering a divine a(areness extending (ithot limit throgh space and time. $he a(areness +omasara represents on this plane is the absolte mastery of breath, life force, and radiant light. =o can approximate this a(areness in the follo(ing (ay. =o imagine yo are a divine being (ho comprehends all aspects of life force and vitality. =or mst be certain that yo have accomplished this so that yo are free of all dobt. In other (ords, yo simply make a pictre of yorself embodying these )alities. $his conviction, if strong and clear enogh, (ill eventally manifest as a physical ability. 1ental Plane: On the mental plane, +omasara's presence stimlates the mind to be vibrant and to rest (ithin a sea of shining bright vitality. $his meditation does not emphasie yor personality. It is a (ay of extending beyond yorself and identifying (ith the atmosphere of the earth. I mention else(here ho( (ami +ama once had a stdent (ho kept pestering him to transmit shaktipat%%that is, to confer a transfsion of pre life force to the stdent. $he (ami finally consented. 5e took a glass of (ater and pt some vitality into it as he held the glass bet(een his palms. ! (hile after the stdent drank the (ater the stdent's body (ent into convlsions and he literally began boncing off the (alls of the room he (as in. $he problem (as that the stdent's consciosness identified (ith his o(n body and personality. Bt the energy inside of him (as an
absoltely free movement of niversal energy pre and radiant%%a celebration of divinity. $he energy had no (ay of expressing itself (ithin this individal. Dnlike the (ami, the stdent had not spent decades chanting sacred names and mantras, opening the nadis of energy channels (ithin his chakras, and training his mind to be bondless light fll of bliss and delight. It helps, then, if the stdent takes some time and effort to train his mind and body so he can nderstand the teacher's consciosness. $here is a difference bet(een the akashic plane and the mental plane. On the akashic plane, consciosness identifies (ith divinity (ithot any form restriction or space and time limitation. In (orking (ith +omasara on the mental plane, a(areness focses on general aspects and principles. In this case, yo become a(are of the energy vibration in the atmosphere of the earth arond yo. ometimes (amis have this little mental game they like to play (ith stdents. $hey get into talking abot ho( ;I am not my body. I am not my thoghts. I am not my breath. I am not my name. I am not my identity, ; and on and on and on. 3ell, (hat remains at the end of this game? In 5indism, follo(ing the model of a deity sch as &rishna, yo identify (ith the one indivisible and transcendent spirit (ithin yo. Bt on the mental plane, +omasara does assme a specific identity. 5is consciosness has content, movement, and expression. 5e identifies (ith the trees, their roots and leaves. 5e identifies (ith the plants, the clods, the (inds, the rivers, and the seas. 5is a(areness is (ithin all the processes (hich norish life on earth. !nd nderneath the chemistry, biochemistry, metabolism, and breath is, again, an energy field of radiant light and pre vitality. $his is (hat shines from his ara and (here his consciosness rests. !stral Plane: On the astral plane, I get the distinct image and sensation that breath prodces the flame of spirit (ithin the temple of or bodies radiating inexhastible vitality. $he sea of life force sensed on the mental plane no( takes on a focal point%%in and arond yor body is the daling and brilliant light of the sn. $he essence of life force manifests as radiant light in yor ara. ran Bardon talks abot creating this ara arond yorself throgh breath. ach breath accmlates more vitality (ithin yo ntil yo feel yo are abot to brst (ith the pressre of the light. Practicing over time, yo learn to extend this light thirty yards arond yor body. $his spercharged ara makes it easy to heal others by transferring to them yor excess vitality. $his is a great approach. It -st takes many years of dedication and practice to get this. $he nice thing abot (orking (ith +omasara is that the energy prodced is not only very intense and dynamic. It is also gentle. It is blaing bright and it also feels very natral and organic. I notice it is harmonios (ith my body and soothing to my emotions. Physical Plane: $he life force here is more dense. $he light and vitality have a more direct effect on the physical body. $his is (here most yoga begins. =o stretch yor mscles sing asanas and steady breathing. Circlation is increased. $he mscles become more flexible and resilient. =or immne system and health improve. $his kind of vitality, then, can prodce physical reslts more )ickly. One individal told me that after she did yoga for an hor she (as al(ays in a mch better position to think abot her nsolved problems. $he srcharge she bilt p of physical vitality inflenced her astral body. he felt (hole and illminated from (ithin. $he anxiety and (orry she attached to problems temporarily disappeared.
In this evocation, I have moved from the akashic plane do(n to the physical. @enerally, stdents of yoga (ork the other (ay arond. $hey perform exercises (ith their physical bodies. !nd they indce astral states of devotion and attnement to their line of masters throgh chanting and meditations. $heir a(areness is gradally extended to the inner planes (here they learn to see themselves as spirital beings !s (ith other earthone spirits, +omasara is a teacher (ho inspires and reminds stdents of (hat is possible if yo are (illing to (ork for it. $he immediate goal is to become a(are of the vitality in air and to dra( it into yorself. In the end, yo prodce (hat appears to others as miracles throgh the po(er of yor ara. Path(orking: In a path(orking, (e may se free association and image exploration to explore a theme. $his clarifies ho( (e feel and takes s into a deeper nderstanding of orselves. By contrast, a gided meditation may take s into contact (tih collective and global archetypes bt it may not illminate or personal experience. Dsing a sigil is more technical. It is a method employed by a magician and it can be the e)ivalent of a mini evocation in itself. It is also possible to combine all there methods at once. ! Path(orking (ith +omasara. $o begin, I recall the different yogis and (amis I have met or seen practicing over the years. !s (ithin a dream, my point of vie( shifts and I see myself no( (ithin a sphere of bright light and life force. +omasara seems to se this image to speak to me. 5e says that by (orking (ith him it (ill become mch easier for others to nderstand the spirital ideas I (ish to commnicate. 1y ara (ill natrally reflect the reality of (hatever I am talking abot. Others' imaginations (ill be enhanced and they (ill be able to feel the inspiration (hich I feel. 5e says too that I (ill experience far less strain in performing evocations. !nd finally, I (ill see mch more clearly others' etheric, astral, and mental bodies. $his (ill allo( me to lend better assistance to others (ith their problems and difficlties. In regard to Bardon's practices (ith breathing, +omasara points ot it takes years to master them. or +omasara, it helps if yo start at the beginning by imagining yo have already perfected (hat yo (ish to embody in yorself%%in this case, the mastery of life force. If yor body senses yo already have the conviction, the mental image, and the feeling for (hat is to be accomplished, then yo are more likely to scceed. In regard to sing +omasara's sigil for mastering pranayama, +omasara says this determined on a case by case basis. Dsing a sigil is a form of magical rital. =o have to exert a great deal of imagination, (ill, and energy to make it (ork. It can be helpfl from time to time to se a sigil as yo meditate bt this is not something to be oversed. =o (ant yor vitality to develop gradally and (ithot strain. =o do not (ant to force yor development in a (ay that thro(s yo back(ard becase the tension is too great to handle. ! @ided 1editation. $his is a basic format for a gided meditation. =o can embellish it and expand on it in any (ay yo (ant. +elax and sit comfortably. Concentrate on yor breathing. o( imagine a spirital being. $his cold be +omasara or another spirit related to vitality, health, and healing. !s an example, visalie the archangel +aphael descending and appearing in front of yo. =o see the shimmering light and radiant healing po(er shining from his ara. =o look into his eyes and see the glory of @od and @od's beaty being freely extended to all (ho are (illing to receive
it. !s yo inhale, yo sense in yor o(n breath a (illingness to experience this light, inspiration, and healing. $he archangel's ara gro(s brighter and no( part of his ara extends in front of him as a divine gift and blessing%%he gives of his o(n being so that yo might experience and kno( his love. $his energied image%%an exact replica of the archangel%%floats over to yo and blends (ith yor ara. =o see, hear, feel, taste, and smell it and breathe it into yorself. $here is a transition and yo find yorself no( (ithin +apheal's heart. =o feel a love so vast and (onderfl the stars are born to give expression to its beaty. =o also feel -oined to a healing po(er so great it can restore anything to harmony. !s yo breathe (ith his energy and let it sink in, it satrates every cell in yor body. =o kno( no( that yor mind, sol, and body have become a manifestation of this light and healing po(er. =o are cloaked in beaty (ith the po(er to bless anyone (ho enters yor life o( retrn from this elevated state to yor o(n body and personality. $he intensity of the energy fades bt (ithin yor heart there is no( a direct link to +aphael. $he essence of his inspiration is forever (ithin yor heart. Common *ifficltiesAImbalances: $he first step in (orking (ith +omasara is to develop the etheric body. 1ost individals are only a(are of their physical body and not of the life force (hich animates it. One (ay to become a(are of vitality is to practice yoga. In this case, as yo stretch a mscle or practice an asana, yo also breathe into the mscles being exercised. !s yo do this, yo slo(ly begin to notice the range of sensations relating to tension, relaxation, and increased blood flo(. In becoming a(are of these sensations, an individal also gradally becomes a(are of the more sbtle vitality (hich sstains the life of the body. ventally, it is possible to sense directly the flo(s of life force. $ai Chi Chan, Chi &ng, and varios other practices also increase a(areness of the etheric body throgh movement, balance, breathing, stretching, and training the imagination to circlate energy. Once yo have this a(areness, then it is easy to practice pranayama. =o can sense the life force (hich enters yor body as yo breathe. =o can circlate this energy throgh yor body and direct it consciosly. In the process, yo get a feel for ho( to maintain harmony and restore health. It is also possible to sense the vitality in the air srronding yor body and to dra( pon this energy to a greater degree. Of corse, if yor concentration and imagination are sfficiently trained, yo can practice Bardon's accmlation of vitality exercises. 3hatever procedre yo se, (hether it is )ick or slo(, the bottom line remains. =o have to attain a direct a(areness of the etheric body in a (ay (hich frthers health and maintains harmony. Consider an example of +omasara's approach to pranayama. =o can concentrate on yor breath and imagine that yo are dra(ing vitality into yor right arm as yo inhale and releasing it as yo exhale. $ry this for a fe( moments. Pictre the inside of yor arm empty and that energy enters it and leaves it as yor breathe in and ot. 1ake a fist no( (ith yor right hand gradally tightening the mscles throgh the (hole right arm. otice at each level of tightness the different sensations. $he mscles flex and may lock in position. =o may notice an increase in blood pressre in yor arm and the skin temperatre become (armer. &eep yor mscles flexed for ten or t(enty seconds.
o( slo(ly release the mscles ntil yor arm is relaxed. 5ere yo (ill notice varios sensations sch as the feeling of lactic acid being absorbed by the blood and perhaps (armth all throgh the mscles of yor arm. o( try the breathing exercise again. Imagine yor right arm is empty and yo are inhaling and exhaling energy into it. It is more likely that yo (ill sense to a greater degree the vitality entering and leaving the arm (ith the movement of yor breath. $he point is that the more yo are a(are of yor body, the more easily it (ill be to sense the presence of vitality (ithin yo.
Physical Level % Explorations xtended Commentary +evie(ing the exercise for chapter 4, physical level: Conscios por breathing. Bardon says, ;it comfortably in an arm chair or lie do(n on a sofa, and relax all yor mscles. $ry to think that, (ith each inspiration, not only yor lngs are breathing, i.e., inhaling air, bt the (hole body is doing so. Be firmly convinced that, together (ith yor lngs, simltaneosly each single pore of yor body receives vital po(er and conveys it to the body. =o oght to feel like a dry sponge (hich, (hen dipped into (ater, scks it in greedily. =o mst have the same feeling (hen breathing in.; $hogh Bardon's exercise is straightfor(ard and clear, there are contless (ays (e can explore and expand on it. 3e are, after all, (orking (ith the niversal life force and vitality (hich animate all organic life. $his life force is extremely resilient and adaptable. It is (ondros and in many (ays mysterios. o dobt, different approaches to (orking (ith it (ill sit different individals. In this section, I am seeking to follo( Bardon's (ay of thinking. I offer the follo(ing images, meditations, and procedres as a means for exploring the exercise frther. I (ill mention some sggestions from different spirits of the earthone later on. $he overall goal of this section is to gain a rich and po(erfl sense of balance, e)ilibrim, strength, and resilience in yor health and vitality.
Part I* Pour +reathing
3e apply apply this concept to por breathing by starting starting (ith one por at a time. Concentrate yor mind on a very small dot the sie of a pin prick on the tip of yor index finger. 5old this concentration in yor mind for several mintes. ext, take a deep breath and as yo do so notice the sensation of yor body becoming energied as yo inhale. +epeat this deep breathing several times ntil yo can recall clearly the (ay yor body feels (hen it gets a large spply of oxygen. +elax. Breathe normal and concentrate again on one precise point on the tip of yor finger. Imagine also that yor body is completely hollo( and empty inside. o( as yo inhale, imagine that vital energy is flo(ing throgh this tiny dot on the tip of yor finger and completely filling the inside of yor body. 3e are ptting together the tactile sensation of one specific dot on or finger (ith the feeling of vital energy flo(ing throgh the dot and also the sensation of the body being filled (ith a deep breath. !s yo exhale, reverse the process expelling the accmlated energy inside yor body throgh this dot. $here is no need to hrry (ith this exercise. tay (ith it ntil it feels comfortable and easy to do. ext, perform the same exercise one after the other on each of the fingers of yor hand. *o the same (ith the other hand. !dd the points together by first breathing throgh the points at the tip of the fingers on one hand and then the other hand. *o also the same exercise (ith the toes of both feet and then do the hands and feet all at once. ome individals may find that it helps to add movement to the breathing process. or example, example, stand and extend yor arms arms in front of yor body, palms facing do(n, elbo(s slightly bent and fingers slightly separated. !s yo inhale throgh yor finger tips, slo(ly drop yor elbo(s do(n and lo(er yor body by bending yor knees. !s yo exhale, extend yor hands ot and stand p straight again.
the bone strctre of the entire body (ith the goal of re-venating bone marro( and blood. I (old also note that stdents of acpnctre spend thosands of hors over years learning the precise (ay to insert needles into the hndreds of acpnctre points on the body for medical prposes. ach point has its o(n name, location on a meridian, inflence on the for five elements, and relation to relieving different different symptoms and illnesses. illnesses. $he skin is (ell (orth or attention attention for it is fll of magick and po(er.
Part II Wor&in% 6ith the Etheric "od# $he previos section emphasies lng and por breathing. $here are a great many applications of this basic ability. In Part II, I (ill revie( for applications or (ays (e can (ork (ith the energy (hich is prodced. Point 7 is rather extensive since it greatly expands on or exploration of the for elements in regard to attaining magical e)ilibrim.
1 A atural +e9uvenatin% Elixir ;$he alchemist (ill recognie that the hman body represents a genine !thanor in (hich the most perfect alchemistic process, the great (ork or the preparation of the Kphilosopher's stone,' is visibly performed.; ran Bardon 3e are practicing breathing in life force throgh yor lngs and all the pors of or body. !s (e do so, it is possible to sense or body becoming charged (ith a lminos, healing, and re-venating energy (hich brings perfect health and harmony. $his energy is the essence of life and an elixir%%a )intessence in its o(n right. It is cool, serene, and calm and yet also energiing, dynamic, and radiant. It is soft, flo(ing, soothing, and healing yet also endring and strong to the extent that it flly resists any negative or deteriorating deteriorati ng inflence. It is balanced, harmonios, and present evenly throghot the entire body and yet it is completely malleable%%it can change its )alities to reflect any specific vibration or energy (hich is re)ired to sstain health and e)ilibrim (ithin the body. !lchemy attempts to prodce throgh natral means an elixir or philosopher's philosopher's stone (hich embodies the )intessence of natre's energies. atre is itself striving to evolve to(ard perfection. $he alchemist strives to bring abot that perfection of natre's energies (ithin his laboratory. 1ost stdents practicing lng and por breathing over a period of time (ill experience a general increase in their health and vitality. Bt there is more available in this exercise. $he hman body is a microcosm reflecting reflecting (ithin it all the energies of natre as (ell as the larger niverse. !s (e inhale life force throgh all the pors of or body, (e are also converting that life force into an elixir or )intessence. )intessence. In the beginning, there are several things things to emphasie to enhance this process. irst, develop a really clear image and sensation of yor body being completely hollo( and empty inside. $his empty space, like a hermetically hermetically seal flask sed in alchemical experiments, experiments, enables a mixing and fsing of the energies (e place (ithin it. !s (e inhale throgh or pors, (e are inhaling the specific vital )alities of the different srfaces and parts of or bodies. $his energy spreads every(here inside of s like a perfect mixtre.
$hogh (e imagine or body empty inside, the energy (e inhale penetrates and vibrates (ithin every internal organ bt it does not get trapped (ithin them. It contines on and spreads throghot the entire body. body. Conse)ently, Conse)ently, there is a mixing mixing of all the different energies (ithin the body (hich, again, is like mixing and dra(ing together in small measre all the different energies (ithin natre and the greater niverse. $hink of and visalie the body in this (ay%%as a magical container designed designed to blend the energies of natre and the body in a perfect manner. manner. By concentrating concentrating on on the empty empty space (ithin the the body, (e are evoking the presence of akasha (hich penetrates every(here throgh space in an even manner and (ithot any bondaries or barriers interfering (ith its movement. By looking for, sensing, and imagining an elixir being prodced throgh por breathing%%a lminos, re-venating, and healing energy, (e are also reprodcing the action of akasha in regard to time. !kasha sspends the time bet(een this moment and that time (hen (e (ill develop a perfect body, immortal, indestrctible, and eternal. In this section, then, the task dring por breathing is to sense a pre, lminos, soft, serene, radiant, harmonios, cool, soothing, healing, endring, and dynamic energy being prodced (ithin s. 3hat I am emphasiing here is not at all nsal or original. !gain, in 1antak Chia's (ritings abot $aoist practice, the individal at the very beginning learns to gather and to dra( into one ball of energy the different external and internal energies of the body. $hese are then circlated circlated throgh throgh the different points of the spine and also the internal organs so that this ball of vitality trns into a kind of elixir. $here is ho(ever a slightly different emphasis bet(een bet(een $aoist goals and those of a magician. $he $aoist prses all means (hich lead to longevity and (hich strengthen the endrance of the life force. $he elixir I am emphasiing is e)ally sefl for reprodcing the enlightened mind (hich Bddhists prse, the omnipresent, all% embracing love (hich Christians see Christ as embodying, and also the absolte po(er (hich is more characteristic of a Jabbalistic, spheric magician. ven at this level, (e can begin to incorporate each of these paths and ideals into or o(n breathing practice shold (e desire to do so. .
' "reathin% Ener%# 2irectl# in and out o) the Etheric "od# Introdction Introdction to the theric Body In sing the phrase, ;etheric body,; I am describing the vibratory field of energy or vital life force (hich penetrates throgh and also derives its its life from the physical physical body. $his field of vital energy energy is not identical (ith the biochemical or physiological processes of the physical body. It is is more more sbtle. sbtle. In the follo(ing brief essay, I (ill (ill discss the etheric body as it is approached from several traditions 3estern medical doctors can detect and accrately locate the classical acpnctre points sing only scientific instrments. $here is a measrable electro%magnetic shift in the vibration of an acpnctre acpnctre point as compared to the srronding srface of the skin. $his acpnctre acpnctre point point and the energy energy being measred has a correlation to the activity of the etheric body. Bt, for the most part, the etheric body is not yet directly sb-ect to scientific instrments of measrement and detection. Bardon points ot that if yo concentrate on an internal organ or part of yor body, there is an increase in blood circlation to that part. $here is, for example, an increase in temperatre de to the
dilation of blood vessels. $here are changes in electrical implses (hich are also easily measred, for example, by an ohmmeter. Bt again, there measrable changes are not the etheric body itself (hich is more sbtle. If yo breathe into yor hand and feel a strong pressre, some of (hat yo feel is from increased blood circlation and change in temperatre. Bt, if yo are sensitive, beneath these more obvios sensations yo can sense the vital energy moving (ithin the etheric body. Blood stays in the arteries and veins of yor body. $he vital energy yo prodce in por breathing (ill move any(here yo (ant it to. Conse)ently, (ith practice, yo can get the vital energy compressed into yor right hand to move, for example, do(n and into to yor left foot. =o can also get it to move into another individal's body (ho is next to yo or on the other side of the planet. @enerally speaking, (hen an individal is healthy, all the internal organs of the body prodce more vital energy than is necessary for the fnctioning of that organ. $his srpls charge of energy can be consciosly refined and fsed (ith other body energies. It can be circlated throgh the body to increase the strength and harmony of the etheric body. ome individals have a natral flair for (orking (ith vital energy and healing others (ith it. !s I mention else(here, one $aoist stdent discovered that any internal $aoist meditation or circlation of chi she did in her body she cold -st as easily reprodce in someone else's body as (ell. inding it easy to imagine herself (ithin another's body, she cold (ork (ith that individal's energy as easily as her o(n. 3hen most individal's die, the vital energy associated (ith the physical body rapidly dissolves since it is dependent on the biochemistry and physiological processes of the physical body. $he deceased then enters the astral plane (here he or she resides (ithin an astral body (hich slo(ly deteriorates and (hich may be abandon )ickly or at a later point, e.g., (hen the individal chooses to incarnate again. $hat is the idea any(ay. 5aving (orked for a lifetime (ith their mental bodies, some high Bddhist adepts have a practice in (hich they preserve the )alities of their mental bodies (hen they reincarnate. $hey may even describe (hen and (here they (ill be reborn again going into great detail giving names and specific descriptions of their location. One sch $ibetan lama consciosly decided to adopt an astral body more sited for (orking (ith 3esterners. +nning a monastery (ith thosands of monks nder him in $ibet re)ired a po(erfl and dominating presence Bt foreseeing that he (old one day (ork (ith 3esterners, he changed his personality for his next incarnation so it (old be more appealing to 3estern vales and standards. 5e chose a personality (hich (as (arm, inviting, and empathic. On the other hand, descriptions in the Bardon system of spirits and of cosmic letters occasionally refer to the ;immortality of the astral body.; $hat is, the actal personality of the individal (ith its ni)e combination of the for elements retains its strength and does not deteriorate nless the individal shold choose to make a change. $he immortality of the astral body is often a consciosly stated goal in some $aoist practices. ! master once referred to making a hose in (hich yo live (hen yo die, namely, an immortal astral body. Bt there is more going in magick than this. $here is also the conscios effort to bild a po(erfl etheric body. $he 47 elemental beings Bardon describes in his second book not only have extremely po(erfl astral bodies. $hey have po(erfl thogh non%physical etheric bodies (hich give them a heightened magical means for interacting (ith natre and the physical (orld (hen they choose to
do so. $he mmmies of the gyptian Pharaohs (ere often placed (ithin pyramids. $his, along (tih the mmmification process and ritals, (as an attempt to enable an astral immortality by preserving an etheric matrix on the physical plane. $he physical mmmy serves as a kind of battery or device for accmlating energy (hich then circlates to the departed sol. imilarly, the Chinese fng si masters are concerned abot the direction and placement of yor ancestors bones. !ncestor (orship may act to keep alive and to preserve the astral matrix of the departed sol. Conse)ently, there is also a retrn circlation of energy (hich moves throgh the bones of the departed sol to the descendants. In fng si, the alignment of those bones inflences the flo( of energy. !lso in some schools of $aoism as in a fe( other religions there is a conscios attempt to preserve not only the astral body bt also the etheric body of departed masters sch as the eight immortals and other masters of a specific lineage. 3hether the departed sol has any tie to this astral%etheric shell is irrelevant to the practice. $he practitioners hope to gain a shaktipat or transference of energy from the master to those (ho are present dring a rital of evocation. $he Bardon spirits of the earthone, by contrast, do not maintain physical, etheric, astral, or mental bodies. $hey preside (ithot form (ithin an akashic state of a(areness. $hey are free to assme any form they (ish and do so to represent themselves in a visible manner dring an evocation by a magician. !ll 6L of them are )ite capable of manifesting on the mental, astral, and physical planes shold they desire to do so. In other (ords, they have mastered the three lo(er planes and can prodce a mental, astral, and physical vehicle of manifestation at (ill. In or basic practice here, there is nothing going on so mysterios or occlt. If yo can strengthen and energie yor etheric body (hile yo are alive, it kicks in atomatically (henever yo need extra energy. It preserves yor harmony and e)ilibrim in the same (ay that having flexible and strong mscles gives yo an edge in ndertaking physical tasks. ome athletes have fablos physical bodies bt once they retire from their sport and begin another career, there is no need for them to maintain sch a high level of conditioning. !rnold ch(areneger, the former (orld champion (eight lifter, may still keep in shape bt not (hile he is shooting a movie sch as $erminator as part of his ne( career as an actor. imilarly, a (ell% developed magician may choose to maintain his etheric matrix (hen he dies or let go of it depending on his prpose.
Com5inin% Pour "reathin% 6ith the Etheric "od# $he prpose of this exercise is to learn to imagine and then sense the etheric body. 3e do this so that it becomes easier to develop the etheric body and to increase or level of vitality.
* Stren%thenin% the Etheric "od# $he etheric body is not (oven together by mscle, bone, tendon, and sine( and yet (e can strengthen it throgh many different methods. In this section, I (ill mention t(o approaches. /"0. irst, concentrate again on the image and feeling of yor etheric body. o( imagine that every part of the etheric body is connected e)ally to every other part and every point to every other point. $he idea is to prodce a strong feeling of cohesion and interconnection (ithin the etheric body. $here are many (ays of approaching this in a concrete manner. One sch method derives from $aoist practice. Both in >in hin >yits and in 1antak Chia's (ork, the $ 1o and >en 1o meridians are combined to form the main central meridian. $his enables one circlar flo( of vital energy arond the otside of the body. 1antak Chia goes into detail on this meditation practice in his book, !(akening 5ealing nergy throgh the $ao. 1ary Brmeister, the >in hin >yits master, has a similar method (hich is done throgh application of the individal's hands rather than throgh meditation. imilarly, in many $aoist practices, meditating on the meridians is sed as a means for becoming conscios of and connecting the energy flo(s of vitality throgh the body. *r. tephen $homas Chang in his book, $he Complete Book of !cpnctre, Celestial !rts, "GH, gives a brief description, p. 7#, of $he !rond the 3orld 1assage, ;Dsing the blb of the thmb or index and middle fingers, gently massage the entire length of each of the main meridians in the direction of the energy flo( along the meridian.; $he se)ence is lng, large intestine, stomach, spleen%pancreas, heart, small intestine, bladder, kidney, heart constrictor, triple heater, gall bladder, and liver.Q !fter becoming competent in the previos exercise, he sggests meditating on the meridians. ;...focs all yor attention on the lng meridian. $race the path of the lng meridian (ith yor index and middle finger paying close attention to the concrrent sb-ective feelings that arise as a reslt of this procedre. 1entally follo( the flo( of energy as it descends along the lng meridian and then repeat the same procedre along the large intestine meridian (hich has an ascending flo( of energy. 1assaging the entire length of all t(elve of the main meridians (ill eventally enable one to sense the most minte energy flctation along the meridian circit. Dltimately, one (ill be able to (illflly direct the energy flo( along any one of the meridians. Becoming consciosly a(are of the circlation of energy (ithin the body (ill confer longevity of life, for this ability (ill enable one to maintain a state of energy balance nder any and all circmstances.; If yo (ant a very detailed book sho(ing the acpnctre points and meridians, yo might consider the !natomical !tlas of Chinese !cpnctre Points, handong cience and $echnology Press, distribted by Pergamon Press. $here are of corse many books on this topic and yo can find those (hich sit yor needs. I recall being in one class (here the teacher had the stdents )ickly trace the lines of the t(elve main meridians over the srface of the entire body in abot t(o mintes time. Once yo have the meridian paths memoried, it is pretty easy to trace them (ith yor fingers. *r. Chang is sggesting, ho(ever, that the stdent slo( do(n and meditate deeply on the energy flo( throgh each of the meridians. In 1antak Chia's system, there is an emphasis on (hat is called the ;extra meridians.; $hese meridians, sch as the $ 1o and >en 1o, are more sited for gathering and circlating srpls energy throgh the body.
$here are a variety of (ays to meditate and (ork (ith the energy of the meridians. If yo (ere to try Chang's method of meditation on the meridians, relax and sink yor mind slo(ly into the meridian. $ry to feel the energy flo(ing throgh the meridian and then connect the meridian in yor mind (ith the corresponding internal organ. $he particlar energy of the meridian and its corresponding organ have a similar vibration since they are closely related. 1any stdents (ill have no interest in the complexities of Chinese meridians and meditations. I mention the above example to illstrate a system (hich teaches ho( to direct and strengthen the movement of vital energy (ithin the etheric body. In its defense, I (old point ot that the Chinese system of acpnctre and meridians is part of the crriclm in every medical school in mainland China. $he more simple bt abstract method I sggest of meditating on all parts of the body being interconnected is more of an akashic meditation. /40 In this meditation, (e concentrate on each part of the body offering balance and spport to every other part. =o can proceed, for example, by concentrating on a part of yor body sch as yor hand. =o sense that the energy of yor hand spports every other part of yor body as (ell as yor (hole body. !nd every other part of yor body and yor (hole body spport the energy of yor hand. =o contine on (orking (ith all parts of yor body. $his is kind of like a focsing techni)e (hich I describe in detail nder the section of my (eb page on 1ethods in $ranspersonal Psychology. In that system, the individal (ill consciosly focs his attention on one specific area of the body (hich is in some (ay restricted or blocked. In doing this, the individal also imagines the rest of the body offering its spport by being open and receptive to the blocked area. In other (ords, the energy of the (hole body is available to any area of need.
!he Cha&ras as an Example o) Internal Support !nother example of the internal spport (hich occrs (ithin the body relates to the system of the seven chakras. $here are a great many books abot the seven chakras bt let me -st mention a fe( points on ho( they spport each other. $he heart chakra is kno(n for its harmony and compassion. $hose (ith strong hearts like to resolve conflicts. $hey have high empathy. $hey are sensitive to others' feelings. $he third chakra in the solar plexs region, by contrast, establishes a direct connection bet(een oneself and others. It is forcefl, assertive, and commanding. $he heart chakra needs the lo(er third chakra in order to avoid feeling vlnerable and nable to commnicate itself. $he third chakra presents the force of personality and charm an individal needs to (in other's over to its position. !nd the third chakra needs the heart's harmony other(ise it becomes maniplative and in-res others' feelings. By the (ay, the individals (ho gain the most experience in life are those (ith this combination of strong third and for chakras. $he throat chakra is kno( for its creativity. It embodies great determination, adaptability, and ingenity. $he throat chakra is balanced by the second chakra in the belly belo( the navel. $he second chakra deals (ith sexality, sensality, and also (ith those feelings and intitions (hich gide a person in sensing (hat makes for happiness and affection. It has a great sense of (hat is natral and of (hat preserves yor energy as an individal. If a highly creative individal in the throat chakra can maintain an e)ally developed second chakra, he can keep his creativity from becoming rigid, artificial, complsive, and haphaard. $his is
becase he (ill kno( (hen to (ithdra( from activity and rene( himself in natral (ays. !nd if the second chakra person can develop his throat chakra, his life (ill not only be natral and flo(ing. $here (ill be prodctivity and interaction (ith exciting and creative individals. $hose (ith strong second chakras are sometimes so relaxed and content, they fail to exercise initiative and to take charge of their lives. $he sixth chakra or third eye is kno(n for its psychic po(er. It offers an individal a combination of detachment, profond intition, and spirital prpose bt it also brns p a great deal of vital energy (hen it is being sed. Conse)ently, many spiritally gifted and psychic individals limit their se of the third eye to a very narro( range of activities lest they become exhasted or sffer nervos tension. $he third eye, ho(ever, is balanced by developing in e)al measre the first chakra at the base of the spine or above the perinem. $his lo(er chakra contains the life force of natre and a profond sense of being gronded both (ithin the material (orld and (ithin the physical body. 3hen a psychic or spirital practitioner has his third eye balanced by his first chakra, he is do(n to earth, practical, and hard (orking. 5e rarely sffers from that fy, other (orldly and self%dobt yo can often find in the eyes of spirital adventrers. imilarly, the first chakra individal (ho has a strong third eye does not get stck in a physical sitation or bogged do(n by his rotines. 5e can sense in advance (hen a change is coming and he is ready to (ork (ith it (hen it arrives. $he seventh chakra, the cro(n chakra, depends on the lo(er six chakras to express its visions. !nd yet it also interacts (ith the six. It presides over them acting as a higher aspect of conscience prodding and (arning an individal (hen it is time to gro( and to belong to a greater (hole. ollo(ing the chakras as a meditation, yo feel that the t(o parts of yor body relating to the chakras are connected and spporting each other. =o imagine that the love in yor heart is present in and spports the activities of yor personality. !nd the forcefl, assertive side of yor third chakra is present and helps express the more tender and empathic feelings of yor heart. imilarly, yor sexality, sensality, and need to express affection in yor second chakra spports yor throat chakra so yor creativity remains natral, (holesome, and healthy. !nd, in reverse, yor creativity and adaptability keep finding for yo ne( and challenging (ays to express yor inner feelings. 3ith the third eye and the lo(est chakra, yo imagine that all the srpls vital energy in yor body is available to yor higher intition, to spport and empo(er it, (henever yo (ish to meditate and seek spirital gidance. !t the same time, yo gard yor life force and protect yor health. =o do not brn yorself ot or become exhasted by excessive spirital or psychic activity. Instead, yo contemplate yor life and activities to make sre everything is ordered and is flfilled in the right (ay. In smmary, the first meditation on strengthening the etheric body emphasied each part and point being -oined to every other so the etheric body is sensed as being one interconnected (hole. In this second meditation, (e emphasie the nrtring aspect of the etheric body. 3hen there is a (eakness or distrbance of vital energy, the (hole etheric body offers its strength and harmony. ote: the next section (ill cover:
:atherin% the Five Elements throu%h "reathin%
$his section has three parts. $he first is a meditation reminding s of the interaction and presence of the five elements (ithin or bodies. $he second is an exploration and integration of the vital energy (hich animates each of the "4 signs of the odiac as they manifest in hman behavior. !fter becoming thorogly familiar (ith the first t(o meditations, (e proceed to the thrid meditation (hich reminds s that the life force (e breathe in (ith each breath has niversal aspects. 3ithin the vitality of the air are the for aspects of *ivine Providence%%immortality, cossmic (isdom and enlightenment, absolte po(er, and all%embracing, cosmic love.
Physical Level % The Philosophers Stone #he idea o& ph$sical and astral immortalit$ have een around a lon% time, &or a%es stretchin% ac- e&ore 4ritten histor$. Man$ ishops and popes in the Christian church 4ere osessed 4ith the idea o& the philosopher5s stone. It 4as said to e ale to prolon% li&e and trans&orm lead into %old. *hen it comes to %reed, such an idea easil$ lends itsel& to &raud in the hands o& a %ood con man. Man$ ma%icians also in the Middle %es and a&ter spent their li&e times searchin% &or the philosopher5s stone. #heir experiments 4ith various elixirs contriuted to the &ormation o& modern chemistr$. #here are man$ oo-s recentl$ 4ritten aout alchem$ and the philosopher5s stone oth as somethin% to e sou%ht and otained as a ph$sical sustance and also as a spiritual attainment 4ithin onesel&. #hose committed to producin% somethin% ph$sical and those committed to producin% somethin% spiritual have sometimes een ver$ critical o& each other5s %oals. #he one is critici6ed as ein% a %ross materialist and the other is critici6ed as completel$ spirituali6in% somethin% that actuall$ elon%s to the sphere o& nature and the real 4orld. Science I am sure 4ill eventuall$ produce the philosopher5s stone or its scienti&ic e7uivalent in its o4n %ood time &or that is the nature o& science88to discover ever$thin% that can e -no4n aout the ph$sical universe. M$ %oals are more humle. I am interestin% in learnin% to e a4are o&, to explore, and to trans&orm to 4hatever extent I can the vital ener%ies 4ithin m$ ph$sical and astral odies. #he idea o& astral immortalit$, althou%h saved &or a heavenl$ a&terli&e in Christianit$, is de&initel$ a part o& various sects in uddhism and #aoism. Hi%h #ietan lamas, such as a the 9%olden child: or ;armpa in the ;a%u order o& #ietan uddhism, are said to have the ailit$ to consciousl$ pic- their next incarnation a&ter the$ die. #he ;armapa is so precise he %ives the names o& his next parents and descries their location in his instructions to his disciples as to 4here to come and &ind him a&ter he is reorn. #his action o& ma%ical incarnation carries 4ith it a continuit$ o& consciousness, that is, the same spiritual 7ualities, ailities, and o&ten the same memories are present in the incarnatin% individual.
radiant, and &eel &ull$ alive 4hen $ou die and not e a %host or slo4l$ have $our personalit$ &ade a4a$ over the centuries su=ect to the disinte%ratin% in&luences o& the astral plane. #hou%h un&amiliar to *estern consciousness, this ideal results &rom ein% concerned 4ith the 4orship o& ancestors and 4ith prolon%in% and re&inin% li&e, li&e &orce, and health. Since (ran6 ardon descries man$ spirits 4ho speciali6e in alchem$ and also various cosmic letters 4hich he sa$s lead to astral and ph$sical immortalit$, it is natural &or me to pursue this topic in m$ o4n 4a$88that is, in a personal and ps$chic 4a$ throu%h m$ o4n experimentation and experience.
!he Philosopher;s Stone in the Aura In chapter 3, ph$sical level, o& his oo-, Initiation into Hermetics, (ran6 ardon has the student practice concentratin% and also accumulatin% vital ener%$ in one5s od$ throu%h the use o& reath. >lso see m$ commentar$ under asic Practices on m$ 4e site, Chapter 3, Ph$sical Level, Pour reathin%?. I& $ou reathe air in and out o& ever$ part o& $our od$, &or example, $ou can e%in to sense the vitali6ation o& each part o& $our od$. I& $ou practice accumulatin% this vital ener%$ in each part o& $our od$, $ou e%in to stren%then and learn to heal the various parts o& $our o4n and other5s odies. #his -ind o& accumulation o& vital ener%$, ho4ever, heavil$ &avors the &ire element. ardon points out that the od$ ecomes hot and radiates 4aves o& heat li-e a hot radiator 4hen the li&e &orce is concentrated in the od$ 4hen $ou &ollo4 his instructions. #his &orm o& accumulation o& vital ener%$ is %reat &or healin% since the &ire element is o&ten used in healin%. In chapter 3 on the ps$chic level, ardon has the student practice accumulatin% each o& the &our elements. #he &ire element in this case, ho4ever, is not in particular an aspect o& vital ener%$. #he &ire element in nature, 4hen %athered throu%h reathin%, produces an ener%$ that is hot and &ier$. It has a urnin% 7ualit$. #he accumulated li&e &orce, $ contrast, results in a -ind o& 4hite li%ht accumulation that is more or%anic, more a part o& the natural ener%$ o& the od$. It is also hot and expansive ut de&initel$ a healin% ener%$ as opposed to a &ier$ urnin% ener%$. Some individuals are addicted to 4hite li%ht. #he$ love it to the exclusion o& the other aspects o& li&e &orce. #he$ adore %urus 4ith ri%ht shin$ auras. Some o& these individuals %et ver$ upset or outri%ht paranoid 4hen the$ encounter someone 4ho is explorin% li%ht in the non8visile spectrum o& viration. ut in the actual ph$sical universe 4hite li%ht is ver$ small part o& the total amount o& ener%$ ein% emitted throu%hout the universe. esides star and solar li%ht, there are man$ other &orms o& li%ht in the invisile spectrum 4hich are &ar more present 4ith us and throu%hout the universe. #hese are ultraviolet, in&rared, @8ra$s, %amma ra$s, and other &orms o& cosmic radiation. #hese too are li%ht and our consciousness moves in these spectrums o& li%ht viration as 4ell. #he air 4e reathe in has the &our elements in it and not =ust the ri%ht &ier$ element. In ever$ reath, 4e are dra4in% in a comination o& the &our elements. In part, 4e can learn to
ecome conscious o& these &our elements and direct them at 4ill $ 4or-in% 4ith each separatel$.
M$ procedure is asicall$ to &ocus 4ithin m$ od$ and then as- the spiritual 4orld various 7uestions and then record m$ thou%hts and responses to the impressions I receive. I am not exactl$ ne4 to this topic. I have spend man$ months durin% di&&erent $ears 4or-in% on producin% chemical ased elixirs. ut thou%h I could produce ver$ potent ener%ies these 4ere not particularl$ use&ul to me. #he prolem is I am under a po4er&ul -armic limitation >4hich I did not understand at the time? to avoid usin% an$ ph$sical implements or aids to m$ ma%ical 4or- in li&e. #hat means no 4ands, no ma%ic- mirrors, no elixirs, no roes, no incense, etc. etc. I apparentl$ overindul%ed and did too much o& that sort o& rituali6ed and externali6ed ma%ical activit$ in other li&e times. In this li&e time m$ 4or- is intended to e more simple and direct, more artistic and personal, than 4hat 4as the norm &or this -ind o& activit$ as practiced in other civili6ations.
,uestions Auestion" *hat is the di&&erence et4een a ph$sical philosopher5s stone and producin% this ener%$ in $our auraB ns4er" #he material philosopher5s stone is a po4der$ sustance 4hich is incredil$ expansive in producin% healin% and alancin% li&e &orce. It can e used to heal others. It is not =ust material, ho4ever. It comines in its viration an ailit$ to restore the elements and health o& the astral od$ as 4ell. I& $ou in%ested some o& the philosopher5s stone, $ou 4ould e producin% a harmonious and universal level o& health e%innin% 4ith the ph$sical elements in $our od$ and 4or-in% to4ard the inner planes o& the astral, mental, etc. I& $ou have the philosopher5s stone viration in $our aura, $ou are producin% the same universal level o& health ut throu%h havin% the mental, astral, and etheric viration in&luence and sustain the health o& the ph$sical od$. ne is external and 4or-s 7uic-er and more easil$ on the ph$sical od$. #he other is internal and 4or-s 7uic-er and more easil$ on the etheric and astral odies. Ho4 do the ph$sical and auric philosopher5s stone relate to ph$sical and astral immortalit$B ns4er" #heoreticall$, oth can produce ph$sical immortalit$, that is, continuous ph$sical health 4ithout deteoriation. #he ph$sical philospoher5s stone, ho4ever, does not produce astral immortalit$. #hat is, i& the individual 4ere to die, the astral od$ 4ould e su=ect to the usual %radual process o& deterioration. In other 4ords, i& $ou lose the ph$sical support o& in%estin% the philosopher5s stone as a medicinal elixir, $ou lose contact 4ith its re=uvenatin% po4er. #he auric philosopher5s stone, $ contrast, does produce astral immoralit$, that is, a continuous sustainin% o& health and a resilience o& the elements and &orm o& the astral od$. %ain, this is ecause the ph$sical stone has the advanta%e o& in&luence more easil$ the ph$sical od$ ut has limited in&luence on the astral od$5s health and maintenance. #he ph$sical stone neither contains nor produces an autonomous and independent astral in&luence.
I& $ou are sustainin% $our health throu%h a ph$sical elixir, $ou have to ma-e more usin% the materials o& the ph$sical 4orld 4hen $ou use up $our suppl$. I& $ou are producin% an internal philosopher5s stone $ usin% $our o4n po4ers o& concentration, then $ou can continue doin% this 4hen $ou are on the astral plane. ne &orm o& re=uvenation is external to $oursel& and the other is internal. *hat is the appropriate philosopher5s stone &or me to 4or- 4ithin m$ auraB ns4er" #he elixir suitale &or $ou to 4or- 4ith incorporates cosmic 7ualities or speci&ic aspects o& Divine Providence 4ithin it since $our %oal involves spirituali6in% oth the ph$sical and the astral odies. *hat and ho4 are the elements present in this stoneB #he air element is similar to the a-ashic level o& the cosmic letter A. #his is the 7ualit$ 4ithin air 4hich is asolute and total enli%htenment 4ithout limit. #his is an enli%htenment and 4isdom that are cosmic and not =ust human in scope. It is a 4isdom that elon%s to Divine Providence and is e7uall$ e&&ective an$4here in the universe. It is not a part o& an$ human tradition. n$one 4ho 4or-s 4ith the cosmic letter A on the a-ashic level can e%in to sense this ener%$ and consciousness. that is, cleansin%?, healin%, and nurturin%. #hrou%h the &lo4in%, receptive, and ma%netic 7ualities o& 4ater, oneness ecomes complete. #he 4ater element in oth its natural and divine aspects rene4s, restores, and &ills 4ith li&e ecause its love is so deep. #he &ire element is per&ect, complete, and asolute 4ill and po4er. It can rin% aout chan%e suddenl$ li-e li%htnin% stri-in%. It is massive and overpo4erin% li-e the &usion o& the sun explodin%. It is silent, o&ten hidden, and $et controllin% li-e the ma%ma that shapes and moves the continents. It is the &orce o& 4ill, that 4hen assi%ned a mission or a purpose, accomplishes that mission and &ul&ills that purpose ecause there is no ostacle it can not overcome88it has that -ind o& determination and d$namic uilt into it. -asha, as the &i&th element, has man$ aspects and 7ualities. Since 4e are &ocusin% on the 7uintessence o& li&e &orce in the od$, a-asha in this case involves a per&ect penetration o& all
aspects o& the od$ 4ith conscious a4areness. #his means that $our a4areness comes to understand not onl$ the anatom$ and all ph$siolo%ical and neurolo%ical processes 4ithin the od$.
its immortalit$, ut also is thrilled, ta-in% deli%ht in the =o$ that lossoms in and throu%h each sensor$ impression. (ran6 ardon 4arns that usin% an elixir 4ith this de%ree o& potenc$ can %ive $outh&ul ener%$ and outloo- ut there is a cost.
ma%netism and &luidit$ o& the seas. *ith &ire, $ou hold in $our a4areness a %reat, &ier$ catacl$sm. nd 4ith a-asha, the &i&th element, $ou have the time &rame and the a4areness that comprehends the process throu%h 4hich the mineral, plant, and animal -in%doms are developed as 4ell the &our elements o& earth, sea, air, and &ire and the vital ener%ies in oth male and &emale human ein%s. #he a-ashic element is an a4areness oth o& 4hat is in nature and o& the &usion o& these ener%ies. #his a-ashic element is itsel& a vital or natural ener%$ and as such it is a part o& nature. It oversees the re&inin% and trans&ormin% o& natural ener%ies ut it re7uires the condensed essence o& male and &emale and the &our elements e&ore it attains its &ull po4er to re=uvenate. *hat is the state o& mind in 4hich to practice these meditationsB ns4er"
ns4er"
ma%netic volt >that is, surroundin% an accumulation o& the electrical &luid 4ith ma%netic &luid?, $ou can initiate a po4er&ul process o& alchemical trans&ormation. #he philosopher5s stone, ho4ever, re7uires that $ou &ull$ enter each o& the elements o& nature 4ith $our consciousness, trans&orm them, and then &use them. It is a natural process o& re&inin% and expandin% a4areness and &usin% ener%$ and it is &ree o& personal e%o. #he d$namic attraction o& masculine and &eminine polarities tends to move too 7uic-l$ to4ard union and is o&ten eset 4ith emotional hi%hs and lo4s 4hich undermine a %enuine alchemical process. >See also m$ 10 pa%e essa$, Erami, in m$ oo-, Sylphs, Undines, Gnomes, and Salamanders, &or an example o& ho4 to 4or- step $ step either solo or 4ith a partner in producin% the viration o& the philosopher5s stone in $our aura.? *hat do #aoists %et in their auras 4hen the tr$ to develop this elixirB ns4er" (rom time to time there have een individuals 4ho have produced ver$ hi%h %rade philosopher5s stones in their auras. #his is sometimes called the immortalit$ pearl. #he immortalit$ pearl in one 4ell8-no4n #aoist, &or example, is ver$ ri%ht, radiant, and impressive. ut it lac-s the divine 7ualities and it lac-s the natural elements o& earth, 4ater, and especiall$ air. #hese missin% in%redients severel$ limit the healin% po4er o& this individual. It is a mista-e to not incorporate more &ull$ the po4er o& the elements in nature and rin% them into the od$ 4here the$ are trans&ormed. #he od$ is unale $ itsel& to produce the philosopher5s stone 4ithout re&errin% to nature or to divine 7ualit$ meditations. #hat is, $ou can not =ust ta-e and re&ine and recomine the natural vital ener%ies in the od$ to produce the elixir 4ithout utili6in% a %reat deal o& ima%er$ 4hich trans&orms this vitalit$ to a ver$ hi%h de%ree. *hat do the various spirits teach or produce 4hen 4or-in% 4ith them relatin% to the philosopher5s stone or elixirsB ns4er" (or example, ;ire-, ! de%rees ir%o in the earth6one, teaches aout the philosopher5s stone. #his spirit is extremel$ intense in its viration. #he di&&erence et4een ;ire- and 4hat I am descriin% is that &rom ;ire-5s point o& vie4 it is not necessar$ to e concerned so much 4ith universali6in% the astral od$ or the &our elements in order to produce astral or ph$sical immortalit$. *ith astral immortalit$, $ou onl$ need to en%a%e in prolon%ed and ver$ intense concentrations on each o& the elements. #he %oal is to produce a hi%h 7ualit$ viration in each o& the elements to the point 4here the$ no lon%er deteriorate. #he elements then resist all outside in&luence. lso, ein% a hi%h level spirit o& the earth6one 4ho resides in a &ormless state o& a4areness in a-asha, ;ire- naturall$ has the ailit$ to mani&est ph$sicall$ and produce purel$ throu%h concentration 4hatever e&&ect he 4ishes 4ithin his sphere o& competenc$. ;ire- could direct $ou in the use o& alchemical methods utili6in% chemical and hers and so &orth. ut a hi%h level contact 4ith ;ire- enales $ou to dra4 upon his po4er o& concentration to also trans&orm $our ph$sical od$ directl$ so that it acts as i& $ou have een in&luenced $ a
ph$sical philosopher5s stone. He also teaches much more in re%ard to resistin% the ne%ative in&luence o& the elements in our 4orld. Spirits &rom the di&&erent planetar$ spheres also teach alchem$ and the per&ection o& li&e &orce in accordance 4ith the themes and interests o& their spheres. Camiel, 4ho presides over the si%n o& 7uarius in the sphere o& upiter, teaches aout alchem$ and the philosopher5s stone. His approach, $ contrast to ;ire-5s, is much more universal and cosmic in dimension. #he elixir or viration Camiel5s produces is much more expansive and more readil$ in&luences others and the 4orld around $oursel& in accordance 4ith the expansiveness and %reat spiritual 4ealth o& the sphere o& upiter. Camiel, ho4ever, is &ar more di&&icult to 4or4ith as compared to ;ire-5s 4ho is closer to home and much more direct and 9do4n to earth.: Ho4 does this practice relate to the cosmic letter E 4hich &ocuses speci&icall$ on alchemical trans&ormationB ns4er" #he cosmic letter E emphasi6es the -ind o& concentrations that lead to trans&ormation on all levels and planes o& existence. #he auric philosopher5s stone I am emphasi6in% in this essa$ is primaril$ &ocused on $our o4n od$ and the up%radin% and universali6in% o& $our health and astral od$ to re&lect 4ithin it some o& the 7ualities o& Divine Providence. #he E is not speci&icall$ &or emod$in% in $oursel& the &our &undamental 7ualities o& Divine Providence as the$ pertain to expandin% and harmoni6in% $our vitalit$ and health.
ns4er" n$ sudden increase o& the amount or 7ualit$ o& vitalit$ 4ithin $our od$ ma$ cause di&&iculties &or some individuals. ld haits ma$ ecome stimulated. Ge4 emotions ma$ rise to the sur&ace. #here ma$ e a &eelin% o& ecomin% overpo4ered or out o& control. Some individuals have alread$ oserved this and learned aout this prolem &rom experience. Let us loo- at this &rom another point o& vie4. *hen $ou love and commit to another, $ou have the opportunit$ to learn aout desire and need, responsiilit$ and &reedom. *hatever happens in the relationship884in or lose, rise to hei%hts or &all to depths, sustain lo$alt$ or su&&er etra$al88$ou %ain a lot o& personal experience. *hen someone ecomes a medical doctor or studies herolo%$, acupuncture, or a healin% art, $ou are a%ain involved directl$ in learnin% throu%h personal experience and 4hat $ou learn has man$ immediate applications and ene&its. #he philosopher5s stone, $ contrast, has ver$ little earin% on $our personalit$.
