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Training Wheels: If you've been paying attention to the bulk of material on mysticism that is floating around the internet at this site and various others you'll quickly begin to see certain patterns. Key words like focus, will, and energy come up in any writing done within these areas. There is of course a reason for this and that is simply put all techniques share this in common. What most mystics won't tell you is the dirty little secrete of mysticism. This secrete has been around since the beginning and continues to manifest its self in almost all areas of representation. The secrete of course is that any material we provide you is nothing more than training wheels. Mysticism 102: For the adept in the arcane arts we quickly realize that all ceremony follows a pattern, all meditations follow a pattern, all visualizations follow a pattern, all methods follow this same pattern. The first step is to set up that what your doing is going to be outside the physical realm but impacting the physical reality in some way. The second is to purify the existing space. The third is to set an intent and translate that intent into physical actions. The last step is then to return to a normal state of being having taken something along with yourself for this act. Ultimately this is present in Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Hermetic Mystics, Taoist Mysticism, Sympathetic Low Magics, and even traditions as old as Animal Sacrifice make use of these methods. Usually after a few lessons the student begins to ask what is next in mysticism and often the teacher replies that when the student truly understands the nature of what they have done only then will they be able to fully appreciate the lesson. Students often give up quickly with this. Those few students that do stay on gain a better understanding. Even rarer though a teacher will spell out just a little bit of the nature of mystical energy work and the next phase of mysticism. The purpose of this writing is to do just that. This little bit of text will serve as both a validation and invalidation of all you have learned up to this point. Consider carefully as you read onward you can ignore the statements written but the truth still exists within it. Once you recognize the nature of the next points you will never be able to go back to another persons structured ceremony quite the same way. You will be capable and able in all areas of the mystical once you learn this lesson but you will never be able to accept any one single way as the only way. Taking the Training Wheels Off: All you have learned has been to condition you. This is the first thing you must realize, you've been conditioned to the energies, to the methods, you've become “sensitive” to the psychic phenomenon happening around you. You likewise have been conditioned between society as well as your practices up to this point to see certain images in a certain way. Psychologically you have learned to interpret intuition, energy, and it's flow in these symbols, patterns, and ideas. None of this is a bad thing. However in recognizing this you may start to see the break down of symbols as a whole. Once you recognize that the symbols are only a method of conveying energy through intent you gain a great benefit and a terrible curse. On the one hand no symbol will hold more power than your own force of will. The other side of this is your ability to re-purpose energy, symbols, and intents. This is the step in recognizing the entirety of the universe as energy. Bindings cease to be bindings with this rationalizations, shields cease to be shields, cleansing ceases to cleanse, and yet these things all do what they do because they hold the intent. A shift in the sensation of energy and a binding becomes a cleansing or even a pathway. This recognition of energy and its connection to intent is the first step to taking off the training wheels. You may have read or listened to a lesson on something called Free Form Qi Gong. The idea within this is that one simply sets their intent and lets the energy, which moves in accordance with will through the body, to guide the limbs as well as the further energy structure, into a pose matching accordance with will. Such a technique is simple and was presented early within the instructions of The Labyrinth yet is very advanced as well. Free Form Qi Gong is the second phase of all other techniques learned yet it is limited by most into a martial expression of energy. When one recognizes that intent can carry the body, mind, and spirit through the exercise of mysticism such techniques lead to a type of free form ceremony. This is the removal of the training wheels. Face North, Turn Exactly 22 Degrees: In mysticism we begin with ceremony, ritual, and other such methods of training wheels to gain us an understanding that what we are about to do is special. Precise examples of movements are done because precision is taught to us to be a special thing at an early age in education. Consider lining up with your fellow students in class and heading out to recess. Such things are made special but yet also constructed. You and your fellows could as easily be herded with less structure yet on some level special occasions are granted a degree of precision. Consider funerals, weddings, graduation, even a birthday party to some degree all have a level of formality. There is a set series of movements to be moved through further making the special occasion recognized as special. To take the training wheels off completely is to recognize that you and only you determine what is special within your actions. This means you can recreate the feeling of “special” and “connected” by recalling the sensation of what it was you did in those ceremonies and allowing that feeling to guide you directed by your intent. You may find yourself falling into a pseudo pattern of what you once used or even an entirely new pattern of movements and thoughts. Now With Your Onyx Ring, Sapphire Amulet, and Bag of Tricks... Often likewise in mysticism we use tools to conform an energetic pattern. Objects hold patterns better than simple thought alone. This may be due to symbolic linking or to certain structures in materials. Mystics all over the world will tell you the value in quarts, wood, metal, even some plastics, and many other materials. There is some level of agreement that these things can be used as amplifiers. In taking the training wheels off though these tools become training implements, devices applied to energetic manipulation, they themselves can never be the source of your power complete. Once you take the step of removing the training wheels from your mind you recognize the infinite flow of the universe. You determine that the only symbol fitting your power is the infinity symbol. True you may choose other methods, you may still express yourself in certain ways, but in your heart of hearts you give up the illusion of superiority. You recognize that the Tyre Rune, the Taijitu, The Cross, and The Hammer are all attempts to express the infinite in a finite moment. This is much as a master swordsman recognizes the sword. They see it as an extension of their own power and all swords then become equal in their hands. The tool becomes unnecessary and instead the skill utilizing the tool, their will, training, body, and frame of mind are the real weapon. Remove from a master of one weapon their chosen tool and you have reduced them only in a level of their expression. You have not removed their true power in this, only shifted the expression to another tool such as the body. Mysticism is no different in this respect.

Today we take a look at the nature of seawater as a substitute for blood as an offering. Depending on who and why you are offering this to this may have some practical value. If the purpose of the sacrifice is to a Sea God, or deity, or if you are using blood purely from the point of view of a ritual enhancer in the same way you do sage or crystals it could be viable. However let us look at Odin and Valhal. While there is not a lot written on CLASSIC Norse magicks there was one mystical practice that was well known. The road to Valhal is paved in the blood of your enemies. You must be a warrior who is elite, the best of the best. Killing tens of dozens of your enemies, maybe even hundreds or thousands. These are the prime sacrifices made to Odin, ultimately with the last sacrifice being your own death in worthy battle. In this situation Odin really isn't just asking for a symbolic gesture This is similar to some Lowa, Djinn, and Demons in CLASSIC works who demand a specific tribute. Anything less would be insufficient. Now this is taking a very classic take on Valhal, and a very classic take on Norse Mysticism. The modern mystic often does not hold to the classic methods and this is well, fine, and good. Myths evolve and how we work with the deeper understanding of the forces behind them likewise evolves. However, if we are basing such on the idea of using seawater as a substitute it behooves us to remember that Odin specifically was seeking death, I doubt providing him less than the ocean itself would be enough to prove one worth for Valhal. Even then he'd ask how many you killed to get the whole ocean. This is the nature of interacting within an existing system. If you're going to make exchanges its often better to use a more general term for what it is you are doing, and better to be upfront and clear with others. The nature of being honest with yourself and with the powers you work with builds trust and internal consistency. For example I am a Shaman and a Sorcerer, you'll never here me call myself a Gothi or things of that nature. I'm very specific in my terminology because a LOT of what we do in modern mysticism is substitution for much older practices. People are often drawn to a system, method, or power initially and then either wish to substitute or completely remove the distasteful parts of the working. While there is nothing wrong with this it is important to recognize when working with higher powers if we are making a substitution it may or may not be frowned upon depending on the reason and way of the substitution. Likewise things change and grow. Many believe it is still possible to enter Valhal through “fighting for a just cause” however it is wise and best to amend to that “in the modern day view” so that we are clear that we are addressing fully and with complete honesty the nature of the situation.

Temperance is an excellent boon when we feel overwhelmed and need the ability to focus, as well as see clearly. Instead of simple meditation upon the card though we are going to suggest a new method. Become the card. Visualize yourself stepping into the scene, white robe adorning you, wings carrying you above the turmoil that is both life and death happening around you. Look at the raging river under your feet and contemplate that for a moment. This river represents the turmoil you are experiencing. Now as you hover there held aloft by the wings you feel take the two goblets in hand, and in the right hand draw forth the waters into the cup. Contemplate the waters and what they represent and pour them from cup to cup. Repeat this process feeling the stress subsiding, and in this subsiding see the realm around you coming into balance as you gain the understanding. This, or a variation of this, is a helpful meditation to take on the qualities of this card and in this provides a unique way of gaining the qualities of the card. We will look at other cards in the future but I felt this one may be one of the most beneficial for the sage, the expert, and the commoner all can find some value in Temperance.

As someone mentioned this in a recent group I belong to let me tell you a little bit about using the Tarot Card Justice from the Rider Waite deck in magick. From the Shamanic methodology your uses of this can range from ceremonial and alter work to vision questing. A combination of both is potent but for this small bit of writing we are focusing on the use of this in the vision questing form. You will begin with the most basic visualization, the room of Justice. Upon the walls are pictures of judges, rulers from the past, and important figures who have inspired you on the path of justice. As you enter this vision recognize yourself as the role of justice and in your strong hand is the sword of justice. Take a moment to focus the energies and powers of this idea into that sword. Feel the heavy weight of it. While it is heavy and present notice it also moves through the air quickly. In your weaker hand are the scales. These will weigh heavily upon your arm and be held down to your side. They are the collector for the energy of justice but also the weight of decision to be placed upon your weakest point. With these scales creating weight you walk over to a mirror within the room and in that mirror instead of yourself you see the one who has harmed you. You recognize in this that by striking at the essence of them within you, it then moves into the universe to strike them within the world for their crimes. Knowing the blade can only cut so much drive it through the mirror and watch it ripple like water disrupted until their image is removed. Withdraw the sword from the mirror and see that you now only see your self. Return to the seat of justice and feel the weight of the scales has now lessened and return from your journey.

The Emperor or Empress Meditation: Depending on if you identify more as male or female will determine the choice of this card used, but this meditation utilizes the basic imagery in these cards as a form of gestalt. It goes a bit outside of the cards themselves but is incredibly valuable for gaining an understanding of the moment. Begin visualization of yourself as the figure within this card. Look carefully at your throne, your clothes that you wear, all that surrounds and adorns you. This what you see now is a representation of your world as you understand it. As you see your throne is it in good condition? Does it need work? What does that work mean to you? Now feel the strength of power. You are the Ruler of Your World and you sit upon your throne. Good or ill this throne is yours and it sits you well. Look outward upon your empire. What do you see? Are your troops in good order? Your people happy? Or is there discourse? Each of these things you see has a meaning to you, a symbol you understand innately and will guide you to greater wisdom. During the last leg of this, of all the things you see whatever needs improvement that means the most to you issue the command to your people. This is your will, feel it carried through all of those subjects that represent YOUR will, your world, and have them move forward to do your bidding. Slowly sit back into your throne, relax, and come back to the state of awareness of the here and now. It is recommended gabbing a glass of water after this visualization.

The left hand path is not just demons, nor is the right hand path angels. Instead they are ideals. There are many, if not mostly, right hand path demonologists around. These are people who feel that demons are superior and give subservience to them. They serve, and do not see themselves as the prime power in this world. This is because the right hand path is all about connecting to the greater power, source, or current through the worship of forces, externalization, and recognition of power from without. It recognizes that all is one, but then in that grows through the external. The left hand path however focuses on growth from the perspective of the self as the most powerful, and important of things. It is all about serving the self in some capacity, even when selfless, by recognizing that all actions come from the self. To the left hand path worker there is no such thing as subservience, only alliance. They recognize the cultivation of power from within, and recognize external forces as either manifestations of the internal, or tools to be utilized toward personal power. The left hand path worker recognizes that all is one, and thereby all external forces are simply way method for internal growth. The two paths focus on DRASTICALLY different approaches to the same core concept, connecting to a greater power. Many paths that seem right hand, such as energy work, qi gong, and focusing methods are actually more left hand path. They have have strong moral codes or centers but they recognize these as constructs and see them as important only by virtue that they are valued to the practitioner. Right hand paths conversely almost always exclusively focus on external forces of power. You must go "out" to find the power "within" in these paths and a degree of subservience is the mode of conduct. This is not slavery, but the recognition of something "greater than the self" and in that a degree of selflessness. Most true paths have a degree of both, especially in mysticism, cultivating the self as the prime power in the universe (left hand path) while working with external forces through acts of subservience and recognition (right hand path). Both lead to the same understanding that all is one, just through a very different set of foot steps.

Originally Appearing at Knights of Awakening The Mystic Knight: This is not the full of what I will write on this before my days are done. No this is just me wetting my appetite for future writings on what this means, why it is important, and how one walks this path. With that said here goes. The Mystic Knight is a different breed of knight entirely. We are often not the front line of any conflict, yet we more often than not are the deciding factor. When we do take to the front line, then we move with force, emphasis, and direction. The rest of the time, we are the background force in the world around us. We are a generalist in a way, a Knight who focuses on much more than just the forward battle charge. We are found healing the sick and wounded. No matter the battlefield be it emotional or physical we are the ones called upon to dress the wounds. We are the mental warriors but not always does that mean we fight a war using our mental powers. Instead we are called upon more often than not to solve a problem, to put into effect a plan. We are the wise ones asked to make a greater difference in the world. As a Mystic Knight, people come to us to solve the problems they can not solve. Often what they come to us for though is worse than that. They come to us for the hard truths. This means we can never be untrue to ourselves. We must instead be rooted in the truth, certain of our soul, and directed toward making a positive change in the world. We, ultimately, are those who do what other Knights can't. We are called upon to be everything, to everyone, in every way for the mystic is nothing if not proficient in many things. We fill the role left vacant by specialists who are not there. We are healers when no healer is present, a shield wall for those who are in pain, an avenger to those that cause harm, and a soothing pool of wisdom and knowledge. This is a hard path to walk for anyone. The strain of this path causes most Mystic Knights to often be harsh, yet kind. It causes us to be bitter, yet hopeful. It causes us to take on many sides of a coin right up to the moment that we see what it is we must do. The Mystic Knight has no room in their life for certainty until they have no room in their life for doubt. This is the nature of the mystic who has taken on the knightly path. It is a harder path to walk for many, and yet easier for some. Some are called to this path. They are drawn inexplicably to the arts of the mystic, the mind frame of the ever learner, and the goal of the wise. For these people, it is not enough to say “I tried my best” it is only enough to lay exhausted knowing they have given all they can not just of mind and body but also of soul. Mystic Knights are Soul Warriors, burning through their own self and sense of self to make a difference in a world that often has no hope. They are people who refuse that state, they look at the reality of hopelessness and decide that if there is no hope they shall create hope. They look at the impossible and determine there MUST be a way. For the Mystic Knight it is more than books, more than energy, and more than a name. It is a calling in the heart to make a difference in the world. It is the dire need to have done all that one can to not just walk upon the path, but to have the path within the soul.

Elements Beings may have some energies or powers related to their element, or simply have the personality traits associated with their element. It should be noted that many beings have multiple Elemental Associations be it in personality, the elemental makeup, or things of that nature. These beings are not as uncommon as people might think. When specifying a beings element for conjure it is wise to state if the element is simply an emotional property, or an aspect of their physical energetic makeup. Earth Solidity, stability, strength, and calm are the qualities of beings that have the Earth Element as a primary part of what they are. Such beings have incredible durability and often have some healing elements to them. They tend toward the more logical but often have some level of compassion as is the nature of earth elements. They often favor browns and greens as colors. Beings of this element tend to be somewhat less talkative communicating more through feeling than words. They are dependable when set to any task. Air Change, movement, adaptability, speed, and excitability are the qualities of beings that have the Air element as their primary. They tend to be passionate, mentally focused, talkative, focusing heavily on sound based communication. Beings with the Air element tend to be faster than the other elements as their energy is unison with the Air. Air elements are always in a state of change and tend to be very philosophical. When set to any task beings of this type tend to be the most creative yet not always the most resilient. They may need reminding or prompting to continue any work set to them. Water Flow, with adaptable stability, and the ability to deal with any situation are the qualities of beings with the Water element as their primary. Water element beings are very calm, very hard to shake or disrupt, and very capable at a wide array of things. The element of water is flexible but stable and returns to form. Water beings tend to be very relax but can be vicious when angered much like the ocean. These beings are often easy to communicate with but range in their need for communication. While not always the most dependable when set to any task they are extremely adaptable and intuitive. Fire Emotional, passionate, and uncontrollable are often the terms associated with beings of the Fire element. They tend toward transformation, raw power, and intensity. They have much in the way of emotions both positive and negative and tend to be very engaging. They are high emotion type beings, when they are happy they are thrilled and when they are angry they are furious. There are no in between for these beings. These beings are excellent for situations that call for passion, a lack of restraint, or an all out rush. Metal Stability beyond stability. These beings are vastly hard to move or change. They tend toward cold logic and have a resilience that is legendary. They are not extremely communicative but are incredibly dependable and vastly knowledgeable. They tend toward the spectrum of analysis and are unshakable in their convictions. Excellent for guardians or in defensive roles. When set toward a task they tend to be methodical and consistent. Wood Growth and Transformation are the key components of this element. Beings of the wood element tend toward the spectrum of dependability, yet are always growing and changing. These are beings of improvement and a wood being is never satisfied with where they are or what they are. They are always on the road of self transformation. They tend toward the emotional side of things but are still very rational. They are a good choice for one who is seeking a being that will grow along with them and that is very “rooted” in who it is while still transforming its self. When set to a task they are very capable at success through self transformation and are fairly steadfast. Light Burning brightness, stead fast convictions, championing concepts of right and justice, these are the qualities of a being of Light. They tend toward the more positive emotional spectrum, which is the active high end of happy, joyous, but also wrathful when angered. They are the highest vibrational energy state that a being can operate at and tend to be very intense. Light beings have a moral code that is incorruptible. They recognize an agreement as solid, unyielding, and unchanging. When set to a task they agree upon they will move toward the completion of that task with tenacity. They tend to be visual in communication. Dark The epitome of calm, seclusion, reclusive, and hidden. Dark beings tend to be less sociable, and tend toward the lower end of the emotional spectrum. This means when happy it is a reserved kind of happiness, when angered it is a cold anger, and things of that nature. They are the are an incredibly dense vibration energy which obscures other energies and beings of this type tend to have more shifting emotional states. Dark beings, depending on the being type, range more widely than other elements in terms of their concept of honor and conviction. As such beings that are Dark tend to take on more traits of the beings race which are amplified in density. For example a Dwarf that is Dark will be very honorable and will hold to any agreement. Where a Trickster that is dark will be even less reliable then other tricksters. Darkness is a unique energy type in that “The Dark is Undefinable and Undefined” therefore Dark is harder to quantify beyond its emotional qualities. What we can say about it is that it is cloaking, and that can be comforting to some. Hybrid Elements Ice Similar to a mixture of Dark, Water, and Earth some would say that Ice is a hybrid element. This is not so far from the truth as it retains some qualities of each of those elements. It has the stability of earth, but can be forced into change more easily. Further it has the calm, relentless, steady nature of both Dark and Earth. It is then that beings of this element tend to be very logical but not as much as the metal elements. Ice beings are dependable, adaptable, strong, but are very weak to heat in both emotions and energy. This means that when very strong emotions overcome them they “melt” and loose direction emotionally. That said it is rare for emotional states to overwhelm an Ice aligned being and they are an incredible calming influence. Lightning High energy to the extreme, lightning is considered to be the condensation of either air or fire and exhibits properties of both. It is fast, hyper charged, and beings of this energy type tend to be both as well. They are very emotional to a fault and tend to be extreme in their emotional states. A lightning being lacks grounding, no pun intended, and can be difficult to work with. Still they are generally loyal if easily distracted. Lightning beings are incredibly capable at overpowering a task that does not need long term focus and as such are great to task for “immediate” things but not things that require long term care. Storm Storm beings tend to have properties of Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, Ice, Darkness, and lack solely in earth. They are the least grounded element type but can be calm, like the rain, or harsh like a hurricane. As they have many elemental qualities in them it should be known they are a major shifting elemental type and their personality ranges due to their environment and circumstances. Beings of the Storm element are incredibly versatile and often have a strong point in their elemental makeup early on that gives the appearance of one of the other primary elements. These beings lack emotional grounding though and are always on the high side of an emotional state. When a task is put to them they can either take a stead approach like the rain fall or a stronger but less lasting approach like a raging disaster. Some beings can balance these aspects out but that is a rarity. Spirit/Energy Beings of spirit and energy are emotional beings ranging from all sides of the spectrum. Their qualities are very undefined and they are often “Jacks of All Trades” in that they may have many skills in many areas. They are incredibly useful for putting to a single task as they have a variety of abilities and skills as well as the depth of mind and focus to handle almost anything they go up against. However they lack the specialization of a single elemental energy and as such rarely can fill a specialized role.

The Point of Contact: By Charles McBride I have practiced some form of mysticism since I was a young man in my teens and during that time I have found one universal inconstant. That is right, not a universal constant but a universal inconstant and that is how several people can evoke or conjure several beings and get such wildly different results. The questions seem to outweigh the answers. Are we all mad? Are there any universal truths? Why so many differences in so many sources? Who is right about about the description of this (God, Goddess, Demon, Angel, Spirit, or Djin)? In this little article we are going to begin exploring that a bit. First though there is a little story to go with it. During recent work for a client and friend of mine I was asked to do Shamanic Journey on their behalf. To clear out negative influences, forces, and a particular negative entity they have been dealing with for years. This was to help with their third eye and I experienced great success in this. What is important in this story though is not the initial battle with the being, a demon incubus of no kindness, but what happened after. I stood in their soul realm looking about, I felt... my task was not yet complete. I looked about, did healing, all the things I would normally do. Then I felt a presence, linked to them but not IN them, connected through some point of reference in time. Something they had come across when very young that stayed with them. I sought this presence out. It was the Demon King known as Baal. Vast, powerful, I asked Baal to leave first and let go of whatever connection. Having worked with him many times I recognized his power and he should recognize my friendship but also my authority. He didn't recognize either. He struck me hard and fast in this realm and I experienced pain. I took this to be a fight and I ended the fight the only way I end any fight. I won. Yet why the fight if Baal and I are on such good terms? We know each other and have worked well together. While I know the answer to this I know many would not understand it. This is a sad truth that should be addressed and I shall address it here and now for our community. Why is this Baal so much different from any other encounter I would have with him. Because this is not the Baal that I would connect to, though it is of the same root. The Point of Contact: We are now going to reference an understanding that will serve you well as a spirit keeper, conjurer, evoker, sorcerer, wizard, witch, shaman, or any other form of mystic worker. You never, and I mean NEVER contact the whole of a being. Beings are vast, and anyone telling you they have contacted the whole of a being is, in my view mistaken. Consider how vast you are though first. You can be kind, cruel, compassionate, understanding, loving, hateful, vengeful, merciful, and so much more. You yourself have many aspects, many thousands of aspects. At any given point and time you may be any number of things and are many things to many different people. You are a flow of possibilities with certain innate characteristics. Beings are as vast as you are at least, and in this one respect possibly vaster, and in this they are often equally vast in the faces they can show. It is The Point of Contact in ritual, energy work, or communication though that defines the being. It is a combination of expectation combined with the beings innate characteristic. Let us use a different example though as many people will be touchy about the use of demons in this discussion. Instead let us speak of something equally touchy, Gods. When you evoke or conjure Odin for example if you evoke or conjure Odin as a complete being then he will, for the most part, be Odin with some traits being zoned in more toward your understanding but with the full presence of the current that is Odin. You are holding space and creating and opening for the Odin Current to flow into a Truer form of Odin. Yet what if you conjured Odin for Wrath? Certainly he is a war god, certainly wrath and the berserker are a part of his make up. So you would get a limited flow from the Odin Current into a form far more violent, far more enraged, and suited for only one communication and purpose. The Point of Contact then is EVERYTHING in a binding, conjuration, or evocation. Now take into consideration with the Odin example you left this being, a manifestation of an aspect of Odin but a manifestation directed toward only one purpose, existing tied to a location. Any who came across this binding would likely receive a thorough beating. Yet for man Odin is a Grandfatherly Figure of vast power and wisdom, for the poor fool who came across this binding they would know him as a God of Death. It is no less Odin or Odin's power. Yet Odin is far greater than any other understanding. An aspect of Odin as most is what we connect to, for if the fullness of any being were to set forth on earth it would be the end. This goes for Gods, Goddesses, Demons, Angels, and even YOU. You are an aspect of the flow of you being presented on this plane at this moment. The whole of you is beyond full comprehension. Now going back to Baal, we can see more clearly what was done. Likely a Goetic Ritual was done, and what was left behind by the inexperienced was Baal. It was not Baal though the man of business as I know him, Baal the Wise, or Baal the Leader. It was Baal the Vengeful, Baal the Wrathful, Baal the hateful! It was tied to that place, and when my friend and client ran into this, of course it attached as much as it could seeking some understanding of freedom. In this the Point of Contact was traced clearly and easily. Yet often times this applies to other things as well. Many bindings and bindings of Gods, Goddesses, and Angels will feel different from one mystic doing the work to another. This is simply put we gain a bit of that understanding form their filter.

The Rosequartz Labyrinth New Conjure Acceptance Guide: A guide by Charles McBride. All rights reserved, copyrighted The Rosequartz Labyrinth and Charles McBride 2017. Hello and Welcome Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of conjuration, spirit keeping, and evocation. If your reading this document you have either purchased a being from The Rosequartz Labyrinth, one of our affiliates, or simply have an interest in our suggestions for bonding practices with your beings. You may be old or new to this art form and practice and we hope that this document will see you well on your way as a Keeper or Evoker. The difference between Keeper and Evoker really depends on what you are expecting and what work you are putting in to working with your beings. The Keeper focuses more on the bond between being and human. The Evoker while possibly being a keeper also focuses on how to help their being best work in the mundane world to provide results. While we have a section on www.rosequartzlabyrinth.com (also known as RQL) on Evocation for Spirit Keepers found under our educational section we always feel it is good to address both ideals when talking about the welcoming of a spirit. With the pleasantries out of the way, now is a good time for us to move into the acceptance phase and bonding phase of spirit keeping. Defining The Focus If you received your conjure from RQL recently no doubt you received a picture of either the conjuration or binding work (or possibly both). Likewise now or in the past you may have opted for a seal or sigil to be crafted for you to better work with the being conjured for you. While this may not be included with other conjurers work, or with our older work, we will also provide a method to work with any of these to help with the accepting process. Having a picture of the work, a seal or sigil, or some link to the being is immensely useful. If you do not have these things though, you already have a powerful link in the bonding process you can use instead. You undoubtedly have the beings name! This simply written on a piece of paper will be enough to help with the bonding process. We ourselves find more complex methods offer stronger bonds in our own research. Even without a complex seal, picture of the work, or other link though so long as you have the name you can use our methods to help with the bonding process. The name, picture of the work, or seal will further be called “The Focus” in the rest of this guide and will be part of what you use in connecting with the being other than direct communication. When we reference The Focus we suggest the most complex form be used. Seals and sigils are more complex than pictures, and pictures are more complex than names. Still regardless of what you use The Focus acts as a medium between you and the being you are working with. The Initial Bonding Process! The biggest question we get asked is HOW BEST to bond with our beings! My advice almost always comes down to taking some time to relax and meditate with the being. Meditation in this form of the word simply means focusing on your breathing and seeing what sensations come about while focusing on the concept of the being in question. Even with this simple advice being phenomenally useful sometimes I offer a different method to my clients. In this The Focus is used to help amplify their connection to their being. In the initial bonding process, or to enhance an existing bond, it can be amazingly beneficial to first place the focus as the center of simple ritual. This means having the focus on paper and placing a small tealight candle or offering of wine, water, or other liquid that will not curdle on top of it. I recommend the candle method first as something within the act of a candle burning down triggers the mind to accept connection. Still if you have any phobia of fire then the liquid offering is just as good. As the offering is consumed either through evaporation or burning this helps to solidify that bond. It is our way of reaching out to the being and showing we want that connection. Of course a more complex ritual bonding is very viable. Yet this simple act of acceptance, welcome, and physically showing a want to connect can have amazing results! Working With Your Conjure Another important step we have found in the bonding process is communication. Many Keepers and Evokers miss this next tip even if they have been keeping and evoking beings for years! This may be the simplest yet most powerful part of the process and it has to do with communication. In this during a moment of relaxation, again deep breathing for a few minutes in a relaxed environment will serve you well, ask your being not just to manifest to you but to help your energy reach theirs in vibration as well as in power. If that seems overly simple recognize this. We operate on a different spectrum of awareness from most of our spiritual companions. Because of this we have to shift focus TO that spectrum. Yet it can take years of training to achieve the ability to do that at will. Instead though a being can help us by shifting our awareness, or energy, to their spectrum. Further often times our companions are at different levels of power than we are at that moment. If they are sufficiently more powerful than we are in that moment we may not be able to sense them. This simple act of asking them to help in this way can make the bonding process much easier. Give Them Time It is a good idea to give your companion time to get use to the environment, to you, and to help you feel their presence. Many loose heart in the first day having not even done these simple things to help the connection. Other times what is experienced is written off as “not enough” and a negative mentality is taken. This mentality will have an impact on the being in question and encourage them to NOT work toward bridging the distance between you and them. Not only do you need to give them time, but yourself time to acclimatize to them. Repeating the bonding ritual, working with them to learn to sense them, and being encouraging when some contact is made instead of discouraging will take you far! Closing Notes The bonding process is the first step in working with a being either for companionship, toward a goal, or even if it is just curiosity that has brought you to this. It is often the most overlooked part of the process and is one that is skipped over far too readily. These tips are compiled from experiences of others in the field, from advice given to them, and formulated into a simple system we hope will help you to gain all that you can from your conjuration experience!

The most basic meditation you are ever going to do to feel energy is perhaps the most overlooked meditation. Often times when a student, beginner, novice, or even one who has studied for awhile asks about feeling energy they begin by making the great mistake of leading the mentor in the wrong direction. They come to the mentor speaking of blockages, issues with opening the third eye, or other such things. Yet they have not mastered this more basic meditation and as such they may be failing to sense energy they can already feel. This meditation I call “Awareness Meditation” and while it exists in many forms through many name I will refer to it as this here and now. The secrete to Awareness Meditation is that it begins focusing on what we sense daily, and moves on to learning how to use that sense as it concerns the extra sensory. The reason for this is that all sensation happens within the body on some level. No extra sense exists outside of the body. Even intuition which is often described as “that feeling in the pit of the stomach” is a feeling, a sensation found in the pit of the stomach. As soon as we remove this need for a sense to be outside of the body we must recognize we are not exceptionally aware of the existing senses. Let us get on to the basic meditation then. Step 1) Sit in a relaxed, upright position. You may choose to sit in any number of meditative poses but it is required only that you be seated for this. As you progress you will find you can do this meditation at any point. During this first exercise you will close your eyes to remove extra stimuli. Step 2) Begin by focusing on your breathing. If you prefer to do deep breathing exercises that is fine but it is more imperative that you focus on the breathing than anything else. Step 3) After focusing on the breathing for a few minutes shift your focus to the physical senses you are aware of. Take note of the surface you are sitting on. Take note of the air currents in motion around you as well. Notice the sounds you do not otherwise note, the sense of temperature. Ultimately the goal is to take in as much of the senses as possible. During this phase take the time to simply be as you are experiencing the senses. Step 4) This step should only be taken after you have done steps 1 through 3 a number of times already. Attempting step 4 on the first meditation while not ill advised often leads one to not having the existing awareness of existing stimuli. In this step you are to take note of your senses, the air, the sounds, the internal feelings, but in this you are to contemplate which of those impressions have no physical source. Further all sensations, with and without physical source, are to be a source of contemplation on their meaning. Let the thoughts of these impressions come to you naturally. So what does this Awareness Meditation do for you? It provides information to you about the energetic environment around you. Over time you learn to trust your senses, and in this trust you gain the ability to FEEL the energetic realm in motion. This is a core level meditation all mystics engage in at some point and has great benefits to the practicing mystic.

Limits and The Metaphysical There are hard and soft limits in the world that we must always be ready to recognize. Hard limits are those that can not be broken completely such as the permanence of death, the fact of gravity as a force acting upon us, and the nature of time. However there are also soft limits in reality such as events that are in motion that may play out, the roll of dice in motion within our world, and how much hard limits are impacting any moment sometimes fall into the realm of this soft limit. Discerning the two is ever important in the mystic's life and it is the art of the mystic to know the difference between the two. Hard Limits: A hard limit is by definition not breakable without other physical actions in place. Examples of this include gravity. Without some intervening force gravity will hold things down. However when we interject against that force, such as by throwing a ball, jumping, running, or using our muscles we create energy in motion. Once energy is in motion a hard limit becomes a soft limit. Through proper application of energy we can then alter the hard limit directly. This means running faster, jumping higher, or becoming heavier or lighter to perspective forces. This is often seen in the “light as a feather, stiff as a board” exercise that many try when entering the mystical workings. It is seen in the control of a candle flame, the flexing of energy through a muscle, or the amplification of force when we strike an object. Energy when in motion is not a hard limit, but when at rest it becomes a hard limit. Soft Limits: Soft limits are those limitation of how greatly we can influence energy in motion. You may amplify your energy when striking an object so that you break through it but you have not amplified your energy enough to strike it and rebuild it. This is because the energy is being applied to a physical force in motion. The more practical application to the mystic is the soft limit of probability. At any one moment you have a probability of thousands of things that could be beneficial or detrimental to your life and existence. It is this soft limit that magick influences by subtly shifting the soft limit of probability. As probability is the “weakest of the soft limits” this makes the directions of events in accordance with will the easiest of magicks in many ways. Confusing Situations: What about those times when a Soft Limit simply is not giving way though? These situations are where a Soft Limit and a Hard Limit are being confused. Let us take the classic “Job Application Spell” that is used so frequently. A mystic casts for a job application to be accepted, yet there is less than a 1% chance of that acceptance. The person has none of the qualifications, a poorly written portfolio and resume, and to boot has no experience in the field. No amount of magick is going to redirect this as there is nothing in motion on the side of the person being cast for. Simply put magick encourages the possible to resolve in our favor, it does not encourage the truly impossible. Curses: Often people will ask “What about Curses” when hearing this. To be fair a curse is playing on whatever probability exists to cause ill toward a person. In any given day there is some percentage change of a fire happening, a storm occurring, a driver missing a stop sign, or a thousand other things that could cause injury, harm, or death to another person. In this respect it is easier to throw a curse than it is to cause a benefit to a person as this is an energy in motion constantly. Our lives are at risk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without stop. Any time you look at the news this reality comes into play. Curses then are generally the easiest things to do as they only aim toward the ill happenings of a person. Blessings: If curses are easy then so are general blessings. A general blessing is magick that brings SOME kind of good toward a potential target, and increases the chances of good things happening for them. The more specific a blessing the harder to achieve the result. This said as there are any number of a thousand positive events that can occur to someone in a given day, nearly as many as negative events, it is very easy to place a blessing upon another person or ourselves. In fact this simple, but powerful, form of mysticism is often overlooked. People want “this job” or “that deal sealed” instead of recognizing that a general blessing will get them the ultimate result of better life circumstances! Final Thoughts: Knowing the difference between Hard Limits, Soft Limits, and the gray area between the two is important in magick. Often the mystic is called upon to work on something closer to the Hard Limit than the soft limit. Likewise you will often find either from a mystic, or as a mystic yourself, there will be the encouragement of actions to help turn a situation that is a hard limit into a soft limit to increase the effectiveness of magicks. This is necessary as overcoming a Hard Limit through raw force of will while not impossible is considerably costly in both time and resources. It is rare that a Hard Limit is overcome directly. However likewise many things are simply NEAR the spectrum of a Hard Limit and as such with time, patience, and the application of proper work will become closer and closer to a soft limit until such time as they become a reality. Never underestimate the power of magick, but don't jump out of a plane without a parachute either.