Mastering the Basics of Magick
By
The Beheaded Jester
As with everything worthwhile in life – mastering the basics of a practice seems to gift the ‘operator’ with higher levels of effectiveness when performing an act at any stage of difficulty. This can be seen within different disciplines such as martial arts, visual arts, and even intellectual pursuits – and let’s not forget Magick.
“The Basics” or the “Fundamentals” act as the foundational structure that sustains more complex expressions of any practice – yet always demonstrates a clear path back to the original condition. This is important because when we take a closer look at the “nature of chaos” – we can clearly see that “complex structures” have simplistic origins and that despite the current complexity of a particular concept/system – mastering the basics can “evolve into more complex states/forms naturally” when enough “time” has gone by.
One way to visually observe this concept in action is to play around with John Conway’s Game of Life, which is a zero-player-game – meaning, “Evolution is determined by its initial state requiring no further input”. Similarly, our thoughts and action also typically stem from a very basic concept/idea and evolve into something more complex and at times, seemingly autonomous. This is the nature of sigil work.
This makes one wonder – “How much of my current behavior stems from basic ideas/actions that formed before conscious awareness?” More importantly – “how does my current behavior reinforce counter-productive attitudes/responses in my life that impedes me from attaining higher states of functionality?”
When you begin to work on these “often-overlooked” areas of your magickal practices – you will begin to notice a dramatic shift in the effectiveness of your magicks.
To understand the “basics of Magick” we first need to do a weak attempt at defining magick. While the following won’t be a “definitive definition” at all – we will utilize it simply as a frame of reference for the sake of understanding this particular document.
As with everything in Magick – perspective helps us determine whether truth is functional or not. Thus – for the sake of the following piece of content we will say that “Magick is exerting your will on your environment to effect change to reality” or in more simplistic language – “To change shit according to your will”.
From this basic concept – we then can start looking at what conditions “bending reality to your will” would require, to be “true”. However, any adept practitioner knows that attempting to define [permanently] reality is folly when you’re trying to affect actual change. You don’t need to understand “why” it works – simply “how it works”.
The Operator [or Magick Practitioner] utilizes their current knowledge base [paradigm/belief system] and modifies their physical behavior with the understanding that “whatever they do” will either have a positive or negative result in attaining their desired state. The principles of Cause and Effect.
Once we understand that our actions [and reactions] are what affect change in our environment – we then can begin the arduous task of modifying our thought and action to establish/reinforce the initial conditions that will sustain our desired state in the future.
For example – if you wish to be happier in your life, you can revert happiness to the conditions required to be happy – or in other worlds – what does it mean to be happy? Depending on your definition – you’ll then focus on these conditions to manifest the desire.
In the case of Happiness [according to me];
Happiness = Acceptance + Gratitude
When you identify the initial conditions or the foundational action/idea – you simply require focusing on increasing the prevalence of these instances to manifest the desired state [over time]. If you want to be happier – find more things to be grateful for and accept the things you can’t change.
No matter the spells, sacrifices, and potions you take – if you do not understand and adapt your behavior to mimic the “initial conditions” of your “desired states” – you’ll always fall short of your objectives.
“The Great Work” is about a continual state of internal/external transformations. The Operator experiments with their paradigms and tests its effectiveness in delivering results according to the true will. When an idea or belief no longer produces the desired results – the process of liberation occurs where the operator adopts a new “more-functional” way of looking at things.
However – even within all of these processes, a few things remain constant within the experience of the Operator. It is the purpose of this written form to re-emphasize the importance of mastering these “constant-variables” to make more complex practices more effective.
The Core of All Magicks
Irrespective of whether you follow strict ritualistic-heavy magickal pathways, or whether you’re winging it like the best of us. There are a few concepts/ideas that are true within it all. Some of these “core concepts” include [and is not limited to],
- Your Psycocosm – Your “map” of the inner/outer [belief system] and your Sense-Modality Interpretation Framework [how you collect raw cosmic data]
- The Weight of your Words – “Word is bond”, Language Package, Literary Prisons, etc.
- Temple Maintenance – Energy Working throughout the body, diet, exercise, etc.
- Neuro-Dynamical Training – Stilling the mind, inducing states, visualizations, etc.
As you can see – these concepts all pertain directly to YOU – the Operator. That means that this applies to ALL MAGICKS since modifying these core-functions directly influences your actions.
The following section is dedicated to detailing “Why” these key concepts are so important within your magickal work and why it is important to implement disciplines for regular upkeep.
Mapping and Remapping the Psychocosm
The “Psychocosm” which is a “mental map” of the world around you. One of the key principles that any magickian needs to understand is that “There is NO DIFFERENCE between what happens in your mind and what happens outside of your mind.”
We are subjected to the illusion of “There and Here” when in reality “Here is There and There is Here” simultaneously. You are limited solely to ‘what you believe to be true’ even if what you believe to be true is completely and ridiculously “not-true”.
Some might argue that approaching the world with such great “fantasy” is folly. After all, if a magickal practitioner believes that they can fly and jump off a tall building – gravity might decide to intervene and instruct them differently. This is all the evidence a rationalist would need to discard the notion that “As Inside – So Outside”.
However, the rationalist fails to recognize that perhaps the splattered-hypothetical magickian who leaped to their doom – while believing that they could fly, was incapable of overriding the belief in gravity – and thus, the superior and more entrenched belief [Gravity] trumped the lesser and more malleable belief [I can Fly]. In other words – the fact that the magickian fell to their death was a confirmation that their belief dictated their reality.
When we talk about the psychocosm – we’re not saying “adopt asinine belief systems” & mindfuck yourself to a better life [which is totally fine if that’s what you choose], we’re talking about “constantly evolving your belief system”.
For the Operator, functionality is the supreme ruler. If a belief is not functional – it needs either to be replaced, modified or banished completely. Functionality is determined by “how effective it is in bringing you closer to your will”.
Once the Operator becomes aware that a “psychocosm exists”, they need to begin to understand ‘how to change it’. The way you do this is to become aware of your “Sense Modality Interpretation Framework” or as we like to call them “our senses”.
We all interpret the world according to our senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, “feeling”, etc. We can alter our perception by placing more or less emphasis on any or all of these Sense-Modalities. We rely more on some senses than others – but utilize senses to store information in our bodies/minds/psychocosms.
By mastering the “way you interpret data” – you can more efficiently alter your psychocosm. Thus, it’s advised that Operators of Magick work on improving the efficiency of their senses. Some practical ways to do this are to “reduce certain senses” such as wearing a blindfold for an hour or wearing sound-canceling headsets. Limiting one of the senses will increase the “bandwidth” of the other senses. Focusing on different senses at a time will give the Operator more control over the data-intake of the senses [choosing what to hear/see/feel/etc.]
It is not the purpose of this content to show you exact ways on how to achieve this – but merely put these concepts on your map so that the Operator can devise their daily practices. To not leave you high and dry – try some mental gymnastics, sensory deprivation, sensory overstimulation, fatigue training, etc. For Psychocosm Manipulation – reading has been a staple, however, binging Youtube Videos of your favorite Mystic would work just as well. These are only examples to get you started – be creative!
Did you know that your Words are FAT!
Why is “Word is Bond” so important? After all – a magickian can use deceit to hir advantage. Why then is “word of bond” so important in virtually all of the magickal pathways?
Because – “Word” shapes the “World”. The Universe or “The Single Spoken Verse” or “The Word” exists according to how we describe it. This means that what comes out of your mouth is shaping the world around you.
If you subscribe to the Panpsychist model of the universe – everything is consciousness and in essence, would “respond to your words”. Even within an atheistic-psychological model of the world – the weight of your words matter.
And thus – another core practice in magick is “word is bond”. The reason why a magickian wishes to align “word and deed” is because dissonance between the two can negatively affect your spell work.
If your “Word is NOT bond” – that means “what you say is not always true”. And while “Truth” is subjective within the realm of magick – the lack of credibility in one’s words mean that you can’t always “trust” what is being said.
Let’s put it this way – if you have an acquaintance that says, “I’ll be there at 5 PM” yet always shows up an hour or two later – the next time they establish a time to meet, how much importance would you give their words? Would you show up at 6? Would you call them before to make sure that they are on their way? How else would you modify your behavior to compensate for the “lack of validity” in their words?
If the weight of someone’s words is of paramount importance to us – then arguably to ensure that our own words carry weight is even more important.
“Word is Bond” is not only the practice of aligning Word/Deed but also to increase “trust in the words uttered” which will directly affect the effectiveness of your spell work. If you were to repeat a mantra; “I am love, I love and receive love”, yet do not actively practice “word is bond” – how could you “trust” the mantra to be true? Wouldn’t the empty words simply be that – empty and without meaning?
Thus, “Word is Bond” is more important for the Operator – in the sense to increase the effectiveness of their utterings – that to those in the immediate area of the Operator.
Once the Operator understands that “words actually matter” – they can start looking at the mechanics of words and the power it holds to shape realities [psychocosms in oneself and others].
For example, consider the phrase; “A Promise is a Prison” and realize that a true magickian never makes a promise because a true magickian understands that within the dynamics of chaos – no future scenario is “set in stone”.
A promise imprisons the receiver of the promise under the expectations of a faux-reality. Usually – a promise requires a “desired state” which would be “delivered or given” by the “giver” after a set period. The “receiver” then modifies their behavior/expectation according to the dynamics agreed upon in the initial promise effectively constructing “limitations of behavior”. While there are no physical bars – the receiver now lives within a “constrained reality.”
However, the prison is not solely for the “receiver” of the promise. The “giver” also by default, now lives under the confines of the “expectations of the receiver” and will be held accountable for the action or lack of action concerning the initial agreement. The giver is in a prison of the exact dimensions of the expectation of the receiver – and thus, is forced to modify behavior and operate within “constrained reality”.
Therefore – a promise is a prison especially when “word is bond”. The question is – how many prisons have you constructed and how many prisons have you been put in?
To escape the prison as a ‘giver’ – you need to face reality, accept the punishment and break the bond/promise. This means – actually going to the person and letting them know that you cannot comply with the “promised conditions”. The receiver in this instance either has the ability to “accept the circumstances” and release you from the bond – or “reject the apology” and hold you in contempt until they can “forgive the trespass”. The latter is not the concern of the magickian – only the first initial step of “liberation from the promise”.
If you are the “Receiver” of the promise – you simply need to break the established bond and liberate the “giver” – effectively dissolving both prisons.
Ultimately – you modify your practices, commitments and value the words you speak because if you have a “word is bond” that is as true as can be – whenever you utter magickal words, follow rituals, give blessings or curses – it will be far more REAL to you and will have more “weight” to influence all that is around you.
Temple Maintenance – You thought this was all mental?
Many times magickians fail to recognize the importance of “temple maintenance”. They have beautifully constructed alters, amazingly intricate sigils, deep spiritual journeys, and life-altering illuminations. However, while all of their magickal work might be up to par – their cholesterol levels, sugar levels, blood circulation, organs, bones, teeth, eyes and so forth – are all in shambles!
Magick is not solely for the metaphysical – the physical is very important too! Your body has memory, power, emotions, etc. Your body and mind are NOT different – it simply is a different expression of the same thing.
Remember – You are NOT your Soul or your Body – You HAVE a soul and a body. You ARE a higher dimensional entity that is currently “Operating your body/mind”.
This means – that you are just as responsible for maintaining your body as you are responsible for maintaining your mind/spirit.
I’m not saying that you should become a bodybuilder or take up some insane sport – unless you’re into those sorts of things. However, learning to work with your body will improve your magickal prowess.
With better circulation/health – you can last longer in gnostic states, you can effectively “move energy/emotions” caught in your body/mind as well as increase vitality, emotional homeostasis, improve your health, reach higher mental/spiritual states.
This is why all of the “Greats” spoke so highly of Yogic practices. They understood that the “Great Work” is not solely the domain of the mind/emotions, but intricately connected with the body.
Working on the body is working on “Word is Bond”. It’s bridging the gap between “what is said and what is done”.
Thus – if you haven’t already – take up some sort of “physical magickal practice” whether it’s yoga, martial arts, tai chi, ballet, biking, hiking, archery, etc. Whatever you choose – give it the importance of “magickal training”.
You’re not just “losing weight” or “improving your health” – you are working on the “whole picture”. Furthermore – yoga and similar practices can be directly incorporated to charge sigils, to focus one’s mind, to banish unwanted emotions, etc.
I could write volumes on the benefits of Yogic practices – however, it won’t “hit home” until the Operator engages with it hirself.
Neuro-Dynamical Training – Mastering the Mind
Finally – for the sake of these words written here – we come to “neuro-dynamical training” which entails all things like “Meditation, trances, memory, visualization, etc”.
Most magickians spend a great deal of time on this core-function, however, there is a difference between “meditative work” and “Deliberate meditative work”.
Perhaps, in the beginning, sitting quietly for 20-30 minutes and simply trying to achieve gnosis is good enough to start. However, there will come a point where you have to “note progress” – meaning, there needs to be a deliberate effort to become more efficient with things of the mind.
Once more – cerebral gymnastics, specific/diverse meditative practices, breathwork, memory exercises and even playing video games [as a magickal practice] can help with this area.
Every single day – try to block out some time where you can work on mastering the mind. Read books that help you unlock these skills. I would recommend Prometheus Rising & Undoing Yourself with Energized Meditation as a good starting point.
Within these books are exercises that will stretch your imagination, challenge your belief systems and show you just how powerful you can be. However, as with every good thing – time, dedication and practice are keys to success.
Establish the Program – Execute the Will
While there are many more “core-basics” we could look at – I believe that for now; this is plenty. There is one final thing I’d like to suggest before fucking off into the digisphere.
Establish a schedule. While this work will continually evolve and shift in dynamics – the fact of the matter is that practicing the basics is something that needs to happen daily. This can only be attained if you give importance to the work.
Personally – I had to change my sleeping habits to accommodate this type of training. Where I used to be a night owl – I forced myself to wake up at 5:31 AM every morning to start with this kind of intense-deliberate magickal practice. It was tough for the first few weeks, but now – I wake up in the morning without any complications and have ample time/opportunity to focus my work on things that are truly important [for me].
Of course – any and all of this can be ignored – however, you would be unwise to do so. Eventually, you’ll realize that by “Mastering the Basics” – you will have more power and reach than you could ever imagine. Sometimes the road to greatness is paved with bricks of the mundane. Yet – while the brick might be mundane – without it – the road cannot exist.
– J. F. Gerber