Alright, so i have recently begun studying magic and Wicca and my visualization, meditation, etc. abilities aren't quite there yet, but i just a few questions:
1. Were do i start?
2.What art should i practice first?
3.What books should i read?
I know what is really important right now is mastering meditation and visualization, but I need to know whats after that. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Were to start?
Re: Were to start?
You will probably get a lot of varied answers to these questions, but I will give you mine:
Where to start? To me, magic is about understanding and manipulating subtle forces flowing in the universe. So, the best thing that you can do to get the ball rolling is to start paying attention to those subtle forces. Synchronicity (and coincidences, though they aren't exactly the same thing), dreams and gut instincts, signs that the abyss is staring back. Do you ever sense patterns or beings that logic and physical senses cannot strictly define? Do you ever sense when something is going to happen? Natural ability or talent is not required, but perception is, usually. Meditation is hugely helpful in developing that perception, but it's not the only way. Simple forms of divination like pendulums can be helpful, though it can be tricky to get specific information.
It also depends on if you're looking for practical results (wealth, protection, luck, sex) or if your goals are more abstract (to predict the future, to astral project, communion with various entities, to gain gnosis or some other power). If practical results are what you are after, witchcraft, hoodoo, santeria and other practices are good things to look into. Chaos magic is good for practical results, too, and for abstract ones, and is easy to practice (though you can end up moving a bit too fast sometimes as a result).
For more .. is "esoteric" the right word?.. kind of goals, ceremonial magic can be useful (there are several different sects and methodologies), as well as astrology, Gnosticism, and even some Eastern Religions.
(I know that my examples are not complete, and may not be the best but as I am primarily a Chaos magician and a beginning practitioner of hoodoo, my expertise doesn't go much beyond that.)
As for what to read, don't start with the Necronomicon. XD
For a general intro to magical thinking, I would recommend Ramsey Dukes's SSOTBME. For specific guidelines and practices in hoodoo, Cat Yronwode's Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic. Peter Carroll is a good place to start with chaos magic, and I would recommend looking into the DKMU for that, as well.
Aside from that, I don't have too many specific resources. If you're interested in ceremonial magic or Thelema, then Aleister Crowley would probably be best.
Wicca was never my thing, so I don't really have input on that. o.o
Where to start? To me, magic is about understanding and manipulating subtle forces flowing in the universe. So, the best thing that you can do to get the ball rolling is to start paying attention to those subtle forces. Synchronicity (and coincidences, though they aren't exactly the same thing), dreams and gut instincts, signs that the abyss is staring back. Do you ever sense patterns or beings that logic and physical senses cannot strictly define? Do you ever sense when something is going to happen? Natural ability or talent is not required, but perception is, usually. Meditation is hugely helpful in developing that perception, but it's not the only way. Simple forms of divination like pendulums can be helpful, though it can be tricky to get specific information.
It also depends on if you're looking for practical results (wealth, protection, luck, sex) or if your goals are more abstract (to predict the future, to astral project, communion with various entities, to gain gnosis or some other power). If practical results are what you are after, witchcraft, hoodoo, santeria and other practices are good things to look into. Chaos magic is good for practical results, too, and for abstract ones, and is easy to practice (though you can end up moving a bit too fast sometimes as a result).
For more .. is "esoteric" the right word?.. kind of goals, ceremonial magic can be useful (there are several different sects and methodologies), as well as astrology, Gnosticism, and even some Eastern Religions.
(I know that my examples are not complete, and may not be the best but as I am primarily a Chaos magician and a beginning practitioner of hoodoo, my expertise doesn't go much beyond that.)
As for what to read, don't start with the Necronomicon. XD
For a general intro to magical thinking, I would recommend Ramsey Dukes's SSOTBME. For specific guidelines and practices in hoodoo, Cat Yronwode's Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic. Peter Carroll is a good place to start with chaos magic, and I would recommend looking into the DKMU for that, as well.
Aside from that, I don't have too many specific resources. If you're interested in ceremonial magic or Thelema, then Aleister Crowley would probably be best.
Wicca was never my thing, so I don't really have input on that. o.o
Re: Were to start?
You've fall a victim of popular misconception, eastern mystical techniques like meditation are unrelated to magic.
I don't know where you should start, but I recommend A Collection Of Magical Secrets & A Treatise of Mixed Cabalah tr from Wellcome MS4669 by St Skinner & D Rankine. It is authentic manuscript being a mixture of advanced spirit magic and folk tricks, is easy to do, and will show you both branches of western magic. Check out the last chapter, practice it wholly with angel work, then try some spells from first part, or the heptacles.
I don't know where you should start, but I recommend A Collection Of Magical Secrets & A Treatise of Mixed Cabalah tr from Wellcome MS4669 by St Skinner & D Rankine. It is authentic manuscript being a mixture of advanced spirit magic and folk tricks, is easy to do, and will show you both branches of western magic. Check out the last chapter, practice it wholly with angel work, then try some spells from first part, or the heptacles.
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sasquatchjc
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Re: Were to start?
Thank you both on your input, although i don't quite understand the abbreviations for books you guys use, ill try to find them somehow. As for meditation being unrelated to magic, yes i know it is, however it does help with many things. Also @ reptilian, i have noticed that sometimes i have a quick vision, and my conscious mind forgets about it, but when the moment comes (could be a day, week or month from that point) i remember seeing it in the past, like a deja vu moment. Also my dreams are becoming ever more lucid (and alot stranger o.O). For instance, last night i dreamed that i kept having hallucinations of my dog who recently passed away.. every so often i would see her walk around, and when i tried to talk or move it was like time was slowed down... very odd indeed. And yeah im looking for just results in general, abstract or practical. I would be fine with just gaining the ability to astral project any time i want, but if i got my self a little source of income from somewhere unknown, that'd be fine too 
Re: Were to start?
If it's Wicca you're interested in, Buckland's complete book of witchcraft is a reasonably good starting point, it's got quite a broad scope, goes to a reasonable depth, and suggests plenty of further reading on the many topics within.
I haven't read SSOTBME yet, but I have just bought myself a copy, it's going to be a birthday present to myself ^_^ I couldn't find the Dukes' version, I got a copy that is what the essay contained before Dukes revised it, but was published about 5 years after. It's an odd one..
SSOTBME is the title of the book, I don't know if it's an abbreviation as it's not my birthday yet ;P
I haven't read SSOTBME yet, but I have just bought myself a copy, it's going to be a birthday present to myself ^_^ I couldn't find the Dukes' version, I got a copy that is what the essay contained before Dukes revised it, but was published about 5 years after. It's an odd one..
SSOTBME is the title of the book, I don't know if it's an abbreviation as it's not my birthday yet ;P
Re: Were to start?
Actually, Lucan, though I understand that there may be a general misconception about Eastern religions and magic, I can assure you that they are, on some level, related. I am quite familiar with Taoism, both as a philosophy and as a Chinese folk religion, and there is quite a lot of potential for magical workings there.
As I understand it, the title SSOTBME is not an abbreviation so much as a private joke made by the author. o.o
And if you're having "visions" as you describe, that would be a good place to start. Maybe looking into some type of scrying would yield interesting results? And dream walking can be fantastic, too. I've got a good amount of experience regarding dream worlds, lucid dreaming, dream walking and other related matters so you can PM me if you'd like more information about that.
As I understand it, the title SSOTBME is not an abbreviation so much as a private joke made by the author. o.o
And if you're having "visions" as you describe, that would be a good place to start. Maybe looking into some type of scrying would yield interesting results? And dream walking can be fantastic, too. I've got a good amount of experience regarding dream worlds, lucid dreaming, dream walking and other related matters so you can PM me if you'd like more information about that.
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sasquatchjc
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- Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:19 am
Re: Were to start?
Its funny that you mention scrying... i started off with reiki practices, but i always wanted to do scrying instead... And i have always been fascinated with dreams and what you could do with them (and how much fun it probably is 
) i might have to take you up on that PM
) i might have to take you up on that PM Re: Were to start?
If your interest is in scrying then that's probably a great place to start. Your interest will assist in the focusing of intent and energy needed for effective magic.
I'm also looking for a black crystal ball or black scrying surface, myself. XD
I'm also looking for a black crystal ball or black scrying surface, myself. XD