Meditation: The Foundation of Magickal Pratice
The first step along any occult path is meditation. It helps to get your mind into an altered state that makes you more sensitive to everything outside of yourself- specifically the Source and the universal consciousness- and doing any energy or spell work. Just about every book on anything occult will tell you to start here. They'll tell you how important it is to "quiet your mind" and how you need to be able to do that for long periods of time to truly be effective.
For a beginner, this can be incredibly frustrating. It's like saying "don't think of a pink elephant". You just did, didn't you?
I struggled with this for a long time. I'd approach mediation like a task that had to be accomplished. I'd be so focused on keeping my mind blank, I was actually doing anything but. Every time thoughts would come, and they will, I'd get frustrated. Some people just can't sit still and quiet like that. What about them? Are they just SOL?
No.
First, mediation should be a relaxing thing, not stressful or frustrating. It's important when starting out to have a routine that you follow everyday. Part of that routine will be a regular meditation practice. My recommendation is to start at 5 minutes, and then increase that amount as you go. That said, don't let it become a chore that you have to force yourself to do. It shouldn't be frustrating or stressful, and if meditating in a traditional manner becomes that for you, find alternative ways of doing it that works better for you.
Second, there's not just one way to do it. The goal is to get your mind into a flow state. You can do this with traditional meditation techniques, of course, but anything that gets you into the flow state is an act of meditation. For traditional techniques, I personally have found the four-fold breath technique to be the most effective for me.
Four-Fold Breathing: Breathe in for a court of four, hold for a count of four, breathe out for a count of four, hold for a count of four, repeat.
I also like to go sit outside and just observe nature in silence; or go for a walk. I often get into the flow state driving, and end up having full conversations with my guides. My wife likes to play solitaire and says she often gets into a flow state that way.
Third, after you've conditioned your mind, you'll be able to shift into an altered state without having to do a prolonged meditation to get there. I can pretty much instantly shift my mind into that space whenever I need to now. It's hard to describe, other than to say once you know where that place is you'll be able to get there with just a bit of focus.
The important thing to remember is that this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't be discouraged that you're not a mental master in just a few months. Start small. Set realistic goals. Find what works best for you.
