Its all too easy to get 'stuck' in one way of thinking. Each of us has many demands on our time, and this can often lead to certain mental muscles being used more than others. Important as it is to stay grounded when working on mundane pursuits, being able to let your hair down and change into something more comfortable is crucial to success.

We all have our preferred role, as our brains are wired to prefer certain states. Add, to this, habitual patterning, and we become rather set in our ways. This is especially true after the age of 25, due to the developmental cycles our brains go through.

For some, this persona is a quick-thinking, anxious creature who is good at their job, but unable to accept criticisms. For others, the adopted mindset is slow to respond, quick to notice, and a bit of an isolationist who would really just be left at home. The list of potential personalities does go on from there, but these examples should provide something for your mind to latch on to.

If you have issues with getting stuck, I would recommend a minor exercise. It doesn't require a whole lot of skill or magical ability, as you're not going to be communing with any deific spirit, but it does require some patience and diligence.

At the end of each day, make a list of 5 people you've interacted with. When you've got your list, start at the top and try to become them....contemplate their thoughts, worries, concerns, and triumphs, that day. Consider what was important to them, and why they responded the way they did. Do so for a minute or two, then move on to the next. 

At first, your preconceptions will likely cause you to insert your beliefs about them, rather than what is authentically their persona, but over time you'll learn to connect. Doing so will help you to shift from one mindset to the next, making it easier for you to don new mental clothes in the future.

Have fun with it. Its a strange exercise, but it does work.
Blessings,
Chris/SE

Greetings folks. Hope you guys and gals had a great weekend. :)

As a continuation of the last topic (on one's mindset), I'd like to talk a bit about how we put our minds in order.

By now, you folks are probably pretty aware of how our mindset is rather important. When we're up in a tizzy, it tends to mess with us a fair deal. What gets us into this semi-frenetic state isn't so important, as life is full of stresses; instead, getting out is important.

If you're a mess and need to sort yourself out, the following list of tips should help you.

This might seem a bit over-the-top, but if you're in a bad situation that has heretofore prevented you from sorting yourself out, its time to withdraw. Take a step back for a time, stop playing the game that's upsetting you, and adopt a wider view.

There's a overwhelming tendency to over-commit to something because it seems like the only path to joy. If it is, then this advice won't work for you. If it isn't, which is considerably more likely, taking a step back and focusing on you is key.

Much of our stress comes from an overwhelming lack of much-needed clarity. When you're too close to the situation, you're more than likely going to lose the forest for the trees.

Use the distance you created with step 1 to collect your thoughts. If you're not sure what to make of something, seek advice. You can talk to a trusted friend or diviner and get their take on what's happening around you.

Once you have a better understanding of what's going on in whatever situation was stressing you out, use that new information to plan a way forward.

If a business deal is upsetting you, and there's a specific person in that deal that seems to be the linchpin of what ails you, target them. Think tactically and come up with a means of starting a chain reaction that works for you. Plan your steps carefully, then enact them in the order that seems most effective, respecting proper timing along the way.

The point of this step is to use your newfound awareness most effectively. When you come back, you want to be strong & well-prepared. If you're not, this hiatus wasn't worth it.

Take some time, once your plan is formed, to take care of you. Pamper the heck out of yourself. Go see a movie and have a nice meal. If you're a drinker, spoil yourself with a good Scotch (or whatever else appeals to you). Use this time to unwind and get your head ready for the challenges to come.

If you're to return, as in step 5, you want to be mentally ready to do so. ;)

Finally, come back to the world ready & willing to take care of business. Enact your plan smartly & carefully. Make sure each step you take is wisest, and pay attention to what's going on around you.

Be well,
​SE

Protection is all a matter of preparation and awareness.  Being certain that you're covered is foolish, so keeping your head on a swivel is important. When you're aware, you can be proactive and be sure to do the needful long before its ever actually needed.  Tends to let life work out a bit better that way.

We covered preparation in the last post, so this one is all about awareness, which is something of a dirty word to "modern occultists" in that its connected to meditation.  Its a simple tool, but so few people feel that they can actually do it.  I think its difficulty is centered in the fact that it isn't a complicated tool, and for whatever reason, humans love to overcomplicate things.

Ave folks.

At the request of a client, I've decided to talk a bit about the subject of mind control; specifically, I am referring to adequate self-control when it comes to one's own thoughts and feelings. Its an exceedingly important topic, but is largely dismissed in the West, despite the fact that an untrained mind is often weak and pliable. Weak and pliable = vulnerable to spiritual attack for reasons that I'll discuss later.

That being the case, it behooves us to do what we can to work to control the inner machinations of our brains. However, before we can control something, we must be aware of it and understand it intimately.

If we are to understand how we function, we need a tool that'll allow us to do just that.  We are fortunate to have one: meditation; a simple to use, difficult to master skill that's incredibly important in magical work.

When you meditate, the things that pop into the forefront of your mind's eye are usually noise and chatter from your deep mind.  All of those concerns like "did I finish the laundry" and "what the hell perfume was she wearing?!" are little things that your subconscious is ruminating over. Those things are, in magical work, distractions, and until you get control of them, you're going to have difficulty doing magic.

With time and practice, you'll learn not to focus on those little tidbits that pop up.  Instead, you can simply observe them and they'll pass.  Your goal, during meditation, is to be an impartial observer who simply lives with himself or herself. As you do so, you'll begin to see patterns that define you. These patterns are incredibly important, as they are the building blocks of your personal song; that vibration which describes you to the universe.  When those patterns suddenly don't match the usual patterns you observe, you're either going through important changes, someone is screwing with you, you're being visited by a spirit, or you're under extreme duress and need to relax.

See why this is important?

...Good.

That addressed, let's get to the method of how one meditates.

I find that I am most successful when I attain a light trance and then begin to meditate.  It cuts down on the mental chatter considerably while making it easier to focus. To do so, I find a reasonably comfortable way to sit, stand, or lay down, as this ensures that I don't cramp up during the process, as that, frankly, sucks. From there, I begin to control the rhythm of my breathing and close my eyes, turning my focus inwards.  I then stay in that state for however long I need to; usually its 15 minutes, unless I've got a specific goal in mind.

So, let's rehash.  The TL:DR version of the above paragraph, step-by-step, is as follows:

1. Get comfortable
2. Control your breathing
3. Turn your attention inwards
4. Observe your mental behavior until you've done so for a set period of time.

With that said, that's all for now.

Enjoy!

SE