In this section, much emphasis is put on the unconscious, and what I refer to as a "meditative state." The unconscious (the subconscious, also called the id by Freud) is often thought of as our "primitive" or "animal" mind. It responds well to sensory stimuli and ritual. It is sometimes referred to as "instinct" or "gut feeling" or "intuition." It is generally thought to have more direct, often emotional reactions, whereas the conscious mind (or "ego") is where our morals, ethics, reason, etc. lie. When your mind quiets and you feel peaceful or content while meditating, this is the unconscious. When you do a calculus problem, this is the conscious. Given this association, it is easy to see why the conscious mind is considered superior in our rational-intellectual society (or why a distinction is made at all). The unconscious mind is considered not to exist in some extreme points of view. For example, if you are not consciously aware of something, then it cannot affect you. However, it is possible to be unconsciously aware, and therefore be affected by it.

   Most people live in the conscious. I certainly do. I'm a university student - my living, for the moment, is made based upon my ability to think, reason, memorize, and apply logic. Using my unconscious to accomplish my career goals would not be wise. But it would be equally foolish of me not to recognize and empower my unconscious when appropriate. That is what magick does for me - it allows me to express a part of my psyche that lies dormant much of the time.

   As for defining a "meditative state," this is more difficult. One definition of magick is the ability to enter a meditative state at will. Through this state, we express our unconscious and perform magick. It is when the conscious surrenders power to the unconscious. This doesn't mean you lose all sense and start doing things you wouldn't otherwise do. The unconscious isn't a drunken animal. It is, however, a more primal part of ourselves that we neglect far too often. It is concerned with the present. This is why a meditative state is so necessary for magick. It allows you to feel and act in the present without thinking about the past or the future. You can focus your entire being on the work at hand and form and shape energy for the purpose of causing change. This is a truly amazing thing.

    The general order of things during spell work is to center yourself, ground yourself, cast the circle, raise energy and release it toward your goal, open the circle, and ground any residual energy.

   So, keep these things in mind as you read these pages. Feel free to email me if you have further questions.