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Most mages do magick by channeling energy, information and other help from systems. Even if you never do magick directly (without a system), learning direct magick can help you interact with systems more clearly and precisely, producing better results from your magick.
I learned these techniques while developing my psychic intuition, so I’ll use that as my example. But the techniques work for any system-based magick, like energy healing, ritual magick, servitors, etc.
Before reading this, you should read The Best Way to Grow as a Mage, which explains direct magick, system-based magick, and why you need both.
Example: Improving Psychic Intuition
Half of psychic intuition is always system-based. The information always comes from a system. But the detail and accuracy of that information depends on your communication, which you can improve with direct magick.
First, a review of communication: Your mind’s energy signature corresponds to your mental state. To read your thoughts, the system listens to changes in that signature. To send an idea, the system uses energy to nudge your mind’s signature toward the signature it normally has when you think that concept.
You can improve your communication by doing parts of it yourself, directly. Here are a couple of examples:
Select the right system. There are lots of systems that provide psychic intuitions. Some are specialized to certain types of information, like medical intuition, warnings of danger, etc. Some focus on ease of use, others on accuracy and detail. And some systems are just made better than others, in the same way that some computers are just better than others. You can ask spirits and friends about the systems they use, try several, and choose the best one for you.
Increase your communication bandwidth. The system can only talk to the parts of your mind that are used to its signature. You can prepare more of your mind by bathing it in energy with the system’s signature. This gives the system more points to connect to, letting it send more detailed information. Also, preparing the right parts of your mind lets the system send images, sounds, emotions, etc.
These techniques aren’t just for psychics. Finding a better system, and communicating with it more accurately, will improve all your system-based magick, from psychic intuition to energy healing to Thelema and more. Anytime you’re using an external force to drive your magick, communication is one of the core skills for making that magick work.
If you liked this post, consider visiting my current blog at mikesententia.com.Tags: Ethereal Software, Psychic
Hi Mike, I luckily stumbled across your work about a week ago. I have been interested in the occult for a while now, but I kept getting disenchanted by all the silliness and fluff that surrounds it. So I was very excited to find that your approach to magick is so clear and direct. I have been working through the energy meditation exercise, connecting to the ethereal software, and reading through posts on your blog.
After reading through this post, I have a question for you: What magical system(s) would you recommend to explore in conjunction with Direct Magick? I like the idea of working through a traditional magical system, but I get turned off by the excessive ritual and religiosity of most of what I’ve seen so far. So do you know of any systems/books that cover all the basics without the silliness?
Thanks! That’s been my goal, to be clear and direct without all the things that often surround systems of magick.
I don’t particularly like ritual or religion either. My impression is that most people who study traditional systems like those things, and that’s what they seek there.
As for community, I recently joined the OTO, and I go to social events and skip most rituals. So if you’re looking for community, maybe check out your local OTO chapter and see what’s going on. (My impression is that not all chapters have as much non-ritual-focused stuff as the Blazing Star OTO in Oakland, so your mileage may vary.)