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Calum writes:
I used to practice direct magick for about a year. But this last year I have stopped due to family issues and laziness. I just found it hard to get motivated and find the time to keep practicing. I’ve started again and I remembered following your blog so I came back to review and re learn. I’m struggling to feel my magick this time round. Its noticeable in my arms and legs but I cant feel much around my chest and stomach.
My question is, have you heard of anything like this before? Can “blockages” occur over time if not used regularly?
I can certainly relate to that. I’ve had periods where I couldn’t stand to learn anything new, where I only did magick that was immediately useful. And I’ve had weeks, even months, where I was focused on my day job and let some ethereal muscles go unused.
It seems that, when ethereal muscles go unused, they start to go back to sleep, to that hibernating state they are in for most non-mages. That’s happened a bit for me when I rest for a month, and I’m guessing it happens even more after resting for a year. That’s the first part.
The second part starts with the question, “Why aren’t you feeling energy?” Answer: Because energy itself doesn’t feel like anything. The tingling sensations we associate with energy, connections, and magick aren’t from the nerves in the skin, they’re from ethereal muscles telling the brain that something interesting is going on, causing the brain to manufacture that sensation. Kind of like how, if something almost touches you, you feel a weird tingle, not because of nerves in the skin (it isn’t touching you), but because that’s how your brain gets you to pay attention.
(Think that tingling is energy from the thing almost touching you? Close your eyes and have a friend either almost touch or not, being careful to not make any sound. You won’t feel anything. That’s because it’s proprioception, not energy.)
So, if your ethereal muscles were hibernating, they’re not active to create those sensations, and you won’t feel anything. Same as with most non-mages.
The solution? Awaken your muscles the same as you did the first time, either with an energy meditation, or by using ethereal software to help. (It should go faster this time.)
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