Meditation will have a profound effect on your life for the better. When harnessed correctly it can have an enormous effect on the course of your life and those around you. Meditational practices have a deeply relaxing effect on the mind and body, promoting a sense of physical well being and emotional harmony. Further, techniques can be used to awaken your spiritual and magical self. Witches use meditative exercises in a variety of ways such as to explore their minds and surroundings, to effect healing (both for themselves and others), and to aid the effectiveness of magic. Over the coming lessons we will show you how you too can do these things.
For those of you have never meditated before the following section will provide you with a few guidelines before you begin:
1. Try to set aside a ten to twenty minute space every day at the same time or at least the same part of the day. If you are really too busy then the minimum amount of time that will work is ten to twenty minutes twice a week. Don't cut down the amount of time of each session, however, as it is hard to be effective in less than the recommended time. We suggest for the first week that you practice The Tree meditation before The Pentagram, this is because it is an important exercise in grounding. Don't be discouraged if your first efforts feel clumsy and forced, practice makes perfect and before long you will have begun to master both.
2. Try to find a space where you won't be disturbed and somewhere that is warm and comfortable. For some of you this may mean negotiating with your family. Remember that you are entitled to some time for yourself.
3. Leave the phone off the hook.
4. Meditating either lying or sitting down is fine. Don't try to meditate lying down late at night though as you may find yourself nodding off.
5. Wear comfortable clothing if possible. At least loosen belts and ties or undo the top button of your jeans.
6. Soft light is best for meditation so turn the main light off and use a lamp or preferably a candle.
7. Some people find relaxing music helps induce a meditative state, whilst others find it too much of a distraction. Experimentation will help you create the right ambience.
8. Breathing patterns are an easy way of calming and relaxing oneself. Don't be tempted to skip the breathing part of a meditation. Once in the process of visualisation don't stress if you are not following the pattern any more. Just concentrate on the mind's view.
9. Magicka School strongly recommends keeping a journal in which to record your experiences and impressions that you receive. Some witches have one book that they use for a personal record of meditations, dreams and so on, sometimes referred to as a Book of Mirrors, and another, known as a Book of Shadows, that they record rituals and ceremonies, invocations and prayers in. Some witches simply merge the two and incorporate both mediation and ritual work in one volume. What format these books will be in very much depends on the individual witch and everything from a plain A4 notepad to a beautifully illuminated, leather bound work of art is fine. The important thing is to keep a record.
10. Read through the meditation a couple of times before you begin so that you know what you will be meditating on.
For those of you have never meditated before the following section will provide you with a few guidelines before you begin:
1. Try to set aside a ten to twenty minute space every day at the same time or at least the same part of the day. If you are really too busy then the minimum amount of time that will work is ten to twenty minutes twice a week. Don't cut down the amount of time of each session, however, as it is hard to be effective in less than the recommended time. We suggest for the first week that you practice The Tree meditation before The Pentagram, this is because it is an important exercise in grounding. Don't be discouraged if your first efforts feel clumsy and forced, practice makes perfect and before long you will have begun to master both.
2. Try to find a space where you won't be disturbed and somewhere that is warm and comfortable. For some of you this may mean negotiating with your family. Remember that you are entitled to some time for yourself.
3. Leave the phone off the hook.
4. Meditating either lying or sitting down is fine. Don't try to meditate lying down late at night though as you may find yourself nodding off.
5. Wear comfortable clothing if possible. At least loosen belts and ties or undo the top button of your jeans.
6. Soft light is best for meditation so turn the main light off and use a lamp or preferably a candle.
7. Some people find relaxing music helps induce a meditative state, whilst others find it too much of a distraction. Experimentation will help you create the right ambience.
8. Breathing patterns are an easy way of calming and relaxing oneself. Don't be tempted to skip the breathing part of a meditation. Once in the process of visualisation don't stress if you are not following the pattern any more. Just concentrate on the mind's view.
9. Magicka School strongly recommends keeping a journal in which to record your experiences and impressions that you receive. Some witches have one book that they use for a personal record of meditations, dreams and so on, sometimes referred to as a Book of Mirrors, and another, known as a Book of Shadows, that they record rituals and ceremonies, invocations and prayers in. Some witches simply merge the two and incorporate both mediation and ritual work in one volume. What format these books will be in very much depends on the individual witch and everything from a plain A4 notepad to a beautifully illuminated, leather bound work of art is fine. The important thing is to keep a record.
10. Read through the meditation a couple of times before you begin so that you know what you will be meditating on.
Magical Prayer
The following beautiful prayer was given to us by an old friend. We have been unable to trace its origin. It can be used before any meditation work is begun:
From beneath me arises the energy of the Earth, my home and my foundation.
From above me pours down the light of the Sun and the enchanting Moon.
To my right hand flows the strength to control and direct, the power of magic.
To my left hand comes the skill to divine and to heal, the source of blessing.
Before me arises the perfected one I strive to become, my magical true self.
Behind me falls the one I was, and with it my discarded failures.
Around me circle the eternal stars, lamps of wisdom in the deeps of space.
Within me grows the flame of life, the light of experience and understanding.
From beneath me arises the energy of the Earth, my home and my foundation.
From above me pours down the light of the Sun and the enchanting Moon.
To my right hand flows the strength to control and direct, the power of magic.
To my left hand comes the skill to divine and to heal, the source of blessing.
Before me arises the perfected one I strive to become, my magical true self.
Behind me falls the one I was, and with it my discarded failures.
Around me circle the eternal stars, lamps of wisdom in the deeps of space.
Within me grows the flame of life, the light of experience and understanding.
The Tree
The tree meditation provides you with a way of grounding. During meditation, ritual, spell-craft or any other kind of magical work you are raising and working with energy. Grounding is the term used for the various ways that this energy can be harmlessly channelled back into the earth. It is very important once your work is finished that the energy raised and worked with is properly dispersed, as if it is not, it tends to hang around and become stale, creating a feeling of lacklustre and tiredness in the individual. It can also be psychically damaging.
Light a candle in your meditation space and use either sandalwood or frankincense to perfume the air if you wish. Breathe in for seven, hold for�four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes. Try to just concentrate on your breath. This is harder than it sounds and you may find any number of images crowding into your mind. Don't worry if this happens; just gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
Imagine that you are sitting in a forest glade with your back against a tree. Dappled light shines down on you through fresh green leaves. You can smell the scent of moss and pine, and feel the gentle rub of bark on your back.
Slowly allow yourself to become absorbed into the tree. Feel your back become as one with the bark and fibre of the trunk until you can sense the tree's energy flowing through your body.
Concentrate now on the light pouring down from the Sun, through the leaves, the twigs, the branches and the trunk of the tree. Feel the Sun's energy flowing through you as well. For a few moments allow the light to create a sense of well being and vitality as it seeps in to your very core.
When you are ready let this energy pass through you, back into the tree, from where you can feel it working its way downwards; down through the main roots, down through the root fibres, down to the dark rich earth.
Slowly and gradually become aware of your breathing. Breathe in for seven, hold for four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes.
Come to normal consciousness feeling refreshed and calm.
Record your feelings and impressions in your journal or Book of Shadows.
There are many other ways of grounding, some of which you will learn in this course. For the time being use this meditation after any work that causes energy to be raised.
Light a candle in your meditation space and use either sandalwood or frankincense to perfume the air if you wish. Breathe in for seven, hold for�four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes. Try to just concentrate on your breath. This is harder than it sounds and you may find any number of images crowding into your mind. Don't worry if this happens; just gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
Imagine that you are sitting in a forest glade with your back against a tree. Dappled light shines down on you through fresh green leaves. You can smell the scent of moss and pine, and feel the gentle rub of bark on your back.
Slowly allow yourself to become absorbed into the tree. Feel your back become as one with the bark and fibre of the trunk until you can sense the tree's energy flowing through your body.
Concentrate now on the light pouring down from the Sun, through the leaves, the twigs, the branches and the trunk of the tree. Feel the Sun's energy flowing through you as well. For a few moments allow the light to create a sense of well being and vitality as it seeps in to your very core.
When you are ready let this energy pass through you, back into the tree, from where you can feel it working its way downwards; down through the main roots, down through the root fibres, down to the dark rich earth.
Slowly and gradually become aware of your breathing. Breathe in for seven, hold for four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes.
Come to normal consciousness feeling refreshed and calm.
Record your feelings and impressions in your journal or Book of Shadows.
There are many other ways of grounding, some of which you will learn in this course. For the time being use this meditation after any work that causes energy to be raised.
Pentagram Visualization
The central symbol of Wicca is the pentagram, or five pointed star, which is used extensively throughout Wiccan practice. Even today this symbol can strike a note of fear into many as in popular culture it is often misrepresented as a sign of Satanism. This is a pity -use of the pentagram in Wicca derives from its use in the Golden Dawn Magical System which has nothing to do with Devil worship.
There are a number of ways the Wiccan pentagram can be constructed and deconstructed. For the moment we will show you two.
There are a number of ways the Wiccan pentagram can be constructed and deconstructed. For the moment we will show you two.
Invoking the Pentagram (see pentagram with an arrow going down)
Banishing the Pentagram (see pentagram with an arrow going up)
The Pentagram as a Symbol
You will notice that you will be invoking the pentagram in the direction of Earth and banishing in the direction of Spirit. Spirit is placed at the top of the pentagram above the elemental energies. Before you begin you might want to try drawing invoking and banishing pentagrams on a piece of paper, so that you don't have to concentrate unduly on how to construct and deconstruct this symbol during the meditation.
Light a candle in your meditation space and use either sandalwood or frankincense to perfume the air if you wish. Breathe in for seven, hold for four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes. Try to just concentrate on your breath. If images crowd into your mind just gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
In your mind's eye imagine a black backdrop. It is a black as you have never experienced before, it is the void of the Universe, empty of all things. There is no light whatsoever and you are unable to see. Allow yourself to experience this blackness for a few moments. Gradually a small gentle silver droplet, similar in colour to the Moon, appears at the top of your vision. Slowly and steadily the silver drop grows, at first downwards to the left, then up to the right, across to the left, down to the right and up to the top. In front of you is a moonlit pentagram set against a background of the deepest black.
Hold the image in your mind's eye for a moment or two and contemplate the meaning it has for you.Now, starting at the bottom left, you will begin to banish the pentagram. See the light gradually disappear from the bottom left to the top, from the top to the bottom right, from the bottom right to the left, across to the right and down to the left.
Finally, you are left with a barely visible silver dot. Watch this slowly fade from view.
Slowly and gradually become aware of your breathing. Breathe in for seven, hold from one to four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes.
Come to normal consciousness feeling refreshed and calm.
Light a candle in your meditation space and use either sandalwood or frankincense to perfume the air if you wish. Breathe in for seven, hold for four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes. Try to just concentrate on your breath. If images crowd into your mind just gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
In your mind's eye imagine a black backdrop. It is a black as you have never experienced before, it is the void of the Universe, empty of all things. There is no light whatsoever and you are unable to see. Allow yourself to experience this blackness for a few moments. Gradually a small gentle silver droplet, similar in colour to the Moon, appears at the top of your vision. Slowly and steadily the silver drop grows, at first downwards to the left, then up to the right, across to the left, down to the right and up to the top. In front of you is a moonlit pentagram set against a background of the deepest black.
Hold the image in your mind's eye for a moment or two and contemplate the meaning it has for you.Now, starting at the bottom left, you will begin to banish the pentagram. See the light gradually disappear from the bottom left to the top, from the top to the bottom right, from the bottom right to the left, across to the right and down to the left.
Finally, you are left with a barely visible silver dot. Watch this slowly fade from view.
Slowly and gradually become aware of your breathing. Breathe in for seven, hold from one to four and breathe out for seven. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes.
Come to normal consciousness feeling refreshed and calm.
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