If you’ve trained in athletics or performance art, you’re probably familiar with warming up: the process of getting loosened up, stretched out, pumped and into the zone, or otherwise leading up to being in proper-to-peak condition for the actual activity. Well, here are some warm-ups for spell-casting. Like any warm up routine, they are boring and seem unnecessary when you want to jump right into the real fun of casting a spell (and if you do skip this you might still do okay,) but you risk sprain, strain, or burnout, and miss what may have really upped your performance.
1. Loosen Up : the trance state
Why go into a trance state? First, magic is a focus of will. The tools, gestures, and words you see in most spells are all constructed to better focus your will – think of them as the inner tubes /swim tubes or safety vest. Your will is much easier to focus when the mind itself is clear and you have a well-defined sense of self and purpose (metaphorically: when the waters are calm, and you can practice a decent swimming stroke to get where you want to be.) With practice, I’ve found, one may be able to perform magic with increasing effectiveness and decreasing involvement of trance states.
2. Stretching Exercises : grounding and centering
Why ground? What I call “primary” grounding gives you a sense of the world around you, to better observe and properly manipulate. This is a state of increased lucidity, of being in the utter experience of here and now. I differentiate this from the “secondary” grounding that comes at the end of a spell (or, in extreme spells, in the middle so you can quit.) Secondary grounding imparts awareness to the world as well, but in the form of a release of energy to the world (like a lightning rod passes the excess energy harmlessly through to the ground.)
Why center? I consider this simply the skill of balancing the interdependence of the self and the world— finding yourself a vantage point, basically, from which to work your will. I use a single point two inches or so below the sternum (so the center of my body,) but for some it’s the groin area and for others it’s the head, or some unify their whole selves and so become the center, or some center themselves on something more abstract like a paradigm.
3. Getting Pumped: drawing energy
Why draw energy? A lot of the spell’s power depends on how much psychic energy you have. This is the air behind the scream, the tautness of the bow string, that a spell can likewise have more power behind it. The first resort is personal power. While we as mages concern ourselves with non-physical forces, I find it helpful to consider the relation of the physical to the metaphysical. So, have a balanced diet, stay hydrated, exercise, and sleep well, and you’ve likely increased your personal power (or at least left the physical happy enough not to interfere.) Note that the rest of a spell’s power depends on how well you can change the energy to suit your goal, so try not to draw so much more energy than you can handle.
4. In the Zone: the magician’s circle
Why cast a circle? If the environment has naturally active energies running through everything, your spell may have as much trouble being expressed as a whisper on a windy day (versus one in cupped hands or in a cave.) Most spells have compound intentions, and a circle keeps them in one space so that they can properly bond. Mainly, however, it’s for protection. Spells show as an interesting beacon to entities, and a circle will keep away their interference (whether they would interfere accidentally or not, even maliciously or not.)
This is the most basic ritual outline as I best understand it, but the hows of each are varied. The trance state, for example, can be reached by cool relaxing meditation— or in the white heat of a strong pure emotion. Some get to primary grounding by meditating on our planet earth, or by concentrating themselves on the more immediate world. Some methods of secondary grounding include slapping hands on the ground (releases energy,) or scattering salt (breaks up energy.) Energy can be drawn from other individual energies (psychic vampirism,) or from free-flowing universal energy. As circles have many purposes, so are there many methods of casting one. It’s all up to exposure to different methods, creativity, and experimentation. Experienced casters, please feel free to share your perspective on this or point out if I’ve missed something. :-)
