Pathworking

Pathworking can be used for two main purposes; one being as part of a spellworking, a little like visualization, and the other as a means of divination.  Very similar to the shamanic practise of journeying, depending upon your intent, the pathworking will either be predetermined, or you will have a starting point from which to work.

When practising pathworking, it can often feel something like a waking dream, only somewhat more interactive.  Used as a means of visualization within a spellworking or ritual, generally the pathworking is almost entirely predetermined, and you "walk" yourself through the scenario much as you would a guided meditation.  This visualization and interaction aids in reinforcing the intent, thus adding another layer of strength to the final outcome of your work.

To use pathworking as a method of divination, choose your starting point, and work forward or backward from there.  Whilst you need to ensure that the pathworking is kept on track, on the whole it is best to relax as much as possible and just see what unfolds.  The more you can disengage your conscious mind, the better, as this will prevent you from influencing what you see, and thus your divination will be more accurate.  If using this method, don't be afraid to interact with the people, animals and objects you encounter along the way, provided you fully sense that they are friendly.  Asking questions of those who are safely approachable is often the most effective technique of gaining the information you seek or need.

Even when your pathworking is predetermined, often other things will arise which weren't planned.  Take note of these, as they are often clues to the potential success of your work, the ethics of your work, and additional factors you had perhaps not taken into account.

As with dream interpretation, whilst pathworking you need only take note of all that happens around and to you.  Once you have finished, write down as much as you can remember as quickly as possible, and then you may begin to interpret what you have seen.  See the article on dream interpretation for additional advice on achieving this.

As with any work on this level, it is important to protect yourself before starting on your travels.  All too often people are fooled into thinking that, because they are working on the astral, they must be safe from physical harm and all beings they encounter will be benign.  This is most definitely not the case, and only a fool travels these realms without protection of some form.  What form of protection you choose is entirely up to you, but at the very least, I would recommend a circle be cast, together with an auric protection.  Those who work with familiars may also like to have their familiar with them for protection  Often a helpful trick to use is to light a candle as you begin your pathworking, and visualize it located at your starting point.  This way you have a point of reference to return to if you should get lost.