Volume I
Chronicle Two 

Magical Associations

One of the first things you learn in magic is what is associated to what. This color is associated to this sephira or chakra and that direction is associated to this Arch Angel. Have you ever wondered, "Who comes up with this stuff? Why this color? Why this direction?" Did someone long ago take it upon himself to pick out colors, herbs, and symbols, or was it done sort of like the lottery? Actually it is an ancient art that the world has seem to have forgotten. I do not have a name for this art therefore I call it Sensorial Association.

There is a Kaballistic saying that to give something a name is to gain power over it. This is more than just picking up an object and saying, "I'll call you BOB." To name an object is to acknowledge it's existence and to equate this existence to a word. To name a situation is to equate a state of being to a word. To name a state of mind is to recognize that it is a state of being and therefore may be equated to something (that doesn't necessarily have to be a word). The process of naming mind states is Sensorial Association.

Consider the Cosmic Law that everything is connected. What this means is that because the ethereal is energy that has the ability to transform itself and a part of everything exists as ethereal energy, then we all share a common relationship in the ethereal plane. Also keep in mind that the concept of "separation" requires space. The concept of "here" and "there" also requires space and space does not exist in the ethereal plane. There is no separation between you and I, or anything else on the ethereal plane. We are all connected.

Another explanation of the Cosmic Connection Law is that if I am a microcosm and as such a carbon copy of the macrocosm and others are also microcosms and also carbon copies of the macrocosm; that which others do affects the macrocosm and affects me.

Due to this Law that we are all connected, everything affects us all and that which affects us affects our mind state. Every action, existence, or consequence affects us on the ethereal level and alters our state of mind, but often we do not pay attention to it therefore we do not notice it.

By identifying mind states caused by an action or an existence, we are able to associate this mind state to something. By doing so, we are able to use this association to reproduce the mind state, and in so doing; reproduce the initial action or experience.

Working with a mind state

Before you can work with a mind state, you must first be able to identify it. You must be able to differentiate one mind state from another. You must be able to recognize it when it arises. Many do not distinguish their state of mind from their own emotions. They see them as one and the same. Although, once you've worked with magic long enough, you begin to realize that while conducting a ritual, things feel different. It is almost as if, deep down you realize that what you are doing is special and it changes the way you feel. When you try to explain this sensation, it is very difficult, because it is neither happy nor sad, it is simply special. The sensation you feel is a mind state and because it is not an emotion, it is very difficult to explain it within an emotional context.

Mind state Identification (MSID)

STEP ONE. First you must identify your normal state of mind. This can be done by choosing a time when you are not experiencing deep or strong emotions.

 STEP TWO. Find a comfortable place where you can allow yourself to relax without the threat of being disturbed. Position yourself in the sitting or laying position. Should you insist on standing, that is completely up to you, but do not blame me should you fall over.

 STEP THREE. Clear your mind of all thoughts. Listen to the silence. Close your eyes and focus on the darkness. The objective is to shut down the physical senses. We exist in the physical world (so we perceive), because our physical senses tell us that we do. When we shut down our physical senses, our non physical senses take over as we exist in the ethereal.

STEP FOUR. Once you have successfully completed step three, focus on your mind state. Concentrate on what it feels like. Keep in mind that this sensation cannot be described or put into words because it has no physical description.

I recommend that you work with this process for at least a month or more, in order to become familiar with this sensation. It is important to know what this feels like so that it may be your point of reference. This mind state is a non-mind state and it is the state that you are in when you are not in the process of casting ritual. I call this mind state my normal state.

By learning what this feels like and how to return to this point, you will be able to consciously return your state of mind to a condition where you are not producing magic. In the chronicles to come, you will understand the importance of this as the lines that separate casting magic and not become paper thin.

Once you have established your normal state, attempt to differentiate it from another mind state. To do this, first do the MSID. Next, do a ritual that you are familiar with. Once you have completed the ritual, do the steps 3, and 4 of the MSID again.

You will notice that they are two completely different sensations. Much like the previous mind state, this one too cannot be put into words. Should you be unable to differentiate between the two sensations, this probably means that you proceeded onto the last step too soon and are unable to remember the normal state.

There is no shame or dishonor in moving slowly. This is not a race and there is no set time schedule that you need to adhere to. It has taken me a long time to put this together and just because I may be able to explain it in a thousand words or so does not mean that it must take you the same amount of time to grasp the information.

Psychic Abilities

Some of you will notice as you work with MSID, strange things occur. You receive visions that make no sense. Some of you will hear sounds and they make no sense either. Many of you are already aware that you posses such psychic abilities, while others may be experiencing these things for the first time.

These new sensations are our natural sensorial associations and we all possess these abilities to a certain degree. If these associations are not apparent, they can be nurtured and improved through working with MSID. Everyone possesses different abilities and you will need to discover which of these abilities you possess.

Should working with the MSID only convince you that you are in fact etherically impaired, then rest assured that you have been given the power to overcome your handicap. The method of Passive Acquisition has been specifically designed for this situation.

Even to those who are not etherically impaired, this is a good exercise to work with. You may find that you have more abilities than you actually were aware of. Try to associate an ability to a mind state. As an example, such abilities are, imagery (pictorial), symbolic (shapes and patterns), audible (tones or steady musical notes), or emotional (not to be confused with one's own emotions).

I have never met a person who's mind states are associated to the palette, but if mind states taste like things to you, then who am I to argue.

However, I do not recommend working with aromatic abilities until you are more familiar with another ability in order to confirm and support your claims. Aromatic abilities are very close to the mundane, thus they are very powerful, but because of it's familiarity; it is easy to fool oneself into believing that the ability exists when in actuality it doesn't. Anyone who smells popcorn thinks of butter. Anyone who smells smoke thinks of fire. It's too close to the surface to depend on.

The next discipline is to learn to run the scale. Through working with your sensory ability, you can associate random things to various mind states. In doing so, organize and record them to form a scale based on the association. Colors would range form dark to light. Tones would range from low to high. Symbols would range from simple to complex. By forming this scale, you then form a range in the event that the sensory connection does not naturally appear. Unfortunately, running the scale is much more difficult in the visual department, but from what I have seen; those who are visually gifted typically do not need to run the scale. Perhaps it is associated to the visual ability and the ease that it seems they are able use such a gift.

The method of running the scale is to toggle back and forth between the scale and the mind state that you are attempting to identify until you find a match. This method is used on occasions where the association isn't self evident and the connection does not arise naturally.

Sensorial Association

Once you have discovered your abilities, the next step is to use these abilities to associate a mind state. To accomplish this task, you will need to be able to invoke one of the four elements and acquire it's mind state.

For most magicians, this should not be a difficult task as the invocation of the elements are fundamental training rituals that are typically required before the consecration of the elemental tools. Should this ritual be unfamiliar to you, a formal invocation ritual, a talismanic charging ritual, or channelling would equally suffice. Should you decide to use one of the alternative rituals you will need to recognize that the forces of the elements are forms of energy. Should you be doing a talismanic ritual, the item you are charging is yourself.

Be sure to release the energy once the ritual has been completed. I don't think I need to explain the havoc you would be causing to those near you should you let the energy dissipate on it's own.

STEP ONE. Preform the MSID. The reason for this ritual is too help clear the mind and also to confirm that there isn't a pre-existing mind state that exists that may interfere with the ritual.

STEP TWO. Perform the Invocation ritual. This ritual is performed up to and including the invocation or the charging. Do not release the energy yet.

STEP THREE. Perform steps 3 and 4 of the MSID. With time, your sensorial association will appear almost instantly. If it doesn't, appear on it's own. do not try to force it to appear.

STEP FOUR. If you have reached this step and still, no association; run the scale twice.

STEP FIVE. Repeats steps 3 and 4 of the MSID.

STEP SIX. Run the scales 3 times.

Feel free to continue repeating steps 5 and 6, although I recommend that should the sensorial association not occur after the second attempt; it is best to try again at another time. The physical body may be at rest, but the mind is exerting enormous amounts of mental effort and it will need a rest.

STEP SEVEN. Do not forget to close the ritual.

During step three, I had stated that it is best to not force the association to appear. The reason for this is because Force by itself cannot exist. In all things there is duality of existence. In order to force, acquire or to produce something, you must surrender something of equal amount and both the action of forcing and the action of surrendering is one and the same. This principle is called the aggressive-passive duality of existence.

An example of this principle is rock climbing. The focus is on taking the next position by force at the higher elevation. In so doing this, the passive action is the surrendering of the previous position and this is done without force. The action is one and the same and the amount of force relinquished from the previous position is directly related to the amount of force exerted to attain the next position. In other words, as you shift your weight from one position to the next, the force it takes to hang on to the cliff shifts with you.

An example that best applies to the passive-aggressive duality of existence in magic is learning to ride a bicycle. You know what to do which is to pump the pedals (which is an application of force). You've seen others accomplish this therefore you know that it is possible. Even with all this knowledge, the hardest part about learning to ride a bicycle is still the moment that you first lift your feet. The reason for this is because it is a passive- aggressive action. By applying force to the pedals you are exerting your will to move the bicycle. At the exact same time you are surrendering your stable position of standing on your feet. The movement of the bicycle forward forces the issue and insists that a decision must be made as it is impossible to move forward on a bicycle and stand on the ground at the very same time.

Magic is like riding a bicycle in the sense that in order to learn something new, you have to surrender something old. In bike riding, it is the belief that by pedalling, you wont fall over that is the belief that must be learned. The belief that must be surrendered is the belief that without at least one foot on the ground; you can't maintain your balance. In magic the belief to be learned is that it can be done, and you must first surrender the belief that there is a possibility that this is not real.

You see it all the time. People will say, "I'm doing everything right. I have the brass ring in my hand and I'm pulling with all my might, Why can't I pull myself up?" What they're not paying attention to is that with their other hand, they're clutching the floor. The harder they pull one way, the harder they pull the other way and they're in this major struggle with themselves.

When you find yourself in a situation where things are not working, stop and contemplate the situation. What is it that needs to be surrendered? What is it that needs to be learned. Also keep in mind that karma is one big other hand. Cosmic Law dictates that if something interferes with you resolving your karma, it cannot manifest until the karma in question is first taken care of.

I stated in step 4 that you should run the scales twice. The reason for this is that the process of Sensorial Association is not a usual mental function for most people. Sometimes it takes a little while to get the process working. The time it takes to prepare will shorten as you become more and more familiar with this process.

What is Sensorial Association

Sensorial Association is a method of reproducing mind states, but it is a lot more than just a mental exercise. It is a language that allows your conscious mind to communicate and operate on the ethereal plane as well as other planes. It crosses the threshold between all worlds and existences. It can see into the future and into the past. It is the hammer of action and the voice of knowledge.

By allowing your mind to be receptive to this language, through Sensorial Association your higher self will inform you of what you need to know. The path before you will seem clearer than it has ever been. Dangerous situations can be avoided and what is false and what is true will seem like night and day.

Preparatory Exercises

What has been covered thus far, are the basic fundamentals of magic. They must be fully understood and put into full application before proceeding onto the next chronicle. If you are having difficulty with Sensorial Association, it doesn't matter if you consciously experience the mind state or not. What is important is that you know that it is there.

As long as you understand how magic works and you put it into practice, something must happen regardless of whether you see it unfold or not. If it is karma or self doubt in your way, eventually both will fade and you will see that all the effort that you have invested have not been in vain.

The following are three exercises that should be successfully accomplished before continuing on to the next chronicle. They are designed to strengthen your mental abilities and to teach you how to cast magic without relying on the physical world.

Exercise Number One

Perform a full ritual, banishing both higher and lower energies and invoking the Light Divine. Do so without the use of any ritual tools, robes, or incense.

Exercise Number Two.

Once you have successfully completed exercise number one, perform the same ritual without uttering a single sound in addition to following the rules stated in the first exercise. The incantations must contain the same amount of intensity and magical effectiveness even though they are not spoken aloud.

Exercise Number Three.

Perform the same ritual as before. In addition to the rules of exercises one and two, perform this ritual without moving a muscle. Stand behind your alter and visualize the entire ritual. As before everything must be of equal intensity and magical effectiveness.

Once you have successfully accomplished these three exercises, you will no longer require physical elements to perform magic. This will allow you a greater range in the forms of energies that you will be able to connect to, as you are now able to acquire mind states that do not rely on a physical object to be produced. This will allow you to reach the subtle higher forces, particularly the angelic forms which are not directly connected to the physical plane.

What these exercises will not do for you is to allow you to abandon physical elements in magic completely. Although you will no longer require the physical elements, it is always important to return to the basics. What this means is that you have to do your basic rituals on a regular basis because it is the foundation of your magical abilities. If you loose grasp of the fundamentals, then nothing will work.

Something to think about

The truth is that the Cosmic Connection Law that we discussed previously is actually less connection and more existence. In other words the familiar phrase of "As Above, So Below" deals more with existence than it does with relativity. What is above is not just connected to what is below. What is above is what is below.

Many of you have by now realized that there is no such thing as good and evil, only karma. Good and evil are names that we have categorized things into in order to organize our lives. The reality is that certain actions produce certain results and some of them are more pleasant than others. The microcosm and macrocosm can be looked at in much the same way. They are only names created in order to help us perceive existence,

The reality is that the microcosm is the macrocosm. It is one and the same, such as we are one and the same. We are all a part of a larger existence, only that we just don't realize it.