Thirteen

Tantric Magick

As described earlier, even in India, home of so many spiritual traditions and known for being accepting of other deities and religious paths, most people think of Tantra as being either “that sex stuff” or the practice of “black magic.” This can be understood, if not forgiven, as most of the rich tradition of Tantric spirituality has been denounced by invaders and mauled over, watered down, and subsumed into Vedic Hinduism. This is comparable to the way the long history of Western Paganism was absorbed into Christianity even as the Christian leadership mocked and later ruthlessly attacked Pagans and their beliefs.

Part of any complete spiritual system, such as Modern Tantra, consists of techniques that manipulate the underlying strings that tie together the fabric of the universe. From time to time, people come up with theories as to what those strings are, providing untestable theories as to how they function. Most practitioners, however, are quite content to simply manipulate the strings and get the desired results. For people into technology, this is known as black boxing: we don’t know what goes on in the black box of silicon and software we call a computer, but we do know that when we do certain things and click on certain buttons, we get the desired results.

In spiritual systems, when someone performs a certain task, allows it to go into a metaphorical black box where something happens, and gets a desired result, the process is named magick.

In previous chapters I’ve shared techniques, rituals, and concepts underlying those rituals. You may choose to use just what has been shared, or you can move on to understand that if you have been doing what has been described so far, you have been preparing mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually for the practice of an inner core of Tantric magick.

In chapter Ten, I also gave my definition of magick from Modern Magick:

Magick is the science and art
of causing change to occur
in conformity with will,
using means not currently understood
by traditional Western science.

In Modern Sex Magick, I used a different approach to explaining magick. What follows is an abbreviated version of the set of theorems of magick that appear there.

Some of you, familiar with my previous focus on magick, may wonder why I am repeating this. The reason is that it is my hope that many people reading this will be coming from other areas, including Neo-Tantrics, who are interested in finding greater depth. I hope everyone has achieved this so far with this book. My purpose here is to give a more practical understanding of how magick can be a part of your daily life.

Theorem One

All actions have magickal reactions.

This means that everything you do, whether you are conscious of it or not, has a magickal reaction. Many people fail with magick because they do a brief ritual to achieve a desired result and then spend hours bemoaning their lack in that area. That negative attitude and the negative energy and accompanying actions create magickal results that are the opposite of what was intended.

This theorem implies that everything you do is magick and that everyone is a magician. Observation shows this is not true. So there is a bit more to this.

Corollary: Only a willed action is a magickal
action.

Because every action has a magickal result, it is hard for non-magicians to deal with the seemingly unknowable reality of the universe. They blame their problems on fate, bad luck, kismet, or something similar. By not being able to tell what will happen as a result of their actions, they are spun around helplessly by the results of those actions. Life is a mess.

By doing as little as possible—leading an austere and isolated life such as that of a renunciate monk—it is possible to live a somewhat peaceful life: no actions, no magickal reactions. But for such a person, there is also little freedom and no adventure.

Magicians understand this theorem and its corollary and act accordingly. They accept and deal with any problems that are created. This is the essence of personal responsibility and is a hallmark of Tantric magicians: Svecchachara! You’re free to do what you want and create your future, but you’re responsible for everything you do.

Magicians go beyond merely accepting responsibility for their actions. By realizing that actions have magickal results, they can perform acts—rituals—that will successfully achieve desired outcomes and overcome the presence of unwanted or unexpected responses to actions.

Here’s an analogy: A non-magician is like a man falling from a great height. The effects of wind and gravity control his fall, and he believes there is no way to avoid his inevitable fate. A magician can also fall from a great height, and knows that wind and gravity will buffet and pull him down. But the magician’s magick is like flying in a plane: controlling the fall, moving up and down, and landing safely. Magicians don’t fight gravity and wind; they work in harmony with natural forces to achieve desired goals.

Theorem Two

Magick is not something you do.
Magick is something you are.

The idea that you can pick up a book, mumble some Latin (poorly), wave a stick in the air, and have real magick happen only occurs in novels, comic books, TV, and movies. Real magick is more than just something you do.

With study and practice (as with the study and practice of any learned skill), magick becomes a part of you. It is something you are. With the skills of a magician, you can correctly use a book of magick and obtain desired results. Further, by understanding that everything you do has magickal results, you can literally design your own rituals.

Theorem Three

Magick requires the following:

1. The ability to generate or raise magickal energy.
2. The ability to manipulate that energy to an appropriate frequency for a goal.
3. The ability to direct that energy to achieve a desired goal.

A magician, as the result of months or years of practice, can do these three things almost automatically. Most magicians begin the process of developing these abilities with the help of tools such as wands and talismans, but with practice, although such devices may be used, no props are required.

Note: There are some fairly recent schools of magick that follow a different magickal paradigm: they deny the concept of magickal energy. Here, however, I’m sharing the classical approach. Since Tantrics work with specialized energies (prana, kundalini, etc.), it is appropriate to use the more classical paradigm here.

Corollary: The nature of magickal energy is threefold.

I refer to this as the psycho/sexual/spiritual nature of magickal energy. The “psycho” (as in “psychological”) aspect of this energy indicates that magickal energy is controlled by the mind. It can be strengthened with the help of the emotions. For example, being happy or sad, angry or loving, affects how well you can manipulate the energy.

Part of this is that for magick to be controlled, you need to have a positive attitude about your success. This does not mean magick is all mental, just that a positive mental attitude will have an impact on your magick. Consider what might happen if you spent hours directing all of your energy in a negative, unhappy, failure-focused way toward your magick. You would literally be controlling the magickal energy with negativity toward achieving your goal. The practice of meditation and breathwork can help you develop an attitude of balance and equipoise.

The second part of this is the energy raised with the help of the body. It is sexual in the very broadest sense, that of male/female, yin/yang, magnetic/electric, or the anode and cathode of a battery. This is not about physical gender; it’s about the movement of the energy in cycles. You’ll learn more about this in chapters Fourteen and Fifteen.

Finally, this energy transcends your physical body and your mind. It’s also spiritual. It is linked to the Divine, the godhead. Thus, the energy is spiritual, mental, and physical.

This does not mean you can only do Tantric rituals for goals that are not oriented toward the physical world. Rather, this is associated with the Tantric concept of Svecchachara, the path of doing one’s will. This involves finding your true purpose in life and doing what is required to achieve it. You may need money, food, housing, love, partners, safety, etc., to achieve your ultimate goal that, by its very nature, is in harmony with the Divine and with nature.

Theorem Four

Creation on the spiritual planes results in creation on the physical plane.

Since natural forces created the universe, the concept of magick being supernatural doesn’t make sense. Everything is natural. We may think of something as not being natural simply because we are uncomfortable with it.

We do not have non-physical koshas, or sheaths, because our physical body was born. Rather, the physical body is the inevitable end result of our spiritual sheath being created on its associated planes.

Therefore, if we create something on the spiritual planes, eventually it must manifest, via natural means, on the physical plane. Of course, this only remains true as long as we do not, knowingly or unknowingly, create magick that counters our spiritual creation.

Theorem Five

A ritual’s success is inversely proportional to time.

I credit this theorem to chaos magician Peter Carroll. As a comparison, if you’re doing some sort of divination, the further in the future you’re looking at, the less likely is the divination’s accuracy. This is because unknown and unplanned actions (the result of free-will activities by you and others) between now and the distant outcome you’re considering may send unplanned and/or unconscious magickal energy to what was the focus of the divination. Things change. If the event being divined is to take place soon, it is much more likely to occur as predicted when compared to something in the distant future.

Similarly, when magick is performed, results desired to have a rapid manifestation are more likely to be obtained than those planned for years from now. For something in the distant future, events not anticipated by the magician may creep into his or her life, and thoughts (these events are called noise) and pull the magician away from focusing on the magick. Other interests may simply pull the magician away from his or her conscious desires. Other people may work, knowingly or unknowingly, to counter your own work. In fact, your interests may change so much that you end up consciously working against your original magick.

Therefore, rather than focusing on grand magickal experiments with goals intended to take place years from now, I suggest that you have a series of intermediate goals that you do magick for and that occur between now and the ultimate goal. For example, if your ultimate goal is to become a schoolteacher, your intermediate goals might be something like this:

1. Get good grades at school
2. Graduate with a great GPA
3. Get accepted into a good college
4. Get good grades at college, with a degree leading toward teaching
5. Get accepted into a teaching program
6. Do a great job as a student teacher
7. Get a degree in teaching
8. Get accepted to teach the subjects you want at the school you want

Using magick to help you achieve all eight goals, one at a time and in the appropriate order, will tend to be more effective than just doing magick to become a schoolteacher.

Theorem Six

Let go and let the magick work.

As I have repeatedly told magicians of all kinds, just do the work. Do the best you can. Don’t focus on whether you did something perfectly, whether you mispronounced something, or whether it will really work. All of that sort of mental focus will send magickal energy away from achieving your goal and toward your doubts. This does not mean you shouldn’t strive to do everything as accurately and passionately as possible. Rather, it means that once you’ve completed the magick, don’t obsess about it.

Keep a record of your magickal work, including all of the variables, such as location, time, your feelings and attitudes, etc. Look back at your records later. You’ll see any patterns that encouraged success or failure.

If your goal will take place in many months, you might want to occasionally repeat your ritual, not with the intent of “fixing” what you did wrong, but rather, to amplify and add to the original rite.

Theorem Seven

Magick is magick.

Nobody talks about good or bad electricity; there is just electricity. It may be used to light up the night or kill someone. Similarly, the notion of black, white, gray, pink, puce, or green magick may be good for theoretical or philosophical classification of the results, but the methodologies are still the same.

Magick is magick. I suggest performing a divination before doing an actual ritual. When doing the divination, don’t ask, “Should I do this ritual?” That places the responsibility on your divinatory tool rather than on you. Instead, ask, “What will be the result if I do this magick?” When you learn the result, you can adjust the magick if necessary to avoid any problems and enhance potential success. This empowers the magician and helps prevent the person from doing anything stupid that might harm the magician or someone else.

Corollary: An effective magician may choose to be “stupid.”

Real magicians don’t need to do magick to harm others. In fact, they won’t do magick to harm others because the karmic response to such an action would be to harm oneself, and that would be stupid.

In some circumstances, however, a magician may consciously choose to do something “stupid,” something that will harm him or her, because the situation warrants it. For example, a magician I know used magick to stop a rapist who was attacking women in his neighborhood. Within a week, the alleged rapist was in a serious auto accident and the police were able to catch him. A month later, the magician was laid off at work. He believes it was a karmic response to his actions (working the magick) that resulted in another person being harmed.

To this day, he doesn’t care about losing his job. To him, it was a conscious effort to stop a person who was harming people around him. He performed more magick to obtain a better job, and a short time later he obtained a position that paid him much more than his previous job.

Theorem Eight

Magick is a science and an art.

This means that some people may have a natural ability to do magick. But don’t let that bother you! If you study and practice, you can become as good or better than even the most naturally skilled person who doesn’t continue to study or practice.

Theorem Nine

Magick is synergistic.

Synergy is the concept that the total is greater than the sum of its parts. Saying magick is synergistic means that the amount of energy raised during a group (two people or more) ritual is greater than the amount of energy that can be raised by each person working individually.

However, remember the old saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. One experienced, well-trained magician may be far more successful than a group of untrained people or a group of people who simply do not work well together or are not synchronized on the magickal goal of the work. To enhance the magickal energy, help the weakest person of a pair or the weakest members of a group become better at magick.

I hope these nine theorems have given you some ideas to consider. There is something else I now need to share. It’s related to theorem seven.

When we come to magickal methodology, there are two major divisions. The first is natural or folk magick (also known as Pagan magick or low magick). Various forms of natural magick occur all over the world. Typical types of natural magick that are performed by Tantrics include working with gems and with simple spells (the latter mistakenly called mantra magick, when it’s more accurately japa magick).

The other division of magick in the West is ceremonial or ritual magick (also known as high magick). The ritualism of this kind of magick can be far more complex. Some Tantrics really like the ritual aspect of this kind of magick. That is another reason why there were two versions of the initiation ritual given in chapter Nine.

Many forms of magick cannot be clearly placed in either division. Tantric sex magick, for example, can be done in a variety of ways, ranging from very simple to very elaborate.

For the remainder of this chapter, I’d like to share two approaches to magick that seem to be exclusively Tantric in nature, although you may find similarities in other magickal traditions.

The Background, Version 1

The following is based on a 2011 Llewellyn blog post I wrote, at www.llewellyn.com/blog/2011/8/magick-101-4-true-meditation.

Meditation

I’ve mentioned meditation many times in this book, although I haven’t yet fully explained it and let you work with your current idea of it. For most people, meditation means a type of relaxation or inner focus, or a type of extreme concentration. True meditation, however, is far more than that. True meditation has as its goal the ability to transcend your sense of individuality and separateness for a brief time, allowing you to experience your Atman, your higher self, and its unity with the universe. Meditation has three stages:

Stage One: Relaxation

The first stage of meditation is relaxation of the mind and body. Relaxation of the mind begins by eliminating those things that bother you. This usually involves two things:

• Accepting a set of ethics based on honesty and personal responsibility.
• Learning to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past (which can’t be changed) or worrying about the future (which is guessing about what might happen). An important part of this is simply learning to breath such as I’ve already described: slow and steady breath, with a focus on comfortably extending the exhalation.

Relaxing the body traditionally involved practices such as hatha yoga, what most Westerners consider to be the extent of “yoga.” While hatha yoga is great (and yes, it originated with the ancient Tantrics, as newspaper articles in 2012 made clear), but for many Westerners the learning of hatha yoga may either take too long or not be something in which they are interested.

Luckily, there is something you can do to deeply relax your physical body. It is called progressive relaxation or progressive muscle relaxation. This system is often used as a beginning step in hypnotic inductions. Briefly, you simply “talk” to each part of your body and tell it to relax. When leading others in the practice of progressive relaxation, I like to begin this way:

“Get comfortable where you are, seated or lying on your back. Uncross your arms and legs and breathe normally. Now imagine a sphere of brilliant golden light, surrounding your feet. As you focus on your feet and that golden glow, all of the muscles in your ankles, feet, and toes just let go and totally, deeply relax. You don’t have to do anything. When the sphere is there, the muscles just relax and any tension fades away. If you notice any tightness or stress, just breathe and allow it to fade away.

“Next, the golden glow moves up to your calves. The muscles of the calves simply become loose and totally relax. You don’t have to do anything; just let go. If you notice any tightness or stress in either of your calves, just breathe and allow it to fade away … ”

Continue this way up your legs, torso, arms, neck, and head. Alternatively, you can start at the head and work down to the toes. When you are deeply relaxed using this system, spend a few minutes just breathing using the methods previously described.

When you combine the mental focus and physical practices of relaxation, you take your attention away from the world and turn it inward. In Sanskrit, this is known as pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses and the normal attention we pay to our environment.

Stage Two: Contemplation

The second stage of meditation involves the intense focus of your mind on a single thing. This can be any object, picture, sound, activity, etc. Traditional examples of this include a mantra or yantra. Up to this point, you may have merely been looking at a yantra. Here, we’ll take it up a notch to true Tantric intensity.

Method One

Fix your gaze on an image. Do not take your eyes off it. Try to keep your eyes open as long as possible between blinks. If your eyes water, that is fine. Let them.

When you have the image burned into your mind, close your eyes and visualize or imagine the yantra. Make it as clear and complete as possible. Don’t be concerned if it’s not perfect. You will develop better visualization skills with practice.

When you have visualized the yantra to the best of your ability, imagine or visualize the yantra growing until it is enormous in size. When it is huge, imagine or visualize yourself stepping into the yantra, becoming one with it. Alternatively, see the yantra as a type of door and go through it.

If you’re not comfortable focusing on the entire yantra at one time, divide the yantra in your mind into several horizontal strips, perhaps ten or more. Moving from right to left (or left to right), focus on just the top strip of the yantra. Repeat this for the next strip. Do this until you have spent some time with each of the strips. Then close your eyes and do this completely with visualization. Again, don’t worry if you’re not perfect at this. Skill will develop with practice.

This extreme single focus, the second stage of real meditation, is known as dharana.

Stage Three: Negation

Leading to what is known as dhyana or samadhi in Sanskrit—the true meditative state—is the stage I call “negation.” After you have the incredible and intense focus on the visualized yantra, allow it to dissolve. Let it just fade away. Alternatively, you may wish to peel away each of the strips just described. Continue until the entire image is gone.

At this point, a very interesting phenomenon will occur. By the time the yantra is gone from your visualization, your consciousness—which has been caught up in the act of intense focus—will also be “gone” (actually it will just be silent). The constant monologue in your head that is always going on while you are awake will be stopped. This will give your higher self, your link to the Divine, a chance to communicate with you and give you potentially important messages and information. The result is a wonderful state of bliss known as samadhi, nirvana, or cosmic consciousness. It is a sensation of being at one with the universe, and there is nothing else like it. It is a state of perfect balance and control, including control of the energies that run through the universe and your bodies.

When you first try this, it is common for this state to last for only a brief moment. Then the inner voice returns and asks something like, “Did I do this right?” As soon as the voice comes back, the meditation is over.

With regular practice, you will be able to make that instant last a minute, five minutes, or more. As this state stretches out in length, you will have a new feeling come over you, a feeling of being in total harmony with the universe, including being able to manifest and direct magickal prana.

The Background, Version 2

The following is based on a 2011 Llewellyn blog post I wrote, at www.llewellyn.com/blog/2011/7/magick-101-2-baseball-breath-and-magick.

Breathwork

There are some teachers who will tell you that you’re breathing the “wrong” way. My advice: forget about them. While there are different levels of breath, each type is valuable for different reasons. What is of value is learning to use the different levels of breathing and being able to access them when appropriate.

High Breathing

Imagine you’re a soldier and told to stand at attention.

Stand up straight!
Stomach in!
Shoulders back!
Chest out!

Now try to breathe. It’s hard to do! You have to breathe by expanding and contracting the rib cage. This is done using the small intercostal muscles between the ribs. They weren’t designed to do that.

This technique is called high breathing. It limits the amount of air you intake because it only uses the upper part of the lungs. Chronic high breathing may cause digestive problems and is common among people with asthma and people who wear tight clothes or belts at their waists. High breathing is a natural response to frights and shocks and may trigger the production of hormones necessary for the fight-or-flight response. Not having access to high breathing could result in not being able to handle dangerous situations.

Middle Breathing

Middle breathing is not as clearly defined as high breathing because you have to go through the upper part of the lungs to get to the middle. It will also partially fill the lower part of the lungs. However, middle breathing essentially fills the central part of the lungs. It gives a fuller breath than high breathing but is still not complete. A further difference is the movement of the ribs. With high breathing, because the body is held so rigid, the ribs tend to expand upward and forward. With middle breathing, they also expand out to the sides.

Because you get more air with middle breathing than with high breathing, middle breathing can be better for you, especially when sitting in a chair. The added breath and oxygen can give you more energy and enhance your concentration abilities.

Low Breathing

This is often described as “belly breathing” and, according to some teachers, is superior to high and middle breathing. It certainly does have some advantages:

• Low breathing uses the deepest part of the lungs, filling and allowing them to naturally clean themselves.
• It massages the organs of the stomach.
• More air is taken in.
• It has a positive effect on the nerves of the solar plexus.
• It can provide calmness and courage.

This is the style of breathing used by singers and martial artists. It is the most natural form of breathing (watch an infant on its back to see what low breathing looks like). Here’s how it works:

The largest muscle in the body, the diaphragm, separates the upper organs from the stomach organs. When the diaphragm moves down, it creates a bit of a vacuum, causing the lungs to expand and fill with air. When it moves back up, it increases pressure and forces the air out of the lungs. To bring the diaphragm down, imagine your stomach expanding. In fact, let it expand forward. To push the diaphragm up, contract your stomach.

Okay, I know sticking your belly out isn’t the modern Western visual ideal, but concentrate on what you’re doing rather than how you look.

When is low breathing not a “better” form of breathing? Try each of these types of breathing and you’ll see that low breathing takes a lot of time. When you are exercising in a way that raises your pulse and respiration rate, you can’t breathe fast enough using low breathing. It’s not ideal in all situations. It can be used to help calm the mind and spirit.

Complete Breathing

This type of breath puts it all together and is primarily used only during breathwork. It combines high, middle, and low breathing.

Find a comfortable position. Inhale through your nose for a high breath, expanding your chest up and out. Continue by allowing more breath into your lungs, expanding your chest and ribs to the side. Complete the breath by allowing your stomach to expand, pulling down the diaphragm and filling the lungs completely. Hold the inhalation for a few moments. Don’t strain. Feel comfortable.

Now exhale slooooooowly through the mouth and nose. Focus on all your muscles and the air leaving you. As you exhale, do not allow your rib cage to relax. Keep it expanded. Focus on the exhalation, not the inhalation.

Repeat this a few times before you allow yourself to return to normal breathing. With each breath, fill your lungs with a smooth movement of air through high, middle, and low breaths. Try to lengthen the time it takes you to exhale with each breath. Don’t strain. Go easy. Even a little longer is positive.

If you are dissatisfied with the depth and quality of your breathing, there are several devices that can help you improve your breathing capacity. They have a mouthpiece similar to that of a snorkel used for swimming, and a control for limiting how much air can come through the mouthpiece into your lungs. You have to inhale more strongly and exhale with greater force. The devices have names like “PowerLung,” “Ultrabreathe,” or “Expand-a-Lung.” All of them can be useful (and they may help people with asthma, COPD, high blood pressure, heart disease, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and other issues with lung involvement), but be aware that they can be scary at first because it will feel like you can’t get a breath. Relax. Take it easy. Start slowly and take time to build up your lung capacity.

Respiratory System

The Technology

Projection and Absorption

When I studied martial arts, one of the things that was stressed was that weapons were to be thought of as extensions of the body. The sword extended your arms by a less than a meter. The staff extended your arms by a couple of meters. But they were still basically part of you. Further, they could be used to help you extend your energy beyond your normal reach.

Once you can extend your energy, you might not even need physical weapons. The ultimate form of this is a very secretive technique known in China as dim mak. Depending upon the time of day and the location of the body’s energy, a master of dim mak could direct energy to an enemy by a slight touch to an acupressure point (marma) or by sending energy and not even touching the foe at all. This action would disrupt the victim’s energetic system, and days or even weeks later, the person would sicken and die.

In this description, the point I want to make clear is that you do not need a variety of magickal tools or “weapons.” They are, after all, merely extensions of who you are. They don’t function on their own. They have no superpowers. They just help you.

You, your mind, your ability to move universal energy (prana) modified by the elements and the gunas (active, passive, balanced)—that is really all you need to perform powerful Tantric magick. You may choose to use tools of your choice, but they are not required, nor are they necessary.

Pictured here is an image from the chapter on the Sri Yantra. It shows the Tantric as being one with the 3-D version of the Sri. The Sri is also representative of the creation of all things from the Goddess, past her manifestations, beyond the play (lila) of maya, to the physical world. We can also move from our position in the physical world back through the Sri toward the Divine.

Sri Yantra in 3-D Projected on the Body

It is this concept—that we are the Sri Yantra, that we are the microcosm of the greater universe (macrocosm), and therefore, we need nothing other than ourselves to work incredibly powerful magick—that is at the heart of Tantric magick.

Using gems, yantras, color, visualization, breathwork, etc., can all be potent magickal techniques. But when combined with the following techniques, their power is amplified as they become extensions of our bodies.

The first technique is called projection. The technology is something you have been learning. Using breathwork and visualization, combined with the energies of the appropriate element(s) and guna(s), the energy is projected from the center of your being (the Bindu of the Sri Yantra) out toward the temporal and physical goal of the magick.

The second technique is called absorption. Here, again using breathwork and visualization, you take energies that are outside of you and bring them into your center.

Projection is the technique you use for making magick that will affect anything in your environment, including others. Absorption is the technique you use for making magick that is designed to change you.

The Method

Tantric Magickal Ritual

1. Clean the area where you will perform the ritual. Take a bath or shower. This ritual is performed digambara. Banish with your favorite method, such as through the use of the Dasa Mahavidyas or the thunderbolt mantra, as described earlier.
2. From a large bowl or pitcher of water, fill eight smaller bowls, one at a time, and place them at the eight directions of your chakra laboratory. Place the large bowl at center. If, from your research, you have images of the deities for the directions (or their yantras), place them at their proper location. Place incense, vibhuti, or colored powders on the central altar.
3. Stand in the center of your chakra and face east. Say:

Svaha! I salute the line of innumerable Tantrics and cast the circle of semen glow. May the circle be intact and the peace of Om Shiva Shakti dwell herein.

4a. Put your hands on your heart. Say:

I honor the Lord and Lady in my heart. Om.

Use the vibhuti or colored powder (red if you’re male, white if you’re female) to make three short horizontal lines over your heart.

4b. Put your hands on the crown of your head. Say:

I honor the Lord and Lady in the crown of my head. Om.

Use the vibhuti or powder to make three short horizontal lines on the top of your head.

4c. Put your hands on your hairline. Say:

I honor the Lord and Lady in the top of my forehead. Om.

Use the vibhuti or powder to make three short horizontal lines on your forehead.

4d. Put your hands on your upper chest. Say:

I honor the Lord and Lady in the armor. Om.

Use the vibhuti or powder to make three short horizontal lines over your upper chest.

4e. Put your hands on your eyes, also covering the third-eye chakra. Say:

I honor the Lord and Lady residing in the three eyes. Om.

Use the vibhuti or powder to make three short horizontal lines between your brows.

4f. Put your hands on your lingam or yoni. Say:

I honor the Lord and Lady in the lingam (or yoni). Om.

Use the vibhuti or powder to make three short horizontal lines over your genitals.

5. Sit in the center of your chakra, facing east. Visualize or imagine that you are sitting on a two-dimensional Sri Yantra. When the image is as strong as you can make it (and it will get better with practice), imagine it growing into a 3-D version of the Sri Yantra. It is all around you and encompassing you. Become one with it.
6. Understand that the outer edges represent the play (lila) of illusion (maya) in the physical world. As you move more toward your center and more toward the uppermost peak of the Sri Yantra (at the crown chakra), you leave the physical world and move into the spiritual world.
7. Follow previous directions for charging the chakras with colors and bija mantras (see chapter 11). Breathe using the complete breath. Notice the sensation of the kundalini rising.
8. When you become aware of the amrita descending, begin focusing on your magickal goal. Slowly chant Om.
9. To project all of this combined work, stress the vowel of the sound: OOOOOOOOOOOOOmmm.
10. To absorb all of this combined work, stress the consonant of the sound: oooMMMMMMMMMMMM.
11. When the energy, focus, visualization, sound—everything—reaches its highest level, shout: SVECCHACHARA! IT IS MY WILL! You may find that you jump up, pump your fists in the air, or something similar in excitement. This is fine.
12. When the energy and excitement of the work retreats, collect the water from the smaller bowls in reverse order, pouring it into the larger bowl or pitcher. Banish as before.

Addendum One: Enhancing
the Tantric Magickal Ritual

Just as there are no rules as to what may or may not be on your regular altar, there are no rules as to what you may include or exclude from the altar you assemble to perform this ritual.

Is there a deity associated with the goal of the ritual? Include that deity’s picture, statue, or yantra. During the ritual, make time to honor the deity by performing aarti with a lamp or candle, while ringing a bell.

Include the elements. You can assemble five small bowls for your altar. Put water (with Ganga jal) in one to represent the element of water. Put a lamp or candle in another to represent fire. Put soil in a third to represent earth. Put a hand fan in another to represent air. Burn incense in the fifth as a symbol of spirit/akasha.

Use your hand (the chakra in the palm) or a tool such as a wand or dagger to direct the energy you’re raising toward the element associated with the magickal goal of the ritual. Are you trying to increase that element’s energy, decrease it, or balance it? Follow the directions for swara yoga (included with the description of the danda, or yoga staff) for changing the energy you’re channeling to solar, lunar, or balanced. This is a way to work with the gunas.

What else can you do? Use your imagination! Modify this ritual until it fits you. Remember, the path of Modern Tantra is that of Svecchachara—the path of doing your will, not my will or the will of any particular group.

Addendum Two:
Magickal Mantras

I have already discussed the incredible power of vibration. It is only natural that some people have worked with energy in motion to achieve magickal results. Personally, I am not a big fan of magickal mantras, but I have found some to be incredibly useful. For example, the Ganesh mantra, Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha, is highly useful for eliminating blockages on your path and opening unexpected opportunities.

Here are a few other mantras. Although there are some very long ones, I’ve selected ones that are both effective and relatively brief. I suggest that you do them in rounds of 108. Make a vow to your personal deity (Ishta Devata) how many rounds a day or month you will perform. Describe what you will do or give up when you receive the results of your magick. Be sure to follow through on all your promises!

For wealth in all things:
Om Namaha Dhandaye Svaha

For victory (especially in political issues) and to win lawsuits:
Om Hring Bagalamukhi Namah

For good luck:
Om aim hreem shreem Sri
Lalita Tripurasundari padukam
poojayami namah

For protection from non-physical entities such as ghosts, unwanted spirits, etc.:
Om namo bhagavate ru ru
bhairvaye bhoot pret shay kuru
kuru hum fat svaha

For energy and power,
and also to eliminate fears:
Om Bhairavi Soaham

To gain magickal power:
Om Shrim Hreem Hreem Aim Vajra
Vairochaniye Shrim Hreem Hreem
Phat Svaha

For material success combined
with spiritual advancement:
Dum dum dhumavati tha tha

For peace and harmonious living:
Om Preeang Preeng Prong
Sa Shange Namah

For luck in taking risks such
as gambling, speculation, etc.:
Om shri mahalakyamaya namah

The Tantric I.O.B.:
A Modern Tantric Method
for Personal Development and Ending Psychic Attacks

One of the most popular sections of my book Modern Magick is my description of the I.O.B. technique. This is a method for dealing with our inner demons as well as for dealing with something we experience as a psychic attack. The I.O.B. technique isn’t new, but it is a new interpretation of traditional Western magickal and medieval techniques that in some cases were used as an early form of counseling. The magickal techniques include the formulation of telesmatic images and certain banishing methods. By considering some aspects of the I.O.B. a type of medieval counseling system, I am, of course, also giving a psychological interpretation of what was commonly called “exorcism.”

Ever since the 1973 movie The Exorcist, people have become familiar with the idea of exorcism, or at least an exaggerated and fictionalized idea of the process. It is commonly thought of as a way to get rid of demons or devils (if they exist) that are supposedly “possessing” a person. Such demons seem to be fairly rare these days, but in medieval literature they seemed to be surprisingly common. We must assume that such demons have ceased to bother people or never existed, or that we interpret them differently today. Well, there is no reason to believe that the demons said to possess people in the Middle Ages have changed, and with all the reports of exorcisms during that period, there is little reason to assume that all those reports were imaginary. Therefore, we may assume that the “demons” are being handled today in a different manner. If you look at the actual reports of the exorcisms from that time, you will be struck by the similarity
between the descriptions of the “possessed” people and symptoms of people who today would be described as having certain physical or mental issues, or a combination of both. So even if we are to assume that some exorcisms did deal with demon possession, it seems that many functioned as a sort of early form of psychotherapy in the tradition of what is known today as “psychodrama.” Whatever the cause, reports show that in many cases the exorcisms worked.15

The magickal technique of creating telesmatic images is based on a complex system of visualization methods. We need not be that complex. Instead, we can use the basic idea of creating an image of something that is devoid of form. Thus, “justice” could be made to have a specific image. So could “freedom” become a particular angel or archangel. “Intolerance” could be visualized as an imagined demon, as could the sensations of a psychic attack. Any quality, good or bad, can be given form. It is this idea, along with the concept that in some or most instances exorcism was an early technology for dealing with unwanted psychological issues, that is the basis of the I.O.B. technique as described and used here.

A word of warning: It may be that going to a positive, growth-oriented psychotherapist who is not against occult studies may be better for you than attempting the I.O.B. technique to deal with your “inner demons.” If you opt to attempt this technique and find yourself scared, physically ill, or feeling confused or lost, stop immediately! The unconscious mind works to safeguard the body and the conscious mind. The unconscious mind may have a reason for preventing us from learning the innermost truths about ourselves until we are ready to accept them. If you try out this system, go slow, be gentle, and be kind to yourself. The technique may sound simple, but it is surprisingly powerful.

The “I” in I.O.B. stands for Identify. Your first and perhaps most challenging task in this technique is to identify aspects of yourself that you no longer wish to possess. Are you hardheaded? Egotistical? Self-centered? Insecure? Indecisive? Whatever it is, your first task is to identify it. Now, at the beginning this is quite safe, although it might not be that easy to admit to those things that you consider to be your faults. Later, it will become easier to admit your faults on a conscious level, but your unconscious may resist your conscious. This will be the time to go easy on yourself. Do not force something if it will not come easily. Work on one thing at a time. If you are applying this technique to deal with a psychic attack, try to determine why the attack is taking place. Don’t come only from your point of view; also try to imagine the point of view of your attacker that triggered the assault in the first place. Be as objective as possible and see all sides. Is there a third way of looking at this, something that is not your interpretation or that of the supposed attacker? Also, see if you can identify the direction from which the attack is coming. If you don’t know, use your emotions and guess.

The “O” in I.O.B. stands for Objectify. This second step is the easiest and most fun. The idea here is to build up an image that represents what you have identified. This can be any form, although it should preferably be capable of life. Thus, a rock would not be as good for this technique as would an elf, or a dog, or the imagined image of a monstrous demon.

Let’s assume you have determined that one of the things you wish to rid yourself of is hardheadedness, the inability to change. In this step, we want to objectify this hardheadedness, make it into a thing. We can make up any image, but for our purpose here, let us give it a somewhat human appearance. Its face must have firmly chiseled features, and he (let’s make it male) wears an army helmet. His eyes are steel gray. He is tall and strong, but the joints of his legs and hips do not work, so his strength is useless. He is wearing a metallic jumpsuit, and beneath it are seen hard muscles that can never relax. In fact, in some places the muscles look like nuts and bolts. Although this aspect is hidden, it is possible to sense that he feels great pain because he can never relax, must always be hard. There is a fear of not being right. In this way, an image of hardheadedness is built up. All of these things are objectifications of the archetype of hardheadedness. If it so happens that this is an aspect of yourself you wish to work on, you can start with what I have given and continue. What color is his skin and hair? (Don’t be limited by standard skin tones.) Is he holding anything? Doing anything?

If you are using the I.O.B. to deal with a psychic attack, come up with an image of the nature of the attack, not of whom you suspect the attacker to be. We can end the attack without harming the attacker. This is important because most psychic attacks are the result of our own imagination, not some wizard working against you, and you wouldn’t want to harm yourself. The image could be an animal, a plant, an unknown person, or even some imaginary monster. Spend some time making this as real as possible. What does it look like, smell like, sound like, and so forth? How does it make you feel? Spend time with this.

Lastly, name this creation. You can use any name as long as it is not the name of someone you know or know of. Again, it does not have to be standard. “I-gis” (hard “g”) is short and applicable. “Grelflexor” is an interesting and perfectly acceptable appellation.

Spend some time making this image in your mind as concrete as possible. You may wish to draw it or perhaps make a statue, if you have some artistic abilities. If it’s some sort of creature, you might even consider buying a small toy version of it. The time you spend doing this is important because you are literally giving life to it, and you can’t stop something—end its life in a metaphorical sense—if it is not alive.

The “B” in I.O.B. stands for Banish. This is the magickal equivalent of exorcism. However, this process of banishment—though based on the Banishing by the Mahavidyas (see the end of chapter Four)—is a little tricky because we are banishing an unwanted part of ourselves or something linked to ourselves. When doing the I.O.B. because you feel you are under psychic attack, it separates the attacker(s) from you, ending the attack, and allows you to set up a barrier to prevent further attacks. Let’s go through this step by step.

Step One. Perform the Banishing by the Mahavidyas (see the end of chapter Four). If you have not done this before, do it at least twice a day for a minimum of one week, preferably two weeks, so you are sure it is effective. The best times to do this are at one of the four Tantric “twilights”: sunrise, noon, sunset, or midnight. If you cannot practice at those exact times, do so when you can, but practice at least twice daily. Make the visualizations of the goddesses as real as possible. Study information on the goddesses from this book and from other sources. If you have a picture or sculpture of your objectification, bring it with you into the area you are going to banish.

Step Two. After the banishing, if you have a picture or sculpture of your objectification, look at it for a few minutes. Focus on it until it seems alive. Then put the physical image away and work it up in your imagination even more. If you have no physical image, simply mock it up in your imagination. Make it as real as you possibly can. What does it smell like, sound like, feel like? Does it have an energy that you can sense? Make it real.

Now slowly turn in a circle and see if you can sense where your objectified image belongs (or where the attack is coming from) outside the protective square you created with the banishing. If you don’t know which direction, ask yourself, “If I knew where it belonged, where would it be?” and go with your first immediate feeling. Visualize your objectified image there.

Step Three. When your objectified image is as real as possible, notice that there is an energy link between you and this “thing.” It may be a wispy trail or something more solid. On your side it may be attached to one or more of your chakras. The most likely primary points of connection will be at the top of the head, between the brows, at the heart, at the solar plexus, or at the genitals. Just note where this link is. On the creature’s side it should be connected to its solar plexus, heart, or head.

By the way, your visualization needs to be only as good as you can make it. It does not have to be perfect. In fact, if you are not good at seeing things you are attempting to visualize, simply know (not think or believe or hope or wish, but know beyond any doubt) that it is there and that if your psychic vision were better you would be able to see it.

Step Four. In your hand, visualize one of the typical weapons of Durga or Kali, such as a sword or scissors. With the weapon, sever the connection between you and the objectified form. Be careful! You may experience some slight pain with this due to the shock of severing something that has been part of you for so long. Simply acknowledge it and you will find that any pain or other sensation will quickly dissipate. The important thing to remember about this step is that it should be both physical (you should do an action) and mental (you should visualize the cutting of the cord).

Step Five. When you are sure the link has been severed, immediately repeat steps 2–12 of the Banishing by the Mahavidyas. When this has been completed, make sure the figure you visualized is completely outside of your protective area. The ideal is to make sure that there is no trace of the severed cord that existed between you and the figure. In practice, a small vestigial piece of it may remain. That’s okay, but anything attached to you should be completely within your part of the banished area, while anything attached to the figure must not enter the banished area at all.

Step Six. With the visualized tool you used to cut the link, and while staying inside your banished area, visualize yourself slicing the image into tiny bits. Do this with authority! Laughing at it is appropriate, too. Feel fantastic about what you’ve done. If you have something to say about how you no longer want it in your life, how it no longer has any power over you, how you are completely through with it, etc., tell it that as you destroy it. Speak from your heart. Tell it how you feel. Also, be sure to describe how wonderful things will be for you now that this thing can never bother or intimidate you again.

Step Seven. Now take a comfortable position (lying down, sitting, or standing) and simply breathe. Focus on your exhalations. Make them long, continuous, and slow. This will have the effect of increasing your personal energy (prana).

Step Eight. Become highly aware of the ten goddesses as they surround and protect you. Allow this image to slowly fade from your conscious attention, but know that they are still invisibly there.

Step Nine. Although this breaking of the link need only be done once, be sure to continue practicing the banishing at least twice a day for the week that follows. This will prevent any attempt by your unconscious mind or a known or unknown source to reestablish the link and again manifest the undesired behavior, belief, or attack. Practicing the banishing during each of the four twilights would be even more thorough.

I must point out that a chef learning to cook does not always have his or her food come out perfectly the first time, and your I.O.B. technique may not be perfect at first, either. With your first attempts, you may need to repeat the technique several times in order for it to completely succeed. You should wait at least three days between repetitions of this rite, although you should still perform the banishings at least twice daily. If you have created (or purchased) an artistic version of your visualization, it should be totally destroyed after doing the I.O.B. Eventually you will become very effective with the Tantric I.O.B.

15. I’m not including the modern trend by some Evangelical Christian groups to brand virtually everything they don’t like—from poverty and chronic illness to overeating, alcoholism, and genetic diseases—with the label “demon possession.” The exorcisms they claim to do seem to be more about establishing or maintaining the power of a group or individual, as well as their associated hierarchy and leadership, rather than helping an “afflicted” person. I have seen no records of the long-term success of such rituals.

[contents]