Developing Psychic Abilities

The development of spiritual abilities is probably some of the most sought after techniques in magical practice. Learning how to see, hear, and speak to spirits gives the magician an edge in their efforts. Some people of course are naturally gifted, but others have to work at it to become proficient. 

Since my childhood I was unfortunate enough to be able to see spirits. Along with also being hag ridden as a child, which also caused horrible night terrors, I oftentimes had visions while praying. I assumed this was the case for everyone, until others informed me that when they prayed they just saw the insides of the their eyelids. 

When I became a teen and started dabbling in magic, I started to get visited by spirits in my dreams. It wasn't until I was about twenty three when I finally started to focus on developing these skills. Most of my spiritual development took place during this time in my life, and these are some of the techniques that I believe aided in my development:

Zener Cards

I had a fascination with psychism in my late teens and I learned about Zener Cards as a tool for psychic training and testing. Although largely "debunked" by the scientific community in their application, the focus on the simple symbols off the cards can greatly aide in building the imagination. 

As for my own experimentation I would shuffle the deck, draw a card, without looking and place it face down in front of me. Then I would close my eyes and try to imagine what was on the card. If no image came to me I would place the card back in the deck without looking and shuffle the deck again. When I felt that I had a card that I could imagine, I would say allowed what I believed the image was then turn the card over. Eventually I was guessing 5 out of 7 draws correctly. 

Tarot Scanning

Donald Michael Kraig's Modern Magic was problem one the best practical magic sources that was readily available at the local bookstore 20 years ago. He had a lot of techniques that were largely based on the magic of the Golden Dawn, but there was one exercise that was an absolute gem: the scanning of the trump cards.

The exercise was simple: draw a tarot trump and scan the card slowly from left to right from top to bottom. With each scanned line you would briefly close your eyes and imagine the image you just scanned. The goal is to be able to imagine the whole card in your mind's eye. 

First, I'd like to point out that this technique works best with a Rider Wait deck because the imagery and color scheme is rather bold and easier to visualize. Second, this practice will help you better connect to the tarot deck and will strengthen your intuition when performing divinations. Finally, give each card a few days of practice with this technique, focus on seeing the image clearly before moving on.

Once you have scanned the twenty two trumps you should try the technique offered above with the Zener cards. If you are a bit of scientist, you should try the technique a few times before scanning the cards, then compare your results when you attempt again after you complete the scanning exercise.

Scrying

The act of gazing into an object to gain occult information from the object is an invaluable technique. Some people will take to this practice quite intuitively while others may struggle to get it. This becomes confusing for many as there is a litany of preferred materials for this technique that include: black mirrors, oxidized silver, a drop of ink, crystals, and more. 

A simple way to start working without investing in materials is to start with a crystal or gemstone. Quartz is generally inexpensive and you will only need a small piece. The clarity of the quartz crystal is up to you, but inclusions do not prohibit the ability to scry, in fact, inclusions can enhance the stone. 

Once you have selected your small piece of quartz crystal your first act will be to talk to the crystal. Tell the crystal that you want it to aide you in your ability to scry. Carry the crystal in your pocket day and night, and be sure to sleep with it under your pillow. 

After a couple of weeks of "bonding" with the crystal sit down quietly in a dark room. Light candle and hold the crystal in your hand. Try to let the candle catch some candle light. Softly gaze into the crystal, it's okay to blink, and allow your mind to empty into the crystal. Pay attention to images that may appear in your mind and be sure to record them. As you improve you will be able to direct your visions to the subjects that interest you.

These are just a handful of techniques to help you get started in your psychic development. It's not a fast process and at times can be disheartening and boring. However, persistence at it can opens worlds of possibilities that may not have been previously available to you. The power of a trained imagination is something all magicians should strive for.

The Fool: Liberation or Baser Human Nature

I've decided to start a series of posts clarifying my views and interpretations of the Tarot. Modern Tarot is rife with assumptions that are based upon assumptions that have little to no historical value in the origin of the cards. Understanding the context of Tarot's place in history, for me, is extremely important to building a deeper connection to the cards and the meanings veiled within them.

Some of my references and source material comes form the works of Michael Dummet and Helen Farley, both of whom take materialist and historical approach to the cards. This is not to imply that I have discarded all mystical views of the cards, quite the opposite, I find the game of Tarot to be quite mystical and the perfect medium for divination.

In the earliest depiction of the Fool found in the Visconti Sforza deck, we see an image of a man in tattered clothes that only cover the upper half of his body. His face and physical features suggest that he suffers from a form of cretinism. The goiter on his neck, the nearness of his eyes, and clubbed hands and foot tell a story of severe physical and likely mental deformity. Upon his head there are seven feathers that likely symbolize the seven deadly sins, and in his hand he holds a club.

This imagery conjures the idea of baser nature of humanity that is driven by impulse rather than logic. His lake of care for his appearance is that of someone who has no interest in social conformity or rather a complete lack of awareness of it. The club in his hand is on the shoulder ready to be swung without regard or care of the outcome. He is a brutal figure and reminds us of our less than rational nature.

Other images of the card that would later appear would show him with a dog, typically biting at his legs, buttocks, or even his scrotum. The dog being representative of affliction that is driving these baser impulses. The image of the dog and affliction reminds us of the image of St Lazarus whose sores are being licked by dogs. Waite would keep the image of the dog in his own deck which would serve as the foundation of most modern tarot imagery.

When we compare the previous imagery of the Fool to the Waite interpretation we see a more care-free portrayal of man whose idealism has him looking towards the heavens as he walks next to precipice. In his hand he holds a white rose as a symbol of purity, which is somewhat ironic given the earlier depictions of the card. I can be said that there is an innocence in foolishness, however, the consequences will be equally as dire.

Aleister Crowley would have the most bizarre interpretation of the Fool as being an image of complete liberation, happiness, and joy. Crowley was a former member of the Golden Dawn who would move on to start his own esoteric order proclaiming himself as prophet of the New Aeon. He carried on the Golden Dawn tradition of attempting to shoehorn ideas from different systems into his system of Thelema. As such he changed many things in the Tarot to better fit his magical philosophies. His tarot deck called Thoth is available to this day and has also become a very influential part of modern Tarot.

My personal interpretation of this card sides with the earlier symbolism. I believe that the Fool is warning the client of overly embracing their lower self and putting to risk what is important and necessary socially speaking. The Fool is affliction and leads to sorrow for people that can't recognize their own behavior and how it affects them and others. Without cards to weaken the Fool present in the reading the client needs to take a step back re-evaluate themselves and what is driving their ambitions.