Hi readers,
Over these past few weeks and especially after having a few discussions with various people I have been reflecting on my practice. I have been contemplating how far I have come since I first started. In the beginning I focused on meditation, visualization, grounding, centering, in addition to other practices. Further, I have now realized as I write how much I made it a point to adapt these practices into my daily life and how I now do them unconsciously. Also, when I was first starting, I found visualization to be rather easy despite the visual component to that part of the practice. For myself, I used all my senses while visualizing. I started with visualizing familiar places I have been like my home or a certain room within it, objects I have picked up, or something I have physically seen with my residual vision like the Sun. I made it a point to incorporate as many sense as I could including the sight I still have like I would focus on what the room looked like what I would hear as I walked the space, where objects were located –or what they would feel like, what smells would I encounter, and If depending on what I was trying to visualize what I might taste. When I explain visualization to anyone I focus less on the visual component because no matter If you have sight or not people get stuck on only picturing something rather than using all your senses. In terms of meditation I would use objects to hold my focus like a crystal and remember as much details as I could even how the light reflected on it. Also, I did guided meditations, or I would just meditate using a sound like music. Further, when I was learning about the elements and forming relationships I would meditate on that element like Earth, in addition to other forms such as breath work, even sitting outside mindfully listening to sounds around me. Although I do some of these practices today, I found myself over the years focusing more on how I can use them during the spell crafting and spellcasting process. I believe that in order to focus during the actual casting of the spell meditation is the most effective way to learn how because in my opinion, if you cannot focus your will or intentions your spell may not manifest. I meditate on any spell I am thinking of performing and afterword I use divination to see If it is a good option or the right time. I meditate before I craft the spell and use writing to help narrow down my intention after the meditation process. I spend a lot of time during the crafting process not only writing but visualizing how I will cast the spell and making notes of something I wish to change. Depending on the timing for the spell I will spend more time on the Crafting process in addition to gathering anything I might need. Further, a large part of my practice involves chakra work because it was something I found while exploring meditation. I explore each chakra and spend at least a few minutes on the chakra I am working on like the root noting any sensations I might feel or sense along the way and repeat the process as I move through each chakra. Additionally, I do a lot of grounding and centering work before doing any magic, so I am not in a state of frustration or worrying about something as I like to be focused solely on the act of what I am doing even If it is simple. I do another grounding and centering after I do the working, so I am not unbalanced energetically as I have experienced a tired sensation on some occasions after a spell or ritual. Also, all these practices allow me to be a more balanced person in addition to assisting me within my Craft. I see magic as part of my daily life from simple tasks I may do at my altar like offerings, lighting incense, to more mundane tasks like cleaning or baking infusing my intentions and sometimes even saying an incantation into what I am baking. These are just some of the practices I have done over the years and some of the practice I currently do in addition to how I may use them within everyday tasks. I hope that this inspires people and shows how both meditation and visualization can play a role in life in addition to assist in how they are important to any magical practice.
Many Blessings!!