Preamble
The basics of inner work that you really need to know are how to open something, how to close something and how to talk to someone. The visions presented below will open out the talking to someone part. Like everything, practice makes perfect. When it comes to visions and interactions the following rules are pretty good ones to go by until you find your feet.
If it scares you or looks nasty, don’t poke it. If they are clothed in flowing robes, with shining halos, or festooned with ritual implements, tell them to get lost, they are probably phonies—some parasites will cross-dress to entice you if you are a novice. Real inner contacts tend to be down to earth and devoid of egotistical posturing. They can also have a wicked sense of humor. If they want to get intimate with you chances are they want to eat your energy.
So first off, you must learn how to light a candle in a way that opens the inner worlds up.
Lighting a Candle and Creating a Sacred Space
This is the first step in all magical and visionary work. I never cease to be amazed at the amount of people in magical and spiritual traditions who simply flick on a lighter and then saunter away from the flame as if they had just flipped a switch. Lighting the flame is the most powerful and sacred act that a person can engage in.
Preparation
Use a white non-perfumed candle that is securely positioned. You will need a box of matches. (Not a lighter)
Lighting the Sacred Flame
Sit in front of the candle, with the matches in your hand and feel yourself becoming still. Slow down all the daily chatter in your head and focus instead on the eternal flame of divinity that burns within each of us. See that flame in your center. See that flame giving you life and strength.
Now be aware of your breath as it flows in and out of your body. Be aware that this breath holds life for you and that the breath of life flows through the inner flame as it travels in and out of your being. Using your inner vision, your imagination, See the inner flame with the breath flowing within it.
Strike the match and be aware of the outer flame manifesting out of substance (i.e. wood). Now be aware of your inner flame resonating with the outer flame so that they become as one. With that inner flame, light the candle and discard the match
Look at the flame and then close your eyes. See the flame with your inner vision and see the breath of life within the flame. As you watch, you see each of the Four Directions, East, South, West and North, light up with the divine flame. You become aware that each direction has its own flame.
The central flame gets bigger until you see it as a column of fire that reaches up through the stars and down deep into the underworld.
To extinguish the flame, see the central pillar of fire shrink back down into the candle flame. Watch as the flames in each direction merge into the central flame and be aware of the breath as it moves in rhythm to your own breath.
Using your breath, gently blow out the flame and feel the flame pass away from the outside world. You feel the passing of the flame as it resonates with your own inner flame and you acknowledge the sacred flame as it returns to the void.
The more you practice this exercise, the easier it will become. One day, you will realize that you are going through all the stages of communing with the flame in a single thought.
The more you work with this method, the more you realize that this in itself is a very powerful ritual. Using the flame for meditation will help you strengthen this technique.
Establishing the Flame
It is best to get up half an hour earlier than usual and to meditate while the world is still quiet. It also ensures that you do not meditate when you are tired, which is not always a good thing
Light a candle and safely place it somewhere in front of you, but not too close. Find a comfortable spot and sit down, either in a chair or cross legged on the floor. Do not get too comfortable in case you fall asleep.
Close you eyes and breathe naturally. Become aware of each breath as it goes into and out of your body. Count each out breath until you get to ten. If a thought pops into your head, go back to one and start again. Once you get to ten, using your imagination, see a flame gently burning deep within you: your inner flame. As you breathe in, see the flame absorbing the breath. As you breathe out, see the breath flowing out of the flame. Do this for ten breaths.
Finally, after watching the breaths, simply be aware of the flame as it burns peacefully within you. Feel its warmth and protection. The flame has a unique stillness about it, and that stillness radiates out into your mind, bringing you peace. Every time you think of the flame, you will feel the stillness. Slowly open you eyes and allow that feeling of stillness to stay with you.
Blow out the candle flame and put the candle in a special place. From now on, only use it for meditation.
Opening the Four Directions and Tuning in a Sacred Space
You will need five plain white candles and one long ordinary candle to use as a taper. Place the candles in the four directions and one in the center. Use altars if you can but have nothing on the altars except the candles. This is called creating a neutral space. Do not have images, ritual objects etc on the altars (therefore influencing or blocking the powers that you will need to work with).
Place the fifth candle in the center of the directions. Be aware of where the directions are (north, south, etc).
Light the candle in the center of the directions. Close you eyes and still your mind, focusing on the inner flame of stillness and silence. Be aware of the central flame getting bigger and as it grows, using your inner vision, reach inside and cup a fragment of your inner flame and join it with the candle flame. You become aware of many other hands reaching into the candle and adding to the fire. These are the hands of the Priests and priestesses of the Inner Convocation.
Open your eyes and light the taper candle from the flame in the center.
When the taper is lit, process to the East working clockwise and light the candle in the East. Stand for a moment with your eyes closed and see the flame with your inner vision. See the flames of the Inner Convocation joining with the flame of the East and as the flame strengthens, the gate to the East swings open. You become aware of an inner contact, priest or priestess stepping over the threshold and standing behind the flame. Acknowledge them silently before backing slowly away. Then you turn to the south. Repeat in the South, West and North until all the candles are lit and all the contacts are present.
Once all contacts are present, go to each direction in turn and commune with the inner contact that is there. Once you have finished your communion in all 4 directions, go back to the east and begin the process of closing down. Thank the contact in the direction for their communion and when they have withdrawn, blow out the candle. Repeat this process in each direction finishing with the North. Then go to the center, be still for a moment, allowing the central flame to return to the void, then blow out the center candle.
Keep those candles only for ceremonial use and do not use them for any other reason.
Working in the Directions to Create a Talisman
This is a silent simple ritual that also uses visionary techniques. It is a first line defense from inner attack. It should only be used when you are truly under attack, which doesn’t happen often. Do not use this for everyday protection because you will not develop your own inner protective immune system.
Get a plain necklace, metal, with no magical quality—for example, a silver chain with a small stone on it or a metal shape. Don’t go for any kabbalistic or new age images. The plainer, the better; so it’s a clean slate to work on. Put it in salt and leave it there for at least 24 hours.
You will need 5 plain white candles and one long ordinary candle to use as a taper. Place the candles in the 4 directions and one in the center. Use altars if you can but have nothing on the altars except the candles. This is called creating a neutral space. Do not have images, ritual objects and the like on the altars, as they will influence or block the powers that you will need to work with.
Place the fifth candle in the center of the directions. Be aware of where the directions are (north, south, etc)
Light the candle in the center of the directions. Close you eyes and still your mind, focusing on the inner flame of stillness and silence. Be aware of the central flame getting bigger and as it grows, using your inner vision, reach inside and cup a fragment of your inner flame and join it with the candle flame. You become aware of many other hands reaching into the candle and adding to the fire. These are the hands of the Priests and Priestesses of the Inner Convocation.
Open your eyes and light the taper candle from the flame in the center. When the taper is lit, process to the east working clockwise and light the candle in the east. Stand for a moment with your eyes closed and see the flame with your inner vision. As the flame strengthens, the gate to the East swings open. You become aware of an inner contact, priest or priestess stepping over the threshold and standing behind the flame. Acknowledge them silently before backing slowly away. Then you turn to the South. Repeat in the South, West and North until all the candles are lit and all the contacts are present.
Then take your talisman and start in the East. Go to the altar in the East and hold the talisman over the flame. In vision, ask the inner contact in that direction to put into the talisman whatever is needful for your protection, education and health. Tell them you are being attacked and that you need help. Go around the other directions and finally the center. When you have finished in the center, go out of the room and leave the talisman in there on its own for a few minutes. When you feel it is completed, go back in to the room.
When you have finished your work, start in the East and thank the contacts for working with you and gently blow out the candle. Repeat this in each direction and finally the center. Keep the candles in a special place and only use them for your magical work.
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Working in the Directions to Empower Sacred Objects
This working is a tuning in of power to an object that will then be used in a ritual or sacred sense. Be aware that a sacred consecrated object cannot be 'de commissioned' and will often have a life of its own once it has been awoken by this ceremony. This means that the object may wish to leave you and go live somewhere else, or that you may have an instinct to bury it or similarly dispose of it. But you cannot leave it lying around to be played with or use it as an ornament.
The four traditional implements are: sword (Air/East), wand or branch (South/Fire), chalice (West/Water) stone/shield (North/Earth). But the ritual will consecrate anything. After that it is up to you to ensure that it is treated respectfully and not played with. There is a wonderful scene in the film ‘Dogma’ where the demon is slain by a golf club. The bishop had secretly consecrated his golf club so that he would win his games. That film is a must for people doing this type of inner work. I was in hysterics throughout the film at all the little innuendos and sarcasms.
This ritual uses one direction only, but all the directions must be working during the ritual.
Set up the room and open the directions using five candles to create a sacred space (refer to creating a neutral sacred space, above).
Bring the object into the circle and quietly sit in the center by the center candle. Still yourself and close your eyes, be aware of the contacts around you and of the power of the directions flowing into the room.
When you are ready, starting in the East, go and stand before each direction and commune with the inner contact in each direction. Once you have been around all four, go back to the East and hold out the object. See if it wishes to work in the East. If not go to the next direction, always working clockwise until you get to a direction where you feel it belongs. You may need to go around a few times until you find the right one.
Once in the direction where you are going to work, hold the object over the flames as though passing it to the inner contact. They may take the inner pattern of the object and replace it. Wait while they transform the object and then let them tell you about how to use the object.
Once it is finished, place the object by the central flame and leave the room. Return after 15 min and close the room down, remembering to approach each direction, starting in the East and thank the contacts before blowing out the candle—which closes the contact threshold.
Place the object in its special place and work with it often both in ritual and in vision to learn how to use it
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