Mind Over Matter

The art of subtle domination of the environment and one's surroundings is summed
most perfectly in the art of Magecraft. The Mage is a highly intelligent,
peaceful, mentally focussed individual who seeks the purest forms of control over
themself, their surroundings, the people they meet, and the beings they come into
contact with (a mage must be mentally calm, collected, and have a mind free from
distraction, as an angry, vengeful, confused, or otherwise highly emotional person
cannot properly concentrate). Everything aspect of life that concerns a Mage from
day to day is domineered so that the Mage is always in total control. Magecraft,
as a whole art, consists essentially of Psychism and Temporal Magic (Psionics).

The highly psychic nature of a Mage lends itself well to being developed into a
finely tuned art. To sway living beings, a Mage must learn to impose his/her will
with care. Usually, what a Mage does, is to begin with becoming one with their
environment so as to distinguish between "noise" and thoughts. This will be
discussed at length later on, so I will leave the detailed explanation until then.
After a Mage has become accustomed to their environment, a Psychic Thread is
opened between the Mage and the Target. This is often seen, with the inner vision
of a Magician, as a yellow-blue thread of light which extends from the Third Eye
of the Mage, to the equivalent of their target. This is not strictly the colour
you must see, if you see anything at all, but is often reported as the most common
image. The opening of a psychic thread allows the Mage to listen to thoughts,
perhaps more in the form of empathy, in most cases, see past thoughts and to
insert notions of their own directly into the mind of their target. This does not
mean the target will suddenly stop and drone "Yes, Master?", but that third-party
influence is possible. The pure energy of a psychic link is a phenominal
experience, and not one that is soon forgotten. At first it may be hard to link
with another sentient being, and it may feel as though only the surface of the
targets mind is being penetrated. It is a fine way to start. A Mage will know the
instant a truly powerful psychic link is formed. It is like having lived two
lifetimes, and instantaneously feeling overwhelmed, elated and very God-like. Once
the newness of the linking sensation has subsided, the Mage can then concentrate
and will find that their own thoughts can quickly and simply become the thoughts
of their target, if circumstances permit. This is because of the highly focussed
energy that is supporting the psychic bridge. With the ability to read and write
thoughts, so to speak, comes a new paradigm for the Psi Mage. In one respect, it
is the call to honour. Having such power, misusing it is very easy. In another, it
is a call to wariness. Having the power to influence a mind makes humans seem like
large computer disks, in one sense, and freely manipulable. Take care and remember
this: When the two minds are linked, the mage can not escape the effects given to
a target entirely. The Ripple Effect comes into play, in this case, and reminds us
that telepathic links are intimate and intense. Ruining the mind of a target can
also adversely affect the mind of the linked mage.

When considering the use of these telepathic energies, many supposed possibilities
present themself. Not the least of these possibilities which first jump to mind is
sex, mind-invasion, and emotion draining. Remember the first caveat presented on
this page, though? "a mage must be mentally calm, collected, and have a mind free
from distraction, as an angry, vengeful, confused, or otherwise highly emotional
person cannot properly concentrate" were the exact words, and are also the very
reason that all of the above options are none too wise (or even possible).
Maintaining the crystal sharpness of a psi-prepared mind will take all the wits of
a mage. Things that will make the mind stray are out of the question during
practice -- a fact which must always be taken into consideration. Because of this,
though, energy "gathering" such as prescribed on the Beginning pages may become
tedious or hindering. Mages tend to prefer the alterative "nexus" approach right
from the outset, as it creates a continuous and sustainable pattern that the brain
may more easily follow. One way to use these energies would be used to open a
channel between the caster and the target and to turn themself into an ethereal
flywheel. The minds of the caster and target(s) then, with each spell casting,
continuously feeds a Mage so that energy is not spent on the casting of the spell
itself, but rather only in the spells initiation. After that point, telepathic
power is assumed to be equally distributed. A link between the Mage and the
environment is opened with energy, like most other castes, but is maintained
through the "nexus" method. The Mage filters emotion, stray thought, or whatever
else might be available through the linking of minds and may be able to interpret
what is being received, to some degree. In this fashion, a passive acceptance of
foreign thought is received and the spell can continue (as long as the required
concentration level is maintained). It can hardly be stressed enough to be sure to
learn your limits and never attempt to push things too far or too fast. The best
approach to linking of this nature is passive reception instead of trying to force
information out of people. Take things slowly, as a precaution, and do not try to
probe the secrets of the world in one day. Empathy and telepathy are two means of
learning through others, and of encouraging decisions with a mental nudge in
accordance with the desires of the mage. Examples of this kind of control are seen
in stories and legends of mages with soothing and strangely persuasive voices
throughout the history of magic which have used this kind of control to their
advantage as opportunities came about. This is not the end of a mage's ability,
though. The last thing a Mage does is Temporal Magic, which is better known as
Psionics.

Temporal Magic is also known as "Psionics". As the name implies, these spells have
no lasting effect but rather are used for unreal pseudo-results over a limited
time span. These types of spells are mostly different species of hallucination or
mind trick played intentionally to make reality distort itself for a person over a
short span of time. In this sense, Psionic power is the ability to make one thing
seem like another, and to shift what appears to be real into another form. It
should be noted that these are not actual changes in reality but rather, as
consistent to the art of the psi mage, are temporary changes of perception. In
this branch of psi magecraft comes the occult artform of illusions. Impressions of
reality which can be transferred from mage to subject allows for mistakes of
perception and seeming distortions more likely, with varying benefits or
drawbacks.

Magecraft is a powerful art but, above all other caster types, requires a great
deal of mental control and concentration.

The Four Great Powers

As long as magic itself, one of the most fundamental abilities of a magician has
been to attempt to control the four raw powers of the elemental system. The four
refer to Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. The ability to feel these energies,
understand them, and to move them is the study of the Elemental Mage. Throughout
their practice different casters will experience different degrees of success no
matter which art is practiced, but Elemental magic is often considered one of the
most difficult arts to progress in and thus there are few practitioners. It is
also difficult because of the nature of the magic itself: it deals purely with the
real and tangible facets of the four elemental powers, not with the ethereal
correspondences of the elements as an Enchanter would. As such, it tends to be
seen as an "all or nothing" art where you clearly succeed or fail every time.
Also, as a matter of practicality, few have a real need for this kind of power
anymore (due to many of the necessities being provided for by technology) and thus
the caste tends to be left behind, to a certain extent. Regardless of this fact,
however, many have felt the call to gird themselves with elemental knowledge and
harness the natural powers around them.

Focussing only on the physical manifestations of the four elements, each has
unique uses and capabilities when properly applied. "Heat" energy, as we know it,
is not perfectly synonymous with Fire magic. Though to an Elemental Mage the two
are very similar, there is a missing aspect in the concept of heat which restricts
it to this level. For the Elemental Mage, all things which produce heat are also
giving off the mystical equivalent of heat energy. In this way, Fire energy can
also be used to metaphysically detect things which produce heat, and even, in
extreme circumstances, to focus the ethereal form of heat into a physical
manifestation of flame itself, thus creating pure flame from seemingly nothing.
Keeping in mind the physical principles governing combustion it becomes readily
apparent why feats of this nature are rare, at best. Through enough practice and
concentration, however, the Elemental mage learns how to absorb heat energy from
all things around them, as a unified action, and bring it to bear against a
target. This can be to warm the caster, to warm an inanimate target, or a friend.
It can be used to find things generating heat, and to control preexisting sources
of heat such as flame and mirage.

Air is another of the elemental manifestations, and is usually the first element
an Elemental Mage finds control of. Due to its already volatile nature and
tendency to change the Elemental Mage can find their first successes, usually, in
attempts to change wind direction. Breezes can carry smell, keep away noxious
fumes, cool the caster or something targetted by the caster, and may be the edge
required to start a fire that just will not light. There are far too many uses of
wind and air to be listed here; truly, we see the effects of wind every day, as
even now we breathe the air and can describe what the wind conditions in our area
are like. It can be used to regulate heat, it can affect our senses in various
ways, and is an overall good place to start. Wind constantly moves, constantly
changes, and in that spirit we may influence them without much resistance.

Earth, however, is the difficult counterbalance to Air. It is firm and reists all
kinds of change, hence the Elemental Mage must exert themselves to a rare degree
to find anything more than a nominal skill with this element. Earth is the
foundation of most life, and by this merit it can be used to lend aid to dying
plantlife, choke out undesired plantlife, sense creatures within the caster's
spell range, and to basically know that which the earth would be able to relate
(not as an intelligent entity, but as an extension of one's own senses, such as
feeling the tremors of other animals, feeling the stability of a certain area to
step on, etc.) Some Elemental Mages claim the ability to predict and cause certain
events such as earthquake, famine, drought, siroccos, frost, snow, hail, sleet,
fog, and other types of natural manifestation by making full use the the Earth
element to gain knowledge and control of the environment.

Lastly, there is the practice of controlling the water. Water can be used in much
the same way as Earth in that the tremors it carries can be interpretted by the
Elemental Mage to extend their range of sensation and know things they would
normally be oblivious to. Water abides in many of the things that we see daily.
The air contains some, the ground contains some, and various materials or
substances (including human flesh) have quantities in them. Elemental Magic
concerning water can be seen in a great deal of cultures which still rely heavily
on agriculture, and in the history of cultures which did. The "Rain Dance" is a
prime example of water elemental magic at work. To cause rain to fall at will, or
conversely, as the Biblical characters of Moses, Elijah, and the Two Prophets of
Revelation 11, to cause it to stop is the baliwick of the elemental magician.
The abilites of the Elemental mage varies greatly, and intimate knowledge of the
elements gives intimate knowledge of the physical world around and its innermost
mechanics. To truly understand the world around an Elemental mage is only a matter
of learning and harnessing the ways of nature.

The Path of Harmony Through Balance

The art of the Nature Mage, arguably, has been around as long as human kind
itself. The interface between human and nature has always been a topic of interest
to those that wished to find harmony. From the innate interest in our surroundings
humans have found a mystic method, as well, of working with the environment in the
form of Shamanic and Druidic magics -- nature magic, in general. There are some
common threads that run along all of these varied traditions, however, and these
are the things which define the use of the Nature magics. In all of these magics,
the constant has been the use of spirits, a synergy with the flow of nature, minor
Elemental skills, and the use of nature to restore itself.

Long before the days of the fantasy genre as we know it now, there were the
stories and legends and beliefs of the magicians of nature. One part of their art
was a communication with the spirits of nature. The legends of creatures we now
call mythological being, or names drawn from that which some call "otherkin" and
"elemental spirits", stem from a much earlier time. Stories of creatures that
existed in the trees, in the waters, in the airs, and in or around many other
things can be traced back with ease to early Greek mythology, which at that time
was mystic belief. This tradition of communicating with the fae and sprites has
been carried over into the realm of the Nature Mage. Undine, sylph, dryad, pixie,
sprite, faerie, and other nature creatures are a natural part of the workings of
many of this type of magician. Some creatures, such as some of the types of dryad,
are said to inhabit trees or lakes (depending on the sort) and will aid the
magician attuned to their presence and who protects their habitation. These
creatures have been noted, throughout the ages, to speak to the magician and
related the tales of the forest, or to induce pleasant dreams while the magician
sleeps. They are known to keep away trespassers from their beloved nature, to
influence targets designated by keepers of nature, to relay information to and
from the animals, and to soothe general cares, more or less.

Also the in the realm of the nature magician, and most particularly the Shaman, is
the desire to create a unity of being with nature. Instead of working outside the
bounds of nature or attempting to use nature in the cosmic clash of wills, the
Nature Mage attempts to fully understand the innermost mechanics of nature and
become part of the mystic workings within that system to their fullest capacity.
Towards this end, the forces of nature will naturally be attuned to the magician
and will aid them, thus mirroring, in a way, the sentiment expressed by King
Solomon (?) in the Lemegeton when he said

"Magic is the Highest, most Absolute, and most Divine Knowledge of Natural
Philosophy, advanced in its works and wonderful operations by a right
understanding of the inward and occult virtue of things; so that true Agents being
applied to proper Patients, strange and admirable effects will thereby be
produced. Whence magicians are profound and diligent searchers into Nature; they,
because of their skill, know how to anticipate an effect, the which to the vulgar
shall seem to be a miracle."
This sentiment -- of working inside the confines of the natural world yet
appearing supernatural through a more perfect understanding -- is at the very
heart of the natural philosophy of magic and the use of nature's energy. In
Druidic lore, this power was even given a name: the Green Man. The Green Man is a
male form of the same sentiment of Gaia, or Mother Earth. The Green Man is the
spirit of nature itself, in a way, almost an entity, yet not truly conscious
insofar as having directed will. Much like the art of sailing does not "control"
the wind, so the Nature Mage does not "control" nature; it is simply the use of
these powers to their utmost given the circumstances.

Also tightly bound into this art is the use of the raw elemental powers.
Elementalism, to a lesser extent, is a key to power in the nature magic theory. A
common tie with the natural powers allows the Druid to access the lesser Elemental
effects insofar as their aide the power of nature to run its course. However, this
is somewhat of a side-note in the larger scheme of things. Another lesser-
mentioned ability of the Druid is that of shapeshifting. If granted blessings by
the Green Man, or simply through their own adept skill in the natural arts, some
Druidic lore indicates that the ability to change into a wolf was possible (this
ability is known as "lycanthropy"). It is not mentioned whether this ability is
the actual physical modification of body, or whether it is only taking on the mind
of animals (usually more specifically a wolf). Most assume it was a combination of
the terror of enemies of the Druids combined with the sight of their apparel
(which would have been furs), but, even if not actual lycanthropy, the art of
Berserking and taking on "animal spirits" remains even to this day.

The last notable skill of the Druid/Shaman/Nature magician is their ability to use
the restorative and firm properties of the nature energy to heal and renew to the
end of the restoration of the natural flow of things, or to end unnatural
disruptions. This has been done, in almost all traditions (though going by
different names), by creating a Grove. The creation of a central place in nature
where the magician can work from, somewhat as a centre of operations, is known for
its ability to aid in physical rejuvenation and to once again align the misformed
energies that may be present in a body. It is an ability which provides strengths
for the creatures of nature at a Shaman's command, which maintains a balance, and
which enables the normal way of things to resume. This grounding ability acts as a
canopy through which the magician may take comfort, shelter, and may restore their
energies once more. The eternal struggle between nature and chaos is one which
continues, and at both sides there are always contestants. Order and Anarchy are
always at each other's heels, and it is Nature that finds the balance between
them.

Poses to Power Your Chakras

Certain yoga poses can make releasing and opening the chakras easier. This section
talks about a few poses for opening your chakras, which floods them with prana,
energizes them, and helps to balance your entire body/mind. Add a few chakra-
releasing poses to your yoga routine and feel the power of prana!

Prana Arch

In this pose, the front of your body opens, releasing tension in your chest, neck,
and abdomen. This pose is particularly effective for releasing the chakras in the
chest and

throat. Breathing deeply through this pose encourages the flow of prana through
the chakras.
1. Stand in the mountain pose with your arms hanging loosely at your sides.

2. Inhale as you look up and just slightly behind you. At the same time, lift your
hands, palms facing forward, away from your body and out to the sides, as if
preparing to give someone a big hug.

3. Contract your buttocks muscles to support your lower back. Don't lean back
farther than is comfortable. Breathe deeply several times. Then on an exhale,
lower your arms and head, coming back into the mountain pose.

Open Pose

This pose is great for opening the chakras in the lower half of the torso. It is
also excellent for relaxation and meditation.
1. Lie down on the floor on your back with a pillow under your head.

2. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees
drop to the floor. If this is uncomfortable, or if the back over-arches, place a
pillow under each knee.

3. Bring your palms together in front of your heart, in namaste. Breathe deeply
several times, focusing on releasing your lower chakras. Feel the prana flowing
through them.

4. If this pose brings strong feelings or emotions to the surface, let them come,
feel them, then when you are ready, let them go. Keep breathing and relaxing until
you feel calm, energized, and ready to move on.

Chakras do more than store energy. Each chakra controls a different system of your
body as well as a different realm of your emotions. When a chakra becomes blocked,
you could suffer from health problems�physical or emotional�in that area. For
example, a sore throat or an inability to adequately communicate your feelings
could signal a blocked Mercury chakra. Indigestion or an inability to act on your
feelings could mean a blocked Mars chakra.

Enlightenment

Target Your Chakras with Yoga Poses

Depending on which chakras are blocked, certain yoga poses throughout this book
can help to release and balance those chakras. For example, the triangle pose (see
the following figure) can help relieve lower back pain by releasing the lower
chakras and allowing prana to flow through this area.

Sometimes the power of two is greater than the power of one. If you have an
interested partner, try meditating together, facing each other, legs crossed,
knees touching, holding hands. Focus on each of the chakras one at a time (perhaps
take turns naming each chakra, from the Saturn chakra all the way up to the
Thousand Petaled Lotus chakra), or stay silent and meditate individually while
connecting physically, emotionally, and energetically through the chakras (see the
following illustration).

Mudra Magic
Mudra means "seal," and technically, mudras refer to a variety of yoga practices
that aren't poses exactly, but techniques for sealing life-force energy inside the
body in various ways to preserve it rather than let it escape. These techniques
get pretty esoteric and can involve complex rituals, chanting, meditation, and
some practices we Westerners might find a little odd.

The word mudra, however, is more commonly used today to refer to specific hand
gestures used during meditation and pranayama to seal the fingers. Prana can
escape out of the fingertips as it circulates through the body during meditation
and

pranayama exercises, and hand mudras bring the fingertips together in various ways
for different, subtle effects. Hand mudras, in essence, create a prana circuit.
The energy moves back around and into the body again.

Namaste Mudra: A Little Respect

Namaste (pronounced nah-MAHST) mudra, or the respect gesture, puts the palms
together in prayer-like fashion to honor the inner light. Place your palms
together and extend your fingers upward, as if you are praying. Hold your hands to
your heart. Honor and respect the light within yourself.
Om Mudra: Simply Divine

Om (pronounced AUM) mudra, or the divinity gesture, invokes divine balance. Open
your palms, and with each hand, bring the tip of your thumb to the tip of your
index finger to form a complete circle, which represents the complete cycle and
ultimate harmony of divinity. Om.
Jnana Mudra: Be a Wise Guy/Gal

Jnana (pronounced GAH-nah) mudra, or the wisdom gesture, produces wisdom. Rest
your hands, palms up, on your knees, and touch each index finger to the middle of
each thumb. The wisdom gesture promotes harmonious inward expression and openness
to life's beauty. This mudra produces wisdom and encourages the ego to realize
that relinquishment brings wisdom. This mudra is often practiced during
meditation.
Buddhi Mudra: How Enlightening!

Buddhi mudra, or enlightenment gesture, is often associated with the Buddha, and
is ideal for centering and calming. Bring your thumb and index finger together,
tip to tip, as in the Om mudra. Then bring both hands together, knuckles touching,
and rest your hands against your lower abdomen at your Jupiter chakra. This mudra
represents divinity and the oneness of self and also the joining of all energies.
It quiets the mind, stills action, and enlightens the self to its inner divinity.
Try this mudra when you are feeling tense or rushed.
Having described briefly the effects of mudras, their theory and practice, it is
important that some knowledge regarding the actual occurrences during practice be
known as these might cause some unnecessary alarm and consternation. Below we list
some points that are likely to occur during mudras practices and should be
understood as a natural result of the generation, accumulation and flow of the
Shakti principle:

Warm sweat--this is a good sign. It means that the body is undergoing a cleansing
and healing process.

Swaying and rotation of the body--this shows that the body's attunement with the
influx of the invoked energies is taking place.

Hands moving and resting at various chakra points--this is the result of energy
being channeled into specific parts of the body.

Hands moving and resting at various layers of the biofield--this indicates that
certain areas of the aura is being cleansed or being magnetized.

Hands moving in an up and downward chopping movement--this is one of the signs

that the nadis or subtle channels are being opened and unblocked, or that the aura
is being cleansed.

Hands moving in a forward-backward movement--same as above.

Hands moving left to right--same as above.

Hands moving in circles or ellipses--same as above.

Hands moving in arcs or in figure-eights--same as above.

Hands moving erratically or with other definite patterns--same as above.

Hands vibrating intensely--same as above.

Sudden jerks of the hands--same as above.

A strong sense of energy surrounding the hands and body--this is a sign of a

build-up of cosmic forces in the body.

A sensation of warmth, tingling, and power in various parts of the body--same as

above.

A sense of tingling, and energy flowing throughout the whole body--this means that
the nadi channels have been purified to a certain degree and that energy now flows
freely without any obstructions in its path.

Movement of the head--a sign that the energies have moved up to the head to clean
the energy pathways.

Cold sweat--this is an indication of circulatory problems. Cease mudra practices

for the time being until the body regains a certain degree of health. Physical
gymnastics at this point would help.

Breaking up of hand formation--this shows that the body has absorbed enough energy
for the time being or that it is being overcharged. Whatever happens here just go
with the flow.

Yawning and belching--this denotes that stagnant chi (prana), or energy is being
removed.

Spontaneous pranayama, or control of the life-force flowing with the breath--this

shows that the Shakti flowing in the body has taken control over the respiratory
processes and as a result, the mind may slowly undergo a transformation and the
awareness-principle will be heightened. Should spontaneous pranayama occur, one
finds oneself doing kumbhaka (the retention of the breath) effortlessly and
naturally.

Activity of inner perception or the manifestation of psychic visions, sounds,

etc.--this signifies that the contents of the subconscious mind is being cleansed
of all dross. During this process visions of gods and demons may occur, landscapes
may be seen, unusual sounds heard.

Jerking movements of the body like a frog-leaping as though levitation were to

take place.

Experiencing negative emotional states of anger, hatred, etc.--this is caused by

the Shakti force purifying sushumna, or the central channel of the etheric body
corresponding to the spine. All of our karmas, traumas, pain, and emotional
feelings of our past and present lives are lodged there and when Shakti encounters
them she releases and expels their crystallizations and the psyche temporarily re-
experiences them. Positive feelings of bliss, joy, and mirth are also lodged in
sushumna and these may likewise be experienced.

If one were standing while doing the mudras, one might suddenly feel an inner
force taking over and the movements of the hands, feet and limbs in a dance is a
possibility as iconically displayed by Shiva in the Cosmic dance.

It should be noted that all of these sensations and hand-movements are temporary
and represent certain phases of pranic or energy influence. The motions may start
out strongly at first in early sessions but later evolve to graceful movements or
even to stillness. Convulsions and spasms are common manifestations of the
activities of energies within the subtle and physical bodies. These are positive
signs so let them happen. Yoga kriyas such as bandhas, and the types of mudra
processes mentioned in the yogic text Gheranda Samhita may likewise happen
naturally. Spontaneous occurrences of these are safe--much safer than doing the
yogic exercises through your own conscious volition and forcing their
manifestation. If none of the above are observed during practice, a knowledgeable
spiritual Guru may empower the disciple at his own discretion so that progress may
proceed at a greater pace.

Whatever spontaneous movements or yogic processes occur are necessary and

appropriate for you. The Shakti energy that flows through you knows what to do to
spiritualize and transform your whole being. Shakti is an evolutionary force and
she will lift you up to greater heights if you will let her. When Shakti flows
through your being you may find yourself spontaneously practicing all of the yoga
systems. For instance, you may find yourself withdrawing your senses and focusing
within to your Higher Self, as in Raja Yoga; find yourself emanating an
overflowing love for Nature and all life, as in Bhakti Yoga; or even acquiring
divine knowledge effortlessly, as in Jnana Yoga. One may even find oneself
chanting as in Mantra Yoga.

Do not be startled or afraid of the movements that occur naturally without your
conscious volition or direction. You can exert your will at any moment to stop
them if you wish; however, by doing so you will be hampering the occult work that
is being done to you by the presence of the spiritual force. It would be best to
let it run its course. Only in this manner will you reap the full benefit of mudra
practices.

There are many stories of spiritual practitioners experiencing spasms and

involuntary movements of the body and hands while engaging in meditation. One of
the spiritual messengers of God referred to as "the Seal of the Prophets" is an
instance:

One day while meditating in a cave at Mt. Hira, Muhammad, the future Prophet of
Islam was said to have shivered uncontrollably. This occurred when a voice
commanded him to "recite" or "read." Replying to the voice that he was unable to
do so, he was instantly seized by a spiritual presence (Shakti) that was
previously sensed to be in his vicinity (forcefield).

What was the real nature of the Prophet's experience? Were the convulsions that he
experienced symptomatic of an unusual energy flowing throughout his body? What
were the spiritual yogic exercises that he was engaged in that brought about such
an experience? Did he make use of mudras, or any other esoteric practices? It is
said that the Prophet was a "widow's son." In esoteric language this refers to an
initiate of the Mystery Schools; the latter was called a "widow" after the goddess
Isis lost her husband, Osiris, to the machinations of their brother Set, who is
the personification of evil and materialism. Isis was the symbol of the Mysteries.
In these mystical schools spiritual disciplines and practices were taught to the
initiate. Mudras were undoubtedly one of the many teachings given. After mastering
the teachings and attaining a higher level of consciousness, the initiate would
emerge out of the womb of Isis and become Horus, the would-be slayer of his evil
uncle.

Mudras & Spirituality

It is vital to keep in mind that the sensations, effects ,and powers that mudras
help unfold are not an end in themselves--they are simply a means to an end. They
are tools that may support us to achieve Self-Realization. Evolving to a higher
state of awareness or experiencing oneness with All That Is should be our primary
aim. Other motives are just baubles that should be given up. Mudras, meditation,
or any other religious discipline when exercised for the sake of acquiring the
gifts of the spirit is not spiritual work nor is it spirituality. Offering
unsolicited advice is not spirituality; predicting people's future is not
spirituality; perpetuating a sense of mortality and helplessness in people is not
spirituality; causing others to maintain materialistic attitudes is not
spirituality. To seek the Giver rather than the gift is spirituality; to give of
oneself without thought of self is spirituality; to cease forcing one's desires,
or imposing one's will upon others is spirituality. So long as the sense of
separation exists, the sense of duality, the illusion that we are separated from
everything else, we shall never attain the state of true spirituality where only
divine love is the law. The "heresy" of dualism in one's mental conception and
spiritual blindness is what prolongs the "sleep of the ages" where one is
ignorant, unaware, and unresponsive to the eternal Truth of Oneness.
Spirituality has many expressions, however, none of them have anything to do with
acquiring or vainly displaying psychic powers. Initiates are not always psychic or
magickally powerful, but they are sensitive to inspiration, to spiritual impulses
emanating from celestial spheres and the Spirit within. Those that ambitiously
seek psychic powers and abilities for self-centered purposes normally end up
shackled in the astral realm where they become the playthings of malicious
spirits. It is much wiser to first purify the mind, body, and soul of all negative
energies, congestions, sense of limitations, and blockages and developing the
love-wisdom-intelligence aspect of the soul before embarking on any psychic
development. Without the proper spiritual and moral preparation we would be
deluded, deceived and entrapped by wayward psychic forces. Mudras are definitely a
help on the Path of Purification, but it should be accompanied by other practices
and studies that awakens the heart, and the acquisition of esoteric knowledge and
wisdom.

Preparation

Empowering the Hand

There are energy points in the hands and fingers just as there are all over the
physical/etheric bodies. Called chakras (lit."wheels") in Yoga philosophy, these
vortexes of energy may be detected and their existence verified in various ways.
Perhaps the most simple method is to directly feel them in one's hands. This
requires a certain amount of sensitivity though, which may be acquired through an
exercise that we will provide below.

Pendulums may also be used for detection. Hold a pendulum (any sort will do) in
your right hand and hold it above the palm of the left hand. Watch it slowly move
in circles. The swing may be clockwise or counterclockwise depending upon the flow
of the energy from the palm whether it is outwards or inwards. The circumference
and velocity of the swing indicates the size and activity of the chakra. At
various points of the fingertips the pendulum might swing too indicating the
presence of a minor chakra.

As related to Mudra-Vidya, or the "Science of Mudras," what sort of unfoldment or

empowerment do the hands require? What sort of preparation is necessary for the
successful performance of mudras?

First of all it would be helpful to massage the hands often so that they would be
flexible enough to assume the positions of the mudras. Most of the mudras are easy
to do; some, however, may require isometric exercises of the hands as a
preparation. Flex your hands often--bend it, contract/relax it, stretch the
fingers, and massage them. This would create a greater flexibility in the hands
and would be conducive to a better performance of the mudras and enhance the
circulation of blood. Massage of the hands after mudra practices is also suggested
to help circulation of the blood and remove stiffness.

Those with short, stubby hands may have some problems doing certain mudras, unlike
individuals with long slender fingers that palmistry identify as "philosophical"
and "psychic." However, subjects with short fingers normally are not the type that
would be interested in yoga, spiritual training, or mudras; logically speaking, as
the person reading this series of articles is intent in developing spirituality,
they should not encounter any obstacle practicing the mudras or executing the
forms.

The next essential step is to empower the hands to increase the sensitivity,
activity and size of the hand/finger chakras. This may be done through such
exercises as the focused attention upon the palm of the hands and the fingertips.
This particular exercise enlarges the hand chakras so that there may be a greater
stream of energies flowing bi-directionally according to need. To carry-out this
exercise follow these steps:

1) Focus upon each fingertip for about a minute each. Feel them tingling and
vibrating. Begin with one hand and then move on to the other.

2) Now concentrate upon the palm of either hand for about 3 minutes and then move
on to the palm of the other hand. Feel as though a flower were blossoming in your
palms.

Do this every day for about 40 days during which time the size of the chakras
should be permanently extended and greater sensitivity achieved. In the meantime,
it would be permissible to commence mudra practices simultaneously with the hand-
empowerment exercise.

Meditation Pose and Inner Tranquility

Generally, most of the mudras may be done while seated in a chair, cross-legged,
or standing. Certain mudras may call for specific body-positions. If you are
knowledgeable on Hatha yoga and flexible enough, you may assume the various asanas
or body positions while practicing mudras such as, "Padmasana," "Siddhasana," and
"Vajrasana."

Before commencing mudra-exercises, the practitioner would reap the most benefit by
first relaxing the mind and body so that a certain degree of inner tranquility may
be attained. Any relaxing method taught in occult schools may be employed; one may
use contraction of the muscles, perhaps even coupled with visualization and auto-
suggestion--the point is that the physical body and mind should be deeply relaxed
so that they may not hamper the energy-flow coursing through the subtle channels.

Mantras, or Words of Power

Mudras may be accompanied by chanting and vibrating certain bija (seed)-mantras

(words-of-power) that stimulates/activates the chakras and enlarge the subtle
channels, or otherwise affect the psycho-physical body in some metaphysical way.
Whenever possible, appropriate mantras would be given in association with the
mudras in the following papers of this Mudra series. Chanting may be verbal or
mental--directions will be given for this.

Seed-mantras should be vibrated strongly as you chant them so that the power of
the mantra would be felt in the various psychic centers. Vibrating the mantras
does not imply raising the volume of your voice, it implies chanting the words-of-
power in a peculiar way so that the vibes are felt palpably in the microcosm; some
seed-mantras requires right intonation.

Breathing Exercises and Visualization

Pranayama, or the art of controlling the life-force through rhythmic or

specialized breathing, may be engaged in while simultaneously doing the mudras.
Some mudras may specifically call for a certain breathing technique. Generally,
though, if instructions are not given, breathing should be allowed to flow
naturally without any conscious direction. Visualization may be employed to
support specialized breathing. Cosmic energy may be visualized as a brilliant
silver, white, or gold force--each of these colors do have their specific
properties. You may experiment to feel the sensation and know the effects of each
of these forces. As a general rule, always inhale as you visualize energy flowing
into you, exhale as you channel energy to a certain object, area, or space.'