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Eight Paths To the Center of Power and Their Requirements

Power is naturally latent within the body, and may be drawn out and used in various ways by the skilled. The ❋ sign on the Athame is said to represent (among other things) the Eight Paths which all lead to the Center- or, the Eight Ways of drawing out this power in order to perform Magic. These are:

  1. Meditation, Visualization, or Concentration- called “intent” collectively for short;
  2. Chants, Spells, Invocations, Runes, Charms, Ritual, etc;
  3. Projection of the Astral Body, or Trance;
  4. Incense, Drugs, Wine, or any other potion or entheogen which aids in releasing the Spirit;
  5. Dancing, Drumming, and other kindred practices;
  6. Blood Control (also known as ‘the Cords’), Breath Control, and other kindred practices;
  7. The Scourge and other methods of generating Pain as spiritual facilitation and energetic production;
  8. The Great Rite.
*As a note, one must be very careful about this;
it should be doled out by some responsible person, and the supply strictly limited to ritual use.

You can combine many of these ways to produce more power- and the more which can be combined, the better for the rite. Number 1 (“intent”) must be in all rites. But not all may be combined in the same rite, however, as some are incompatible with one another. Others may take more effort to combine within the same rite.

For instance you can combine 4, 5, 6, and 7 together in one rite; or 4, 6 and 7 together. Or perhaps 1 with 2, or with 3. But combining 1 and 5 alone is difficult in most rites.

Regardless of the combinations, the greatest difficulty is in the human mind controlling the power produced. Thus, to practice the Art successfully, you need the following four things in addition:

  1. Intention. You must have the absolute will to succeed, and the firm belief that you can do so.
  2. Preparation. You must be properly prepared according to the rules of the art.
  3. Consecration. The Circle and tools must be properly prepared and consecrated.
  4. Purification. You and your tools must also be properly purified- several times if necessary.

In other words: There are 4 things necessary before you can start, and 8 Paths- or Ways- leading to the Center from there.

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