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Magickal Boot Camp: Getting the Focus Back
There comes a time in each person's life, when he or she needs a break from the ordinary. It may seem one's magickal practices have suffered, because of the stress of everyday life, work, family and so forth, or the "connection" with those other planes where the Gods and the energies reside has been distorted or broken. Standing before the altar, it might feel like the "magic" is gone from the magick.
One way to restore the intimate relationship between the self and the magick is to put oneself through a form of "boot camp". By refocusing the attention on the many magickal aspects of life, the bonds are strengthened anew with the Gods and the energies on all sides.
By creating and adhering to a set (yet flexible) schedule over the course of two to three weeks, it is possible to still fulfill all the obligations of daily life (work, family, etc.) while deepening the magickal awareness.
For instance, rising in the morning 15-30 minutes earlier than usual in order to facilitate extra meditation time is a simple enough task. By drawing a Tarot card from a well-shuffled deck, or a Rune, that imagery can be used in the meditation, and throughout the day for reflection. Following the meditation with a bit of stretching or other physical exercise helps restore the vital balance between body, mind and spirit.
Remembering it is in balance the most effective magick occurs can be key in this process of refreshing the self.
Off to work, it may be possible to take a few minutes during the shift to do short breathing exercises, or even read a book on some aspect of magick or faith of personal interest. Continually expanding one's mind and the knowledge of how magick works, and how faith can be an integral part of life, keeps the spark alive within the being.
Lunch and the afternoon's work is part of this "boot camp", followed by some relaxing exercises, such as a leisurely walk, bike ride or ball game with the kids at a local park. Reveling in even a small bit of nature (for the city dwellers) reminds the individual there is more to the "grind" than technology, money, and so forth.
Once the day's labor has been put aside, embarking on a series of self-assessment exercises can do wonders to "weed out" problem areas which can develop over time. It might be something as simple as reviewing the day's interaction with others, or going deeper into the psyche into incidents which may periodically cause adverse reactions in current situations.
An example of this could be the difficult time one had in school as a youngster. There may be a lingering fear of "bullies", in the workplace, the family or social situations. Analyzing the source of these feelings and working through them can help restore the personal balance which makes for successful magick.
Following dinner, the Tarot card or Rune from the morning can again be used for meditation. How was that meaning interwoven with the activities of the day? Did the day pass smoothly, or were there "bumps" along the way that might need to be addressed?
Closing with a basic cleansing or centering ritual acknowledges the cycle by which all life operates. Then, to bed for the required sound sleep.
The results of even a couple weeks of this kind of "boot camp" will envigorate and delight the body, mind and spirit. The magick will be seen returning to "full power", and once again taking up the tools will be a joy and delight.
It just takes a bit of discipline, effort and introspection.
Which is magick in itself.
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