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Imagine
What You Can Do!
The
tools of the Craft. Chalice, athame, wand, candle, pentacle,
incense, crystals, creative visualization. Wait. Creative visualization?
I know what you're thinking. “That doesn't belong there!” Unfortunately,
many make the same mistake. When you think about
the tools of the Craft, do you think in tangible items? Wands, athames,
altars, things you can see and touch? Properly honed, creative visualization,
your own imagination, is perhaps the greatest Craft tool
at your disposal.
Anywhere, anytime it is always with you, making it the most portable
of tools. I have performed an entire ritual, from circle casting to
circle banishing using nothing more than my imagination, with successful
results.
As
children we use our imaginations every day. I watch my children
now and remember the days when I was Wonder Woman. When I
sailed the waters of the Amazon, explored the depths of the jungle,
marched days across the burning desert, all without leaving my backyard.
As children, our imaginations are unhindered by the adult world of responsibilities
and the daily grind. We don't care, as children, if we look “foolish”.
The key to successful visualization is to remember back to the days
of our childhood, when our minds were fresh and unfettered. Meditation,
done properly, can be a key to unlock your imagination.
Once,
when expressing my frustration with not being able to clear my mind
completely in preparation for meditation, someone told me it was almost
impossible to empty your mind completely due to the power of suggestion.
The harder you try not to think about something, the more it intrudes
on your consciousness. “For instance” he said, “try not
thinking about
a blue eyed polar bear.” I couldn't do it. But, ever since, that
blue-eyed polar bear has become my focus for meditation. I have found
that the more I try to empty my mind, the faster the thoughts come popping
into it, but, if I have one single focus, I find I can clear my mind
of everything but that focus. It is something I believe I picked up
from,
of all things, childbirth classes.
The
exercise is this:
Close your eyes, breathe deeply and relax, your technique for relaxation
is up to you, I find that, with one deep cleansing breath,
I can relax my whole body at once. Others like relaxing it one part
at
a time beginning with the feet and ending with the head. Which ever
you choose it's up to you. When you feel you are sufficiently relaxed,
bring the image of a blue-eyed polar bear into your mind. Focus on the
bear as a whole at first and gradually bring the image closer, as if
you were walking toward the bear, until all you can see are the vibrant
blue eyes. Look deep into the eyes, study them. What color blue are
they? Are they all one color or many different blues? Set your mind
free to imagine what ever it wishes, you will be surprised. When you
wish to
end the meditation, back away from the bear again until you can see
the whole bear, close your mind's eye, take another deep cleansing breath
and open your eyes.
In
order to “exercise” your imagination, you must play. Children
know this instinctively. They exercise their imagination constantly.
Unfortunately, as we grow older we play less and, like a muscle that
goes unused for a long period, our imagination atrophies. If you have
small children, exercising your imagination is much easier. Involve
yourself in their games of make believe. Be the dragon for your little
knight to slay, the horse for your little cowgirl to ride. It's wonderful
exercise for your imagination and at the same time will bring you
closer to your children. If you don't have small children at home,
you can still play. I have, in my car, the soundtracks to both Mission
Impossible and Charlie's Angles. Sometimes, I like to play the music
and pretend. Maybe I'm driving a suped up sports car (I drive a 95
Geo Tracker), and in my back seat are the top-secret military plans
I've just stolen (instead of a car seat and a basket of laundry).
I'll admit that sometimes it's a little hard to imagine that gorgeous
hunk in the passenger seat when there's a small Pug staring balefully
up at me, but you get the picture. Play. If nothing else, your kids
will love you for it.
If
you are planning a long involved spell or ritual, then I would not recommend
the sole use of visualization but it is possible to cast a
circle, perform a ritual or spell and banish the circle, all in the
depths
of your mind. I've done it, and my spells have worked. All it takes
is
an active imagination and a little practice. Tools are just that….tools,
they should accessorize your ritual, not comprise it.
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Article
by SkyeWolf
Copyright © 2001 SkyeWolf Images
SkyeWolf@skyewolf.com
http://www.skyewolf.com
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