Asceticism

[PlagueJester]

I work under the belief that everything "magical" is done through a combination of willpower, and accessing through stimuli the dormant parts of our brain.

If one wants to become physically stronger, they lift weights. This puts a force against their muscles, and their muscles become stronger.

So, would it not make sense that exercising your willpower would make your will stronger? And through that, making your "magic" more potent?

Just looking for ya'lls thoughts out there. I look forward to reading what POV everyone else has.

Kyle

[Light]

Yes, this is true. The more you work with your Will the stronger it will become. Also the more you work on different parts of the brain , the stronger those parts will get.

[zero]

crowley actually had some exercises for will which involved cutting your arm when failing. basically you would forbide yourself from taking an action, for example to not use your right hand for a week or more or less days. some of the harder one's i think are to not use specific words like "the" or "and".

[devakxes]

I think what you are asking for specifically but not limited to - is using asceticism for the sake of strengthening one's Will?

The idea is that Will is basically one's desire that is focused through the belief that it will happen. A lot of people have a lot of thoughts and a lot of desires. Some people can't focus their Will enough in order to go and produce ANYTHING for this reason. So the idea of asceticism is used to help them gain control of their thoughts and desires to strengthen the Will. I think this kind of meditation is called Dhyana (to increase focus). I could be wrong on the name though. This is one of the reasons that addictions are not good in increasing Will, because it creates other desires that unless they aren't sated before hand... may end up decreasing the ability to focus a specific desire.

My theory and way is sort of similar to this. Except I don't think that everyone has the problem of focus. I think a lot of people have the problem of belief. I think this is why people who practice magick get better at it with time and eventually don't need to do a lot of ''requirements'' such as using magickal tools. A lot of energetic functions like that can be done by one's Will alone. However, since most start out without a lot of belief or without a lot of Will, such tools are useful.

Energy + Will = magickal change.
Austin Osman Spare broke magickal change down to ''Desire - Will - Belief''.
I believe Energy to be the way that the universe regulates one's Will. Since a significant amount of energy is used to use one's Will for any magickal purpose.

[PlagueJester]

Thanks for your input everybody, I really enjoy reading what others think on the subject.

But I must say that I do disagree with one small point of yours, Devakxes. I do believe that Asceticism to strengthen the will is only necessary for those who have troubles focusing. My entire life I've had great focus, much better than that of my "peers," but the first time I fasted, it was an incredible experience for me. It felt as if my focus (which was already unrivaled by those around me) became beyond that of a human's.

[devakxes]

But I must say that I do disagree with one small point of yours, Devakxes. I do believe that Asceticism to strengthen the will is only necessary for those who have troubles focusing.

If you had read everything I said. You would have seen that I said those words right here


A lot of people have a lot of thoughts and a lot of desires. Some people can't focus their Will enough in order to go and produce ANYTHING for this reason. So the idea of asceticism is used to help them gain control of their thoughts and desires to strengthen the Will.

Although I forgot to mention that I use visualization now if I need assistance in anything I do with Will. Helps focus my Will to achieve what I want it too.

[Dracos Nightwolf]

This goes back to a discussion that I had with a few people years ago... The more one PRACTICES the occult, the better their results become...

But WHY?

Is it that they learn to channel more energy to cause their desire to come into being? Is it that their willpower becomes more than it was? Is it that they are more in tune with their HGL (holy guardian angel) or deities? Or is it because they have learned to focus either their will or the energy into a finer "beam"?

The answer that we came up to was yes to all the above. All of them can be (and more than likely are ) a part of the improving of the results.

As far as if denying aspects of the physical does anything to improve the results of a ritual... Yes... to a point.

It comes down to a removal of the "petty mundane" distractions that get in one's way of a higher level of focus. And, it causes one to go into a altered state of mind far easier than without it... a deeper one as well.

[Dajai]

crowley actually had some exercises for will which involved cutting your arm when failing. basically you would forbide yourself from taking an action, for example to not use your right hand for a week or more or less days. some of the harder one's i think are to not use specific words like "the" or "and".

And "I" - Which I always thought had more magickal reasons with regard to accessing the collective subconscious. We are all I, after all - and when I desire something for myself should I be so altruistic and share with all?

Though I have found collectively beneficial workings to have a greater success rate.