Somebody asked me if I felt learning techniques was important for magical practice. The answer is obvious if you have ay experience, but for someone who is new to it all, it can be a bit overwhelming, particularly if you don’t know what path you want to follow,and there are so many options presented that it is easy to go into information overload. My answer was what it has always been – yes, you have to learn the techniques, so they become like second nature. It is through the discipline you apply to learning them, the experiences that you gain through doing them, and the resulting insights, that you form the firm foundation for your development. And fortunately there are basic foundation skills which are useful whatever your path, even if they are not formally part of the path you end up on, e.g. meditation, visualisation, breath control. All of these help you train your mind and strengthen your intent.
Essentially, the practices which form a tradition are the bones, and the philosophies and correspondences which overlay them are the muscles and flesh. So whichever tradition you end up following, having strong bones will always be beneficial. The emphasis on practice, as I mentioned in my last blog, leads to an experiential worldview, not one from an armchair, full of books about Mr X or Ms Y. This practice-based approach was what led Sorita and I to produce our book Wicca Magickal Beginnings. When we discussed our views, we realised that it was all too easy to accept what you are told and not question, particularly when it comes from people who are authorities. This is something that you can do even with experience, it is easy and means not having to be constantly vigilant – anyone can be distracted or tired and just agree rather than think, I must verify and validate that! The level of accepted ‘truth’ about Wicca which has been perpetuated without being questioned enough was quite scary! The positive response to Wicca Magickal Beginnings from Wiccans around the globe has also shown us that often people want to have all the facts, but it is not always easy to get access to the pertinent material.
So at the end of the day, technique, discipline, and questions, the bane and delight of both students and teachers everywhere!
