Magickal Progress Through Physical Exercise?

[Kami]

Out of nowhere I just got this idea...

Tell me if it's worth trying?

I was thinking about how I could work out and at the same time practice magick that requires focus.

Throughout the entire time it takes me to become physically fit, is the time I would be practicing mainting focus on a particular spell or chant, e.t.c. as well as visualizations.

I feel that it'd be a great way to stay in shape as well as keeping tabs on my magickal progress.

It inspires me to want to actually practice this.

Killing two birds with one stone. ~

[fraterai]

Doing it alone will not bring results, or else every gym nut would be wearing a halo. Doing it with intent and as a baseline for your magical development, tho, is absolutely encouraged! This is Hatha Yoga, this is what modern reconstructionist Runic mages do (chanting runes while working out), this is psionics, it is Zealator rank of A.A. If you are not a health or sports nut it can be hard to add this into your life, so taking an occult perspective of it can be more fun and thus give you more incentive to practice. Not to mention we know that better health contributes to better mental states, control of stress and emotions, and is generally accepted in occult circles that better health will contribute to ones ability to handle certain energies for more extended periods of time.

You can break the body down into ten or however many systems, like muscle, hair and teeth, bones, circulatory system, hormonal system, etc., and come up with a system that does not necessarily rely on the elements or chakras, but just life giving energy, and you can pretty much apply the food/water/pore breathing techniques of IIH:1-3 to this practice

[Kami]

Doing it alone will not bring results, or else every gym nut would be wearing a halo. Doing it with intent and as a baseline for your magical development, tho, is absolutely encouraged! This is Hatha Yoga, this is what modern reconstructionist Runic mages do (chanting runes while working out), this is psionics, it is Zealator rank of A.A. If you are not a health or sports nut it can be hard to add this into your life, so taking an occult perspective of it can be more fun and thus give you more incentive to practice. Not to mention we know that better health contributes to better mental states, control of stress and emotions, and is generally accepted in occult circles that better health will contribute to ones ability to handle certain energies for more extended periods of time.

You can break the body down into ten or however many systems, like muscle, hair and teeth, bones, circulatory system, hormonal system, etc., and come up with a system that does not necessarily rely on the elements or chakras, but just life giving energy, and you can pretty much apply the food/water/pore breathing techniques of IIH:1-3 to this practice

That's pretty much what I meant! : D

Thank you for the tip on pore breathing.

I will be writing my progress in a journal.

As well starting a dream journal as well.

I'm thinking that to start off I would do sit ups and push ups with a particular chant in latin while applying the pore breathing technique.

However long I can work out will be the duration of my ability to focus.

I can't thank you enough Fraterai!

[LoneWolf]

You are always doing magick whether you know it or not. It is not some external force you may use.

The universe is magick. You may willingly and consciously use it for your goals if your state of being/mind is right.

Training focus can be done in many of ways. Do as you please. I think that setting the body in automatic motion has the same effect as being motionless, therefor I believe you may accomplish your goal and improve your focus.

Also I think that the key is more to stop doing activities that worsen your focus than it is to embrace intense focus for 10 minutes a day, although this is an entirely personal choice. What has worked for me the most is to change some routines and habits. Change the way you eat, change how you have fun, change how you expand your knowledge.

Learn how you learn, and then learn.

My regards

[Desecrated]

This is what pretty much what martial art is.

Zen in the Art of Archery is a great short book on the subject.

[Kami]

Kurokami. Who are you?

So you're the one who I anticipated saying that. ~

If you want to know me, go through all of my threads and posts, and you'll get a good idea of who I am.

And no - I am not Anubis, Although I adore him.

I'm no role player nor troll, I only said I was Anubis because I share some of his qualities in my personality.

...

Also - in some of my old posts I got a few things mixed up that I can no longer edit, so if you feel confused about something you wish to understand - just come p.m. me.

This goes for anyone else too...

[the_spiral]

Maybe I'm a snob in this area, but I am skeptical of mages who claim to be advanced but are in terrible shape physically and live in slovenly conditions. We have a few of these in my community, who constantly brag about the powerful spells and curses they throw but live in squalor and are alcoholics, drug addicts, chain smokers, and/or one pizza away from a heart attack. It's not great advertisement for their practice. How can you have the discipline to practice magic if you can't even discipline your own self?

We are holistic organisms and a healthy body redounds to a healthy mind and spirit. Also magical practice is often physically strenuous and invokes heavy forces, so I wouldn't want to overload an already weak system. I think "solo" exercises are best for developing the type of single-pointed focus needed for magic, since team sports tend to have more distractions. So Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi or another contemplative martial art is a good habit to develop. Also walking or jogging can be great for meditation, as you can work on stilling your mind and practicing your four-fold breath while you exercise. Even working out at the gym can function as magical development if you can "trance out" and direct the endorphins and energy raised toward your ongoing goals.

[Kami]

Maybe I'm a snob in this area, but I am skeptical of mages who claim to be advanced but are in terrible shape physically and live in slovenly conditions. We have a few of these in my community, who constantly brag about the powerful spells and curses they throw but live in squalor and are alcoholics, drug addicts, chain smokers, and/or one pizza away from a heart attack. It's not great advertisement for their practice. How can you have the discipline to practice magic if you can't even discipline your own self?

We are holistic organisms and a healthy body redounds to a healthy mind and spirit. Also magical practice is often physically strenuous and invokes heavy forces, so I wouldn't want to overload an already weak system. I think "solo" exercises are best for developing the type of single-pointed focus needed for magic, since team sports tend to have more distractions. So Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi or another contemplative martial art is a good habit to develop. Also walking or jogging can be great for meditation, as you can work on stilling your mind and practicing your four-fold breath while you exercise. Even working out at the gym can function as magical development if you can "trance out" and direct the endorphins and energy raised toward your ongoing goals.

I never claimed to be some all powerful mage, please do not make me out to appear as some type of procrastinator while putting words in my mouth.

The new posts I've made with questions regarding whether or not something is a good idea worth trying or not are simply that, questions not declarations.

I'm slightly offended that you perceive me as some type of false practitioner.

I'm not mad or anything, just a bit offended.

Please don't assume things you do not know.

I hope I have not offended you back in anyway, I am just exoressing my feelings.

I hope we can continue to remain as we were.

Thank you. ~

[the_spiral]

Maybe I'm a snob in this area, but I am skeptical of mages who claim to be advanced but are in terrible shape physically and live in slovenly conditions. We have a few of these in my community, who constantly brag about the powerful spells and curses they throw but live in squalor and are alcoholics, drug addicts, chain smokers, and/or one pizza away from a heart attack. It's not great advertisement for their practice. How can you have the discipline to practice magic if you can't even discipline your own self?

We are holistic organisms and a healthy body redounds to a healthy mind and spirit. Also magical practice is often physically strenuous and invokes heavy forces, so I wouldn't want to overload an already weak system. I think "solo" exercises are best for developing the type of single-pointed focus needed for magic, since team sports tend to have more distractions. So Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi or another contemplative martial art is a good habit to develop. Also walking or jogging can be great for meditation, as you can work on stilling your mind and practicing your four-fold breath while you exercise. Even working out at the gym can function as magical development if you can "trance out" and direct the endorphins and energy raised toward your ongoing goals.

I never claimed to be some all powerful mage, please do not make me out to appear as some type of procrastinator while putting words in my mouth.

The new posts I've made with questions regarding whether or not something is a good idea worth trying or not are simply that, questions not declarations.

I'm slightly offended that you perceive me as some type of false practitioner.

I'm not mad or anything, just a bit offended.

Please don't assume things you do not know.

I hope I have not offended you back in anyway, I am just exoressing my feelings.

I hope we can continue to remain as we were.

Thank you. ~

LOL...WTF? I was crystal clear in mentioning mages with unhealthy lifestyles in my own community. You put words in my mouth in order to take offense, since I never implied "perceiving you as some type of false practitioner" or expressed any negative perception of YOU at all (although I certainly have one now.) And I'm not even apologizing for the miscommunication since you twisted and distorted my statement to interpret it as a personal insult. If I wanted to "offend" you I wouldn't have written a long ass comment suggesting exercises you might find helpful for magical development. But I won't waste my time responding to your queries in the future. I don't know jack shit about you or your personal habits and frankly don't care enough to hold the opinions you so rudely projected on me after I tried to be helpful. Please get over yourself.

[Calicifer]

Physical condition directly translates to magickal power. I cannot even mediate if my body feels that it is degrading. I lay easy on practicing magick due to energy drain of the work and studies. In addition, I must get into shape in order to control myself better. I do not know how you can ignore it completely, I cannot drive myself into meditation since I can feel how calories accumulate into fat and I become heavier. I can feel how exhausted my body is. I can feel if my blood pressure is up by immense sound created from arteries and heart. It is bad enough that I have endure sounds from my brain, I yet have to silence all the discomfort that I feel from my body in order to drift into deeper meditation. Due to this, I do need strong body. We two are just too closely connected and I can feel it, hear it to far greater degree that any ordinary human can.


Healthy spirit can only be in a healthy body. Without it, it will fade. In any case, it is just me. If you do not feel your body as closely as me, I bet it won't make a significant difference. After all, it is pressure on your spirit, not of your body. After spells you become exhausted spiritually, not physically even if...some encounters test endurance of your body.