Is Banishing Really Needed in Chaos Magick?

[Mindbender]

I'm new to Chaos Magick and there's one thing that I'm really struggling with, and that's banishing.

The ritual I'm trying to do is relatively simple, it's one designed by Stephen Mace and it involves visualizing rings of light going around your body and then visualizing a pillar of fire igniting those rings.

There's one major problem I have though - I cannot visualize things that are outside of my field of vision. Like, I cannot visualize something being behind me because I can't see behind me. I've been trying really hard and I just can't do it. I can visualize things in front of me and to the side of me, but not behind me.

So Stephen Mace's banishing ritual is no good for me.


So back to my original question, is banishing even needed? From what I understand the main purpose of banishing is to clear your mind before and after ritual. If this is the case would a simple breathing meditation suffice?

Or if not, can anyone suggest a banishing ritual that doesn't require me to visualize things that are out of my field of vision?


Many thanks for your help.

[Desecrated]

In a banishing ritual you are waving your arms around, this opens your chest area more then just a simple breathing exorcise.

I don't think you can't visualize outside your field of vision. I think you are afraid of doing so.
Doing the LBRP would put up a stronger barrier of defense around you allowing you to be more brave and explore around yourself.

[RoseRed]

Banishing can be required in every flavor of practicing magic. Sure, the methods and procedures may differ between systems but banishing is banishing.

[insomni4c]

You could always just banish with laughter, it is chaos magic after all haha. Really when practicing chaos magic just do what you believe is necessary, a lot of occultists (including me lol) will swear by the LBRP, but really it's not 100% necessary if you don't believe it to be. If you do work with other systems or feel the need to banish for some reason (say you wanna "clean up" at the end of rituals, or have some bad vibes hanging around) there are a lot of different ways to do it. When just using straight chaos magic laughter should be good, you may use the LBRP in more Golden Dawn-esque rituals or if you have a more ceremonial magic lean, you might burn some sage and throw around some equivalent of holy water, you could meditate and visualize any "bad vibes" being thrown away into the far reaches of the universe, etc. etc..

As for the visualization problems, practice makes perfect. I had a lot of trouble with visualization for awhile, mostly because I skipped the meditations that would have helped with it at first. The more you work at visualization, the easier it'll get. Some people also aren't so visual, in which case you might focus more on feeling rather than seeing.

[Mindbender]

As for the visualization problems, practice makes perfect. I had a lot of trouble with visualization for awhile, mostly because I skipped the meditations that would have helped with it at first. The more you work at visualization, the easier it'll get. Some people also aren't so visual, in which case you might focus more on feeling rather than seeing.

I can visualize, I just really struggle to visualize something that isn't in my field of vision. Like, if I were to visualize myself glowing with light this is very hard but I can visualize a pentagram glowing in mid air no problems.

I'm thinking I need a totally different technique for visualizing outside my field of vision. Any tips?

[DeclareInsane]

Firstly you trying too hard on getting it perfect instead of doing the visualization. It is well known that people who are good at visualization don't care to much about the details they are more focused on the act of doing the visualization than if it's right. When you stop worrying about getting if it's right ithen after awhile your mind will fill in for you what you can't see.

Which visualization method is more powerful, 3rd person or 1st person visualization? 90% of the time 1st person visualization is more powerful. This is when you can't see yourself but only things in your vision as if in a dream or true reality. But doesn't that sound like what you describing you can do? [shock2]

Here are a few tips and tricks.

1. Try closing your eyes and seeing yourself turn around inside yourself. What do you see behind you?

2. Try placing a physical object for reference. Like drawing a chalk circle around yourself or using rope.

3. Before your ritual take yourself down into low alpha brainwave state. Try counting 4 4 4 4 / 4 4 4 4 with very short pausing in between, then 3 3 3 3 - 3 3 3 3 with longer pauses, then 2 2 2 2 - 2 2 2 2 with even longer pauses and finally 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 with the longest pauses. This can take you quickly into that state.

4. I visualize the circle before hand and then step into it. So this means that whatever is inside of me is pushed outside by the circle.

5. The most powerful visualizations are ones attached with emotions, Empathetical visualizations. Try adding emotion or feeling to your visualization like feeling the white light behind you as a warm brilliant sensation.

And yes banishing is necessary in any magick but there are various ways of doing it. Search LBRP Variations to find a few ways
http://www.occultforum.org/forum/viewto ... =9&t=36167

[manofsands]

You could always just banish with laughter, it is chaos magic after all haha. .... When just using straight chaos magic laughter should be good.

Hey insomni4c, I've seen you mention this a couple times and I really like the idea... could you start a thread about laughter specifically, with your thoughts? I'd like to read other members takes also without throwing a tangent in this thread.

[astrolabgoz9881]

Add my 2 cents. Insomni4c and DeclareInsane r right,
Concerning how you can banish, I'll put it in my words bit rude that you can believe in any rubbish and practice it you just need to know what is going on with the energy, that case meaning Chaos M. is not an invention of Spare and others rather emerged out of Nature's urges in the dawn of the humanity. And in that case you need to go forth developing psychic powers to at least see energies. Also is there any moral objection, or you'd rather do anything immoral just for purpose of completing experience of being a worse chaoter? A thing to think about, but once a man is born with mental state of a psycho killer and never become one might mean he's born for left hand path, same as that man can be scared just because some unevolved entity hates his freedom.
DeclareInsane gave a good method which is correct in any correct situation, but if someone is beyond an average situation it can additionaly scare him with procedure.
How about using Chaos energy an magic not only to laugh or whistle or lose inhibitions any other way but losing inhibitions thru doing a Chaos ritual itself, using a massive power to unblock yourself in that case. [happy] [devil]

[DeclareInsane]

Definitely interesting [thumbup]

All persons are born equal, with equal potential regardless of circumstance perhaps only if there are any physical or mental limitations but even that can be overcome. It has been proven time and time again. The meekest man walks in on his wife having sex with his best friend and goes chop suey on them. How did he suddenly change? How did he change into a cold blooded murderer suddenly? Was he possessed? No, the potential exists within each one of us. Likewise, the evilest man jumps into a raging river to save a drowning child. Although his evil, the potential exist for him to be selfless. It just needs the correct circumstance to activate that potential. All possibilities exist within each of us equally all you need to do is push the right buttons. Chaos Magick works with the understanding that 90% magick is psychological and therefore it is practical to focus on the 90% than on the 10% which makes up supernatural, energy,spirits, elementals etc. In Chaos magick we use believe as a tool so even if you don't agree that all magick is psychological when we practice chaos magick we believe that there is no energy, it's only symbolic and has meaning to the subconscious as to create a certain desire or outcome. In chaos magick this is the purpose of banishing. To remove the everyday self with all your limiting beliefs that allow you to function sanely in the real world and temporarily replace it with a magickal self with all your potential unlocked and ready to be assessed at your will. So you have the potential to visualize just let go and let your mind do the work and fill in the blanks for you...You also see why banishing is necessary???...

[astrolabgoz9881]

Great post. Thank you for getting into the point.
I'd just add something from personal experience, do not underestimate potential of the invisible entities. But before you decide getting onto fight with etherical foes just let you know I was receiving hard shit for life from a 90 years old guy who was my consultant. Came out in his time there was much more sorcery so he spent lifetime manipulating stuff, tho he is a well known neuropsyciatrist. Came out he was my enemy and the unevolved entity I was looking for, sending black entities on me coz he got challenged out of plainly dealing with a western esotericism practitioner. A hateful old guy. So, before even thinking of a real 'spiritual fight' banish your best friend lol. Most people on this world are the suckers. Your enemy may be your jealous cat or a part of your brain, so once you find out what was sucking all your life don't do anything extreme, coz youll just feed evil otherwise.

[astrolabgoz9881]

IMO, this 'tradition' is the only one where you can mumble and do rubbish in any rotten mood, just adopt it to your current state and voila!
If you mumble a wicca spell practicing wicca, you won't get any results. Why? A wicca rhyme is a tool to keep your focus dwelling between worlds while you are getting on stuff, i.e. manipulating - the energy.
In the core or essence of things is doing the unseen deal, the magic.
That's why I find it easy to draw something alike W letters, think of Wotan and ancestors' protection, and a banishing ritual is made.
Any feedback peeps? [happyface]