@Luce said
"It seems odd though, as I think most people would read "concentration" as in "focusing attention on" as opposed to concentration in the way that orange juice is concentrated. Surely, there could be a better word used to convey that idea. Maybe "sharpen" or "channel" or "distill" or something."
Interestingly, I've heard the same argument often made about the word "energy". It's the exact reason that people choose to use prana or chi or any number of other terms to denote a specific meaning of "energy" rather than the stuff from the power station that makes lightbulbs light up or the stuff in food that keeps your body moving... but that is the way that "concentration" is meant. Whether or not "most people" take it that way is, frankly, their problem.
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"I'd say you're mistaken that any thread of the Western Tradition that filtered through the Crowley lens would "believe" in anything.
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Sure, I think you know what I meant though. I meant "channel and manipulate energy and think that they are actually dealing with substance.""
In my experience, energy and substance are two phases of the same One thing but are, by definition, mutually exclusive. See: Einstein's e=mc^2 for the mathematical relation between the two.
"It was just a book I had found, no I can't really go to the source. It's called Mysteria Magica: Fundamental Techniques of High Magick. I think Helionic Projection is a technique of the Astrum Sophiae, but maybe it has GD roots... Not quite sure. Regardless though, what was described in that quote seems no different than what I've read from countless other occultists. It just seems that people talk about energy slightly differently, but most everyone uses it in some capacity."
The Ogdoadic current (of which A.'.S.'. is a thread) developed parallel to Golden Dawn, not in derivation from it. Though they both trace their roots back to the Hermetic foundation, there are definite structural differences due to the long independence of the two currents.
A.'.S.'. is a working order so you can, very easily, go to the source... if you so choose.
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" The only step where I can fathom what I think you mean by "tactile imagining" to be useful is in the initial concentration and that is what Liber E, V.8 is addressing."
Hmmm, this is where I get confused. Wouldn't this be helpful in a whole variety of cases, especially if you're saying that tactile imagination can be a part of visualization? For example, my original example of the Middle Pillar. Couldn't I try to physically feel the energy descending instead of trying to actually see the energy descending in my mind's eye? Or would that not work? Am I explaining that right? Like, we talked about me being able to move energy once I feel it... Could I feel the energy sensations on the top of my head for Kether, and then feel the energy descending to my throat for Da'ath?"
You seem to still be confusing "astral visualization" with "seeing". Astral visualization is using astral cognates of all of your physical senses (and, potentially, non-physical senses) on the astral plane. Once you get really adept at it, you might find that as you perform the Middle Pillar exercise you see, smell, feel, hear, and taste every sphere on the pillar and every ring of energy that you create. You might even find that you start experiencing other sensory experiences that can't easily be categorized under those five headings that you're used to. This is all "astral visualization"
The technique that you are describing as "tactile imagining" isn't this. The technique you are describing is a method of focused attention as a way to train your mind to feel tactile sensations in the absence of external stimuli. As such, it is a subset of dharana training... as far as I can tell.
From what I can glean from Bruce's wikipedia page, he seems to be employing it as a method of focusing attention on one specific part of the physical body so that, by imaginatively moving the sensation outside of the physical body, the astral body follows along. Seems a valid hypothesis. Having never experimented with it myself, I can't comment on its effectiveness in practice.
"Maybe it would help if I was more specific with what I wanted to do with this. Basically, I've been frustrated that my rituals don't seem to be very powerful. I have a fair bit memorized, but I'm not getting much out of it. Yesterday I did a fire invoking ritual that involved an LBRP, Middle Pillar, Star Sapphire, SIRP, drawing down energy from the planes, prayers, invocations, enochian calls, etc. Everything was by memory except the enochian calls and some of the prayers. Despite memorizing all of this and performing it properly, I didn't really feel there are many results. I feel a bit charged after, very clean, peaceful, etc., but not much more. "
Wow, that's a lot! And all of this from someone who considers himself to be pre-Malkuth. I have to ask: Are you able to sit still in asana for an hour without moving? Can you keep your attention focused on one thing for ten minutes with less than a handful of breaks?
"I know to beware the dreaded lust of results, but it just seems strange to me that I'll do, say, the Middle Pillar and I don't feel anything. I say the names, do my best to draw the energy down, circulate it, etc., but I pretty much feel the same way during and after it as if i was saying "peanut butter" instead of El Shaddai and thinking of raisins instead of trying to draw energy down. From what I've read, if I'm doing it successfully, there should be some sort of effect."
Is cannabis legal in your place of domicile? If so, I'd recommend reading Oliver Haddoo's Psychology of Hashish in Equinox I.2 and following his recommendations.
"Maybe I should clarify the reason I made this thread and am asking about this. I want to know if what I'm experiencing actually is energy (and you seem to think that there's an indication it might be, which I'm pleased about) or if I'm just activating nerve endings and really doing nothing of spiritual merit. I have tried the techniques out and found great success with them, but only if the sensations are actually an indication of energy! If they aren't then I'm just deceiving myself, and I'll pour countless hours into doing nothing more than biofeedback. "
Welcome to the life of Scientific Illuminism.
"I know no one can tell me 100% that this will work. But if a couple of advanced practitioners who are familiar with energy try the tactile technique and tell me, "yup, I did the imaginary paintbrush thing up my arm and it brought energy up my arm" that's enough for me to make an informed decision of incorporating this into my practice."
Yup, I did the imaginary paintbrush thing up my arm and it brought energy up my arm.
Has that solved your problems?