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Underground > Temple >

Visual Magick

08:30 / 17.09.03

(Y'know, I always feel guilty when I get on a kick of posting several, 'hey, anyone got any ideas for X' topics... but if the threads turn out well, then it's all for the greater good...)

I've been on a hardcore mindmap trip for the last several months--they've been useful in brainstorming, studying, and in debating (particularly as opponents are frightened of the form of notes I'm taking on their speeches). I've been trying to think of ways to incorporate them into magick in a useful way, beyond just recording correspondences and associations.

I was curious as to whether anyone had any techniques for incorporating visual art in general into magick. (And if anyone but me mindmaps, I'd love to hear about it.) A specific thing I'm interested in are mandalas, but websearching seems to mostly get me inspirational posters for sale (printed on High Quality photographic paper!) and workshop listings; I'm under the impression they're visual representations of... like... spiritual stuff.

09:24 / 17.09.03

A mandala is a visual mantra, a focus for meditation.
I mindmap, but not for magic- just to get my head straight. Good idea though, you could create correspondences or isolate ideas...

18:53 / 17.09.03

I've done some little mini-mandalas that were magickal in nature here and there. I did a working to communicate with Aphrodite where I drew lots of pictures of beautiful women and drew frames of doves around each page, since the dove is her attendant animal. I also drew a few pix of the Goddess of Love herself after researching her previous classical visual representations. (including her not so classical portrayal on XENA)

Art + magick = total coolness.

19:26 / 17.09.03

Hmmm, is there some way to add a little gallery to the The Wiki ? Perhaps there is a possiblity of adding magickal art done by 'lithers there as examples? Waddya think?

13:42 / 18.09.03

yeah, I'm quite into mind-mapping - been doing it for years, oblivious to people looking over my shoulder in journalism offices and the like, murmuring "strange boy". I actually have a number of scary looking files with all the notes I've taken since college exams, and virtually every journalistic assignment I've done in the past 7 years- it's certainly one way of staying on top of a lot of different subjects, which I try to do.
They brought out a piece of software to let you do it on the PC, didn't they? No idea if it's any use - it's about 200 quid anyway.

Other than that....I'd be fascinated to know how people use it in a magickal sense, actually...
Mandalas...good for staring at in a meditative context, I would assume. I think I read somewhere ages that this was possibly something that had the desired effect by confusing the word/symbol-fixated left brain (with concentrating on a spatial form), making you kind of click into right brain/alpha waves/meditative awareness..

14:52 / 18.09.03

Mandalas or yantras are basically visual representation of a microcosm and as such are kinda complete systems in themselves. They might give visual expression to an abstract system where all the elements balance out. One of the simpliest of these might be the Earth Water Air Fire dynamic (with spirit in the centre) that you find in Western Magick, like the LBRP.

Mandalas can also be complex ways of repsenting the psyche, the body, a magical universe or all of the above. For instance there are some Hindu yantras where the chakras are allotted to one lotus, with the inner constiuent parts of the psyche represented on petals further in, then with god/shiva/unconditioned being at the centre. The idea being that this unconditioned whatever-it-is expresses itself through it's interaction with the different qualities represented by the petals, and you can consciously choose to work with any qualities you feel you're lacking in, to balance out your universe. You could do this by drawing out the design and offering worship at yor preceived weak points or simply using them as a menenoic aid to think about your experience during your day to day business.

12:31 / 22.09.03

I'm with May on a gallery for the Wiki, that's a good idea.

Mandalas are often inspired by holy experience, which explains their similarity to psychedelic imagery inspired by hallucinogens0 the reiterating fractal design, self similarity, vibrant colours, detailed and highly symbolic imagery, reflective symmetry etc.

12:35 / 22.09.03

Sorry, my post above should read "For instance there are some Hindu yantras where the chakras are allotted to one layer of the lotus petals with the inner constiuent parts of the psyche represented on petals further in, with god/shiva/unconditioned being at the centre."