Opening & Pre-Ritual Attunement

[Magus314]

What do you use to attune yourself before ritual?

I’ve tried different approaches depending on the work: Middle Pillar, the Pentagram rituals, the “Preliminary Rite” from Ars Vercanus, and PGM-style vowel rituals. Sometimes simple prayer is enough.

I’m interested in what helps others shift into the right state. Do you follow a fixed opening or adapt it to the rite?

 

[Aldebaran]

This may come off sounding higher than thou, but I assure you it is not.

Th best way to be attuned to any magick is to live a life where you are attuned.

 

[Magus314]

This may come off sounding higher than thou, but I assure you it is not.

Th best way to be attuned to any magick is to live a life where you are attuned.

Not higher than thou, but High AF

Writing words but saying nothing

 

[beardedeldridge]

Unless I’m doing a specific ritual, these days, it’s either meditation, prayers, psalter work. Or often a combination of those. Depending on what I’m doing.

-Eld

 

[AbammonTheGreat]

I do identifications with archetypes/spheres. This looks like pranayama to clear out my subtle body and then I do something called a yoga nidra using visualization, breathing, and counting working around to 61 different subtle energy points on the body. Ive modified it though so Im using metals and sigils on each point of the body to create a subtle energetic body that is identified with the sphere.

For example if im working with a Saturnian spirit ill clear out my body using pranayama and then slowly move "cold liquid lead" with his sigil to each subtle energy center and then at the end visualizing myself as made of lead. This way I am identified with the sphere before I begin the ritual and conjuration.

 

[Aldebaran]

"Not higher than thou, but High AF

Writing words but saying nothing "

Fair enough. If you are not aligned internally, your intent, your will - if what you say, what you do, and what you think are different. If they are not aligned. If you are off your personal vector for whatever reason...

Your magick is starting from a flawed foundation.

Attunement can be thought of as a personal recalibration. Recalibration assumes the item was calibrated to begin with. I'm poorly saying you need to be calibrated in life first before working on recalibration or fine tuning.

 

[taschr]

My approach is pretty similar to Abammon's. When performing theurgy I will do breath mediation that refines into meditation on the subtle energy body, then taking my absorption in that and building up a resonance with the being that I am working with such that I am meeting them on their own plane. This might involve elemental accumulation or the building of piti/sukha (bliss and rapture) depending on what I am working with.

When performing more practical magic I like to induce a trance state with candle gazing, much less nuance here I just stare into the bottom of the flame until my vision becomes like a tunnel and I carry that state forward.

 

[Sabbatius]

I perform drumming, using a Pow~Wow drum, also known as a Dance drum, with the five note scale. This brings about a meditative state.
I use a focus as I drum, I placed an old metal drum barrel that I cut a ring out of- about two feet, and buried it flush into the ground that I use as a fire pit as well.

I did this practice for virtually every morning as a devotion since I was 14 years old, during my tonsure-ship with my uncle who was Waabano. I stopped, as I have, though still in the process, trained up two of my daughters to fulfill the devotion to our tribe. My health is failing, but I still wake up hours before the dawn but I assist my daughters before they go out into the yard and begin the medicine.

 

[Magus314]

I perform drumming, using a Pow~Wow drum, also known as a Dance drum, with the five note scale. This brings about a meditative state.
I use a focus as I drum, I placed an old metal drum barrel that I cut a ring out of- about two feet, and buried it flush into the ground that I use as a fire pit as well.

I did this practice for virtually every morning as a devotion since I was 14 years old, during my tonsure-ship with my uncle who was Waabano. I stopped, as I have, though still in the process, trained up two of my daughters to fulfill the devotion to our tribe. My health is failing, but I still wake up hours before the dawn but I assist my daughters before they go out into the yard and begin the medicine.

I did a seminar once in the Michael Harner “core shamanism” style—definitely not the same as a traditional lineage like yours—but the drumming was still an incredible way to ride into the spirit world. Thanks for sharing your experience.