The Power of Words

[Anziel_Merkaba]

This is an old idea I had that I felt would be useful to somebody if I shared it. I don't know who needs to see this but I hope when you see it you get what you need from it.

All magic is based on will and intent at it's most basic form, and naturally, the most natural method to convey your will and intent is through spoken word. What I propose is the idea that someone with a relatively mature practice, understanding that words can convey power, vows to never speak except when directing magic or in emergencies. It isn't quite ascetic in terms of practice, but if you, fully understanding the weight of your words and will, consciously choose to not speak outside of magic or emergency, you can speak your will into reality with great force.

I know this is something some monks do alongside their normal rituals and practices, but I've yet to hear of anyone who is still involved with the world who practices this method in any serious way.

I personally apply this idea in ritual and practice to a lesser extent, never speaking when I'm in a meditative state other than to direct my will towards manifestation, but I know what I do isn't as potent as someone who fully commits to only speaking to manifest.

 

[Konsciencia]

Words are Powerful. I do affirmations and immediately I feel the difference.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

I did spoken word performances as part of the gigs with Tinyfish. My official title was "Chief Audience Frightener".

 

[KjEno186]

It isn't quite ascetic in terms of practice, but if you, fully understanding the weight of your words and will, consciously choose to not speak outside of magic or emergency, you can speak your will into reality with great force.

This is another aspect of "to be Silent." Thank you for that excellent post.

 

[HoldAll]

It isn't quite ascetic in terms of practice, but if you, fully understanding the weight of your words and will, consciously choose to not speak outside of magic or emergency, you can speak your will into reality with great force.

I was once physically unable to speak for several months as a result of a medical procedure and didn't notice any difference in my first utterances (mind you, I was not interested in the practical side of magic then). I just chatted with the nurses and the other patients, didn't even feel 'rusty'.

I think that your assumption here is that the mere fact that you refrain from speaking in mundane situations will automatically lend your words more weight. I doubt that. It's your mind that controls your voice, and if your mind is not 100% focussed, that lack of concentration will become expressed in your words as well, no matter how long you have observed silence up to that point.

Declaiming incantations with total conviction, razor-sharp focus and deadly seriousness is what I find so hard whenever I try my hand at such texts. I'm not a natural orator or actor, so my words lack gravitas and don't even sound like I really mean it. It's been getting better with practice lately (meditation helps - a lot!) but I have still a long way to go until I can use my voice like a paint stripper.

 

[Roma]

understanding that words can convey power, vows to never speak except when directing magic or in emergencies.

There is a tradition that the genuine initiate is a "word smith". The initiate is always careful with words: economical, exact and intentional

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

This is another aspect of "to be Silent." Thank you for that excellent post.

Yeah, im a lawbreaker in this regard quite often. Hard to be silent when maintaining an online journal and asking magick related questions.
Offline I am generally silent.

 

[Konsciencia]

I was once physically unable to speak for several months as a result of a medical procedure and didn't notice any difference in my first utterances (mind you, I was not interested in the practical side of magic then). I just chatted with the nurses and the other patients, didn't even feel 'rusty'.

I think that your assumption here is that the mere fact that you refrain from speaking in mundane situations will automatically lend your words more weight. I doubt that. It's your mind that controls your voice, and if your mind is not 100% focussed, that lack of concentration will become expressed in your words as well, no matter how long you have observed silence up to that point.

Declaiming incantations with total conviction, razor-sharp focus and deadly seriousness is what I find so hard whenever I try my hand at such texts. I'm not a natural orator or actor, so my words lack gravitas and don't even sound like I really mean it. It's been getting better with practice lately (meditation helps - a lot!) but I have still a long way to go until I can use my voice like a paint stripper.

I like what you said, about that the mind controls your voice. That's a knock-off.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

"Bind the Ass, Horse and Unicorn" -- Crowley, Liber Al?

 

[KjEno186]

I was once physically unable to speak for several months

Out of curiosity, what were your first words after months of involuntary silence?

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Being a serious magician, one must surpass the best actors, including those who were the best mime actors.

 

[Anziel_Merkaba]

I was once physically unable to speak for several months as a result of a medical procedure and didn't notice any difference in my first utterances (mind you, I was not interested in the practical side of magic then). I just chatted with the nurses and the other patients, didn't even feel 'rusty'.

I think that your assumption here is that the mere fact that you refrain from speaking in mundane situations will automatically lend your words more weight. I doubt that. It's your mind that controls your voice, and if your mind is not 100% focussed, that lack of concentration will become expressed in your words as well, no matter how long you have observed silence up to that point.

Declaiming incantations with total conviction, razor-sharp focus and deadly seriousness is what I find so hard whenever I try my hand at such texts. I'm not a natural orator or actor, so my words lack gravitas and don't even sound like I really mean it. It's been getting better with practice lately (meditation helps - a lot!) but I have still a long way to go until I can use my voice like a paint stripper.

There was no assumption. Just being unable to speak isn't what I'm talking about.

What I am talking about is a conscious choice to not speak. The whole point is to keep the weight of your words at the forefront of your mind as you stay silent, and only speak when you want to manifest your will into the world. Being rendered unable to speak for medical reasons is not the same thing.

I posted a primer on mental techniques that can help strengthen your focus and visualization, which is coincidentally very useful for strengthening your ability to direct your will even if it's not the main goal of the exercises in that primer. It's not really intended for spoken-word manifestation, but building your mental skill is very useful for almost all forms of practice.

 

[pixel_fortune]

Aidan Wachter's Six Ways has a relevant Magical Voice exercise (seriously that book just keeps giving)

One morning, decide on a word of power you would like to manifest, but do not say it aloud, not even in a whisper.

Carry it inside you all day, in your body, somewhere near your center. Bring your attention to it over and over, dozens of times, while you go about your day. But keep it secret, keep it safe.

When evening comes, and you can be alone and uninterrupted, take your word, still kept quietly near the center of your body, to the altar.

Sit, light a candle, and begin to vibrate the vowel tones. [This is covered in a previous exercise, but it's using vowel intonation to activate energy centres, 5 or 7. It's a PGM practice, it's in Helios Unbound as well]

Run the vowels a few times, up, down, back up. Once you feel nice and strong and open, begin to notice once more the word you hold in your center.

Begin to quietly hum the vowel tones with your mouth closed.

Let the word you have held all day know that it is almost to be free. Feel its desire for freedom, to be birthed from your lips into the Field. Let it rise from root to crown with your humming of the tones, and after last, highest, “EEE” (or at another point if that makes gut-sense), open your mouth and speak the word.

This is a peculiarly potent practice, so choose your word well!

Post automatically merged: Jan 19, 2024

More generally though, I'm not sure I buy the idea that disuse leads to more power. Disuse leads to atrophy and a lack of flexibility. (Someone who can only use a tool for one thing is generally someone with rigid thinking and who lacks the traits of resourcefulness and creativity)

 

[HoldAll]

Out of curiosity, what were your first words after months of involuntary silence?

I don't remember, I think I said things to people I always wanted to say while incapacitated, it wasn't anything portentious.