So you want to become a Sufi - challenging Beliefs

How do you become a Sufi? Sufism is such a tenuous concept, what with all the different Orders, beliefs, techniques and requirements that often contradict each other. Now I look back, and I discover more about my own training, I realise that I had a classical training from Punditt. So here is my potted history and requirements for becoming a Sufi:

Have respect for the religion you were born into. Respect those who believe in that religion. Respect those who are agnostic. Respect the religion and beliefs you currently hold. Are you prejudiced against a particular faith, a nationality, or the colour of someones skin? How tolerant are you to the foibles and shortcomings of people you know, and those you do not?

My experience is that whatever you believe now, it will change, and there are times when you will find yourself coming closer to your original beliefs.

Learn as much as possible about the beliefs and religion you were born into. Explore other faiths, beliefs and philosophies. Having a range of ideas about the nature of man, religion and God will help you on the Path. Continue this process as you progress on the Sufi Path.

Read a range of religious books such as the Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, etc. Pray daily and often. You can use the Lords Prayer, or the Sura Fatiha, or other inspirational prayer. Visit religious or spiritual buildings such as Churches, Mosques, and other Temples, and ancient spiritual sites. Associate with spiritually minded people (they do not have to have the same beliefs as you). Practice yoga and or meditation, individually and in groups. Learn about spiritual or holistic healing practices. Become a healer. Improve your education. Do charity work in some form. Do not boast about your charity work.

Believing and defending your beliefs

How deeply do you hold your beliefs? Are you willing to stand up and defend them? Are you willing and able to change your beliefs when required? Are you aware of inconsistencies in your beliefs? Do you regularly challenge and question your beliefs? Do you regularly reformulate your beliefs? Are you willing to find and embrace concepts and beliefs that have the potential to shake your belief system to the core? Are you willing to shake your belief system to the core? Do you see self-doubt as an opportunity to grow, or do you bury those doubts?

Although Sufism is clearly associated with Islam, you do not have to convert to Islam, nor do you have to dress in or live the customs of Islam. You do not have to dress like a Sufi. It is better to continue to dress and behave as you would normally.

Diet. Vegetarianism is not a requirement of becoming a Sufi. Most Moslems eat meat. Eating halal food is a good idea - I do it myself, but not exclusively. My teacher drank alcohol, and so I did too. These days I drink moderately, and my teacher is teetotal.

Finding a Sufi Master

This can take a lifetime. I was lucky to find mine by the time I was about 24, but it took a long time for me to really believe that I had found him. For a while I believed Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was my Guru. Sufi Masters can be found in all walks of life all around the world. Most of these Masters are false. It is the easiest thing in the world to pretend to be a Guru. Gather around you an adoring group of acolytes who laugh at your jokes, explain away your foibles, reinterpret your sayings the list goes on. A good Sufi Master is often hell to be with. He will mercilessly chip away at your character defects, your inadequate grasp of philosophy, your weaknesses mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. You will be standing in front of him naked and exposed for the most part.

The Ghayb, Spiritual Source of Power

Punditt Maharajs tag line was The Man who knows the Unknown, which I inherited, but to be truthful, I did not really understand what it meant. This has changed, with the realisation that the Goetia are actually the Jinn, which entirely changes the dynamics of how we deal with them. The Jinn were never invoked or evoked, and they were not seen as powers to be exploited. The Jinn are obviously from Arab sources, the prime being the Koran, and here is the Key to knowledge. The Jinn and the Angels reside in the Ghayb, or Unseen. Traditional Koranic teaches quite rightly say that only Allah can see the Ghayb, and that anyone who uses the Ghayb for prophecy is wrong. This is true - we only have to read the Bible and Koran to see that the prophets were rarely listened, and furthermore, their prophecies never came true. In sufism, however, the Ghayb is accessible. The purpose of the Ghayb is for the Sufi to work with Spirits, Jinn and Angels to further Allahs purpose. Work is done at any time of the day or night, waking, dreaming or sleeping. Whatever happens in dreams, there is not necessarily a prediction for the normal world most of us are aware of.

The Ghayb and physics

The Ghayb is dimly aware of by physics, who have come to the conclusion that Dark Matter and Dark Energy comprise 95% of the universe. Western magick and its theoretical basis, the Kabbalah, is clueless on this aspect, but the Ghayb is accessible using Sufi techniques.

Practising chilla with Punditt

Being taught by a Silent Sufi Master, who by definition does not discuss Sufi practice has definite advantages. I would regularly go with Punditt to a Christian graveyard in Hove, where, he said, he does a lot of spiritual work. After a while, Punditt instructed me to visit this graveyard every day for forty days. I did not have to spend a lot of time there, but I must go every day. This happened probably fifteen years ago, and it is only now that I have started to understand what this what about.

Jesus and 40 days in the Wilderness

Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, whereupon he was apparently approached by the Satan, who gave him a hard time. After Jesus recovered from the experience, he was a powerful exorcist, casting out demons. The Sufi and

Vedic practice of chilla is apparently extreme. The aspirant sits in the middle of a circle of Sufis for forty days without food or water. Apparently, most people go mad or die in the process! Given the choice, Punditts method is infinitely preferable, and actually very comfortable and easy. I had no bad experiences during or after - where is Satan when you need him? It would seem that only Silent Sufis have the real power to perform chilla.

As a result of my chilla the ability to deal with spirits became very much easier for me. Being an exorcist is so much part of my life that I do not even consider it an ability! I still regularly visit that graveyard, and I often take students there to introduce them to the spirits who live there. If only the vicar knew that he had such a powerhouse on his doorstep.

Just as I cannot pass a bookshop without checking the shelves, graveyards have a fascination. The spirits are invariably pleased to see me, and they often have local information that is very useful.

Chilla: Crystals for Sufi Powers

Now is the time to introduce crystals that have been energised with the ancient sufi powers as taught by Punditt Maharaj. These crystals represent aspects of the teachings of the Silent Sufis so you can benefit from this knowledge wherever you are in the world.

The method of prayer and charging of spiritual energy was revealed to me in a series of Dhikrs, so the transmission of knowledge to you is from the Spiritual Powers themselves. The most powerful method of transferring spiritual knowledge is through Silence.

Since I have never performed rituals, there are no rituals associated with these crystals. You simply keep them with you, or in a safe place at home.

Chilla practice
Performing chilla over 40 days will increase the power of your crystals to benefit you and the people you care about. Chilla involves visiting a sacred place every day for 40 days. A cemetary is particularly good for this as it is hallowed ground. When you start chilla you must complete the 40 days - you cannot miss a day. This is very important!

Did Moslems create the original magical circle?

We have all seen pictures of Moslems pray in Mosques, in perfect precise military lines facing Mecca, bowing and kneeling in unison. No sign of a circle here. Last night I was in London at a Mosque once again for the dhikr. The prayers were performed just as they were done in Mosques throughout the world. I sat quietly on the carpet, my feet drawn up so as not to interfere with the man closest to me who was doing his salat. Nobody minded that I was not joining in. One Moslem offered me a chair to sit on, but I politely refused.

Creating the circle for the zikr

As soon as prayers finished, everybody moved to create an elongated circle, backs to the wall on the two sides of the narrowest width of the Mosque, a converted Convent in Seven Sisters; I did not have to move. The Imam was part of the circle, but he had not moved from his position below the Mihrab, which tells the Faithful the direction towards Mecca. Those who could not be in the immediate circle filled the rest of the hall. The lights were extinguished the Magical Circle was complete.

Chanting in the zikr

The Imam said a few muttered words in Arabic, unintelligible to me, but within a few seconds everyone began the chant; Astarfirlagh, Astarfirlagh, Astarfirlagh Forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness The chants kept on coming Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, intermingled with the Fatiha which was sometimes chanted together seven times, or muttered under the breath.

Whirling in the zikr

After about twenty minutes, I opened my eyes, and noticed to the left of the Imam kneeled five Sufis in a straight line wearing the characteristic turbans over a pointed cap. The five Sufis stood up and bowed. The one nearest the Imam walked slowly to the middle of the circle, bowed long and deeply to the Imam, then walked to him and kissed his hand. Backing away, his arms now folded across his chest so that that the hands were on his shoulders, he began to whirl, and the arms moved to their familiar positions, right palm pointing to the sky, while the left palm pointed to the ground. Soon all five Sufis were whirling, creating a draught that was not entirely appreciated in an unheated hall in November despite the new under floor heating. The chanting had changed, become more rhythmic and musical. It was at this point that drums and other musical instruments were played.

As the Sufis whirled, and everyone chanted, a young boy, perhaps eight years old, in traditional clothes and a much smaller but identical turban to his father rather clumsily whirled in his own space. He was doing his best, but like children of his age, he couldnt resist showing off and he fell down in a heap. Occasionally, a toddler, a young girl, would run across the circle from her father deep in meditation to the back of the hall to her mother, sometimes colliding with cross-legged mystics in rapture. Nobody minded.

Chanting the 99 Names of Allah

The final part of the dhikr is incredibly powerful, as the Mystics chant many of the 99 Names of God, led by the Imam. You have to be there to experience it. The Sufis stop whirling, and return to their place in a line, kneeling down. Then the Imam leads the prayers Westerners can tell because there are regular responses of Amin! In the west, we Christians expect our prayers to be recited slowly and solemnly. Here, the Imam races through them almost without breath. For the few westerners in the Dhikr he suddenly changed to English, asking protection for our families, Amin! The Sheikh, Amin! Our Royal Family Prince Charles and the Queen, Amin! The prayers returned to Arabic. It is amazing how many prayers can be crammed into a few minutes. The Imam finishes with Fatiha, and everyone mutters the first Sura of the Koran under the breath.

We all stand (my leg muscles ache and I feel sore, not used to sitting on the ground, so I am just about last to stand the man next to me looks twenty years older than me, and offers a hand to help me up) and we move to form a queue to the left of the Imam to receive Salaam from him. As each Sufi moves past the Imam, shaking hands with the other Sheikhs next to him, then they stand to recreate the circle, each one shaking the others hand, or placing their right hand on the their heart. All the while, there was a warm down gentle singing in Arabic, somewhat like the qawali songs in Pakistan.

Having been to a number of the dhikrs at Seven Sisters, I am now recognised by some of the Sufis, so we nod politely to each other. One, from Leicester is impressed that I have made the journey up from Brighton. He has no idea who I am, but it does not matter he knows the Sufis who lead the dhikr in Brighton. Nobody asks about my beliefs or tries to convert me to anything.

Visions in the zikr

In the next room the urn is hot, so tea and coffee is available. Someone has brought some jelabies, a sweet sticky confection, finger licking good. Time for me to get back to Victoria before the last train to Brighton. I reflect on my visit. During a dhikr, participants are free to do what they like. Who knows what goes on in the thoughts of the Sufis? I see spirits every day, at any time and place, but the power of the dhikr intensifies the experience so that communication is well nigh perfect. I learn new knowledge, I see visions, and Spirits come and go; I pray for and heal certain situations that require it. I contribute to the energy of the circle, and I am energised and healed in return. A perfect virtuous circle.

In the West, our magical circles are elitist and often practised in secret and alone. There are fears about the circle being broken, which will allow spirits to enter uncontrolled. You do not get to take part in a magical ritual without being asked, having consecrated your magical weapons, and had a lot of practise in ritual. Before the magical ritual, the aims of the practise will have been discussed and worked out beforehand. Frequently, passwords are used to keep out the unwashed. Contrast this to the Dhikr, where all are welcome, people come and go and children wander freely during the ceremony.

Does the Western Magical Circle work?

The techniques modern magicians use to protect themselves arise from medieval notions and concepts. These techniques have been copied by New Age movements and Pagan/Wiccan groups lock stock and barrel, with a few stylistic modifications so there is some discernable difference. These traditional methods basically include setting a circle which the practitioner stays in during the ritual and setting the four directions. It all sounds very reasonable, and if the likes of Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune, and all the Wiccans get results, surely it is good? I am well known amongst my friends and enemies for not using protection. Not only am I still here, but I am flourishing. Spiritual growth and power gains daily. I am not fighting off demons all night, or all day for that matter. In contra-distinction, those who practise the magical circle and four directions live in fear and have stifled creativity and spiritual power.

Around the world many religions and spiritual systems do not use a circle and directions. This may be a surprise to many in the west, who see all these shamanic systems and everything else emphasise the importance of the circle

and directions. However, closer reading demonstrates that it is the point of view of the (usually) western author that is imposed on the system. Where the author or expert is native, we find that there has been corruption from the supposedly superior western magical tradition.

Now, do not get me wrong. Many traditions use the circle and directions but in ways that are more sophisticated and subtle than our western techniques.

Confusing directions
Does anybody agree on the attribution of the directions to the four elements? We cannot even agree on which direction to start, although it is usually the East, going clockwise. The Bible says the North is evil, but there are traditions that revere this direction, since it is where the Pole Star is found, the central point about which our Earth revolves.

The Daoist tradition, from which the I Ching is a part, makes the distinction between heavenly and earthly directions, which is generally ignored by Westerners since it is too confusing. If in the West, we focus on the terrestrial directions, we keep ourselves earthbound.

Dont break the Circle!

However you cut it, the directions are confusing, conflating various traditions in a hotchpotch that loses all meaning. As if that is not bad enough, the fear, dread and terror that the circle is broken, accidentally, or by malicious intent that will allow all kinds of infernal beings to enter and attack the magician. These popular views were inflated by the Dennis Wheatley black magic novels, such as the Devil Rides Out, which were made into horror films. The consequences of breaking the circle by the magician who was tricked are dire. They are? Dennis Wheatley met Aleister Crowley on a number of occasions, and Crowley no doubt fed Wheatley duff information to fuel his novels. Crowleys battle with the demon Choronzon in the Saharan desert is the stuff of legend too. However, the reality is different. Few magicians have ever conjured, invoked or evoked a spirit while in a circle, while the accounts that do exist are a mish-mash of previously published material of dubious quality. So, if waiting for something to appear is terrifying, at least in the popular imagination, how must it feel for the terrified individuals who dare not go near the edges of their carefully drawn out circle in case a spirit will get them?

Fear of breaking the Circle

I dont do fear. I leave that to fantasists. In medieval times, from when the magical circle appeared, there were all kinds of terrible ways to die, such as the Black Death. In almost all cases, standards of poor sanitation and cleanliness were to blame. If you think about it, we are assailed from all directions all the time from germs, viruses and bacteria. We cannot see them, we cannot sense them or smell them; they are invisible but real. As you know, we do not get ill because we have an immune system which has learned to recognise threats and deal with. The immune system works so well, that unless it is overwhelmed we do not even notice it at work. Conversely, if we are sick, we are prone to all kinds of infections. The superbugs that contaminate our hospitals are often in reality bugs that cause no harm to the healthy but are deadly to the weak and sick.

Psychologists know that when the balance of the mind is disturbed, pressures from outside influences are magnified, which can result in paranoia and bi-polar states. The imagination will supply whatever kind of enemy we wish to believe in. Those demons are real! The sufferer loses his or her sense of reality, and is subsequently disempowered by the experience. Demons have to be killed, right? It seems eminently reasonable for the sufferer, tormented by those visions. However, magical circles will not cure the problem.

Problems with the Circle

Magical circles are supposed to empower the magician, give him authority over the spirits using the divine names written around the circumference of the circle. Let us think about this. The circle will generally be about 10 -12 feet in diameter for a solitary operator, and considerably larger for more people. In practice, the diameter will depend on the space in the room. The circle has to be carefully drawn out with no breaks it has to be perfect. The divine names that are supposed to control the spirits have to be written around the perimeter perfectly too. Of course, the grimoires all state that if no spirits are invoked, or that the magician can not control the spirit, or that the magician is possessed demonically, it is due to the failure of the magician to follow the ritual properly, or the circle was not prepared correctly. The incredibly high standards expected of the magician are unreasonable, but he already has his excuses at the ready!

To all intents and purposes, our Universe is infinite, stretching billions of miles in all directions, unimaginable distances; and in infinite space, any point is at the centre. The magician, who is supposed to be at the centre, and the Master, is required to draw a circle a few feet in diameter for him to control. Think about it. He is supposed to be a Master, and yet he seems to be unable to control a few feet around him. He is stuck in the centre of the circle, fearful of going near the perimeter in case a spirit will capture him, while these spirits and other entities are free to roam anywhere they like. Who is the Master in this situation? I would venture to suggest that it is the spirits who are in control and free to come and go. Apologists will state that they have successfully invoked spirits, but look at the length of preparation and effort that they went through to achieve this small breakthrough. The spirit who appeared could well have been a projection of magicians fevered imagination, beset by fear and a se nse of inadequacy. So, the magician has created a small space, an artificial system that entraps him he cannot go anywhere until the ritual is finished. You would think that someone would come up with a better method.

If you put yourself in this situation you are besieged, surrounded on all sides. Speak to any martial expert, and he will tell you the stupidity of such actions. When you are besieged you are trapped, there is nowhere to go, while your enemies are free to do what they like. After all, the magician is generally only invoking one spirit! He cannot even tell if he has invoked the right spirit, because they are sneaky and can pretend to be something else

How do you suppose someone who is besieged will develop and evolve? Obviously with difficulty. Freedom is the mantra of the Western world, and yet we have no idea how to exercise freedom. In medieval times soldiers knew all about besiegement. Castles got bigger, better, stronger walls to keep out enemies, but with time and patience, the inhabitants of the castles could be starved, have no water, and be the subject of continual bombardment, not just of arrows, spears and rocks, but biological warfare whereby rotting animals were thrown over the walls. If you surrendered, you were probably executed or enslaved. As an interesting side note, two of the most powerful and sophisticated armies in the world are spending a lot of their time in base under attack from the natives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Things turn full circle.

Putting yourself in a protective bubble, setting the directions with your athame or magical wand is not going to save you. Worst still, you are unlikely to develop spiritually. That is the problem with the directions and the circle; they prevent spiritual development. How can this be? The bible and other religious texts talk about the directions and protection. The answer is our fundamental misinterpretation of these texts, and our inability to see beyond our magical traditions which are now no more than dogma.

Spirits are not stupid. If you set up a magical circle with the four directions sealed, you are telling them that you fear them, so they get the power and the initiative. They label you as a scaredy cat, afraid of your own shadow. They are going to be curious as to what you are up to after all they have seen it all before. If you have no power, they will laugh and ignore what you have done, or set out to achieve. If they determine you have malicious intent by invoking them, and have measures to torture them if they do not accede to your demands, then they will be ready for you. It is as simple as that. In reality, magicians use a blunt instrument and techniques that have not changed in centuries. Where is the subtlety? Why are these magicians not assailed from all sides by spirits all the time when they are not invoking spirits? Depending on their mood, spirits are either amused or irritated by banishings performed by magicians as they work anti-clockwise to banish, and clockwise to invoke. The spirits are already there! It is the inability of the magician to perceive or communicate with the spirits that is the problem. The mental blocks created are the real block to progress.

As I said earlier, I have never used a magical circle. I have experimented with the directions, with middling results. Now, I have abandoned the notion of the association of the directions with the elements, except if I have to work within a particular discipline or system because that is the tradition. However, this is simply a working mode that creates resonance or harmony with spirits, not to keep the spirits out.

Real communication is without the circle

I was at a book launch recently where Michael Staley spoke about channelling and channelled books. He speaks a lot of sense. When magicians project outside themselves using the circle, they are ignoring the reality of spirit communication. Spirits communicate through the magician, sometimes in his own voice and thoughts. It is only later that the magician realises he has channelled, (we leave the strange v oices and weird contortions to stage magicians). A lot of my own writings have come through in a similar way, simply sitting in front of the computer. There is nothing strange or difficult in this. In fact, the difficulty comes when the spirit or inspiration is not there! The magician may not completely hear what it is that he is being communicated to. This is common; however, if the magician is writing away, he will not be aware of the communicator anyway. Beware what is going on is not necessarily a dictation. The magician is free to embellish, clarify, emend or delete what is being transmitted. There may even be a dialogue between magician and spirit as to what is to be written down. It is doubtful if the magician knows who the spirit is, and in many cases, this ignorance is irrelevant, for the validity and veracity of the spirit can be determined by the received writings. As ever, communication is a two-way process that brings benefits to both parties. New Age Channellers are pedalling the suggestion that they are just that a channel that adds nothing to the communication of the spirit. This is rubbish. This kind of channelling from an entity from Antares or other suitably far star system is a concoction of fantasy and wishful thinking.

The reality is that all of us are experiencing some kind of communication from spirits all the time whether we like it or not. Of course, we can completely blank out this communication, but this is like denying beauty, condemning our life

to mediocrity. They are not beings who are either distant (from Antares or elsewhere in outer space), or have to be kept at a distance (outside the circle); spirits are within us and outside us. They can be both, almost at the same time. It just depends on circumstances. Just as sometimes we want space from our lover; it does not mean that we do not love anymore, the same applies with spirits. For the vast majority of the population, communication with spirits is fairly irrelevant. In any case, we live a life that seems designed to prevent communication with spirits.

When I met Punditt, I was in a state of denial as far as spirits were concerned: I did not believe they existed. What happens if spirits want to communicate to us and we ignore them? What do you do if someone ignores you? Do you speak louder, do you attract their attention? What lengths will you go to if you are really desperate enough? People hire planes to trail a message. They bombard the victim with texts and emails. If you really want to attract attention, using bombs to kill people, preferably westerners works really well, but the consequences are of course rather dire. Spirits do similar things. They move objects in the house, make strange noises; cause pain and other sensations in the body, and all the other ways we have heard about. Although it is possible to rationalize away many of these events, individuals undergoing this may well come to the conclusion that they are haunted or under psychic attack. The local New Age shop may well be one of the first places to go to, but of course the people there know very little, or they suggest some banishing ritual which is a variant of the ones I have described above, so there may be some progress. What the spirits have succeeded in doing is provoke the person to take up some kind of spiritual path, however inadequate.

In the West, as a result of these banishings and circles, we have divorced our Spiritual Nature. Spirit, Spiritual, these names are very similar. Following a spiritual path excludes spirits. We then reach the absurd point when the magician has to do the Abra-Melin ritual to find his Holy Guardian Angel! The reality is that spirits are all around us. These spirits are generally benign and harbour no malicious intent towards us. With very little encouragement they are very keen to work with us, as this will help their own evolution. Spirituality is working with Spirits, without a circle or banishing rituals. The problem of course is understanding our own experiences are we imagining things? What is reality? The best way to progress is to find a Guide who will help you on the Path to your own God. Your Guide will already have been along this path, experienced the trials and tribulations and joys that such a path brings. Your Guide will be part of a centuries old tradition of working with spirits and bringing spiritual progress to all without fear or favour.

Seeking Spiritual Knowledge & fulfilling desires

There is a vast range of spiritual knowledge available, particularly with the global communications network we have. So how do you know what knowledge is right or relevant? How do you apply it, and what will it do for you? Despite all my years in spiritual work, I constantly come up against the same questions, and it does not get any easier.

Having an affinity for a particular spiritual or magical system is no guarantee of success, because there are many times when a system of knowledge that has no resonance or interest on my part will suddenly become very important.

Before I met Punditt I was involved in the Transcendental Meditation movement, but I became disillusioned when after years of saying consciousness was supreme, Maharishi started to promote ayurveda, saying that herbs could change consciousness (we all know that - marijuana, cocaine etc). To my mind Maharishi had reversed his entire teachings, but few ever considered this. I started my search for a new teacher, expecting to find him in some far-off land, only to discover that he lived and worked barely a mile from my home in Brighton! Punditt had to be a Hindu; he had some of Maharishi's literature in his office, but gradually I realised he was actually a Sufi. By then, it did not matter.

Impure desires for Knowledge

People think strong desires are important to achieve results. They are, to an extent. What is more important is the purity of the desire and the level at which the desire is expressed. Paradoxically, the intent should have no ulterior motive, otherwise at best it will fail, or otherwise the intention will rebound on magician. This means that any emotions will colour and interfere with the intent. If the intent is done with love, that will give the magician a rosy/erotic feeling, but that is all.

Similarly, if 'positive' intent does not work, you can imagine how disastrously any kind of negative intent will have. If you act through fear, paranoia, hatred, desperation, or any other kind of negative emotion there will ultimately be one result: you will get back those feelings, probably magnified many times. Unless you are particularly masochistic or stupid, this is not going to be a good idea. As you sow, so shall you reap.

Similarly, the intent of desire has to be one-pointed. There is no room for dualism or fear such as an obsession with evil spirits, the Illuminati or the power of discarnate entities, because if you have these paranoias, that is all that your intention of desire will achieve. An escalation of bipolar states is the result.

Put in simple terms, the desire for knowledge when it is kept at the lower level of the mind, which works by separation and division, will naturally result in paranoia and fear. Desires have to work at levels above the mind. For this to work, the mind has to rediscover it's higher functioning capabilities.

Freudian expression of Desire

We have all had the experience of desiring one thing, but getting something entirely different. What is happening here is that the unconscious desire, which happens at a more pure level, is more powerful, and over-rides the conscious aspect of mind. We need to be able to harness the untapped power of the mind at the conscious level.

Pure Desires for Knowledge

For success in the intent, there has to be dispassion, and this dispassion has to extend the point whereby the magician is not even concerned about the success or failure of the intent. How do you that? And why? This is the paradox. Desire has to be dispassionate.

A very good friend of mine spent many years searching for spiritual knowledge. She had travelled to Bali, India, and other exotic foreign countries in search of knowledge. Eventually she moved to Brighton, and it turned out, she moved into an apartment in the same house as me. Punditt told me that a woman had moved into my street - she had

been for a reading. I shrugged my shoulders - what was it to me? A few days later, we met, and that very evening started spiritual work. This was some years ago, and she reflected on how the desire to meet spiritual masters happened in a place she least likely expected it!

The lesson here is that not only can you have emotions attached to the intent, but that you should not speculate as to where, when, and how the intent will manifest. My friend looked all over the world, and found it here in Brighton. This is very hard to do.

The intent has to be raised beyond petty human needs, desires, expectations and fears to a cosmic level, but here too are problems. It is easy for us to impose our own cosmic aspirations which are none other than our own personal desires dressed up.

Concentration: the Old Method

In the past, occultists recommended staring at a candle flame or other object or symbol for a long time. This is an excellent method for getting a headache. What have they achieved? They have transferred the intent to the object, which is rather pointless. This externalisation weakens the occultist. Furthermore, the occultist has not changed his level of consciousness, so there is no gain.

In essence, concentration on a point is useful as an exercise, but this will not translate into spiritual knowledge and power.

Concentration: the New Method

Concentration is the ability to maintain consciousness at a high level of functioning for extended lengths of time. Consciousness is not the point or singularity; consciousness is expanded awareness that is for all intents and purposes is infinite, unbounded. Paramount is the ability for unbounded consciousness to focus on a point, giving the full range from the point to infinity.

With practice it is possible to enter this state at will and remain there for as long as is required.

The Point of the Point

What is the point of the point? The point is the object of attention while in that unbounded state of consciousness. By focusing on this point healing and transformation takes place. This point can be a vision or object in consciousness that represents a situation that needs to be changed. The ability to maintain unbounded awareness is critical, for otherwise the magician's mind will identify incorrectly with the object, which although seen in consciousness, it is not consciousness. This mis-identification is the cause of many spiritual problems that can result in mental illness.

The Singularity and Infinity creates Magic

For success in spiritual and magical development all that is required to be known is the point or singularity, and infinite awareness. Nothing else need be known!

Why Singularity and Infinity creates Magic

Experience of the Infinite, Unbounded is pretty much impossible, for there is no yardstick to measure it by. For that reason we have the singularity, a point that is not a point, for it has no dimensions, no size, and no energy. The singularity is as unmeasurable as the infinite unbounded that surround it. In infinite space, any point within will be at the centre, wherever that point may be. Infinity and the singularity are as diametrically opposed as anything can be, for the Singularity exists only so that some kind of definition can be given to the attributeless Infinity. So, while both are symbols of Unity, they can only exist in terms of the Other, so they become a kind of duality: at its highest level, Duality is the finest expression of Unity. In linguistic terms, the deity is "Is Not/Is" in terms of Being. Allah is a good example of this. Also, hermaphrodite Gods embody the same principle, of having the polarity at their core.

Infinity and the singularity hate this separation, so within them rises the desire to unite. Where can infinity go? Nowhere. It is up to the dimensionless, attributeless, weightless, energyless Singularity to make the move. The only thing for the Singularity to create is what it already has - itself, because the Singularity does not know infinite space.

The Singularity knows within Itself - it has become Self-aware, but it still does not know Infinite Space.

Intention of Desire - Know Thyself

For the intention of Desire to work, external attention needs first for the Knower to Know Himself. At high levels of consciousness, this is a beautiful experience that can be maintained for long periods of time. Ultimately, the Knowledge of the Self will be maintained during waking, dreaming and sleeping.

The Act of Creation

Desire is fundamental to consciousness, but for most purposes, desire is directed outwards towards objects, such as money, business, success, enemies, etc. The first act of Creation is for the Singularity to create Itself. The Zero of the Singularity has become One.

Critical to this understanding is that expressions of duality, such as hate, fear, theft, and paranoia, and other feelings such as love, etc have no place.

Creation happens within the Self knowing Itself, or the Singularity knowing the Singularity. Infinite space has not changed. Without being Self-aware, and having Self-Knowledge, the ability to fulfil desires can not be realised. The lesson is clear: Spiritual knowledge engenders material knowledge and powers. For the Self to be Supreme, it has to know it exists at all levels, and that there is No Other.

The virtual movement within the Singularity to create the identical second Singularity, is an absurdity, for the Singularity has to be unique. So clearly the dual Singularity, for they must be indistinguishable, therefore the same, is a virtual expression necessary for creation. In mathematical terms, the Singularity is Zero. When the Singularity creates a copy of Itself, the duality is expressed as One, so duality is still unified, not separate.

From this virtual duality all creation manifests, spreading out from the dual Singularity until it reaches the Boundless Unmanifest. Multiplicity of creation is a product of the Duality arising from Unity.

How the Crystals Work

Our Power Crystals work to bring about a more settled state of awareness that has greater potency for spiritual work. In a short space of time, this Inner Awareness of Self is started to be experienced during waking, sleeping and dreaming. As the strength and power of this Inner Awareness grows, the ability to fulfil desires manifests automatically.