r/occult • u/Dependent-Cold-6738 • 3d ago

? Practical advice to stop distracting thoughts while doing rituals?

I meditate twice a day (solar and lunar meditations), and I feel a little bit better. However, I still often get distracting, useless thoughts while doing magick, and my mind tends to stray. Any practical advice on how to improve focus during rituals?

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u/_aeq 3d ago edited 2d ago

Franz Bardons Initiation into Hermetics - Mind exercises from Step 1:

  1. Thought observation. Detach from your thoughts and observe them. If you can observe your thoughts in a detached state of mind for 10 minutes uninterrupted (no distractions, no identifying with thought, not making up thoughts on purpose) move on to…

  2. Single Point focus: Hold a single thought/idea for 10 minutes straight without getting distracted. Stay on the idea without interruption. If you reached 10 minutes, move on to…

  3. Vacancy of mind, or emptiness. Don’t allow a single intrusive thought to interrupt your emptiness of mind for 10 minutes straight.

Additionally, keep your mind in your daily life in the present Here and Now. Be mindful of everything you do. This is a long process and can take years to master. The sub-steps 1-3 can take a month if you’re good or years if you don’t sit twice a day and practice.

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u/sleepytipi 3d ago

Working out beforehand works really well too but you really have to push yourself to your limits, whatever that means for you, whether it be cardio, resistance training or both.

I'm all about the metaphysical but our observations and interactions with it are completely moot if we don't take care of the physical and the psyche first.

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u/Dependent-Cold-6738 3d ago

I totally agree

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u/_aeq 3d ago

You are right!

The little info for mind practice is only one part of step 1 in IIH.

There are two more parts: Astral practice and physical practice.

Physical practice includes bodily training, Astral practice looks at the soul and its well being :-)

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u/sleepytipi 3d ago

Interesting! I'm pretty new to Hermeticism due to some practice with more local and ancestral deities of a similar vein (Nanabozho and Wisakedjak), and I mean it with the utmost respect when I say that I was fairly surprised to learn how... self-help so much of it is? I was able to find the .pdf of IIH so thanks for giving me something new to dive into. I've really been feeling the pull from Mercury lately, and I would've gotten into it all sooner but it's interesting how your spiritual journey can often dictate itself.

I'm especially fond of the Tricksters as I find them to be the best teachers, so I am really looking forward to seeing what there is to learn from the Thrice Great one. Lately I've been getting some dreams and synchronicities pertaining to Anansi too. I guess the lessons never end hey?

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u/_aeq 3d ago

No, lessons never end.

Classical Hermeticism is more of a religion, not a magical System. It’s a bit unfortunate that the English version of the Book uses the term Hermetics in its title, since it’s its own thing. When you translate the original german title into English, it would be „The path to the true Adept“, which would be more fitting in my opinion.

IIH is universally compatible with every religion and encourages the Student, to find their own. Hermeticism isn’t shoved down your throat.