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From: rickheit@hawk
Newsgroups: mod.psi
Subject: Science, Psience, etc...
Message-ID: <940@ulowell.cs.ulowell.edu>
Date: Tue, 13-Jan-87 21:27:13 EST
Article-I.D.: ulowell.940
Posted: Tue Jan 13 21:27:13 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 22-Jan-87 18:47:44 EST
Sender: rickheit@ulowell.cs.ulowell.edu
Organization: Miskatonic University
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Keywords: Hi people, I'm back...
Approved: rickheit@ulowell.UUCP
Summary: If you read not other long postings, please read this one...

[]

Hi people.

I have a potential way of looking at things that can really clear up some of
the arguments. I would appreceiate comments on this schema as I have spent a
lot of time working on this. Look it over carefully - a lot of the apparently
meaningless concepts and connections turn out to be pretty useful.


First, we look at methods of control - means of focussing the power/etc.
that you are working with. Now, I have divided things into basically THREE
ways of doing this: Internal, object oriented, and ritual. 

Internal focussing relies primarily on the will of the practitioner. He
(or she, or it; for convenience let's say "he") directs the flow of energy
by nothing other than mental control. This way places the burden of
directing the channeling square on his shoulders. Note: the user does not
necessarily have to have CONCIOUS control over what is happening - it may be
controlled via the subconcious or unconcious.

Next we have object oriented focussing. This uses external objects/gadgets
(for example: crystals, staves, runes, cards, etc.) to aid the mental
focussing. The object carries at least part of the burden for channeling
the energy/whatever, but the user still controls the reaction (usually :-)

Last, but not least, we have ritual focussing. This method uses a primarily
fixed pattern for controlling the elements. This pattern is usually a
combination of specific words, and motions. It also often uses objects (as
in method #2). The good thing about this method of focussing is that the load
on the practitioner is fairly light. The bad thing is that the control is
limted to what the ritual is capable of handling. Most moderns religeous
ceremonies started off as rituals, but as time went on, many of the
meanings were lost and all that was left was empty forms.


Now, once we have determined how the control is done, we have to consider
the symbology or categorization used. What I mean here is what basic
conceptualizations or analogies the person is using.  I have broken
them into FIVE main groupings. 

First, we have pure energy. This categorizes things in terms of black
and white (light & dark, etc.), possibly with the inclusion of
grey (shadow) as a distinct class, rather than as a blend of light & dark.
This is fairly straight forward.

Moving right along, we have life essence. This means that the user is
thinking in terms of the interaction between living things. Wiccan and
druidic religeons fall into this category primarily. "The FORCE" from
Star Wars is also this grouping. Basically, it is thinking in terms of
the energy associeted with life and living things. Blood magic is an
example of object focussing of life energy, as is the traditional
(I mean here fairy-tale) witches potions composed of the parts of crittters.

Next we have elemental. In this, the user is thinking in terms of the four
(or five, or whatever) elements as symbology. Alternatly, the four Christian
Arch-angels (Michael, Uriel, Gabriel, and Raphael) are used since they have
a direct connection to the four elements (a la Kurtz "Deryni Chronicles").

Penultimately, we have physical representation. This uses conceptulized
objects as the symbology. Examples: for defense, we use a wall; for lifting
something, a crane; for the equiv. of a 'Hold Person' spell, a rope binding.
In the case of internal focussing, the user visualizes whatever physical
representation is needed to preform that action. In object focussing, the
form of the object mirrors the action desired. Etc.

Last, we have mental. For this menthod the user does not rely upon any
universal constants, only invidual visualizations. Basically, here only
abstacts are used. It is the more versatile, since it does not rely upon any
analogies. It is also the most difficult, since the user does not have any
universal constants to think in terms of.

NOTE: it is important to keep in mind that there is NO FUNDIMENTAL DIFFERENCE
between these groups. It is simply which aid (if any) the user wants to
employ to help him. Also, there is no particular order to the above; that is
simply the order I came up with them in. 

Some people do not need analogies to work with, while others rely upon them
havily. Just as some people do not need objects or rituals to focus, while
others use them extensively. I make no judgement as to the relative merits
of one way over the other.

As an overview, look at the resulting matrix:


		Pure	   Life
		Energy	   Essence    Elemental    Physical	Mental
	      +---------+----------+------------+------------+----------+
Internal      |         |          |            |            |		|
	      +---------+----------+------------+------------+----------+
Object        |		|	   |		|	     |		|
	      +---------+----------+------------+------------+----------+
Ritual        |         |          |            |            |		|
	      +---------+----------+------------+------------+----------+

You can fill in the blanks as you will.


  						Gryphon