Whether through guides from the most basic to the most advance of spells and rituals, all of this requires FOCUS. Focus on the mind, the body, this demon, that entity, this element, that candle etc. etc.
Focus is a very straightforward thing that we all (I dearly hope) grasp at least in it’s concept. However, for some just the act of focusing entirely on one thing can be near impossible. For those like that, and for those like myself with varying degrees of ADD (Mine is so bad that Adderall can barely help me), to focus on something is an act of duality: We may stare at it or know what we are supposed to be focusing on, but our minds refuse to hold a solid image or shape.
Without the ability to fully focus not only does our magick suffer but so does every part of our lives. I can’t tell you how bad it has gotten for me in college with me being unable to focus at all. Constant late night, complete cut-off from sociable events, unending exhausting and frustration that my 3 hours of work does not pay off as much as someone’s 1 hour of work. . . it’s a horrible downward spiral.
So for those who are beginning, working on the basics (a solid bedrock is KEY for anything) or just want to improve the basics I suppose I should ask on your behalf: What tips, exercises, or other advice can others on here who have very great focus and/or have been practicing magick for a while give to us with not so great focus? It’s a simple question, but one whose answers can help a lot of us.
Maybe we will become buddies then. Similar boat here. But this area is a specialty of mine…a Godpower even. Quoting some D&D things…as a Commander Class God, all allies under my Wing get +14 Intelligence/Willpower points to aid in their focus. =p. This Command Bonus effect naturally increases ones Constitution/HitPoints due to ones extreme focus on the matter at Hand…so one could take all sorts of abuse and not notice the damage extending ones Life.
Lookup and practice the fourfold breath, or box breathing.
The slower you can get your breathing, the less the mind will jump around from thing to thing. Once you’re able to sustain focus for 5-10 minutes with breathing, start practicing with just relaxation and stop focusing on the breath so much. You will get to the point where your focus can be called upon as an at will reflex action if you practice enough.
Also practice focusing all the time, even when doing simple things like getting a glass of water, doing dishes, or eating lunch. These times are wasted for most people but you can turn that to your advantage and get ahead of them by never ending improvement.
I hear a lot about ADD & ADHD and I just don’t get it, nor do I pretend to, but I’m pretty sure no-one is excluded from all the goodies of spirit contact and imposing one’s will on reality - I recommend summoning one of the spirits of the mercurial current, ideally Mercury himself, for advice on this.
I’ve discovered that my own weaknesses are usually just my strengths being mis-applied, and I’ve also observed this in my friends’ lives, so maybe looking at just the downsides of it is missing the most important half of the picture?
And if you need motivation, remember that the person who cracks this, who creates (channels/uncovers) a replicable system of magick for ADD/ADHD folks, is going to become a serious authority in this field, and probably rake it in with workshops, e-books, etc.
Try meditating on the breath while listening to binaural beats or even HEMI-SYNC products by the Robert Monroe Institute. I find some of them can help in focusing and meditation.
