Now we start getting to the bit that so many newcommers to magic are
attracted to, designing and exercuting rituals.

IB ponts out the diversity in methods for mainpulating emotions,
suggesting different people in different cultures find different
refinements more effective. However at a very basic level there are
comminalaties. Including physiological factors, such as trance states.
Often induced by rythmic chanting or drumming or whatever. IB also
comments on dissocation as a method to circumvent doubt, although he
seems to regard it as a artifical rather than naturally occuring
state.

IB proposes that a well designed ritual uses all the senses. The
clothes, incense, candles and so on serve three purposes acording to
IB. Firstly they create an atmosphere. Secondly setting up familar
equipment forms a trigger to start you off in the right frame of mind.
Thirdly, they can be used to manipulate emotion during the ritual it's
self.

IB now gibbers for a couple of paragraphs about Hitler's secret radio
waves. Before drifting back to the chemical changes that take place in
the body as a result of strong emotion.

Chade wrote:

"passive ritual" seems oxymoronic. Isnt that what Christians do in
Church? watch the cleric perform the ritual. Come to think on it, they
even watch a cleric perform the ritual on TV. Anything more passive?

I recommend going the other way. Tantra with a sacred potion. Soma with
a Shakti.

On 18 Jul, 04:57, Day Brown daybrown.org> wrote:

Christians in church is an example that Bonewitz gives, along with a
pagan celebration of Samhain.

As Tom says the effectiveness depends on being able to focus on the
experience narrated by the ritual. I'll grant you that TV can cause a
light trance, but it's not the same as being there.

On Jul 18, 1:21 pm, Chade newsguy.com> wrote:

On Jul 18, 8:09 pm, Archdruid Michael McGrath of Ireland
gmail.com> wrote:

On Jul 18, 8:22 pm, Archdruid Michael McGrath of Ireland
gmail.com> wrote:

On Jul 18, 8:40 pm, Archdruid Michael McGrath of Ireland
gmail.com> wrote:

On Jul 18, 8:49 pm, Archdruid Michael McGrath of Ireland
gmail.com> wrote:

On Jul 18, 8:51 pm, Archdruid Michael McGrath of Ireland
gmail.com> wrote:

On Jul 18, 9:00 pm, Archdruid Michael McGrath of Ireland
gmail.com> wrote: