How to Integrate Initiatory Experiences in your everyday life

This previous weekend I went away for a weekend retreat where I went through an initiation process. I can't really share any details about what happened there, as its part of a mystery tradition, but what I can share is that I came into the event as one person and came out of the event as a changed and more grounded person.

That is part of the purpose of initiation. We go into an experience, not knowing what will happen and we are changed by that experience in fundamental ways that we may not even fully understand but that nonetheless become part of our rooted being.

Over the years I've had the fortune to attend other events where I've experienced an initiatory change from who I was, wherein I felt a shift in my state of being. This happens any time you remove yourself from mainstream society and immerse yourself in a different environment physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Some experiences may be more intense and driven than others, but all experiences that take us out of the comfort zone will inevitably bring about change.

The question arises though: How do we integrate that change back into our everyday lives?

How to connect with the spiral of time

I discuss how to attune yourself to the spiral of time so you can connect with events in the past and future and bring them into the present in order to shape and manifest your life.

Sound baths and audio magic scrying experiments

image copyright Taylor Ellwood

I have been continuing to experiment with scrying, and I recently decided to switch from candles and mirrors to using modern technology.

My initial experiment was inspired by a Gong ceremony I attended. The Gong ceremony put me into a deep state of altered awareness and I ended up experiencing a sensation of time dilation. It was a deeply fascinating experience and it prompted me to consider how I could attempt to replicate the conditions of a sound bath, while using my black mirror and a candle for scrying.

What I did was set up a cd player with two speakers so that one speaker was to the left of me and the other was to the right. I then picked out music that would be helpful for stimulating the mind via biaurnal beats and soundscapes. I used music from Coil, Rapoon and The Anti Group Collective. I played the music and then lit the candle and proceeded to do my usual scrying, but with the music creating a sound batch effect for the purposes of deeper states of altered consciousness.

What I found is that with the right music I definitely achieved a deeper state of altered awareness which led to more visions and experiences via scrying, both for behavior alteration and spirit work. I then decided to move on to another experiment...

How to setup your magical space

I discuss how to setup a magical space and what considerations to keep in mind in order to make that space effective for your magical work.

How to work with a memory box

Picture copyright Taylor Ellwood 2023

I was recently asked a question about the memory box tool, which I’ve shared in my book Magical Identity, and how it’s created and can be worked with. This prompted me to follow through on a decision I had made a while back: Namely to offer the Memory Box as a magical Tool for sale. To get a memory box from me, click the button below. I’m also going to describe how it can be worked with below.

I created the memory box to be a physical representation and aide for working with the web of space and time. The web of space and time is an intersection of nodal space points and trajectories of time which bring possibilities through those nodal space points. The memory box serves as an interface for accessing the web of space and time, but it also has a few other functions that may be of interest to someone who wants to work space/time magic with it.

To access the web of space and time, place your hands on the sides of the box, with the thumbs touching the interior of the box. The lid needs to be open. You can stare at the web glyph I’ve created on the lid or in the box itself and use it as a visual guide to access the web. You may also wish to call on whatever spirits you work with that are space/time spirits to help you navigate the web of space and time. I can also provide a list of said spirits when I send you the box.

Nodal space points are people, places, things, events…nouns. The trajectories of time are the lines of time that go through the nodal space points. When you work with the web you occupy a given nodal space point and if you want to change your identity or move to another nodal space point you use the lines of time to move you to a different nodal point.

I’ve used the web of space and time to help me shift my identity from one point of identity to another identity. This has been a helpful practice at different moments of my life, where I really wanted to shift to a new point of space and time and leave the one that was no longer working for me behind. For example I used the web of space/time to help me with the process of moving to a new city. More recently, in conjunction with my self-love practice I’ve been using the web of space and time to help me manifest opportunities that move me toward creating the life I truly want to live. This is helping me making changes in my career, life, relationships, etc.

One of the other ways I use the memory box is to store physical items to saturate them with chronal energy. I place the items in the memory box and allow it to take in the energies of the web of space and time. These items could be photographs, or small jewelry or whatever else and you can then use them in your space/time magic workings.

I also have stored memories in the box, like in Harry Potter, the Pensieve, using the memory box as a battery for those memories, but also as a way to clear out whatever I don’t need or to store raw information away for when I want to draw on it. In one sense the memory box can become a physical representation of your mansion of memory.

I’ve also used the memory box to cultivate closer relationships with spirits by storing their sigils in the box. You can use the memory box for a variety of different purposes. It’s only limitation is your imagination and what purpose you apply it for. If you’re interested in getting one for yourself, click the button below.

How to identify hangups and blockages in your mundane and magical actions

I discuss how to recognize when you are getting in your own way with your mundane and magical work and why its important to identify the hangups and blockages so that you can change the patterns in your life that are getting in the way of manifesting the results you want.

How to identify themes and use them

I discuss how to identify themes that are occurring in your life and then apply them proactively to enhance the experience you are having as well as open doors in your life for whatever is next. I also share why its important to notice these themes and work with them instead of resisting them.

How to Rewrite and Re-wire memories

Recently I went to a restaurant and took myself on a dinner date. I don't normally eat out alone, but I wanted to re-write and re-wire a memory and I've found that sometimes the best way to do that is to revisit a site and make a new memory that overwrites the old memory.

But what if we can't do that? What if we're too far away or if the memory is simply too triggering?

We may still want to change the memory, but we may need to take a magical approach to doing that work that liberates us from the trauma and tyranny of the past, while also enabling us to transform our present and presence.

Scrying for changing behavior

Picture copyright Taylor Ellwood 2023

Sometimes the reason you want to scry is because you want to change a specific behavior. 

For example, you become aware of a behavior you do that sabotages your interactions with other people. You aren't sure how to change it. 

Scrying may be just the right tool you could use for the purpose of behavior alteration. 

Why?

The act of scrying opens us to the experience of using fascination to draw us into the underlying narrative that informs the behavior and it provides us a ways of changing that behavior, because we use scrying to change the narrative. 

The key though is to create the experience of fascination via the scrying tools you are working with. And there's a hidden component to this as well.

Scrying for spirit Communication

Picture copyright Taylor Ellwood 2023

One of the ways I like to work with scrying is with spirit communication.

I already have a strong connection to spirits, having always had a natural proclivity toward communicating with them, but what I'm finding with scrying is that this proclivity is further enhanced when working with the right tools.

In my case, the right tools are a combination of candles and black mirror, along with sometimes using additional tools including a pendulum, Tarot, or cowrie shells for divinatory purposes.

I'll also work with specific spirits around specific themes or areas of interest. In the picture above I have a sigil for the goetic spirit Camio that I'm working with for the purposes of enhancing my skills with candle magic and scrying through flame work.

How to create and activate collage sigils

For new years I decided to revive an old art magical practice that I haven't done for a few years. I decided to create a collage sigil.

First I needed to decide on the theme. I chose the theme of YES, specifically saying yes to myself.

The theme is what ties a given collage together. It informs what images you use, what words you'll be drawn to, and what it is that you're ultimately calling into your life.

It's not all that different from any other themed work I've done in my life, and what I find with themed magical work in general is that the theme WILL show up in your life, but often in ways you don't expect. This is because when you utilize magic to call a theme into your life, you are calling in that theme but in a way that is needed.

Musings on Sacred Phallos

I discuss ongoing work I’m doing around sacred masculinity, specifically around sacred sexuality and the experience of phallos as a sacred sexual source. I also explore the connection between Saturn, Eros and Phallos.

Lessons I learned in 2022

I reflect on the lessons I learned in 2022 and share my vision for what I plan to manifest in 2023. I also discuss the false intimacy of social media and share why I’m making some changes in what I share on here and on social media in general.

Going back to basics part 1

I discuss why it can be good to go back to basics and share why I’m doing that right in my spiritual and magical practice as a result of a couple experiences I’ve had this previous week.

Journey to Sacred Masculinity Part 1

I discuss my journey to sacred masculinity and share why I’ve started exploring it and how it is helping me with my overall spiritual path as well as healing the wounds I’ve experienced around being male. I also discuss the epic of Gilgamesh and my relationship with Inanna/Ishtar/Aphrodite and why that relationship is central to the sacred masculinity work I am doing…as well as a discussion of Saturn’s role in all of this work.

Thanksgiving 2022 Musings

I discuss the power of gratitude, muse on my recent Thanksgiving and share why its so important to honor, respect and love yourself. I also discuss my plans for 2023 in terms of books and classes.

How to apply awareness to spirit work

Just as we can apply awareness to our lives and relationship and practical magic work, we can also apply that awareness to our work with spirits. I discuss why it can be useful to apply awareness to spirit work and how it can help you develop deeper and more meaningful relationships with the spirits.

How to Apply Awareness to Magic

I discuss how to apply awareness to your magical practice in order to get better results, but also put together better magical workings. I discuss why awareness can help us with the process of letting go of the lust for results so that we can focus on the magical work we need to do.