ND Blackwood – The Keys to Magical Imagination in Ritual

I discuss the idea of visualization and magical imagination, and I have noticed that this is a topic that is a bit foggy in the world of the occult. To do a bit of history with you, we have to go back to the roots of Western occultism. When the first texts came from the Eastern countries in the end of the 18th and 19th centuries, the word that was used by many authors and translators was “visualize.” They said that in order to manifest a spirit or anything in this world, you had to visualize it. And when we think about visualizing, we always think about our capacity to see something with our eyes. But this term might not be 100% accurate—at least according to myself.

A term that might be more appropriate would be “to recreate.” The ability to dream something in order to recreate it. Everyone has this sensation. You have to feel that there is something inside the room. When you do a ritual, you have to be certain of the presence—that what you have called upon is there, surrounding you, walking with you around the table, the circle, or whatever place you have chosen. This might not always pass through visualizing something. Sometimes it might first appear through sound. You might start hearing voices, sounds, noises. You might also just feel the presence of the things that you have called.

For example, if you think about a person and call this person—a person of your surroundings, a family member or friend—you might not get a clear image of them, but you might get the sensation of the person, a sensation unique to them. You might feel that this person is there. You might have memories with that person returning to your mind. And this, in my opinion, is far more important than being able to obtain a stable image. In the case of evocations, some of these things work in the same way. The image is something that will appear if you have stimulated your imagination enough.

But first, in order to master the skill, I would like you to perform a small exercise. This exercise was told to me by a great occultist of our time. I would like you to stay with me in front of this camera, or your computer, or whatever support you’re using, and just move your eyes to where the roof and the wall cross. You might have to move your head a bit—about a 45-degree angle.

Without letting this particular line between the roof and the wall out of your gaze, try to draw back your focus as if you were trying to move your gaze inside your skull. Try to draw it back slowly—don’t rush. Just take your time. At the same time, focus on your breath. Inhaling. Exhaling. While keeping this movement of trying to go back.

At a certain point, you might start to feel a kind of static screen between yourself and the point you are looking at. This is a kind of transparent screen, a kind of invisible wall. You might try to touch it—or try to feel the particles of that kind of static field that is fixed on the side of this wall, constantly moving.

What you just experienced is a state between Beta and Gamma—between the waking state and the dreaming state. This is the state we are looking for when performing any kind of magical operation. This state allows magical imagination to go and be free.

Now, I would like you to do the same exercise. When we’re in the presence of this static wall, we are going to think about either an object or a person—someone you are attracted to, a friend, a love interest—someone whose presence you can easily recreate. Or an object you’re familiar with. Don’t go for something too exotic. Once you’re in that sensation of the transparent screen, just call this thing into presence. Call this thing and observe what happens.

Go back to the sensation. Relax your body. Watch the line between the ceiling and the wall. Observe it. Slowly, draw your gaze inside your skull. As far as you can from this point, without moving your physical body. Do not lose the sense of your breath. At a certain moment, you will see that static wall again.

Be conscious of the static wall being opened—a gate between the astral and physical planes. Behind that static wall in front of you, have the sensation that there is something. In my case, I imagine an apple. Think about the apple behind that static wall.

I have multiple images of an apple posed in front of me. I want this visualization to be more realistic, so while I keep this image in my mind, I think: this is real. There is truly an apple here. I anticipate what touching the apple would be like. I imagine placing my hands on it, feeling its surface. I imagine its weight on a table or a chair. I imagine its taste.

You are making this as real as the rest of the room, and you may even forget the rest of the room. You’re touching your object. You’re living the situation.

If I were to call a person, such as James, I would place myself into the trance state and call his name. I would recall memories with James, the feeling of his presence. I might hear his voice. I might imagine touching his skin, the clothes he’s wearing. At a certain point, this imaginative experience becomes obsessive—more real than the outer world. Because all your intention is placed on the person, and during the ritual, only that person exists.

This is the key to evocation: to recreation. As you will see in the ritual video, kinesthetic sensations and voice hearings are as important as visualization. Remember, this is something you already know how to do. You’ve done this hundreds of times in your life. You’ve done it while daydreaming. You’ve done it when falling asleep thinking about pleasing things. It’s about the intensity and the intention to act in this world of thought—which is your truth.

Please enjoy the ritual video. Make good use of it.