                         "ICE  MAGIC"
                       An  initial  view.
                             by
                       Frater   U.'.D.'.

                            ***

In the colder regions of the earth, especially so in the
area of the Polar circle around the North Pole, the
elementary survival of man and animal alike, in their
struggle against the most unhospitable powers of nature
conceivable, certainly met with a challenge greater than
anywhere else. It is no coincidence that it is amongst the
tribes and peoples from the most northern regions of our
planet that one finds the cradle of technologies and
knowledge, the mechanisms and efficiency of which surpass
all others. Their description is but one of many tasks which
the book Ice Magic meets in an befitting and serious manner.

     At some point in the course of the past months and
years the author took the liberty of tentatively labelling
all forms and contents pertaining to this topic as "Ice
Magic" in his conversations and lectures. This mere title
led some people to the wildest speculations and most absurd
fantasies. Add to that the intermingling of only half
understood information, rumours and pure conjecture, as has
actually occurred, and the claim by others to understanding
or explanation of the meaning of "Ice Magic" cannot but lose
every base in its very conception. Hence the need for this
presentation!

     It seems to be the fate of well-meant improvisations
aiming at a crudely simplified and easy to grasp
introduction to a world of paths hitherto untravelled and
possibilities never exercised, to raise many a latent fear,
as well as stimulating the proverbial bias of the timid and
diffident, wavering and demure towards prejudice of any
kind, which serves to protect such people from reality.

     There are a great number of better reasons, albeit
including those mentioned above, to supply a general entree
for the expert and the interested public alike to this realm
of highly powerful and fascinating practices, techniques and
legacies.

     When taking into account its history, the term "magic",
like a blank piece of paper, is most forbearing and
receptive for all sorts of conjectures - possible and
impossible alike. But when it comes to the power and the
skill i.e. the ability of human beings to act in a manner
transgressing conventional rules and "laws of nature", this
long-suffering term should be more than apt to spell out all
exactions and assertions concomitant.

     Granted that the well-known formula, "Magic is the art
and the science to cause change with the aid of alternate
states of consciousness in conformity with will", to take
but one example, may represent a first notion when
undertaking to describe the subject matter at hand. After
all, it shows distinctly the insufficiency of those
presumptions and tools we are forced to employ when
approaching this taboo-ridden field. The recourse to
psychologisms and mysticisms contained in this formula
documents man's initial difficulties when relating to magic,
as he has developed a constitutional preference for
suppression, evasion and compensatory conjurations when
confronted with a complex world and reality.

     From its very inception, the permanent presence of
paramount forces of nature which man's claim to life has to
face in the polar region, disavows any refuge to tests of
endurance, training, exercises or even vacant space for
trial and error, for experimentation and even instruction in
the conventional sense. With winter temperatures ranging
from -45øC to -70øC (minus 49øF to minus 94øF) for four to
six months in the year, intensified by wind speeds Beaufort
3 to 11, accompanied by an extremely low humidity and a
minimum of 3 sunless months per year, the small remaining
span of time can leave but scarce and far too little scope
for the growth and bloom of survival resources.

     Obviously, such unsurmountable and merciless
circumstances attendant to sheer human existence in theses
climes demand unexampled qualities of the development and
exertion of man's magic. Thus, a magic elementary,
innovative and consequently highly intelligent, becomes the
most obvious and self-evident requirement. Its main
characteristics are sobriety and efficacy, for the
conditions of its evolution and practical circumstances
leave no scope for games, sentiments or the temporary
decline into a bland consumer's attitude. Therefore, an
improvised formula within this context could read: "Magic is
the art of being able to do without aid, embellishment and
conditions in the course of achieving to one's interests."

     It is only logical that translating such a clear-cut,
uncompromising craft and the highly sophisticated and most
sensitive of sciences inseparably linked with it, into our
comparably soporific social environment with all its
pretensions, complexes and diversions, in a teachable form
must meet with considerable difficulties. Certainly, this
magic is more practicable and efficient than everything
else. But it is for this very reason that it also invokes
fear and disconcert within those souls orientated towards
ready consumption and essentially content with the current
status quo.

The book, "Ice Magic", finally clears the path towards a
practical and theoretical introduction to this demanding
magical art which subscribes to efficacy alone. It makes
itself available for understanding, examination and personal
practice by well-defined laboratoria, a reasonable
processing of experiences, stories and traditions and last
but not least by the systematical examples corresponding to
this magic, of its transposition into our cultural and
environmental realms.


To take one example: the author's instructed attempt to
employ the ambit of a different and consequently redirected
bio-organization with the objective of mastering enormous
difficulties by traversing the limitations and contingencies/
possibilities of a bird, left him with the distinct impression
of actually having been a certain bird. In accordance with his
possessive bents, the question became unavoidable, whether
he could not become a bird for a longer, yet limited period
of time (and thus, surely, even more tangibly). However, the
reply was prompt to come: "Are you really willing to trade
your possibilities and your point of departure now?" Faced
with the clearly outlined experience and the most tightly
tautened contrast he realized immediately that this was not
his pursuit. The ensuing question, whether he would now easily
be able to overcome those tremendous difficulties which claimed
and restricted his cardinal attention and to leave them behind,
placed no demand on confirmation. He knew.


It is owing to his preoccupation with Ice Magic and its
bearers that the author has primarily attained to a freedom
of individual, untrammeled and socially uninterlaced
uninhibitedness only truly developable now. He understands
this uninhibitedness as a consequence and a presupposition
of that vast field of magical skill which, however, commonly
hides itself behind the horizon of conventional magical
hopes and efforts. It is only the preeminence of individual
emancipation and the fulfillment of desires which, to his
present knowledge, grant those premises free of stricture
and retroaction, to share abilities, knowledge and power
with others and to push them far beyond their limits.
However, he is certain that it is only on the basis of
individual acceptance that the way is clear towards
alliances however limited and temporary, but reliable.
Assiduous friendships will then be no longer the product and
object of wishing and pure expectation but rather a growing,
logically established chance and possibility.

     The spirit carrying and stimulating ice magical
practice in its most considerate and freedom-loving manner
may be best described by the following small anecdote.


Dating back to the turn of the century and before, several
attempts were made to settle the tribes of the Lapps (Samer)
by offering them land, obviously with the goal of
integrating them into the predominant social order and to
make them as governable and controllable as everyone else.
Without being clearly aware of the social and political
dimensions and impact of these settlement designs, it was a
Samer himself who succintly pointed towards the enslavement
and hazards entailed with these offers of settling down. The
proposal to settle him and his clan permanently along with
dwellings, farmsteads and agriculture, while taking into
account their traditional way of life by guaranteeing that,
following their former life of unrestricted and unentangled
moving about, their future homesteads should keep a minimum
distance to the next settlement or any neighbouring houses
of at least 5 kilometer (3.25 miles), met with his spontaneous
and apprehensive comment. "How," so he demanded of the
people in charge, "can one expect human beings to live in
such close vicinity with others?"


Finally, an ice magical manifesto can be introduced along
with the book, whose sole design is to provide encouragement
and suggestions for those people who relate to the pursuit
of freedom, expertise and growth in magic to organize, or,
at the very least, emancipate themselves for the furtherment
of their individual research without the jeopardies involved
in the aberrations and derangements of power politics - and
without therefore sooner or later being fettered hand, foot,
soul and spirit only to be thrown back consequently in their
quest. The ice magical manifesto will show real and feasible
possibilities of manifesting this spirit, provided
appropriate interest is given.


______________________________________________________________

PUBLISHERS' NOTE

Chapters 1 to 3 of this book have been prepublished in
German in 1993, the whole text will be available in the
course of 1994.

Whether "Ice Magic" will be published in English (certainly
not an easy task for any translator) will depend on
sufficient public interest.

Thus, anyone interested in an English language edition is
kindly requested to notify the publishers and will receive
notice from them as soon as this project may manifest in a
tangible form. The publishers' address is as follows:

               Edition  Magus
               im  Verlag  Ralph  Tegtmeier

               P.O.Box  1245
               D-53896 Bad Muenstereifel
               Germany

               Phone:   (02253) 8293
                 Fax:  +49 2253 6129
______________________________________________________________

(c) copyright 1994 by Edition Magus im Verlag Ralph Tegtmeier.
    All rights reserved.

This file may be distributed freely (not sold) WITHOUT ALTERATIONS
on CIS and other electronic bulletin board systems.For printing media rights
please inquire with the author at
the above address.
______________________________________________________________

