
k                    Making Misery Magickal
                    
                       By Jack Dracula

     This article is not for the squeamish or inhibited, dealing as it does
with the pragmatic use of what are often seen as *negative* states of being.
However, the energies involved in serious illness and grief may be used 
productively.  Several magicians have expressed distaste to me when I have 
spoken to them about this subject, whereupon I have expressed distaste at 
their lack of flexibility and unwillingness to transform events in their 
lives to more productive ends.
     When ill with the flu or any other illness strong enough to knock you 
into bed, you are in an ideal position to take advantage of the fever dream.  
The astral realities you can explore through either projection (the phenomena 
of astral projection in relation to illness is well-documented, but see 
'Shamanism' by Mircea Eliade for an excellent account of the uses of illness 
by shamans) or by skrying the fever dream.  I have found sustained pranayama 
(if not prevented by a congested nose) a good aid to achieving the state of 
gnosis sometimes necessary to achieve these visions, skullcap tea also helps 
with the lucidity of the visions when in the twilight realms of half 
sleep/fever dream.  If you do have a congested nose, try reciting a mantra 
inaudibly, or better still, set up several artificial personalities and spin 
a mantra between them, until the disorientation helps lift your vision.  As 
the throat is often affected by bed-inspiring bugs, and the Vishuddha or 
throat cakra is the centre of dreaming, I usually focus a lot of my personal 
energy on my throat when I am ill.  This has the double purpose of helping 
focus more lucidly on astral visions, and also means my throat is fit to be 
used for raising energies sooner.
     The death of a loved one is never pleasant, but most of our grief comes 
from selfishness, therefore it seems logical to focus that selfish energy on 
transforming the self positively rather than disintegrate it.  Five years ago 
a lady I love very much was killed in an accident.  I was zombified for 
months until one day I was reading my bible, the Tao Teh King, and I realised 
my selfishness and then because aware of what time of year was approaching - 
Samhain.  At Samhain, I went to a local power spot that it known 
traditionally as a gate to the underworld, and from there I embarked on an 
astral journey.  On my return, I was transformed.  My journey had been 
successful, and I had realized that transitory dance of Chaos we all spin.  
From this point my whole magickal directions changed in a very positive 
dynamic fashion, and I developed my own system or sorcery.  Since that Samhain 
I have lost other friends, in accidents and to Artificially Induced Death 
Syndrome, but now my sadness is more transient and my steps unfaltering.  
Extreme emotional and physical states are extremely powerful energy sources 
to be tapped when available for self-evolution, so don't let patterns imposed 
on you by others affect your thinking (if they're self-imposed, so be it.)

(Written during a severe attack of the flu)
