Wherever you are doing something spiritual, once you have demarcated the space or boundary (my last article), the next requirement is the activation of the imagination. The imagination is the power behind all spiritual/occult ritual, being the engine which powers any particular operation. As was discussed previously, any working is only complete when the physical result or desire is accomplished. A curse is not complete until the person you wanted to harm has the negative event occur to them. A spell for material prosperity is not complete until you get enough money to live your life in luxury. One can imagine that they are rich or that they have destroyed their enemies, or have had sex with a beautiful woman, but it is only a fantasy and unmanifest until they have performed a ritual to cause this to occur in the physical world.
In Ceremonial Magic perfumes are used which correspond to your purpose and intent to stimulate your imagination in a particular direction. A name of an entity is chosen and a sacrifice of blood (usually small game or chickens, unless it is a special occasion) and a large amount of incense is used to provide a body for the spirit to manifest, for you to interact with within the triangle. Another tool is a pair of Sandals, consecrated to your spiritual work. The Sandals allude to the nature of the astral plane itself, the feet, ruled by the sign of Pisces in the natural Zodiac. The idea is the imagination and mind can allow you to move and go in whatever direction you want, and also that the mind is totally and completely connected to your own vital energy or Prana. The theory of the "magical sandals" which are worn when one is in your demarcated ritual space is that through the use of one's imagination, one can travel the universe and astral plane at the speed of thought. The magical weapon corresponding to this state is the dagger, which is used to sacrifice animals or to let out one's own blood and life-force. It is through the movement of mind and blood/lifeforce that any working or activity resulting in change of any kind take place. An individual who understands how to manipulate the astral plane or universal life force in this way can produce any desired result imaginable, as it is quite literally the way to crystalize whatever you can imagine into the material world.
The reason why the world of occultism and spirituality is filled with techniques and "spiritual" practices and advice that revolve around what is essentially escapism, is due to a failure to understand the more dangerous aspect of the astral plane and darker aspects of fantasy and the glamour of the astral plane itself. It's a disturbing fact, but the vast majority of people are totally enmeshed in fantasies about themselves and others, and this unfortunate fact is why most people never make any progress achieving any goal of any kind. People sit around and fantasize about anime characters or that they are rich in a hope to "manifest" these things, and yet remain poor and alone. The demoness Lilith is responsible for the negative aspects of fantasy and the glamours of the astral plane who deludes people into wasting all their time and energy imagining things, and prevents any and all attainment of your goals. This is the flipped side of being able to create change in accordance with your will and intent, which was Aleister Crowley's definition of magic. Instead of realizing your dreams, she stimulates your energy through involuntarily stimulating your fantasies and unfulfilled desires in your dreams (causing nocturnal emissions in men) to crystalize you into a living nightmare, using your creative force to create something that you actively fear and do not desire. These are the incubi/succubi featuring prominently in various world mythologies, and there is quite a large body of spiritual literature regarding keeping these spirits away and avoiding the potential energy draining and sleep death (sleep paralysis, S.I.D.S., etc.) that they can cause. The most important thing to consider in this regard is the protection of your living space as well as your sleeping space, which is why some spiritual practitioners will sleep in their temple or create a temple-like bedroom to sleep in.
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