Intent, Awareness, and Anapanasati

"Intent is the guiding star of every spellcaster. Without it, even the most powerful of incantations can falter. To manifest magic is to channel one's deepest desires and convictions, ensuring every gesture, every word, and every thought is imbued with purpose."

— Kilroy Bisset, Arcanum Frequens, Chapter 4: The Pillars of Magic.

The intricate art of spellcraft, as illuminated by Bisset's teachings, underscores the importance of both intent and awareness. While they may appear to be akin, a deeper exploration reveals the nuanced differences and profound connections between the two. Anapanasati, the ancient Buddhist practice of mindfulness of breathing, stands as a testament to this confluence, offering a pathway to bolster one's intent for the arcane arts.

At first glance, intent and awareness might seem interchangeable. Intent is the deliberate direction of one's focus towards a specific outcome or state of being, while awareness is the conscious acknowledgment and perception of the present moment. The intertwining of these two concepts is evident in spellcraft, where the clarity of one's intent directly influences the efficacy of the spell, and a heightened awareness ensures precise channeling of energies.

Anapanasati, which translates to "mindfulness of breathing," serves as a bridge between intent and awareness. Rooted in Buddhist meditation practices, Anapanasati is not merely about observing the breath but understanding its patterns, depths, and rhythms. As one immerses themselves in this meditation, they cultivate an acute awareness of their internal landscape and the world around them.

For the spellcaster, this enhanced sense of awareness nurtures a sharper, more defined intent. By observing the breath, one becomes attuned to the subtleties of their inner energies. This heightened sensitivity allows for a more profound connection to the external energies required in spellcasting, ensuring that the caster's intent is not only strong but also aligned with the universe's rhythms.

Furthermore, Anapanasati aids in the grounding of the practitioner. In the realm of the arcane, where energies can be volatile and overwhelming, the grounding effect of mindful breathing acts as an anchor, ensuring stability and focus. It's like fine-tuning an instrument before a performance; the clearer and more resonant the notes (or in this case, intentions), the more powerful and effective the resultant magic.

Bisset's emphasis on the synchronicity of intent and awareness in spellcraft can be seen as an echo of the principles of Anapanasati. By integrating this age-old practice into one's magical routine, a spellcaster can harness the power of their intent more effectively, making their spells not just potent but also harmoniously aligned with the universe.

This exercise can be done via a slow method or a fast one. The choice is yours.

The slow method:

First Exercise: Learning Position

(1) Sit comfortably, either on the floor or in a chair. 

(2) Set an alarm for 15 minutes. Don't make it too loud.

(3) Close your eyes. No matter what happens, do not open them until the alarm goes off.

This is the basis of Anapanasati. Do this exercise three more times before proceeding.

Second Exercise: Learning Focus

(1) Do the first exercise but increase the frequency to four times per day.

(2) Once you have done the first exercise four times in a day, increase the time on the alarm to thirty minutes. Do this twice per day.

(3) Once you can do the two 30 minute session per day, combine them into a single hour session once per day. 

Do the one hour session twice before continuing.

Third Exercise: Learning Awareness

(1)  Take some Tiger Balm or Vick's Vapor Rub and using a Q-tip, place a small smear of the gel under each nostril.

(2) Do a single hour session

(3) Focus your awareness on the air entering your nostrils. Don't alter your breath, just be aware of your natural breathing. Continue the awareness even if your breathing pattern changes, you start to feel emotions, pain, or have thoughts. Just return your awareness to your breath.

        Once you have done an hour session for eight consecutive days, continue to the next exercise. 

The fast method:

       Start with the third exercise.

The act of breathing is one of the most fundamental processes of life, and yet, it occupies a unique position between the realms of conscious intention and unconscious reflex. Breath, often described metaphorically as a river, flows between the lands of the voluntary and involuntary, the conscious and the subconscious, and the mind and the body. This fluid connection positions the breath as a powerful tool for awareness, insight, and transformation.

The duality of the breath's nature is evident in our daily lives. While we can control it by taking a deep breath or holding it momentarily, much of our day is spent breathing without any conscious thought. This juxtaposition highlights how our breath serves as a bridge between our intentional actions and involuntary reactions, between the conscious decisions we make and the subconscious processes that govern our bodies.

In the world of arcane theory, Bisset draws attention to the significance of this duality. By deliberately observing the breath, a practitioner can access deeper layers of consciousness, bringing the subconscious into the realm of the conscious, and thereby refining their intent.

Bisset’s theory on the power of anapanasati is anchored in the belief that by channeling our focus on the breath, we are essentially tuning into the rhythm that bridges our inner dichotomies. This continuous rhythm, which we often take for granted, is our most immediate connection to life and its mysteries. By meditating upon it, we not only strengthen our mind-body connection but also hone our intent, making our magical endeavors more potent and precise.

Fourth Exercise:  Learning Stillness

(1) Continue with your hour long session, doing at least one per day. When you start your session, sit yourself comfortably and use your willpower to not move at all despite your desires or uncomfortableness.

(2)  In addition to your one hour session, do a separate 15 minute session before a candle flame. See the flame, but don't look at it. Continue to focus upon your breath.

For the anapanasati exercises, continue with the one hour per day sit and the fifteen minutes of open eyed anapanasati before a lit candle. Include an additional fifteen minute block where you walk while remaining aware of your breath. Your eyes should be open when you walk.  There is no limitation to the amount of anapanasati you can practice, particularly once you learn to keep awareness of your breath during your daily activities.

Practice of Dream Initiation

Dream Initiation is the practice of telling yourself what you will dream. You do it as you fall asleep. Many people are aware that you can ask your subconscious to solve a problem with  you and then wake up with the answer. But Bisset taught his adepts they can learn to sculpt what they want to dream while asleep. This is another exercise in intent.

The practice is quite simple: as you close your eyes start with a setting. Something like the beach or a city, or out in the wilderness. Tell yourself that your intention is for your dream to start in that locale. Then set a sound, smell, touch, to start with. Perhaps the sound of the waves, the smell of salt in the air, and the touch of the sun against your skin. Whatever it is, just focus your intent on those three items: the sound, smell, and touch.

When you awaken in the morning, be sure to journal whether or not you remember the dream beginning in the setting you had intended it to.

Dream initiation is often a part of Bisset's induction into Liminal Aether, but it doesn't have to be. It should be practiced every night unless there is an exercise that precludes it or if you feel you just need to sleep. When it comes to exercises on intent, it is better to not try something than it is to try and fail.