A Long Term Plan (Week 4/40)

Review Of The Previous Week:
Criticism of Self went alright. I didn't expect to get that many marks, but I ended up coming away with no less than ten on any given day. The first two days had ten marks each, and my high point was eighteen. I don't think that is too bad, and it definitely has helped me to learn more about myself.

The exercise in Elemental Orientation went about as expected. Actually, I think it went better than expected because by the end of the week, I was feeling much more balanced and I was finding the visualization and experience much more powerful. I did get the occasional funny look, as expected, but it seems that the longer these odd actions of mine go on, the less people are inclined to get in the way. In fact, I actually had one of my soldiers ask me about what I was doing and why. I ended up giving him a PDF copy of Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig so he can read at his leisure.

Color Breathing hasn't changed, but I have incorporated the Four-Fold Breath into it and have found that it became a bit more effective for me.

The Water Boiling exercise was actually quite amazing. I found it very difficult the first two days, but once I got past that I found a great increase in my astral senses during other meditations and the one pathworking I did this previous week.


Schedule of exercises for Week 4:
-Exercise 1: Self-Awareness I: Ego Denial (pg 3)
-Exercise 6: Inward Perception III: Astral Projection (pg 20)
-Exercise 12: Breathing II: Pore Breathing (pg 44)
-Exercise 17: Visualization I: Geometric Shapes (pg 57)
All of these are done each day, with no variations.

Thoughts and expectations for the week:
For the second iteration of Ego Denial, I am expecting high marks since this now incorporates thoughts as well as spoken words. Not sure what else to say in regards to this one.

The Astral Projection exercise should be easy enough, but it is most definitely something I feel is important to practice on a more regular basis. Aside from the occasional pathworking over the last few months, I haven't really done much focused astral work. I am curious to see if I will have any issues with this one, though I don't anticipate any.

Pore Breathing is another exercise I am already familiar with but don't practice on a regular basis. This version incorporates the four-fold breath that I mentioned earlier. I don't anticipate any problems, though I am looking forward to getting more focused practice with this exercise.

The Geometric Shapes exercise seems like it will be interesting. I like the use of mathematical ideals to build the shapes and work up from a single point. I am already practiced at visualizing sigils and such while doing workings, but I think this one may still be a strain for the first day or two. Definitely looking forward to it though, as a chance to flex some astral muscle.

Misc:
Not too many other things going on right now. I am still working on trying to figure out what I am going to use as my separator beads for the rosary, however once I get this figured out my good friend E.W. will be assembling it for me. This is mostly due to my lack of jeweler's skill. I managed to do one brief pathworking on the Tree of Life earlier this week, and it's effects were greatly needed. And, I am working out a plan to take my book of occult notes and make it into something a little easier to find what I am looking for in. Not to mention that it is currently a standard spiral bound notebook and it has definitely seen better days... I don't think I can count the number of coffee and tea stains on it.. the ripped and dog-eared pages...