Personal Effects of Magic Ritual 
                                      By Nihasa 
      
      LC> I am exploring the power of change, as applied to 
      LC> ritual. When I step out of my suit and tie and into my 
      LC> ceremonial robe, then step out of my rooms and into my 
      LC> temple, then leave behind my everyday life and enter 
      LC> into the sacred space, what is it that makes it 'work' 
      LC> for me? 
     . 
     One part of the effect seems to come from an unconscious pact 
     you make with your many-faceted mind. When you remove your 
     "street" clothes, you give your mind permission to likewise 
     "put off" important thoughts about "mundane" life until you 
     return to those clothes. Notice that I don't say "compel 
     your mind" to avoid those thoughts...that generally doesn't 
     work very well. Instead, you acknowledge the importance of 
     the mundane thoughts and promise to return to them after the 
     ceremony (gee, did you know you were being so polite to your 
     self? <-;). 
     . 
     Likewise, when you don your ceremonial robes you invite your 
     mind to start focusing on the ceremony ahead and the general 
     context of such ceremonies and their associated mental 
     states. For those who work 'skyclad', this effect is often 
     achieved by tieing on a cord or putting on ritual jewelry. 
     When you step into the ritual chamber, you reiterate those 
     invitations while you step out of the transition and into 
     the magick. 
     . 
     These dynamics are fairly universal...they are the same for 
     a Christian priest and his vestments or a Toreador and his 
     Suit of Lights; from an actor slipping into his costume and 
     character to a couple slipping into those "special" night- 
     things. The mechanics vary from a simple "change clothes and 
     walk in" to elaborately formal vesting rituals with 
     prescribed chants and gestures at each stage. In NLP we call 
     the clothes and places "anchors", while others call them 
     reminders, Mnemonics, or talismans. They can be constructed 
     consciously or evolve unconsciously. 
     . 


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