From the writings of Dr. Joseph Lisiewski. The following was originally published on Lisiewski’s website (2006-2007) and is presented here because of his unique approach to the nature and use of ‘will’ or ‘will power’ in magical operations.
The Magical Will
There is a power within the human consciousness that has been extensively explored in magical writings. Or so it seems. I say this, because to the best of my knowledge, while the term and its use are frequently employed, the specifics of that power; that is, its nature, composition, and use, have not been clearly defined in magical or occult writings. Certainly, the field of so-called “modern psychology” has bastardized this incredible force, proclaiming it to be nothing more than a mechanistic effect, due to so many chemical and neurological processes occurring within the brain and nervous system of the individual. Yet those same ‘scientific’ schools of psychological thought fail to define these exact chemical compositions and interactions, while offering nothing but the most vague definitions of the neurological processes they insist are the cause behind the production of this human force.
The power (or force) to which I am referring is that of the Will. Notice I use the term “Will” instead of “Magical Will.” I do this because quite frankly, this power is available for use in any human activity — not simply for its employment in some magical ritual or ceremony. However, even though we are concerned here with the Will as it applies to magical rites, it will simply be referred to as the Will throughout this paper.
We can therefore define our investigation of the Will — the Magical Will — as being a threefold phenomenon consisting of its:
- Nature
- Composition
- Use (or application)
To determine and understand the nature of a thing, it is necessary to observe the effects it produces on some other thing. If we apply this to the idea of Will, we find that an equation from the physics of elementary classical Newtonian Mechanics provides a hook upon which we can hang our hat. That is:
W = F●D (The Equation of Will)
Here, the work, W, done on a thing (or body) is equal to a Force, F, acting on that body through a distance (or a displacement), D. The specifics of the mathematics doesn’t concern us here, but the essence of the analogy does; for it brings together those features of the Will that allow us to understand its nature. Since the purpose of the Will is to bring about some exterior (external world) or interior world change (both types of change being similar to a displacement) we can conceive of the Will as being the product of an interior thought–force acting upon either some external object — or upon some internal thought, idea, or desire — that produces a state of work. That is, the exertion of this Will–force brings about a change in the initial thought, idea, desire, or physical condition of the individual. That change is a change of state in the interior condition (such as a physical cure) or in an external dilemma (such as the manifestation of some intense, personal desire.) Thus, the ‘W’ above not only stands for work, but for the Will, and can be seen as being the product of a though–force acting upon some desire or condition to bring about a change of state in that desire or condition. In other words, to manifest the Will of the Magician.
But the general use of the terms ‘power’ and ‘force’ are all too easy to get away with; to substitute these generalities for the real meaning of that essence which lies behind the ‘Force’ component of the “Equation of Will” given above. What then, can this power or force be? In physics, force is equated to energy, which is simply the ability to do work. That is, energy is defined in nonmathematical terms, as a process though which a displacement and a change of state occur, leading us right back to the concept of Work, discussed above. The same idea applies to the Will, except here we can identify F in the Equation of Will with the thought–force. Now we see that this Will, this mover of personal mountains and the initiator of one’s becoming, is actually a process — not a simple event: one that is usually shrouded in secret occult jargon.
To sum up this first part of the discussion on the Will then, we see that the Will is a thought–force whose source is the energy of human consciousness, which when directed toward any external or internal condition, brings about a change of state in that condition; a change that is in line with the desired outcome of the one doing the “willing.” Consequently, work is produced: work that is in keeping with the end result required by the Magician’s Magical Will.
While the above discussion may seem a bit complicated at first, the reader who truly desires to intelligently use and direct his or her Will in the most dramatically effective ways possible in order to change their life conditions, will think this discussion through carefully. I have tried to word it in several different ways so that it appeals to different readers who will approach these ideas from different perspectives. For the understanding gained will be directly added to their subconscious state of subjective synthesis, thereby endowing that synthesis not only with the awesome power of understanding, but also with the power of the Will itself.
But what of the composition of the Will? Isn’t the above equation enough to bring it under our dynamic conscious control through an understanding of its nature? And of our integrating this understanding into our subjective synthesis? Unfortunately, it is not. While the discussion of the nature of the Will is integral in placing it under one’s conscious control, yet there is more to flesh out and embed into one’s subconscious state of subjective synthesis if the final end — that of full conscious control of this enormous force — is to be achieved.
The Will is not composed or made up of a set of purely electrical impulses or of chemicals and their interactions, as psychologists insist. Rather, the Will is a function of a changing, conscious state of thought. We know that the Will is a process by which a thought–force acts on an object or condition to bring about a displacement and therefore a change of state of that object or situation. But this changing state of thought itself is the actual ‘material’ of composition’ of the Will itself. Did you ever buy a videotape or DVD of a movie, only to find a later “Director’s Cut” version come out? You viewed the first, then the later one. While you enjoyed the first presentation, you found that the Director’s Cut possessed more dialogue, action, or intense drama by the way it was edited, and that it was even better. Both contain most of the same material, but the changes in the second gave you a deeper insight and more enjoyment: a clearer ‘picture’ of what the movie was about. The same holds with the composition of the Will. It is in the changing images and feelings that lie behind the Will, themselves functions of the conscious states of thought, that constitute the ‘stuff’ of which the Will is made. It is as simple as that.
Now, what about the use or application of the Will? Put bluntly, the Will; the object or end purpose of the Will’s intent, is not achieved by straining to project that intent outside of one’s self into the world, or into some nebulous void ‘out there.’ But rather, the use of the Will lies in what I term “Image–Emoting.” That is, the enormous power or force of the Will is directed and guided through the interior processes of using the imagination (Imaging) to build a picture of that which one desires to manifest, and to this picture (or image) add the propelling, dynamic, charging energy of the emotions (Emoting: as in, the desire to have). It is this charged vision which the Magician takes into the final ritual or ceremonial act. These final, physically based psychic actions of Ritual or Ceremonial Magic then, act as a series of lenses through which the desires and wants of the Will are not only projected into the world of form, but through which those desires and wants are magnified in intensity. Thus, it is through these final actions — that the interiorization which has taken place in the Astral, and which has taken on astral form through the action of the Will — become exteriorized in world of form known as Malkuth. For it must be remembered at all times that the Process of Creation begins; has its point-of-origin or First Cause, within the mind of the Magician. This is the World of Causation. It is only manifest in the Word of Effects; into this ever-changing state of Malkuthian Actuality. I use the term “Actuality” because what we see in the world of form; what we observe in our daily lives, are only so many shadows thrown upon this ever changing world–screen by the creations that occur within the mind: where the source of all creation truly and exclusively occurs. It is this inner world, this realm of the mind, that constitutes the only Reality we can ever know.
How does one go about effectively strengthening and placing the Will under full control? I recommend that the interested reader look for and study the following:
- An earlier entry in this Magical Thought of the Week column entitled, “Imaging versus Visualization”
- In the Questions and Answers column for the week of Feb. 27 – Mar. 5, 2006 found under the tab, “Author’s Response to Reader’s Questions”, in which Concentration and Meditation are dealt with.
- Step VI in Israel Regardie’s classic, The Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment.
- Roberto Assagioli’s book, The Act of Will
Regardie’s Step VI, while important, does not give one full conscious control over the Will, simply because it places only those subconscious (unconscious) elements of the Will under the aegis of the conscious mind’s control. As important as this is, it is not sufficient, since the conscious mind’s interaction with — and control of — the Will is not addressed. Assagiloi’s work, however, deals with the conscious and unconscious control of the Will in a very effective and complete way. Thus, by combining the knowledge given in Regardie’s book with Assagiloi’s and my own references above, the aspirant will have all that he or she needs to effectively and fully control and direct the power of their Will.
It is also important to note that Assagioli’s other book, Psychosynthesis – a Manual of Principles and Techniques, is an extremely valuable aid to the Magician for the psychic and spiritual exercises it gives (there is a newer version of this book currently available entitled, Psychosynthesis: A Collection of Basic Writings. I have no experience with this latter book, and so only recommend the manual cited above. The manual is available from used books dealers.) Assagioli was a Psychoanalyst who founded his own school of thought based upon the spiritual foundation of the individual’s inner constitution, unlike the mechanistic schools of thought produced by such analysts as Freud, Horney, and Adler. As a review of that book states, ‘Assagioli evolved a system of therapeutics that treats the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual components of an individual’s nature, and integrates them into a whole being.’ And this is exactly what his techniques do. Using it in tandem with Regardie’s Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightenment is the best way I know of to fully explore and integrate the various psychic and spiritual aspects of one’s own secret nature.
I trust that this short paper will be of help to many on their Paths, the final destination of which can only be the discovery of their own True Self, and that personal Truth that is theirs to claim.
