I've been working through Liber MMM for about a month now.
Has anyone worked through this text before?

I'm currently trying to slow down the breath without causing strain, and trying to keep the mind focused on it as continuously as possible. It's a little tough without a mantra, but such is the course work.

Hi Fives,
Jess

Aye, I'm very familiar with Liber MMM, the Chaos paradigm is one of the more useful models I've come across.

The first set of practices are the foundations for all further methods within chaos magick, but the beauty of that system is that the outcomes aimed at in the first chapter can be found through lots of other methods. It may just be an idiosyncratic interpretation of the Chaos paradigm, but I see it as being like the ultimate Western magickal use of "skilful means".

Now, if you'll excuse me for the moment, I'm currently engaged in an exploration of "chemgnosis" as mentioned later in that particular book...

ello Tommy!

Thanks for the words. I hear what you're saying about other practices, but for various reasons I'm commited to MMM for the time being.

I was wondering if I may rant on some of the trickier aspects to the Breath Control part.

I usually concentrate on the anapana spot, where the breath comes in and out. should i drop that and stay just with the stomach?

I also can't seem to avoid some muscular strain when the breath is extended. Is this to be expected?

Lastically, I suck at this. I've been meditating regularly for a year or two and am very underconfident in my ability to keep myself focused on that damned breath without dropping off just once in a )F^)&)&$ half hour. Maybe all I'm looking for are encouraging noises, but if there is some magical advice, i'd appreciate it.

THANKS YOUS!
-j

I was a bit...smashed, shall we say, when I replied to that and should have just stuck to the Liber MMM material. Apologies if I introduced any confusion with that, and I also understand completely why you would want to stick to the original material.

Anyway, back to the task at hand...


Use whatever works best for you and allows you to maintain the focus in as stable a manner as possible; the anapana spot is good for a one-pointed focus, the style of concentration more common in magick and yoga, whereas in my experience using the stomach allows for a wider focus, but more stability as there's a larger surface area to work with. Practice your breath control constantly, you don't need to be formally sitting to work on this. Anywhere you get an opportunity to stop moving and focus on the breath is an opportunity to practice; for example, I used to do this every day on the train to work, 30 solid minutes, twice a day, of informal concentration practice on the breath bumped by concentration skills way up.


To some extent, yes. Are you fully expanding your abdomen, chest and shoulders with the entirety of the breath? Sometimes that strain can be exacerbated by not breathing properly; what's described in MMM is a basic pranayama-style breath, so maybe try adopting more of a yogic-breathing approach and watch the air to come into the body in three stages: fill the abdomen, but not to the point of straining, then the chest but keep the shoulders still while allowing the upper chest to expand comfortably. There's a knack to it, it's hard to describe but quite easy to learn.


If you don't mind me asking, what is it that you're looking to achieve through this?

Have you tried using sigils to state your intent?

A big part of seriously studying Liber MMM is deconstructing that lack of confidence and the beliefs you hold which prevent you from manifesting Kia. One of the greatest tricks to be learned in the study of magick is this: Fake it till you make it. Believe that you're a strong, skilled and confident meditator, eventually reality will reorganize itself to fit this belief (to anyone else reading this, I'm talking in Chaote terms here so don't misunderstand this as being a universal statement).

Any better?

Massively helpful.

One thing that's difficult is that for some reason i thought it would be a good time to pick up Seidways by Jan Fries. It's amazing, but maybe not the best thing to be thinking about while doing motionless excersizes. I've had tremors and shakes since just before reading it (picked em up at a vipassana retreat, though i'd already known about his book)

So, I figure I'm thinking this, try to resist shakings during day to day if i'm doing motionless practice. Use it as a reminder for the breath. And for fun, i can use it when i'm doing ritual and all that jazz.

sound okay
?


thanks thanks thanks!

I completely forgot to reply to this. Oops!


The tremors and shakes are a typical side-effect of vipassana and indicates that, rather than staying with the entire breath as a whole, you're looking too much at the individual sensations. With Liber MMM practices, it's more of a concentration thing so try just following the whole breath, don't investigate it and don't try to break it down into it's constituent phases. You're looking to stabilize focus on the breath and staying there, fixed, one-pointed concentration is one of the best inhibitory routes into gnosis.


Maybe try to use the shaking as an indicator that you're investigating rather than concentration, if you notice your body moving or whatever then bring the attention back the whole breath and relax into it.

@Tommy M

I'm an asshole jerk who's totally neglected this whole thread. Thanks for all the help. I'll try to be aware of the concentration/investigating thing. Unless that just makes it worse...

I've started a practice log to detail my exploits. Feel free to comment if you'd like.