Here are five short stories, my retelling of  events that happened to me I’m calling “True Tales.” They illustrate magickal concepts in a way I think is much more interesting than simply describing those concepts.

The Gods May Have Plans for You
that You Don’t Expect

I was living in a house in the city of Encinitas in the North County area of San Diego. I was sharing the house with a man, Michael, and his son, Joe. Michael had been working as an engineer in a company that made amplifiers for people who wanted to boost the transmission power of their amateur radios. People who did this referred to themselves as HAM radio operators.

Michael had also studied acupressure and acupuncture when he lived in Asia, and we agreed that he could use the house to teach classes in a form of acupressure known as Shiatsu (he preferred to spell it “Shiatzu”). I asked if I could sit in and he readily agreed. In fact, after I had gone through the course a few times I became a de facto assistant for him.

One day before class he asked if I would take over the class the following week. He had to be out of town.

“I’m just an assistant,” I sputtered. “I don’t have your expertise.”

But he insisted. He said I’d been through the course several times, I knew the material, and I had copious notes. I reluctantly agreed. He said he’d announce it during a break in class.

So that night, I expected him to make an announcement during class. Instead, he looked at me and said, “The class has a question they want to ask you.”

“Me?” I responded, totally puzzled over this. “Okay…”

“Rather than teach acupressure next week, they’d like you to teach them the Kabalah.”

I was shocked. Even though I’d be studying and practicing for years, I realized there was so much I didn’t know. I held my thumb and first finger about an two inches apart, saying, “But I only know this much about the Kabalah.”

One of the students held his thumb and first finger about a quarter of an inch apart, saying, “But we only know this much.”

So I agreed, and spent the next week furiously figuring out what to say, what exercises to lead, and what handouts to present. I quickly saw that due to the length of the class I would have to really limit what I could say. I was actually surprised to see that I had several classes worth of material, and this was all beginning stuff.

I gave the class, and the students loved it. Now I had all this material I wanted to share. There happened to be a nearby occult shop and I went over there to see if they’d be interested in a series of classes. Surprisingly, they said they had been looking for someone to teach classes on magick and the Kabalah.

I had never had a desire to teach on these subjects, but I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time with the right knowledge and skills. If not for the fact that my acupressure teacher had to go out of town on business, all of my teaching, all of my writing, might never have happened.

While thinking about this I remembered that a few years earlier a friend had hypnotized and taken me deep within myself, finally asking, “Why are you here?”

I responded, “To learn, so I can teach.” I had no idea where that came from. Certainly being a writer and teacher had never been my goal. I had never considered it.

Sometimes, the gods have different plans for you.

Why Harm When You Can Get Better Results By Helping?

One day, Michael, the engineer who also taught Shiatzu, came home from work. He was furious. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

“It’s John [not his real name]. He’s doing it again?”

“Doing what?”

“Screwing everything up. Okay, he does two things that really screw things up. First, he takes credit for whatever other people are doing. Second, when he’s assigned work to do, he other doesn’t do it or screws it up and blames the problem on someone else. Everybody in engineering hates him. We all talk about him behind his back. I wish he’d just go away, or…”

“Or what?”

“Don, I know you’re into magick. I hear you doing rituals every night. Can you give me a ritual that will get him fired?”

“Hold on,” I told my friend. “There are other options. I know you’re familiar with karma, and if you do something that harms him financially, such as getting him fired, the karma’s going to hit you.”

“So what good is magick if it can’t help you get rid of such a nasty person?”

“I didn’t say magick couldn’t help. Let me ask you a question. Is there anything John is good at? Some way he could help the company?

“That’s easy. I’ve seen him do some sales. He’s one of the greatest sellers I’ve ever seen. If he went over into sales he could make a lot of money.”

“And it would also get him out of the engineering department which would make everyone happier there.”

“Yeah…” Michael brightened.

So I gave him a simple visualization to do. Michael had been trained in visualization and meditation, and he merged them together. He practiced getting John a better-paying job in sales. I didn’t hear any more about it for a couple of weeks.

“Don, you’re not going to believe this,” Michael said as he came in from his work. “John has been moved into sales.”

Over the next couple of months the company’s sales when up and the people in engineering were happier, especially when they got raises. Everyone won. Nobody was hurt.

Do Your Work With Passion!

The first classes I taught at the shop nearby were four-weeks long. Later, it extended to eight weeks. The people in the area were very much into the subject and they would do homework assignments and share their work for comments in class. One of the first practical magick techniques I shared involved creative visualization. Most teachers and practitioners don’t get into the Kabalistic secrets of the technique in the way that I do, and both I and many of my students have had a great deal of success using it.

Being able to have longer series of classes was a wonderful luxury. I’d get to know more about the students and we had chances to build up relationships. They’d get to see what others are doing and we’re able to share.* But in the third week of a four-week class the shop informed me that one of my students had to drop out. “Why?” I asked.

“For over a year he’d been trying to sell the mobile home where he lived,” I was told. “He put your ideas for creative visualization into practice and he sold it within a couple of weeks. Now he has to spend his time moving out.”

I understood, but I wished he’d remained in class. Still, telling the class that he’d followed directions and his magick worked was an effective inducement for the others to stay in class.

I do explain the extra aspects of creative visualization, which involves including your emotions and passions, along with including yourself in the visualizations, in Modern Magick.

It’s The Little Things That Count

A student called me on the phone, frantic. He was deeply in need of money, so he started doing a visualization that not only included using his emotions and passions, but also did another thing: he involved himself in the visualization. “I saw myself surrounded with money. Money was coming to me from all over. Every day I handled many thousands of dollars. Having money like that is what I’ve always wanted. I just made one mistake.”

“What was that?” I asked.

“I saw myself handing money, but I forgot to include the fact that it was supposed to be my money. I ended up getting a job as a bank teller. I was surrounded by money as in my visualizations, but it was other people’s money, not mine!”

“Well, then you know what to do,” I said.

“Yeah,” he sighed, letting out a big breath of air. My seven words had confirmed what he knew: “I have to do it some more and make sure that it’s my money.” He did, and shortly thereafter was accepted into management training. He was on the road to making the salary he wanted.

The Secrets of Love Magick

Eventually, every class I taught came to the topic of love magick. There’s an old saying that you can’t win the love of another until you love yourself. With magick, this becomes an important concept. Love magick, I’d explain, isn’t about making someone love you. Doing that forces a person to do something against their will, which is essentially black magick. More importantly, it’s also self-defeating. You will never know if that person really loves you or if it’s just the spell. But there is something you can do.

First, make a list of all the things you find attractive in the person you want to love you. You can make a talisman with all these characteristics. Then, do magick to charge the talisman which will have the effect of allowing a person with those characteristics to notice you. Thus, you’re not forcing someone into doing something against his or her will. Rather, you’re waving a flag, saying, “If you have these characteristics and are looking for a partner like me, I’m available.” It’s putting on a sort of magical perfume that is attuned to the type of person you want. It’s working the magick on yourself, letting people whom you might be interested know that you’re available. It’s magickal pheromones!

One woman student took me up on this. She made a long list of everything she wanted in a man. She charged this talisman after making it. The next day, a man with those characteristics came into the office where she worked. They talked, they dated, they fell in love, they married. They eventually moved up to Washington state and built a home. They lived together until she passed away many years later.

Every one of these tales is true.

They all happened.

I hope you take something from them.

***** I’m Coming Back to Las Vegas *****

Tantra Magick Workshop & Ritual

Well of the Moon
2650 S. Decatur Blvd. Suite A02
Las Vegas, NV 89102
702-666-7200
Information: LINK

Meet & Greet: Friday, November 15, 6:00 p.m. Free!
Date:……………..Saturday, November 16, 2013
Time:…………….Workshop: 2:30–5:30……Ritual: 6:15 to conclusion
Besides myself, the workshop and ritual will be led by Shama Helena: a Life, Love & Sex Coach and Tantric Educator for the last 20 years in Los Angeles, she has helped thousands of lovers through personal coaching, lectures and workshops, books and articles and on Television and radio. She offers private sessions with individuals, couples, and people in alternative lifestyles, to empower, re-balance, and provide tools that enable, enhance and energize their lives to live more consciously and create their own Heaven on Earth.
See her website: www.thepleasureparadigm.com

Tantra is more than “that sex stuff.” It is a complete spiritual system that includes everything from philosophy and psychology to divination and magick. Spiritualized sexuality is just one part of the system. On November 16 you’ll have a chance to learn about and experience Tantra and Tantric Magick.

Come out to amazing Las Vegas, Nevada, where you’ll learn practical techniques of Tantra. During the afternoon workshop, you’ll learn such things as:

•  A brief history of Tantra
•  Tantra as a Path of Pleasure
•  The nature of real magick (as opposed to magic tricks)
•  How to set up effective goals for magick
•  Tantra and the secrets of Vibration
•  The importance of compassion
•  The chakras and their activation through sound, visualization, breathwork and movement

At the conclusion of the workshop there will be a brief break of about 45 minutes. During this time please have a very light meal. Fruits, grains and vegetables are preferred over meats and processed foods.

Please return promptly. Only those who participated in the workshop will be permitted to attend the ritual. During the ritual you will put what you learned into practice. Either come dressed appropriately (please wear white, especially a white shirt, blouse, or dress. You may then adorn with jewelry and makeup of your choice), or change once you have arrived. The ritual will include banishings, cleansing, traditional honoring of the gods and goddesses of Tantra, movement, and finally activation of the chakras leading to sending magickal energy to achieve your goal.

During the ritual we will be sitting on the floor. Please bring pillows or other items that will cushion and support your bottom and your back. If possible, bring a colorful flower from your personal garden as a gift to the deities. If you don’t have one, it will be provided. Bring water to drink.

Please note that although we will be raising energies often associated with sexuality, there will be no nudity or sexual contact. Finally, due to the size of the location, attendance will be extremely limited. You are advised to register with the payment for the class as soon as possible to guarantee a location. Here, again, is the LINK to contact.

*Today, most students don’t seem desirous of dedicating several months of their time to study, doing work, and attending classes. Therefore, instead of giving series of classes I usually give one-day or weekend workshops.