How do you raise energy?

[Emaleth]

What methods do you use to raise power during a spell or ritual? I usually use visualisation and create an energy ball. How about you?

Blessed Be

[Arzhela]

I chose other. I occasionally use visualization, but in general I use it separately from raising energy.
I actually can't explain how I raise energy. I just let it concentrate itself inside of me and direct it towards something...it feels sort of like the sensation I get when doing my grounding and centering meditation when I pull up energy from the earth, except when I raise energy I'm not pulling it from anything (I think). It's also a little bit like the feeling I get when a really powerful passage in a book or a piece of music sends shivers through me.
I should actually probably figure out and organize exactly what it is that I do, since sometimes it works and sometimes I just get tense (which doesn't happen when I'm doing it "right") and nothing happens.

Good question.

[MammaStar]

I chose other as well. I sue a combination of breathing and visualisation. :-D

[Ravens_Tears]

I sing

[Haedis]

I chose other, as well.

I either chant and do meaningless gestures with my staff or athame that probably make me look like a moron, or I hum (trying to make my voice as low as I can, then make it slowly cresecendo, and eventually lower again) and visualize colors and shapes that flux and change in accordance with my voice.

[Flar's Freyja]

All of the above. But drumming is my favorite way. We have drumming circles and they've really gotten intense. It's an incredible release.

[qidrogreevat]

My general way of raising energy is to draw energy up from the ground into my feet, and then charge all the chakras. It gets me really pumped up, and I feel very powerful when I do it this way, I've tried a couple of others, but they don't raise as much energy for me.

I chose other, BTW.

[Flaire-FireStar]

I chose breathing, because mostly it's breathing, but I also do some gestures and visualization. :)

[AmbivalentMirage]

I tend to hold my hands out in a "flower" type position and imagine the power building between then. It seems to work. I also use breathing to give myself a stronger feel of control.

[Raevyn]

Hm sometimes I use music, sometimes I dance, sometimes I do kundalini, sometimes I ground and center, sometimes I rub my hands together and force the energy between them. I physically feel the energy raising from the ground or universe, and direct it as needed. When I started working magic I visualized it but did not *feel* it, so it's neat to physically sense it raising and manipulate it physically.

[Danustouch]

I started out using energy techniques such as visualizing rays of energy starting in my solar plexus, and spreading through out my body. Tensing all of my muscles, and drawing that energy foward, etc. I used the technique of feeling the energy between my hands too.

Then I started doing "Group Workings", and the method we used was drumming and chanting. It was an entirely differen't feeling. I wouldn't say either one was more or less powerful. However, the amount of energy raised in a group environment, with the drumming and chanting was unique because not only did you feel your own energy, but everyone elses. The whole group mind acheived during that experience is amazing to me. To be able to feel the energy flow from one person to the next, and around the entire room. I loved it most when a specific chant, or drumming session would raise to a frenzied crescendo, and everyone would simultaneously, and spontaneously, stop. Together. Without any prompts. When that kind of flow of energy is acheived, and that "group mind" acheived, it is a very intense experience. I don't believe that as far as spell working goes, that a Solitary isn't able to send as much energy as a group or coven, necessarily, it's just an entirely DIFFERENT feeling. Both can acheive great things, it's simply extraordinarily unique when you are working with others and acheive that blending of energy.

Now that I'm back to being a solitary, for lack of choice, i'm back to raising energy on my own. Back to the visualization techniques, breathing techniques, etc. Everyonce in a while, i'll incorporate dancing.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Originally posted by Haedis
I chose other, as well.

I either chant and do meaningless gestures with my staff or athame that probably make me look like a moron,

:D I know that feeling well myself. I've learned to ignore it!

I couldn't vote but in one spot so I voted for visulation although breathing technique is very important for me also.

[Flar's Freyja]

I had a cool experience the other day and wanted to share it with you all. A few months ago, I took a ritual class and we talked about adding touch and smell, etc., to your visualization. For instance, it was suggested that to get the taste of money we suck on a quarter :ack:

I have a part-time geeky-to-make-ends-meet job as a hostess in a restaurant where I am also cashier. I've been doing this for awhile but expanded on it the other day. I've been looking for a full time job and have been very worried about my freelance work. I thought I was going to close out a client the other day, which is good, ethical and necessary but would have been a big loss of what little income I've got right now.

Whenever I count the money, I focus on feeling its energy flow through my hands. On Saturday, the boss went to the bank and handed me the bag to unload....there were lots of brand-new bills. They stick together and we crumple them to prevent that. As I picked up each bill to crumple it up, I visualized my hands being full of money. I concentrated on what those bills felt like in my palm. The bills were new and had a stronger scent than usual, so I focused on committing that scent to memory. My need is great right now, so I allowed the emotions connected with that need to rise.

When I had a break, I called my client to check the status of what had happened in court the previous day. I had testified and no one had yet called me.

She said that they had not finished the hearing and things remain as they stand for at least another month. Not so great for my client, but very good for me :)

[Sequoia]

I use many different methods. . . I've been known to pray, dance, visualize, summon. . . . . mostly, when I go to use the energy, it's just kinda there. Or I draw and gather it. Where from, I know not. My own reserves perhaps, or the things that support me. All I know is that it is there when I need it. (umm. . . except at "that time of the month" hehe)

[Ganga]

I answered chanting, but now when I think of it, I actually do a lot of visualization. I also occasionally do some gesturing, which can look moronic if anybody was there to see. Nobody is, so it doesn't matter. Nobody except the 30 million goddesses and gods, that is ;)

Chanting does have a lot of power, I think. My husband (although not really into magick in a sense that I am) loves to chant Sanskrit verses. When he does a fire-sacrifice (he's a Hindu priest), he also uses hand gestures which he calls mudra:s, along with chanting of the mantras. The energy raised during such a sacrifice can be very powerful and purifying, and it's definitely worth visiting a temple when they do a sacrifice. (The only thing they sacrifice in the fire are grains such as rice and sesame, so there is no cause for alarm...)

When I was still pregnant, we planned to have a (Hindu) ritual which would have included parting the mother's (mine) hair with a porcupine quill (we even got one from from the zoo). It was to focus good energy into the mother and thus to the child. Porcupine quills are auspicious and among the strongest and longest hair that one can obtain.

[catlin]

I feel energy rising from my base chakra like a snake uncoiling and ascending in the crown chakra. It's like a flame shooting up and casting a steady flame.

[Grey]

I meditate to raise energy and before I sleep at night, most nights, I infuse any extra energy into my "batteries" a few ceremonial items like my staff, rune board, rune rock, talismans, etc, etc. I kinda make a pocket and then store it in theyre like a pouch, if I need any energy besides whats in my for a spell I pull it out of my batteries. For really big stuff I ask some help from the gods but I prefer to do things on my own when I can.

remember "when you lose the remote sometimes its easier to just walk over and push the button".

[SagaDraco]

I use my own energy. Yeah, it's finite, and tiring, but it's always with me. And it's a renewable resource. A good nights sleep or two and I'm ready to go again. I will also "skim", from other people or living things when I need or want to. There is also days, like Solstices or eclipses, where the Earth has extra energy I can tap into.

edited to add: When I was in my teens, I could literally bang out spell after spell, but now, even at the grand old age of 20, I am noticing a sharp drop in what I have to work with. Anyone else have this problem? Is there a way to at least slow it down? I am in very good health btw.

[mol]

Focus.

Hehe...almost everyone is an 'other'.

[Blueowl]

Yoga is an outlet for me isfa trying to center and calm my busy mind, so I do breathing, and then visualization....I chose other!

[Xentor]

And although I do sometimes use physical ritualised moves to focus and direct the energy I gathered, I still visualise how the energy is focused, how it is directed, and where it flows.

For more powerfull energy, I tend to use breathing techniques as well, but always in conjunction with visualisation.

Hmm... I think my imagination is one of my strong suits...

[Lunacie]

Sorry, I don't know how to do the quote box thingy.

Saga Draco said: "I will also "skim", from other people or living things when I need or want to."


Whoa there. Do you ask before skimming, or are you like a psychic vampire? I've had energy skimmed from me before, and it was not a pleasant experience. I would call it stealing my life energy.

[Xentor]

Originally posted by Lunacie
Sorry, I don't know how to do the quote box thingy.


In the lower right corner of each comment is a small button called "quote". This takes all of the comment into a new reply, with the necessary vBcode to make it appear bold and italic when rendered.

[Lunacie]

Ha! Right there under my nose. Thanks Xentor.

[redheadwitch]

i chose "other"

like so many "others" ;) i do whatever i feel i need to at the time.
a lot of times it's visualization, sometimes i hum or sing, or chant or recite. sometimes i throw stuff (water). sometimes i shake a rattle, or i have this cool stag horn...it's made to look like a raven, and has ridges on it...you run a little stick over it and it makes sound. that works well.

but i like so many of the things you all do, i'm going to have to print this off and try them all!

[Lucid]

I enjoy writing poetry so I make my own chants , I also do a hand thing . I rub my hands together briskly till I feel them warming up and slowly move the away from one another.

[SpiritWings]

I chose other because when I wish to raise energy I can just feel the energy start to build like a tingle all through my body, waiting to be released.

[Chibi-Fallon]

I sing and dance (I’m only good at the singing part, but we can just ignore that 8O ). I've found that's the best way for me. I don't feel like I'm rasing energy well if I'm just sitting meditating, even tho I really like to do it.

[Storm]

Hah, I am good at the dancing part but it is hard to ignore the singing. :)

[KaliGiri5]

For me..it depends on what i'm working on.
first thing i do..
I don't know the age of the people here..so I will try to keep it clean.

First off..
I had to develop raising and controlling energy..
I had to do so through my self.
I don't have sex when I do serious stuff.
I "build up" my energy..I have control and then use it in ways needed.

This was a big thing I would ask people..
More so the ones in Wicca..

~I don't wish to offend anyone~

but I met quite a bit of "heavy" Wiccans..
some who was "free" with sex..
I would ask..how is it they could have power and control it
if they have yet to control themselves?
If one is weak in the physical..
how are they even able to work with any energy much less have control of it?
if the "physical" is energy itself...
and sex is energy(fire)..

Anyway..I only get people upset when I say that.
I don't mean to do that..
I only wish to know myself.

[Grey]

Well gal, Im not amungst those who use sex to raise energy but If I had to guess Id say it was because during sex your soul kinda reaches out to your partner (if proper, consentual etc, etc) in a kind of "spirit flare" or as the french would say "littke death" this sex magic is probably just trying to harness this energy spike... maybe Im wrong, does anyone here have a better Idea?

[Xeen]

I chose other. For once, I flow with the masses *snickers*.

Anyhow... I haven't been doing much of trying to raise energy a whole bunch yet, but I've been more trying (keyword: trying) to learn how to block energies. But visulization and heavy duty thinking seem to work for the little amount of raising/deflecting I've been doing.

[ctomes]

i use every one of those to raise energy. i release energy by chanting. gather, hold and earth it in drum circles. i can't even explain what happens when i dance, it's similar to a trance state. . . . i guess. :huh:
visualization is always a part of raising energy for me. my energy is blue and it's characteristics could explain those of air. i "see" it flow out of my body and into the objects i use in spell casting. sometimes i like to send it out to random people to remind them that they have to call me. :smash:

i also take energy from random things, a rock, a jar, music. this always gives me such a shivery rush that i could swear it was evil. almost like eating dark chocolate when the yoga instructor isn't looking :devil:
but i do put it back when i'm done. i couldn't possibly function during the day with a buzz of energy running through my veins. :ahhhh:

[NoiseUp]

I raise energy between my hands, with a little visualization and pushing and pulling I can make an energy ball, then I start chanting, and I feel that that really adds energy to my ball, at the same time I give that energy a purpose by visualization. And when the ball stops growing I either release the energy or channel it to a candle or whatever. :D

[Vincent Verthaine]

Go to the local Rock club and dance to Pantera and System of a Down for a few hours.Puts me in the perfect gnosis for chaos magic.

[Meabh23]

Go to the local Rock club and dance to Pantera and System of a Down for a few hours.Puts me in the perfect gnosis for chaos magic.

I usually just dance. If I really need a boost I'll plug something into the wall.

[zilith]

I usually visualize myself being filled with golden energy. Sometimes I visualize drawing energy from the world (like out of the air or up from the ground).

[Renny]

I usually visualize. I try to control my breathing, but I can't control it and do other tasks at the same time for some reason ><

Sometimes I will do some galdr (like chanting) and I want to try some kind of dance or drumming.

[Astara Seague]

a little of all it just depends on what type of energy I am trying to raise

[Tabbykitty]

Actually I don't consider what I do "raising the energy"...

I had a bit of problem trying to describe what I do to find the energy needed for spells and stuff, the best I could come up with was "summoning" the energy.

The major thing I found out about doing magick or any energy work is NEVER to use your own energy. Especially not when doing something big or when doing a spell that lasts for a certain period of time.

I think I mentioned this before, but where I live, there are stories of how energy healers have "shortened" their lives by using too much of their own energy and not replacing it at a balanced rate. Most of them die in their 40s or 50s from some unexpected illness or mishap.

I do believe the stories because there was a time long ago where I used my own energy for stuff, but luckily, none of it was for sustained periods of time. I did feel exhausted and needed to rest.

I guess for most energy work or spells, the best place to find energy is simply from the natural world, mother earth and the environment. It's out there and its free for everyone to use, as long as we use it circumspectly, in moderation and for the right reason. We won't feel exhausted or drained from doing spells or energy work.

[Fire's Shadow]

I just tense up my muscles and sing rock songs to raise energy. Man, I can really build it up with some Disturbed blasting in the background.

[brymble]

i use a combination of techniques.

[cartweel]

( ) (pronounced "untitled") by Sigur R&#243;s. Just listen to it, and you'll see what I mean.

In combination, I like to do a little yoga and then guide myself through a meditative energy raising.

[Spirited]

This might sound weird but...I always find Enya's, "The River Sings", is a good song for energy raising.

[uninvitedguest]

Breathing for me.

I think it is a carry over from when I use to do Karate. I visualize drawing Ki energy from my surrounds on the in breath and holding it just above the navel. When I need to use it I usually direct it from my hands on the out breath. Seems to work for me.

[Liguana]

All of the above, separately or at the same time. Depends on what I'm making magick for, if I'm with ppl or alone and how I feel at that moment.

[mtpathy]

i chose "other",because i couldn't choose more then one.
if i could have chosen more then one i would have picked
breathing and visualization.

[Zhr Morgana]

I think that all of those methods are good ways to raise energy...I like to alternate between them to fit the purpose and the occasion...but for the most part I visualize and breathe.

[Knate]

I raise energy the only way I ever could...playing music with a acoustic guitar and harmonica in a harmonica holder around my neck....................Bob Dylan style. I realized this the first time I played "Lodi" by CCR. Kinda like a light switch was turned on for me. Raising it was the easy part, sending it out was a bit more tricky, but it's gotten easier over time. Just have to end the song *just* right.

Its how I meditate, playing and singing songs. Its always for me been easier than still meditation, and more fun too. I loose track of time, and realize I played 10 songs before I know it. The right songs at the right times can raise some serious energy.

And I always liked the idea of serenading the Goddess:hahugh: Always a good audience, even whwn I screw up:bouncysmi

I never would have guessed she likes Woody Guthrie:lol:

[Meadhbh]

I chant. I don't have the pitch or range for most songs. Even lower pitched voices can chant alright.

[mtpathy]

I raise energy the only way I ever could...playing music with a acoustic guitar and harmonica in a harmonica holder around my neck....................Bob Dylan style. I realized this the first time I played "Lodi" by CCR. Kinda like a light switch was turned on for me. Raising it was the easy part, sending it out was a bit more tricky, but it's gotten easier over time. Just have to end the song *just* right.

Its how I meditate, playing and singing songs. Its always for me been easier than still meditation, and more fun too. I loose track of time, and realize I played 10 songs before I know it. The right songs at the right times can raise some serious energy.

And I always liked the idea of serenading the Goddess:hahugh: Always a good audience, even whwn I screw up:bouncysmi

I never would have guessed she likes Woody Guthrie:lol:

Bardic magick,not something you hear about everyday,seems that its
steadily becoming a lost art.
nice to know that there are people keeping it alive.
are there any forums on this?
I don't use music to raise energy,but i have been known to play my flute
as ritual to cast spell.
salutations

[Acid09]

My music
sex
art
poetry
meditation
visualization
invocation
endurance

[Aquarian_Moon]

I often raise energy by listening to some invigorating music with a steady beat, and increasing volume, especially bag pipes and drums. I close my eyes, and feel the music go through my entire body, and up to the crown of my head, where i might either constantly release it, or keep building strength, then release.

[Jessica]

I use a combination of visualisation, breathing, chanting and 'physically' "forming" it.. for example, I use my hands physically to aid visualising a ball of energy being formed between my palms. I might also chant while doing this.

I find chanting very helpful, especiall out loud (thought, its usually only a whisper to begin with), or singing.

I'd LOVE to try drumming... I just have to find the right drum and get my hands on it. :D