creating nervous tension (destructive force) in place of emotional intensity (creative power). Remember -- be careful what you ask for in life, because you just might get it!!

Any form of self-limitation will shut the door upon the Spirit Self. For example: if you were to indicate a single specific source from which you expected your objective to arrive, you most probably would not see any results. What may have seemed the perfect and most obvious source of supply may not have been the right one for you. So, while you wasted your time chasing a fantasy, your real opportunity passed you unseen. It was not that your prayers went unanswered, but that you were too occupied with your own expectations to listen to the Silent Voice of your own God-Self.

Prayer is a futile practice, as it is performed by most people, in the childish belief that one can tell the Absolute something that It does not already know. Remember, God is omniscient, all-knowing. It knows everything that you have to say, even before you know that you will say it. There is no thought, feeling, or desire that is unknown to God. If such things were beyond the Absolute’s knowledge, then It would not truly be omniscient... or God.

Prayer, therefore, is not actually directed to God at all. It is an act of seeking confirmation, or even forgiveness, from within oneself. It is an effort to calm the turbulent waters of the heart and mind through the ritualized repetition of sacred words or phrases. If prayer is used in this manner, as a means of reorienting the conscious mind inward to the Spirit Self, the Spark of the Divine Fire that burns in the center of each soul, then it is anything but futile.

Nothing is more uniquely intimate, after all, than the relationship between the Deity and the worshiper. But, for many it seems almost impossible for them to imagine the Creator of All in any particular form, and even more difficult to visualize themselves in personal communication with their concept of this Deity. That is why creative visualization is easier, in most cases, for the followers of any religion which has an overabundance of sacred images than it is for the followers of a more austere and imageless faith.

This does not exclude the worshipers of an abstract God from receiving the benefits of prayer. They may substitute a great Spiritual Being (such as a saint or savior) for the image of God. This Spiritual Being, though, should not be mistaken for a god. He or She serves merely as a messenger to carry the worshiper's prayers to the God-Self.

Here, in this manual, we shall use the images of the Lord and Lady as our spiritual messengers. But, if you are uncomfortable with this pagan imagery, please feel free to substitute any image with which your heart and mind can identify. The nature of the messenger is not as important as the worshiper's own heartfelt sincerity.

Emergencies often prompt people to pray in sincerity who may never have prayed before. And, frequently, they will even receive that which they require of prayer. In such emergencies, a person has access to areas of the Deep Self which are normally kept hidden from the conscious mind, releasing an infinite ocean of pure Creative Power for the desperate personality to utilize in the achievement of its goal.

However, to pray effectively, without a real crisis, is something which you cannot count upon without concentrated practice. The path of devotion demands perseverance!!

Although it is not necessary to set up an elaborate ceremony, or even a special place, an altar and the proper furnishings will greatly augment your visualizations. If you can, obtain or make a small picture or sculpture in the likeness of your personal Deity or messenger(s). But, remember that you are not making a talisman, fetish or magickal charm. This material image, in and of itself, has no real power. It is merely a symbol and, when your moment of worship is over, you must leave the stone or paper image upon the altar and put the True Image back within your heart.

Next, you will need to obtain a couple of white candles, a small brass dish and incense of some subtle fragrance pleasing to you. These will be arranged around the image of the Lord and Lady (or whatever Divine Messenger you have chosen) on the little table of your altar. A black cloth should, first, be draped over the table. This, together with the white candles, is symbolic of the dual polarities of the universe; male and female, hot and cold, up and down, evil and good, ugly and beautiful. The candles are, then, placed to either side of the Holy Image and the incense dish is set upon the table in front of the Lord and Lady.

The final piece of furniture needed to complete your altar is a small brass gong or bell and hammer. This will be placed on the floor, near where you will kneel to pray. You may also wish to place a pillow on the floor to comfort your knees. Be certain that the gong or bell is close enough to reach easily, without stretching, during your ritual.

These articles, the trappings of your altar, need not be possessions of the material world, however. Physical objects are but "things" and will be destroyed with the passage of time, but the possessions of the Spirit are eternal and cannot be polluted by mankind. If your altar and its furnishings are created upon the plane of thought, no one can ever steal them or destroy them, and you will be free of the restrictions of space. You may perform the Ritual of Creative Visualization at any time and any place that you should find yourself. After all, the true ritual does not take place in the material realm at all. It is a ceremony of the Spirit merely reflected upon the physical world.

At one time or another, in the course of a lifetime, we all need to just get away from it all, to be alone with our own Inner Self. But, as our little planet becomes more and more crowded, it becomes harder and harder to find secluded spots which are within a practical distance of our homes. And, it is impossible for most of us to simply run away to live on a mountaintop.

There is, however, one place which remains a private refuge for each and every one of us. That refuge is within the realm of the mind itself.

Before beginning your ritual, sit in a darkened room with your eyes closed and visualized the Mountain Temple of the Divine Father and Mother. This will be your sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the material world. Here, you shall petition your God-Self through the vehicle of the Lord and Lady.

Since time out of mind, men and women have associated the highest peaks with the presence of the gods. Mount Sinai was the home of the Nameless God of Israel, and site of the Burning Bush through which God spoke to Moses. Olympus was the domicile of Zeus and the gods of Greek mythology. Even the austere Japanese revered Fujiyama (Mount Fuji) as the great steppingstone to the gods of their ancestors.

So, build your own mental sanctuary upon the top of a high mountain. It could be just a simple marble platform from which you may gaze out over the roof of the world, or an elaborately carved temple of jade, or a cathedral of gold and silver, or any other structure which you can envision, as long as it is yours.

As with any other information presented throughout this book, this ritual of creative visualization is offered here only as a pattern, or a blueprint, which you may adopt or adapt to your personal needs and inclinations. If you should decide to write your own ritual, however, I would urge you to follow the general guidelines presented here, in this text.

Obviously, prayer may be initiated in any place and at any time necessary. But, traditionally, the Ritual of the Divine Messenger was performed at the hour of one's own birth, at the peak of the petitioner's power and vitality.

But, whatever time of day your ritual is performed, it should be at the same time each day. And, it should be performed only once per day until you objective is attained. To perform the ritual more than once a day would be like pouring water on a stone. Once it is wet, you will not make it any wetter by dousing it with more water. You will need to cultivate patience and allow time for the mechanism of Life to operate, unhindered.

We would like to add a word of caution at this point, though. Do not, while performing these rituals, seek favor through any other psychic or spiritual means. This could weaken your confidence in your visualization and destroy the subtle connection with your own God-Self through the channel of your Divine Messenger. Be patient and allow your inner creative power time to bring your desire into materialization. You should, however, take any and all physical steps necessary to ensure success... without actually forcing the outcome!!

Begin your ritual by removing your altar furnishings from wherever they are safely kept, even if that is within your own mind. Spread the black cloth over the altar table and place the Divine Image of the Lord and Lady upon the altar with reverence. To either side of the Sacred Figures, place the white candles and light them. The brass incense dish is positioned before the Holy Messenger(s), filled and ignited. Finally, the lights should be completely extinguished, or the drapes drawn, so that the altar is illuminated by only the two candles.

Kneel before the altar, upon the cushion, close your eyes and visualize the Mountain Temple of the Father and Mother. Feel the cool stone beneath you and the alpine breezes blowing across your skin. Create the image so strongly and clearly in the air about you that it is a reality, not just idle imagination.

Now, see a golden circle etched into the stones of the floor directly before you. It is in the shape of a blazing sun. This is the Sun Circle into which you will project an image of your objective and charge it with your energies.

Formulate a clear idea of what it is you wish to achieve, and visualize it contained within the circle. It may be the healing of a family member who is ill or injured. It could be money which is needed to pay overdue bills. It may be a new job, a change of environment, or someone with whom to spend long quiet evenings. Anything and everything may be acquired in this manner. But, be careful what you ask for! If you need a hundred dollars, do not ask for a thousand. Your greed will taint the energies of your thought and set the wheels of Cause and Effect into motion, circling your own negativity through space to hit you in the back of the head, when you least expect it.

Strike the brass gong or bell three (3) times, and turn your inner sight to the sky above the Temple. Visualize the Lord and Lady descending out of the fiery orb of the sun and coming to stand directly before you, on the opposite side of the Sun Circle. See Him and Her clearly through the third eye.

Bow low and speak words of sincere greeting to the Father and Mother as they stand before you. Speak the words not just with your mouth but with your mind and heart as well, projecting the energies of your love and respect. Feel the blessed warmth of their love envelop you like a Divine Fire.

Visualize your objective enclosed within the golden ring of the Sun Circle. See it and yourself glow in the light of the Divine Fire. Do not take your eyes off this image as you begin to chant -- "In the Divine Fire of the Sacred Sun I charge this image, that it may be realized for me in the material world. I petition the Lord and Lady to carry my humble request to the Creator of All That Is. Through the infinite love of the Father and Mother, may it be endowed with all the power of the Sun, Giver of Life."

Look upward, through the Third Eye, and see the Lord and Lady depart, soaring into the blinding light of the sun. Bow your head and watch the glow of your objective slowly diminish within the Sun Circle as the Father and Mother deliver the energy of your thought to the Nameless God of All.

Strike the gong or bell three (3) times, bow low and make an act of heartfelt adoration to this Unseen One. Quietly and inwardly, chant -- "Divine Absolute, Creator of All, I ask the Lord and Lady to carry this humble request to You on my behalf. May it be within Your will and the order of Destiny, please grant me this petition."

Now comes the hardest part of the entire ritual, the period of waiting. You must be very still and patient. Allow your Messenger(s) time to commune your wishes to the Godhead. You must not attempt to call him and/or her back to the Earth, or you may destroy the fragile energies being brought together for your benefit.

When the Messengers do return to the temple, you may hear their voices echoing across your mind, proclaiming that all will come to pass. But, if you should be told that your request has been denied, do not object or question the decision. There are always good reasons why certain prayers cannot be answered. It may be that you already have more than enough money and should not be asking for an additional supply. Or, perhaps, there are important spiritual lessons to be learned from the suffering of the present illness which could be learned in no other way.

When a prayer cannot be answered, the God-Self may suggest an alternate course of action. This is not idle advice and should not be taken too lightly. But, if you insist upon your original proposal, be prepared to get exactly what you deserve -- catastrophe!!

To conclude your ritual, strike the gong or bell three (3) more times and bow. As the image of the Lord and Lady fades back into the solar orb, and you return to the "real world," give thanks for the blessings bestowed upon you. Do not ever forget to express your gratitude. In fact, during the day or night, whenever you happen to recall their blessings, stop what you are doing and silently give thanks. You do not need to create another ritual or ceremony to express such sincere gratitude. Only a few seconds of silence are sufficient, if they are truly heartfelt.

Although the inner powers released through visualization and prayer may be utilized to obtain almost anything that the mind can imagine, they should never be used for "evil" purposes. You do create your own reality. Your every thought and deed are the tools with which you have built your world. If you choose to allow negative emotions to guide your actions, then your world will be one of extreme negativity and sorrow. But, follow the positive path and your world will be brighter and more alive.

However, even positive prayer can become destructive, if allowed to get out of control. Remember the story of the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" and his magic spell which ran wild? Any image which has been created for a good purpose, when no longer needed, will go out of control and harm its creator. But, the remedy is a simple one. When your objective has been attained, perform a special ritual in which you simply disintegrate its image and reabsorb the energy from the Sun Circle into yourself.