SYSOP'S NOTE:  I would be remiss in my duties if I failed to tell
you  that  this  is  from PANEGYRIA volume 2,  number 6,  and was
downloaded from Earthrite BBS (415-651-9496).  PANEGYRIA costs $8
per year,  and their address is Box  85507,  Seattle,  WA  98145.
              Enjoy! - Talespinner, Sysop WeirdBase
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                       NLP:  APPLIED MAGIC
                                             by Brandy Williams
One:  Matching Representations

     In  studying  magic I've been exposed to a  lot  of  related
fields--history,  mythology, music--which enrich my understanding
of  my vocation.   One of the most helpful series of  books  I've
encountered  is a set of five volumes starting with The Structure
of Magic I. and II. which focus on... psychology.

     John  Grinder and Richard Bandler developed the  field  they
called  Neuro  Linguistic Programming,  or  NLP.   One  reason  I
suggest  everyone I know become familiar with it is that  they've
taught this stuff to salespeople, managers, Pentagon employees...
I  see their techniques on television commercials and read  about
them  in  seminar descriptions.  NLP is a people manipulator  par
excellance,  and I think it's important others are made aware  of
this.

     Another  reason  is that it's so incredibly  useful.

     Consider  this:   "The  meaning of a  communication  is  the
response  you  get." In their terms,  an  elegant  phrase.   It's
changed  my  entire relationship with others.   If I  don't  make
myself  clear,  I don't blame the listener.   I restate my  case,
maybe  trying a different body language,  a different representa-
tional system, a little pacing...

     Representational  system?  Well,  what senses do we  use  to
explore the world?  Sight--hearing--touch, and taste and smell to
a much lesser extent.  So how do we think?  In images, sounds and
feelings--or,  in NLP terms,  in visual, auditory and kinesthetic
representational systems.

     What's interesting is that we all make images and sounds and
feelings to store experience, but we're usually only conscious of
using  ONE  system.   The words we choose to describe our  experi
ences reflect that:   "I'm not very fo cused and I can't see what
you're  saying."  Or,  "I've got a handle on the  feeling  that's
been  bugging  me."  Or,  "I hear that,  it sounds like  it  will
work."

     Spend  one hour listening to people and you can verify this.
Now,  if  I  say,  "I just can't feel good about that,"  and  the
person I'm talking to says "I don't see what's wrong with it," my
communication hasn't received the response I want.   If I  switch
to  my  partner's most favored representational system  and  say,
"Let  me  make  that clear to you.   It looks like a  really  bad
situation,"  that's  one  way  to  match,  or  pace  my  partner.

     See  what I mean?   Or maybe that gives you a feel  for  the
power of this particular "psychology".

What  does  any of this have to do with paganism  or  magic?
For starters,  I wonder how many circle conflicts could be solved
by  something as simple as accomodating each other's most favored
rep. system.

     In a working circle, is someone having trouble visualizing a
goal?   Is someone else very good at constructing mental temples,
but totally unable to feel when to release the energy?   Put them
together,  get  them to trade notes and teach  each  other;  both
skills are part of the same experience.

     When you direct rituals,  do you always include something to
see or imagine, hear or sing, feel--in the body or tactually?  Do
your  rituals  work for some people and not  others?   You  might
check  to be sure you're satisfying everyone's most favored  rep.
system.

     The   function   of   magic  is  the   response   you   get.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
     Works by John Grindler and  Richard Bandler:
     The Structure of Magic I.
     The Structure of Magic II.
     Frogs into Princes
     Reframing
     Trance-formations

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