I. The Balancing Act

Magic and didactics? Aren’t these two terms contradictory, irreconcilable? Are these terms not mutually exclusive? Should it be indeed possible to be trained – theoretically and practical – in something which, according to the general view and description, is above all a discipline of personal responsibility, of active self- realisation, and thus an intimate process of beginning to know oneself? How could such a personal journey ever benefit from, or even be guided by, a codified training curriculum?

The answer, as so often in life, is both Yes and No. Rather than limiting ourselves to an either or scenario, we’d like to propose that the trick lies in building a bridge between the known and the unknown. Specifically, this means that the realm that is unknown to you is quite familiar to us, as well as many others. We, therefore, take you carefully by the hand – taking into account your personal situation, skills and abilities – and guide you safely on a rather narrow ridge into new areas and territories. If you like, consider us your personal mountain guides: The ascent will be accomplished all by yourself, yet with our expert assistance.

II. Unexplored Territories

While traveling on such expeditions into new, unexplored territories, nothing must be forced or imposed on, so that you are given the necessary time to let the new impressions affect you and to process them.

We will let you see and explore new surroundings with your own senses, in your own time. We offer plenty of safety equipment, as on each step of the journey you’ll have to act independently, taking full responsibility for your own path. We offer companionship as well as precise traveling instructions. With case studies and simulations, we will prepare you for moments of crisis, which naturally will occur on any expedition worthwhile its effort and time.

III. Barriers

A lot of the same necessities and requirements that apply to the exploration of physical uncharted waters, equally apply to a careful and conscious exploration of magical, mystical and inner pathways.

Getting stuck on the wrong trail, allowing yourself to be guided by an intuition that isn’t in tune with the territory - we and others before us have come across many such barriers to your progress. Therefore, we will point out dangers before they appear on your path, and chimeras before they lure you into their caves. Some of the most common barriers to unfolding your full potential as a holistic human being are the following self-imposed restrictions:

• Fears: created and cultivated by our ignorance and narrow-mindedness, because areas unknown to us require more attention and caution than familiar terrain.

• Everyday conditionings, views, and behaviours introjected by parents and Zeitgeist: They make us believe what is supposedly 'right,' 'important,' 'good,' 'desirable,' 'meaningful,' 'efficient,' 'morally not reprehensible' and the like in life. Everything that deviates from it is consequently – according to the same usage of language – 'wrong,' 'unimportant,' 'evil,' 'dangerous,' 'hostile,' 'too expensive,' 'blasphemous' etc.. In a larger framework and context, these are the dominant, cultural normative and social indoctrinations. They are not necessarily wrong by themselves, but they are always limiting and prohibitively, if we do not choose them freely and consciously.

• Taboos: Formed due to social constraints, they shout at us 'Don’t do that!' – The majority decides what is 'normal,' 'customary,' 'reprehensible,' or obsolete (quantity before quality, or: 'but millions cannot be wrong!'). It should not be underestimated how much power and energy emanates from a regulating social community. As a general rule, this makes it more than difficult to swim upstream. Compare social norms to a riptide which swallows everything that stands in its way. It takes considerable amounts of courage and self-efficacy to redefine such standards for oneself.

• Religious norms or restrictive, radical belief systems with established claims to power, which want and accordingly ensure that the status quo remains at is it. In the Western hemisphere it is often institutionalised churches in collaboration with the government who aim to decide which spiritual ideas and occupations are 'good' or 'bad’. What guides such decision is rarely a focus on personal growth, wellbeing or even spiritual research, but rather driven by social concerns over coercing control and coherence over an actually vastly diverse group of people.

IV. The Foundation: Experience

Our teaching materials are didactically prepared in such a way that they enable you to enter the wide terrain of magic independently but under close supervision. As long as you adhere to the guidelines, you rarely run the risk of getting entangled or getting bogged down into something we couldn’t resolve together. We hold more than 30 years of practical experience in guiding students on their path into creating their own magical experiences.

As far as the theory, i.e. the so-called book knowledge, is concerned: Paper doesn’t blush. And: each student interprets our written material differently, according to their own circumstances, since everyone looks back on their own, diverse experiences and builds upon them. The art lies in conveying the meaning and the hermeneutics implicit in our sentences, to enable each student to grasp the essence of it, which is the same for everyone, so they can derive actual practice and lived experience from it.

The common accusation that 'others' are to blame for one’s lack of personal development is rarely true. Indeed, it requires a lot of courage to take the first, decisive, new step, and then so much perseverance to keep on walking out into the unknown. Furthermore, a practical occupation with magic essentially requires self-responsible, quasi 'confession-free' actions with ethical and moral rules anchored in first-hand experience, not social or spiritual orthodoxy.

V. The Goal: Authenticity

Magic is about recognizing WHO and WHAT we are, i.e., what we want and can achieve in life, what potential we hold, what reflects our genuine will, our actual, innermost aspiration and goal.

It is necessary to develop this capability to be able to initiate the necessary transformation, which unveils the magical reality in the here and now. Above all, one has to learn to listen to oneself whenever one’s own 'inner voice' wishes to communicate something. In order to achieve this, it takes muse and freedom to get to know oneself, to be able to recognize oneself as a being that flows from the desire of one’s heart.

Unfortunately, there is also always the danger that our ego – at this point – uses its newly acquired magical abilities and attempts to use them for its own purposes, to abuse them. Worldly and personal temptations are vast and many! The ego belongs exclusively and always only to this material world; it is always its own advocate.

It cannot be repeated often enough: Always keep your inner authenticity, regardless of the many other opinions that try to tell you what is 'right' and what is 'wrong' in life. Dare to think and act responsibly. Have the courage to use your own 'intuitive reason.'

Sapere Aude!