Usage of the Two Powers in Magical Workings
by Rev. Derek Wrigley, ADF
“The sorceress begins the chanting of strange words of power. In the air before her she begins the hand and finger motions. There is a crackle of power in the air and a nimbus of strangely colored light forms about her hands, head, and body. Wisps of magical power rise from the nimbus. It’s colors grow stronger, it’s radius greater with each passing moment, word, and motion. Then suddenly when the power is at its peak, she makes a final pointing gesture, and brilliant colored energy leaves her finger to engulf the target… “
This image of the wielder of magic is ubiquitous in Hollywood today. We see it again and again. Yet with many myths and stories there is a grain of truth of such seemingly fantastical things. Though Hollywood exaggerates the truth, there is in fact an “energy” that one can learn to make use of for spell work and a verity of magical purpose. Two of them, in fact. In ADF we call these simply “The Two Powers.”
A brief introduction of the Two Powers is given in the book “Our Own Druidry” on pages 26- 27. Later on pages 95-96 there is directions on how to begin to work with the Two Powers, pulling the Two Powers into the three “Cauldrons” of the body. In this article I hope to teach how to first begin to increase the amount of the Two Powers one can have at their disposal, and secondly how to use the Two Powers to energize and empower spell work.
Before we go further I want to share how energy work fits into my spell work in the big picture. I divide my spells into three major component groups. These are: 1) material components such as herbs, candles, colors, crystals, etc., 2) Energetic component – the Two Powers, and 3) The Divine component – that is the aid and blessings of the Gods, Spirits, and/or Ancestors to help empower the spell and is seen in the form of prayers and offerings and the return flow of the blessing. A spell can be performed with just any one of these components. However, it has been my experience that in the most powerful, and in order to greatly increase the success rate of my spells, all three components are used. In this article we are focusing in on the second component of energy work in a modern Druidic context.
So what are the Two Powers? In plain language the Two Powers are the basic spiritual energy building blocks of the universe. They are present in all things both physical and spiritual. This concept is not isolated only to ADF. It can be seen the world over in a number of cultures. The Chinese Taoists called it Chi and divided it into Yin and Yang. In India it is known as Prana. Greek it’s pneuma, in Polynesian mana, and in Hebrew ruah. Often it is simply referred to as “life energy.” The Two Powers and the three Cauldrons (which we’ll discuss next) are a modern inspiration of ADF Druidry. We have little to no support for such a concept existing to the ancient Druids or other Indo-European cultures. However, we can find in many of the Indo-European based cultures creation myths where the image of fire and water are that from which all creation springs. It’s perhaps most beautifully seen in the Norse creation story. Here we are told of a great void called Ginnungagap. On one side of the void was a realm of fire. On the other, a realm of ice. It is in the void where powers of fire and ice (water) meet that we begin to see creation happen. Thus we have the Two Powers.
The Three Cauldrons
We need now to discuss the idea of three Cauldrons in the body. This also is a modern inspiration, however it comes from 7th century Irish poet who composed a poem about an Irish wisdom teaching. The writing is called “The Cauldron of Poesy.” This text describes how sacred poetry is developed in three internals, where each Cauldron is located and how they are developed. This then is the inspiration to the idea of having three Cauldrons within our bodies that work as power centers of the Two Powers. We can “fill” each Cauldron with the Two Powers. The first Cauldron is located in the lower abdomen. It is associated with our overall physical health. The second Cauldron is the in the chest and is associated with our emotions. The third Cauldron lies in the head and has to do with divine inspiration and wisdom. We will be using this idea of Cauldrons to help us gather and build up the Two Powers energy we want to use in our magical workings.
Training to use the Two Powers
Now that we have some basics it’s time to begin learning to use the Two Powers for a magical purpose. The first step is to begin by following the visualization and meditation given in “Our Own Druidry” pages 95-96. The individual script with a recording can also be found on the ADF site here. It is my recommendation that the serious practitioner do this meditation daily for about a year just as it is written in “Our Own Druidry” before moving on. It’s very important that they be able to feel the energy of the Two Powers and the three Cauldrons within their bodies before they will be able to successfully make use of the energy for further magical works.
The next training we will begin learning to expand our Cauldrons and build up the amount of Two Powers we have within us. At this point one’s mental discipline and ability to stay focused on what is going on internally becomes critically important. If one’s mind wanders off focus much of the energy raised will be lost.
To begin we follow the same basic exercise as given in “Our Own Druidry,” however the difference will be that we are NOT going to allow the powers to recede. With each breath we will continue to fill our Cauldrons with the powers. This is where the mental discipline comes in. If your mind wanders, much of the built up energy will be lost for that session. Continue to build up the energy in the Cauldrons. This is much like a body builder. Over time they can lift more and more weight as their muscles strengthen and develop. So too it is with one’s ability to gather and hold the energy of the Two Powers. When you have reached the point where you are starting to lose your ability to stay focused, or feel that you cannot hold any more of the Two Powers it’s time to let it go, but through the hands. Bring your hands up in front of you, palms up facing the sky. Take another deep breath and on the exhale with your will force the excess Two Powers to flow down your arms to the palm of your hands and out of your body. It helps to include visualization with this exercise and “see” the Two Powers flowing out. I also feel the energy flowing to my hands and out. Take care not to exhaust your Cauldrons completely. We only want to release the excess build up of energy. When you feel your Cauldrons have “normalized”, go ahead and close your hands into fists, and with your will withdraw the flow of energy back to the center of your being and the three Cauldrons and end your meditation. Continue this practice as often as you can until you sense your ability to hold the Two Powers growing and can manage the willing of energy out the palms of your hands with ease.
The next step is to learn to keep up the flow of the Two Powers out from your hands without depleting your Cauldrons. As always, we begin with the basic meditation given in “Our Own Druidry.” As we did before, build up your stores of the Two Powers and begin to project the excess powers out the palms of the hands. To continue the flow indefinitely, with each long slow inhale, using your will, simultaneously draw in the underworld power through your feet or perineum (depending if you’re standing or sitting) and the upperworld power through the top of the head. Draw them in strongly. As you exhale, with your will, channel the freshly brought-in-energies down the arms and out the hands. With practice, just as with the previous steps, this will become easier and easier. In this way, one can potentially keep up a flow of energy for an extended period of time as necessary for certain magical workings, such as energy healings or charging of items.
At this point the practitioner should be able to use the Two Powers to charge any item they can physically hold such as a crystal, sigil, amulet, etc. Also it is at this point that the Two Powers can be used to aid in the Core Order of Ritual portion of opening the gates. Simply bring the Two Powers down into the hands and make some sort of opening gesture such as a spiral, circle or opening of door motion. The same is done when closing the gates. Additionally, the Two Powers can now be called upon for energetic healing purposes. Using the Two Powers for healing could be another article in itself, but the basics can be covered here. Simply bring the Two Powers into the hands, keeping the hands about 4 inches off the body, sweep from head to feet, clearing away congestion and “patching” up any holes in the person’s aura. This can be followed up with a gentle “laying on of hands” on the injured or sick part of the body, allowing the Two Powers to flow into the other person.
Projecting the Two Powers
The next and final stage of training builds off the previous step. Here we are going to work on learning to project the Two Powers over a short distance and into other parts of our bodies for effect.
Step 1
We begin much as we have with the meditation and the drawing in of the Two Powers. Just as before we are going to channel the energies down to our hands and palms. Once you have the flow going, bring your palms facing one another, slowly bring them together until you feel a slight resistance or can sense the energy of powers of each hand coming together. Stop here and just feel the energy for a bit. Now, with your will project some of the energy at each palm. Keeping the palms facing each other, begin to move the hands around as if to shape the energy into a ball. Play with this for a while. When done, stop the flow of energy with your will, and toss the ball into the floor/earth, or up to the sky. Practice this exercise regularly until you feel you have it down with a good sense of the energy ball being created. One application of this energy ball is to fill it with healing energy, and then with your will and intention send it to someone in need by tossing it “in their direction.” I like to visualize the energy ball being shaped into that of a bird and then telling it to whom I am sending it, and tossing it up into the air.
Step 2
The next step in learning to project the Two Powers energy will require a “target.” Most any non-living thing of natural material will work. I recommend a quartz crystal as it can become charged for other uses and allows one to practice this technique. Setting up your “target” begin your Two Powers meditation, as before channel the energy down to the palms. When you feel you have a good flow going, point the palm of your hand at your “target” and with your will, breath, and visualization project the energy at the target. Practice this for as long as necessary until you feel you are able to do it. Feel free to play with this projection of energy by projecting it not only from your palm, but from a finger, or two fingers. Try opening the hand up and projecting the energy through all the fingers at once. Pay attention to how different each hand position feels. With practice you will be able to charge items from a short distance away. This can be useful for a number of situations not the least of which is group energy work where each practitioner is projecting their energy on one “target.”
Magical Tools and the Two Powers
At the point of being able to project the Two Powers one can begin to make use of various tools to enhance and change how the Two Powers are projected.
Wands and Staves
How a wand or staff affects the flow of the Two Powers has to do with the design of the tool. Most wands and staves will cause a focusing of the projected Two Powers to a laser like stream. This can greatly increase the penetration of the energy on a “target” as well as the distance away one can project. Adding different crystal shapes and types to the wand or staff will again effect and change how the energy behaves.
Crystals
The use of combining crystals and the Two Powers really deserves an entire article unto itself, but I will touch on a few basics here. The type of crystal and the shape of crystal will affect the way the Two Powers flow. For example a Quartz point will amplify and focus the Two Powers (think laser beam), whereas, a Quartz ball will amplify but cause the Two-Powers to flow like light from a light bulb affecting a whole area.
I encourage the reader to study many of the texts already produced that discuss the metaphysical qualities of different stones to get an understanding of how a particular type of stone will affect the nature of the power being projected.
Magical Applications
Runes and sigils
The Two Powers also work well with Rune based magic and sigils. Simply charging the drawn or crafted rune or sigil will add greatly to its power and potency both for magical applications associated with the Rune and for divination. I have also found that by channeling the Two Powers into a fingertip and drawing the shape of a Rune, Ogham, or Sigil in the air to be an effective form of magical work. Better still this type of magical working can be performed anywhere without any other tools then one’s self.
Voice
The Two Powers can be trained to be brought up into the voice when one speaks, thus helping to empower prayers and verbal spell components. Work within ADF’s Order of Bardic Alchemy focuses on this blending of magic and bardic arts.
Healing
I have mentioned several time already that the Two Powers are excellent for use in energetic healing.
Spirit Arte
I have also found the Two Powers useful in working with spiritual beings, particularly with Nature spirits. When beginning to deal with such beings I have discovered that by first building up the amount of Two Powers within me, and getting a good flow going, can aid in first getting the spirits attention and secondly as an indicator that you are not one to be trifled with and to be taken seriously. This however is not a license to try to bully a spirit or brow beat them. First impressions will only get one so far and too much “puffing up” will likely bite the Druid in the butt in the end.
In Conclusion
With patience and discipline anyone can learn to make use of the Two Powers for magical work. Though the work is not always easy, the benefits are many and I have found it a cornerstone to my magical practice over the years. I have shared a way to learn to build up the Two-Powers, how to learn to make use of that power, and just a few examples of how that power might be employed magically. What I cannot teach is how to use this power ethically, that I fear is entirely up to the reader, though it is my hope that those who read this will only make proper use of this knowledge; choose wisely. It is also my hope that you have found this article helpful, and I encourage those who master this work to experiment with the Two Powers forging other uses that I have not even discovered yet, and to share them with those Druids of ADF who are magically inclined.
