In the colder regions of the earth, especially so in the area of the Polar circle around the North Pole, the elementary survival of man and animal alike, in their struggle against the most inhospitable powers of nature conceivable, certainly met with a challenge greater than anywhere else. It is no coincidence that it is amongst the tribes and peoples from the most northern regions of our planet that one finds the cradle of technologies and knowledge, the mechanisms and efficiency of which surpass all others. Their description is but one of many tasks which the book Ice Magic meets in an befitting and serious manner.
At some point in the course of the past months and years the author took the liberty of tentatively labelling all forms and contents pertaining to this topic as “Ice Magic” in his conversations and lectures. This mere title led some people to the wildest speculations and most absurd fantasies. Add to that the intermingling of only half understood information, rumours and pure conjecture, as has actually occurred, and the claim by others to understanding or explanation of the meaning of “Ice Magic” cannot but lose every base in its very conception. Hence the need for this presentation!
It seems to be the fate of well-meant improvisations aiming at a crudely simplified and easy to grasp introduction to a world of paths hitherto untraveled and possibilities never exercised, to raise many a latent fear, as well as stimulating the proverbial bias of the timid and diffident, wavering and demure towards prejudice of any kind, which serves to protect such people from reality.
There are a great number of better reasons, albeit including those mentioned above, to supply a general entree for the expert and the interested public alike to this realm of highly powerful and fascinating practices, techniques and legacies.
When taking into account its history, the term “magic”, like a blank piece of paper, is most forbearing and receptive for all sorts of conjectures – possible and impossible alike. But when it comes to the power and the skill i.e. the ability of human beings to act in a manner transgressing conventional rules and “laws of nature”, this long-suffering term should be more than apt to spell out all exactions and assertions concomitant.
Granted that the well-known formula, “Magic is the art and the science to cause change with the aid of alternate states of consciousness in conformity with will”, to take but one example, may represent a first notion when undertaking to describe the subject matter at hand. After all, it shows distinctly the insufficiency of those presumptions and tools we are forced to employ when approaching this taboo-ridden field. The recourse to psychologisms and mysticisms contained in this formula documents man’s initial difficulties when relating to magic, as he has developed a constitutional preference for suppression, evasion and compensatory conjurations when confronted with a complex world and reality.
From its very inception, the permanent presence of paramount forces of nature which man’s claim to life has to face in the polar region, disavows any refuge to tests of endurance, training, exercises or even vacant space for trial and error, for experimentation and even instruction in the conventional sense. With winter temperatures ranging from -45øC to -70øC (minus 49øF to minus 94øF) for four to six months in the year, intensified by wind speeds Beaufort 3 to 11, accompanied by an extremely low humidity and a minimum of 3 sunless months per year, the small remaining span of time can leave but scarce and far too little scope for the growth and bloom of survival resources.
Obviously, such unsurmountable and merciless circumstances attendant to sheer human existence in theses climes demand unexampled qualities of the development and exertion of man’s magic. Thus, a magic elementary, innovative and consequently highly intelligent, becomes the most obvious and self-evident requirement. Its main characteristics are sobriety and efficacy, for the conditions of its evolution and practical circumstances leave no scope for games, sentiments or the temporary decline into a bland consumer’s attitude. Therefore, an improvised formula within this context could read: “Magic is the art of being able to do without aid, embellishment and conditions in the course of achieving to one’s interests.”
It is only logical that translating such a clear-cut, uncompromising craft and the highly sophisticated and most sensitive of sciences inseparably linked with it, into our comparably soporific social environment with all its pretensions, complexes and diversions, in a teachable form must meet with considerable difficulties. Certainly, this magic is more practicable and efficient than everything else. But it is for this very reason that it also invokes fear and disconcert within those souls orientated towards ready consumption and essentially content with the current status quo.
The book, “Ice Magic,” finally clears the path towards a practical and theoretical introduction to this demanding magical art which subscribes to efficacy alone. It makes itself available for understanding, examination and personal practice by well-defined laboratoria, a reasonable processing of experiences, stories and traditions and last but not least by the systematical examples corresponding to this magic, of its transposition into our cultural and environmental realms.
To take one example: the author’s instructed attempt to employ the ambit of a different and consequently redirected bio-organization with the objective of mastering enormous difficulties by traversing the limitations and contingencies/ possibilities of a bird, left him with the distinct impression of actually having been a certain bird. In accordance with his possessive bents, the question became unavoidable, whether he could not become a bird for a longer, yet limited period of time (and thus, surely, even more tangibly). However, the reply was prompt to come: “Are you really willing to trade your possibilities and your point of departure now?” Faced with the clearly outlined experience and the most tightly tautened contrast he realized immediately that this was not his pursuit. The ensuing question, whether he would now easily be able to overcome those tremendous difficulties which claimed and restricted his cardinal attention and to leave them behind, placed no demand on confirmation. He knew.
It is owing to his preoccupation with Ice Magic and its bearers that the author has primarily attained to a freedom of individual, untrammeled and socially uninterlaced uninhibitedness only truly developable now. He understands this uninhibitedness as a consequence and a presupposition of that vast field of magical skill which, however, commonly hides itself behind the horizon of conventional magical hopes and efforts. It is only the preeminence of individual emancipation and the fulfilment of desires which, to his present knowledge, grant those premises free of stricture and retroaction, to share abilities, knowledge and power with others and to push them far beyond their limits. However, he is certain that it is only on the basis of individual acceptance that the way is clear towards alliances however limited and temporary, but reliable. Assiduous friendships will then be no longer the product and object of wishing and pure expectation but rather a growing, logically established chance and possibility.
The spirit carrying and stimulating ice magical practice in its most considerate and freedom-loving manner may be best described by the following small anecdote.
Dating back to the turn of the century and before, several attempts were made to settle the tribes of the Lapps (Samer) by offering them land, obviously with the goal of integrating them into the predominant social order and to make them as governable and controllable as everyone else. Without being clearly aware of the social and political dimensions and impact of these settlement designs, it was a Samer himself who succintly pointed towards the enslavement and hazards entailed with these offers of settling down. The proposal to settle him and his clan permanently along with dwellings, farmsteads and agriculture, while taking into account their traditional way of life by guaranteeing that, following their former life of unrestricted and unentangled moving about, their future homesteads should keep a minimum distance to the next settlement or any neighbouring houses of at least 5 kilometre (3.25 miles), met with his spontaneous and apprehensive comment. “How,” so he demanded of the people in charge, “can one expect human beings to live in such close vicinity with others?”
Finally, an ice magical manifesto can be introduced along with the book, whose sole design is to provide encouragement and suggestions for those people who relate to the pursuit of freedom, expertise and growth in magic to organize, or, at the very least, emancipate themselves for the furtherment of their individual research without the jeopardies involved in the aberrations and derangements of power politics – and without therefore sooner or later being fettered hand, foot, soul and spirit only to be thrown back consequently in their quest. The ice magical manifesto will show real and feasible possibilities of manifesting this spirit, provided appropriate interest is given.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
The complete book in German has been published already.
Whether “Ice Magic” will be published in English (certainly not an easy task for any translator) will depend on sufficient public interest.
Thus, anyone interested in an English language edition is kindly requested to notify the publishers and will receive notice from them as soon as this project may manifest in a tangible form. The publishers’ address is as follows:
Edition Magus
im Verlag Ralph Tegtmeier
P.O.Box 1245
D-53896 Bad Muenstereifel
Germany
Phone: (02253) 8293
Fax: +49 2253 6129
(c) copyright 1994 by Edition Magus im Verlag Ralph Tegtmeier.
All rights reserved.
This file may be distributed freely (not sold) WITHOUT ALTERATIONS on CIS and other electronic bulletin board systems. For printing media rights please inquire with the author at the above address.
Image credit: Photophilde
