Dear David, >> I'm not clear on how focusing on emptiness and ignoring surface thoughts is different in principle from focusing on an external object and ignoring surface thoughts. << The emptiness is within your own mind. When you focus upon the emptiness of your own mind, your entire mind is engaged. >> If I achieve a desired goal, but in doing so have employed multiple methods of which eucharistic magic is only one, how can I be sure that I've achieved the basic level of competence? << That's one question you'll have to figure out for yourself. :) >> Is EM a supplementary technique like autosuggestion? << Yes and no. It is used to supplement the character transformation work in the same way that auto-suggestion is but it is also the foundation from more advanced techniques such as later work with the Akasha and "mummial" magic. >> Sorry for making your last month so busy, Rawn. :) << ;-) I'll survive. I may need a looooong vacation though! ;-) My best to you, :) Rawn Clark 26 Apr 2005 rawnclark@... rawn@... http://www.ABardonCompanion.com http://E.webring.com/hub?ring=arionthebardonwe