Now that I have participated in the NLP Magick course, the Universe edition, by Licensed NLP Master Trainer™ Kate Benson I can finally answer the most asked question: what is the difference between the Universe and the Magician? Or to be more precise: what is the difference between the Universe edition and the Magician edition of the NLP Magick training?
Before I answer that question let me first stress the similarities. Both editions share the same NLP Magick point of view on reality, spirituality and magick. To be more concrete: Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is only about subjective experience. So NLP Magick is only about the subjective experience of spirituality and magick rather than what is real. Furthermore NLP Magick follows the four forms of spirituality of Subjective Bayesianism where spiritual and magickal experiences are at best a highly likely personal and subjective chance.
Both editions are based primarily on the speculative Kabbalah of Abraham Abulafia, a 13th century mystic, and his more modern predecessors. Both editions make heavily use of the Tree of Life as a model of how to structure spirituality and magickal experiences. Both editions work intensively with hypnosis and NLP in order to make magickal and spiritual experiences easier, more accessible and fun. Both editions use the same NLP Magick system of initiations. Both editions take six days where the first three days are more preparatory and the last three days are more initiatory.
Besides all these similarities the two NLP Magick editions are completely different training programmes. There is almost no overlap whatsoever. Although each programme is a complete stand alone training a lot of care has been take to make sure that it is very worthwhile to participate in both NLP Magick training programmes.
Here are the major differences between these two programmes:
Microcosmos versus Macrocosmos
We spent a lot of time coming up with suitable names for the two editions that both make clear that these training programmes are about the same subject matter while at the same time also make it clear that there are significant differences. The major difference is that NLP Magick, the Magician, is more about the Microcosmos whereas NLP Magick, the Universe, is more about the Macrocosmos. One of the magickal presuppositions is “as above, so below” which means that the Macrocosmos has the same structure, or map as we would say in NLP, as the Microcosmos. Uniting the Microcosmos with the Macrocosmos is the object of almost all spiritual, mystical or magickal systems. Uniting the Microcosmos and the Macrocosmos is also the objective of the NLP Magick system.
Having said that there are still two different ways of achieving this union. Either you start out with the Microcosmos and work your way up to the Macrocosmos which is the path we take with the Magician programme. Or you start with the Macrocosmos and work your way down to the level of the Microcosmos which is the way of the Universe programme. The two editions are named as the are because the tarot card the Magician symbolizes the Microcosmos and the tarot card the Universe symbolizes the Macrocosmos. They are the alpha and omega of NLP Magick.
Procedure or options
Within NLP we have metaprograms which are brain filters that decrease the amount of data our mind has to process. One of these metaprograms is called “Procedures or Options”. Some people filter out options and look for procedures. While other people want options and avoid procedures.
This difference between options and procedures is also reflected in NLP training programmes of the highest quality. The NLP Practitioner programme is more procedural as following instructions and procedures are the best way to get acquainted with the field of NLP. Whereas the NLP Master Practitioner is more optional in the sense that here you learn how to use NLP creatively.
The same differentiation applies to the two editions of NLP Magick. The Magician is more like the NLP Practitioner and hence is more procedural following the old, traditional magickal rituals of the past centuries. The Universe is more like a great NLP Master Practitioner and hence it is more optional where you learn how to create your own magickal rituals and use more of your own creativity. Nevertheless, by an ironic twist of fate the NLP Master Practitioner is a prerequisite for the Magician while you are already welcome to participate in the Universe edition when you are a NLP Practitioner.
One area where you see this difference most clearly in the two editions of NLP Magick is that in the Magician we work with the traditional Tree of Life as proscribed by the ancients. Whereas in the Universe edition the associations of the Tree of Life are interpreted creatively and personally.
Nothingness or oneness
Many spiritual and magickal systems work towards oneness or at least have a viewpoint that all is one. Most spiritual and magickal systems are referenced and taught about in both NLP Magick programmes. The difference is that in the Universe edition we work more towards experiencing a sense of oneness whereas in the Magician edition we work more towards experiencing nothingness.
Masculine or feminine
The motivation to create two similar yet different versions of the NLP Magick lies in that the energy of the original NLP Magick training by Licensed NLP Master Trainer™ Joost van der Leij felt to most participants quite masculine. That observation is quite astute as the means of the Magician edition is the primarily male versions of old magickal rituals. Of course energy is hard to describe (which by the way is one of the topics of NLP Magick, the Universe). Nevertheless the Universe edition is more feminine. Not only because of the large difference in training style between Kate and Joost, but also because of differences between the source of the material that is being taught. Joost is part of the masculine magickal tradition whereas Kate is part of the feminine tradition.
While both editions borrow heavily from the works of Aleister Crowley, the other major source for the Magician is Eliphas Levi, a man, and for the Universe madame Blavatsky who was a woman.
Astral or Sephirah
Traditionally within magick a distinction is made between the astral plane and the sephirah. The sephirah are the ten spiritual spheres that form the Tree of Life. Magickal working takes places either on the astral plane or in one of the ten sephirah. In general we work in the astral plane when invoking and evoking. As these are activities more tied to the Microcosmos this is done in NLP Magick, the Magician. The union between the higher and the self is done in the sephirah which we do in NLP Magick, the Universe.
Individual trances or group trances
The final difference is that NLP Magick, the Magician focuses more on individual trance where you work one-on-one with each other to help each other have wonderful spiritual and magickal experiences. In the Universe the focus is more on group trances where Licensed NLP Master Trainer™ Kate Benson guides you towards wonderful spiritual and magickal experiences. Moreover in the Universe there is at least one ritual where you connect with the whole group together and build a shared experience of magick through hypnosis.
How to sign up
When you are ready to sign up, you can sign up through the form below. Or when you first want to know more about all the (logistical) details of each course, we have a full description of NLP Magick, the Universe and a full description of NLP Magick, the Magician. When you sign up for both programmes at the same time you get a 50% discount on the second programme. To participate in the NLP Magick, the Magician you need to be a NLP Master Practitioner. To participate in the NLP Magick, the Universe you need to be a Society of NLP Practitioner. If you are not a NLP Practitioner it is highly recommended that you do the Spiritual NLP Practitioner.
To sign up please fill in the form below: