Gateworking

[jarandhel]

Yeah, so, some of you may have heard already but I've volunteered to do a workshop at Thresholds on the Balon Matrix (specifically focusing on otherkin uses and mutations of it). One of the big ones that I know it can be used for is gateworking. I have some experience in that realm, more than enough to pull something off, but I'd like to expand my knowledge-base a bit before doing so in a workshop setting. So... ideas/techniques/theories of gateworking anyone feels like sharing? I have my own ideas, and I'm mining the lists for more info, but I'd really love it if we could get a decent discussion going here to help me prepare for the workshop.

Comments

[dogemperor.livejournal.com]

I've not had much experience with *conventional* gateworking, or really what most would define as gateworking proper, but bounced you a few bits in email on how I tend to do the "sliding across realms" sorts of stuff that may give some inspiration.

[shimizu-system.livejournal.com]

Gateworking huh? Well now that's interesting. I'm guessing you already know a good deal of what we know and have done (without a matrix obviously), but I'm definitely available to talk shop some more on details, as far as we're aware of them. (ANd of course I wanna hear what you've got in mind. *g*)

Fei

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Off the top of my head, I'm blanking on any mention of gates from you guys at the moment... refresh my memory? Was it stuff from the elves in there? *might half-way remember, but it's fuzzy...*

I've seen the Matrixes used for a form of gatework before... setting up an area where the energies of both worlds overlap. This is also standard practice for gatework that doesn't involve Matrixes too, and a variety of techniques are used to keep the field stable. That's pretty much the best that can be managed with gatework on this world, so far. I'm hoping more information will help boost the effect.

[shimizu-system.livejournal.com]

...that was supposed to be a reply to the main thread, sorry. Early morning, bad concentration. *g*
But Fer, it'd be interesting to compare some things with you too, really. Especially since you come off as if you know what you're doing. *g*

Fei

[dogemperor.livejournal.com]

It's all good--we figured it was meant for Jarin :D

As for my notes--I can bounce 'em to you if you wish. I'm just hesitant to term what I do gatework per se, unless you consider "hopping through the Dreaming to elsewhere/elsewhen" and "pulling myself to somewhere that I know the scent/"astral scent" of someone or somewhere familiar" to be gatework :D (Not to say I can't sense when an area between, say, waking-world and Dreaming is "thinner" than normal, but again, it's not *quite* what most people think of with gate stuff. One of the disadvantages of being almost entirely self-taught with this stuff... :D)

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

I'm working on replying to that currently. Though we could bring it here, if you'd be ok with that, and get some broader input on the matter...

[dogemperor.livejournal.com]

I'm all good with that :3 (sorry, last comment was me, I forgot to log in, I is doofus. :3

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

No problem. :) You want to post it, or should I?

[dogemperor.livejournal.com]

If you want to post it, feel free :3 (Save me a bit of time :3)

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Will do. :)

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Ok, this is your message to me on Gateworking:

Gateworking is not something I can really claim to be an expert in (in part because at least when I've done gates I've never done them *consciously*, and generally going "between worlds" the closest thing I have typically used to gates is the Dreaming itself), but I'll throw some stuff out in the hope it'll give you some inspiration. :3

As for gates--generally the way I have typically "felt" them working is either making the boundary between two areas thin enough to pass across more easily (faery kaerns seem to work like this--things are "thinner", for want of a better term, like a thinner bit of paper as opposed to thick cardboard) or connecting two worlds together that normally would not meet in such a direct manner (I *think* the gates in Brightmoon may have worked in this manner). Babylon matrixes (at least as you've described them) would work well for the first, possibly for the second, but as I have very little experience with the second variety (and none in their making) it's hard for me to say for sure. (This is, I will admit, quite possibly something where windigowak are a little weird. Pretty much every windigo I've ever met can do this, but it's not so easy for other beings to pretty much *will* themselves somewhere or hone in to an area and "jump" based on the scent/"feel" of something familiar.)

When I've gone "Dreaming-walking" and either intentionally or accidentially ended up elsewhere/elsewhen, generally I go to Dreaming (the dream-realm) and then to wherever I'm going to. You might consider it an unconventional gate; the mental image I have of it is more similar to a "meetpoint" or (to borrow from a sci-fi parallel that may be more familiar than C.J. Cherryh's Chanur novels) the various sectors on Babylon 5 (eventually leading to different "home sectors"). Like you can go from here to Dreaming, and Dreaming to elsewhere, it's a convenient shortcut. Just kinda hard to punch through physically. A good parallel would be with "timethreads" but only in space/dimensionally, so to speak. (Basically a different axis.) Sometimes the ways between Dreaming and a realm are a little unconventional and not what you'd think of as a traditional gate per se (more than once I've essentially ridden tornados/"changewinds" between realms, including a few times on a spirit journey; you could see them as unconventional "gates" in that they transported between realms).

One possibility you may think on--possibly a gate in the sense of thinning borders between waking-world and Dreaming (of course you'll want to make sure nothing nasty could come across, but I'll trust your judgement in that). I do think there would be a good chance of being able to pull it off, the main thing is to concentrate on thinning things and to pull the worlds together, you may wish to explicitly call on Mother Earth and Father Sky in this as well.
-fer (who hopes I'm not being too rambly, just going, erm, semi-automatic typing and not so good at English whilst in stream-of-thought mode :3)

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

I do not know if what I do is gateworking or not. For what I need, it seems to work very well.

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Heh, you and Jason are two of the people I wanted to hear from the most on this subject. While your techniques may not be identical to "traditional" gateworking, they're almost certainly in the same family of work.

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

I could post it here if you like, or we could correspond via e-mail. Which would you prefer for this?

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Either's good for me. Whatever you'd be more comfortable with.

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

The gate-working that I do is not (as yet) for the purpose of travel of any sort, but to gain access to a source of power to augment my own reserves. Looking at the structure of Space as a three-dimensional fabric, it is possible to poke at the open space between the threads and push the components apart to create a hole. That which is 'on the other side' of the hole can be pulled through and utilized.

In truth, I do not know what It is, but from my perspective, it seems to be that which underlies both Space and Time as aspects of the universe - it seems to make up parts of both, and ties them together. I will say that one can send servitors through such portals and tell them where to go and what to do once they get there. It is my experience that opening a small porthole to the Other Side and pushing something through it requires having a destination in mind, and whatever goes through winds up where it needs to be, when it needs to be.

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

*nods* I do something similar... relying on the fact that in an infinite number of universe, you can find an infinite number of universes that match any given set of parameters, it's possible to home in on a universe or set of universes that consist entirely of a pure form of any given type of energy; a universe that may even be the metaphysical "source" of such energy in our universe, like the concept of an elemental plane of fire that all fires in this universe are aspects of. Those universes make great power sources, though I tend to go for forms of energy that are a bit more esoteric than just the four greek elements. Like the stuff I charged that one crystal I gave you with.

What you're describing sounds like aspects of the Void. I use that almost exactly the way that it is used in the Doctor Who tv show, if you'll recall the voidship that travelled between the parallel worlds. I suspect consciousness interacts with the Void, which is probably a big part of how space and time as we know them were created, and is also the reason why having a destination in mind is sufficient to find it. The void itself responding to thought, to will. I halfway suspect that if the destination you had in mind didn't already exist in the infinite worlds, it would after you thought of it.

Also, as I see it, the Void is one realm that borders on pretty much all dimensions, but it's not the only one. I think Dreaming/Dreamtime is another. There are others, too, ones I don't even have names for. I think it depends on how you're pushing apart the threads that make up space-time as we know it. I'd say a different direction, cutting along a different grain, but that's purely a metaphor.

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

Energy appears to seep from place to place outside of the usually accepted boundries of the universe; it might leak out of one and into another, if the opportunity is there. I personally do not do much with the aristotelian elements - the system never really clicked with me, even though I study it. It is too divided for my tastes.

I tend to think of it as Time itself - the place backstage, as it were. The place 'backstage' does seem to interact with consciousness, however: I do not yet understand how to exactly communicate with it, but it is responsive enough to react to detailed conceptual commands.

It would not surprise me if there were others bordering on what is currently accepted as reality, though I do not know if accessing them would require different sorts of manipulation.

[waterfire741.livejournal.com]

Personally, I have to do a bit more research on exactly what the Babalon Matrix is before I try to mess with it too much; nothing quite like overcharging something and ripping open a few dimensions (Laugh)

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

You say that like it'd be a bad thing. ;-)

[waterfire741.livejournal.com]

no, it ain't, I just don't wanna do it w/out KNOWING that's what I'm doing.

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Heh, well this is a thread on gateworking with the Matrix... ;-)

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

They are a wonderful power source!

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

Just imagine, at Thresholds there will hopefully be three active matrixes, probably at the Fairy Cairn. Think of the possibilities.

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

I really need to learn to construct one of my own.

Or I should finish my design for the ultra-portable generator I have on the drawing board and bring it with me. Now, where did my casting resin go...?

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

You have the notes and pictures we made on the physical construction, right? After that, the energetic aspect isn't that hard. I'll probably be going into the details of how I've made my prototype at the workshop, in case others want to try their hand at it.

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

I do still have them, yes. I do not recall where they are, but I have recall of a goodly amount of the information.

Okay.

[jarandhel.livejournal.com]

If there's anything you can't recall, or you need another copy, or you just want to bounce some ideas off me, feel free anytime. :)