Thoughtforms: Creating Magical Beings

Join Julian Vayne for a three-part livestream workshop exploring the thoughtform – a being or presence brought into existence through imagination, intention, emotion and focused attention.

The thoughtform is one of magic's most compelling ideas: the notion that a being can be deliberately created through the mind and sustained through relationship with its creator. This workshop traces that idea across traditions – from Tibetan tulpas and spirit familiars, through Theosophy and ceremonial magic, to the modern chaos magic concept of the servitor. Alongside this history, these three sessions take an experimental and experiential approach, exploring thoughtforms as spirits, independent entities, psychological constructs, or products of the imagination – and leaving room for all of these readings to coexist.

Meet your tutor, Julian Vayne

Julian Vayne is an independent scholar and author with over four decades of experience within esoteric culture, spanning Druidry, Chaos Magic, indigenous Shamanism, Freemasonry and Witchcraft, and a senior member of the Magical Pact of the Illuminates of Thanateros. He is the author of numerous books on magical practice, and his teaching has taken him into universities as well as esoteric communities worldwide. His style is highly collaborative, emphasising curiosity, collaboration and creativity, drawing on chaos magic, deep ecology and lineages within Wicca and Tantra.

What to expect

This is an interactive workshop combining guided visualisations, group discussion and practical exercises. Across three sessions, you'll move from history and theory into direct experimentation, culminating in the creation of your own thoughtform. No particular belief about the nature of thoughtforms is required – curiosity and a willingness to experiment are enough.

This 3-part online workshop includes:

• The history and development of thoughtforms across magical traditions
• How imagination, emotion, belief and intention combine to create and develop a magical being
• How to give a thoughtform a name, appearance, character, purpose and boundaries
• How to establish an ongoing relationship with a thoughtform and explore its effects
• How to deactivate, transform or dissolve a thoughtform once its work is complete

Who is this workshop for:

• Anyone curious about the history and practice of magical creation
• Practitioners wanting to deepen their experiential magical work
• Those interested in the psychology and philosophy of belief and imagination
• Students of Theosophy, ceremonial magic or chaos magic
• Beginners and experienced practitioners alike – no prior belief or experience required, just curiosity

Book your place now and discover what you can bring into being.

Live online with replay

This workshop will be recorded. You will find the recording link in your College Account within two working days from the event - an email will alert you when it is ready. This recording will be available for replay for three months following the event. Please see our terms for more information.

Previous participants say:

"Julian Vayne is a great teacher. Hopefully, there will be more courses with him. Perhaps one on Sigils and Servitors on its own, I genuinely loved the course and his teaching."

"I learn so much from Julian Vayne. His presentations on various topics are always thoughtful and carefully organized. The last meditation section in each of his classes is always a delight."

"Julian Vayne is a warm, engaging and knowledgeable tutor. Each session was well structured, consisting of a theoretical presentation followed by a short comfort break and a guided meditation. I found the presentations particularly informative and professional, with clear explanations and thoughtfully prepared slides. The meditations complemented the lectures well and provided an opportunity to explore the material through direct experience."

"This was a thoughtful, well-presented and enjoyable course that provided both practical experiences and valuable theoretical background. Highly recommended!"