One of the most useful tools in the magicians arsenal of playthings is the semi-autonomous exteriorization of his shadow self or double. This entity can be used for a wide range of purposes from simply absorbing negative energy like a protective sponge to riding herd on whatever other servitors the magician may have running up to being the vehicle by which he can affect change at a great distance. It represents our consciousness independent of our physical shell, as such it is not limited by time or space constraints. This makes it an extremely productive instrument for the magician willing to employ it.
The time required to fully empower and harness such a being is about 28 days with workings done every day for stretches ranging from 25 minutes to upwards of 2 hours (longer periods of time can be used depending on how much energy you want to pump into your Double). Additionally work can be done during lucid dreaming states.
While initial workings with the double involved, for me at least, a doll which represented the double I've found, through subsequent workings that a better device/medium is readily available. All one needs is a coherent image of oneself produced in a mirror. Meditative sessions with prolonged periods of direct eye contact (object concentration) are used to anchor the double to the mirror. The mirror should be additionally linked to the magician via blood placed on the back it s surface. The usual method being to sigilize your name on the back of the mirror, in your own blood.
While I think that with a coherent mental picture of oneself a physical base is optional when working with any kind of higher order servitor, like for example an eidolon, I personally prefer to have something easily destroyable should the critter get out of hand. Destroy the base and the energy of the thing disperses. The Lovecraftian instruction is very appropriate: "Do not summon that which you cannot put down or that which after having been summoned can summon in turn something greater than yourself."1
Empowering the double is a matter of personal taste, what I do is essentially break down the process in the following manner:
Initial construction/blood consecration. (Day 1) I draw my magical name sigilized unto the back of a roughly 3 x 3 mirror. I meditate for 25 minutes and then begin a combination of object concentration (into the mirror eyes) combined with visualizes a stream of energy flowing from my chest to the mirror images chest accompanied by this chant: MAW YU TORI NEC The entire process takes about an hour, hour and a half.
Reinforce the link and add additional power. (Day 2 7) The energy flow/chanting continues for the first week. This is to ramp up the energy of the double.
Continue to empower, add abilities. (Day 8 14) I usually spend the 2nd week of the exercises in projecting visualizations of the double using the abilities that it needs to accomplish the tasks it will be set upon. On rare occasions, if the ability is commensurate with the entire process of a task, some goals will be accomplished at this phase, this is a good sign.
Continue to empower, dry run (Day 15 21) The third week is spent visualizing the double combining the abilities it acquired in week 2 with the activities I want it to accomplish. Sometimes this will result in the thing in question coming to pass, at that point you know the double is, in fact, working. However, should it not actually accomplish anything at this point that s no big deal this is just a dry run phase.
Dream work (Day 22 28) The forth week is entirely optional and involves entering ones sleep with the intention of interacting and directing the double each and every night of the week I also have used this time to consciously control the double. Take it s place and do things with it.
Day 22 or day 29 the Double is officially deployed. I dont think I need to point out that its a good idea to have some tasks on hand to send it out to accomplish. I always have ready a prepared set of sigilized objectives. Once up and running full time the magician can also choose to reconsecrate the mirror once a month to keep the physical link fresh. Which is something I recommend doing. This bond is really important considering that the Shadow Self is the highest level of servitor the magician can employ.
Once created there are two ways to use the Shadow Self in magical workings. In the first method the double is summoned and then consciously directed during deep meditative trance states or inhabited by the magician during a lucid dreaming state. The actions you wish to accomplish are done as acts seen from a first person perspective in the minds eye. When completed the magician breaks trance or wakes.
The other way is to set the double on automatic for works in tandem with your other projects/activities. The magician summons the Shadow Self and gives it one or more instructions. These instructions can be a specific task or set of tasks. One useful technique, listed above, is to have your Double manage and deploy your servitors for specific tasks. With the Double in charge the magician no longer has to interact directly with the most basic entities he or she creates. This can save time and energy.
With using the mirror Double on automatic the magician may find it handy to set up a 2nd mirror in back of themselves slightly askew of the first in order to produce the tunnel effect of infinite regress. The double is summoned; the magician chants the sigilized objective and visualize a link between the magician and their Double. This link is the information of the sigil being transferred to the Shadow Self. It is not uncommon for a look of recognition to appear on the Doubles visage when the intention is understood.
The magician then visualizes the Shadow Self shooting off down the tunnel (which metaphorically represents a conduit to all the probable realities bordering this one). The magician then may banish and close up the temple or move onto another working. It is very likely that the magician will sense the Double returning at a later point once the task is done. This may occur as a physical sensation or during a dream. The magician has the option at this point of putting the Shadow Self to rest at this point or of deploying it on another task.
The Shadow Self is an incredibly useful and versatile higher order servitor. Its chief advantage lies in its complexity. The Double, unlike a sigil or simple servitor, has intelligence and discretionary powers. As such it can optimize the magicians desired outcome by producing precisely what he or she wants. With time and practice the magician can use this tool to accomplish a wide variety of remote objectives. It can evolve into the most useful weapon in your magical arsenal.
1The Case of Charles
Dexter Ward" H.P.
Lovecraft