1) You've emphasized the role of effort and will in magical training, but you've also said that forcing the imagination is a bad idea. I find that my imagination tries to thwart me when I push it in a certain way during ritual, and that sometimes simply naming the forces I want to imagine and letting the astral take shape works better, although there are usually some features of the astral forms and processes (invocation, banishing) I perceive as imperfect. How much imperfection should one tolerate?

2) I have an SOP/meditation/divination practice and invoke the planetary deity of the day and some others. I don't know where to go from here as I am not sure whether I find the comprehensive systems of ceremonial magic available to me appealing. Yet I've enjoyed seeing my life get really stirred up and then begin settling into a shape a lot more to my liking since starting practice last December. Need I worry about a plateau if I don't work my way through a system?