Magic

So what is magic, and how can I justify my belief and use of it? Sounds like a good question to me, and this page is my answer. Naturally all this is my beliefs, but in personal terms my experience seems to support my theories.

The Nature of Things

Firstly, it's my belief that as humans, we are all spiritual beings having a physical experience, not vice versa. This has several implications.

Firstly, it means that we are all more than we seem, even to ourselves. Secondly it implies existance outside a physical plane. Lastly, it also implies that at some level not immediately apparent to us, we are all connected. It's this connection that makes magic happen.

While for the most part the physical world run fairly consistently, it still has a an underlying basis in chaos and chance. It's the spiritual world which can influence the way that chance and chaos can run. Being connected to the spirit, to one's soul, provides an avenue for that influence to happen.

When I talk about Gods and Goddesses, I refer to three things:

 

• The personification of certain qualities that exists or is implied in the universe (and/or humanity);
• That aspect of the divine that exists within myself; and
• That part of myself that is connected (but seperate) to that which is outside of myself.

All these has to do with connection with parts of myself, and of a greater whole. That fact that I'm connected is what enables communication between myself and the greater whole, and it's this which allows magic to happen. Magic is the application of desire through means other than the immediate or apparent. The three dimensions to magic are concentration, visualisation, and willpower.

Concentration

Concentration determines how clear the path of communication to the divine will be. Lose concentration, get distracted by material things or events too much, and you lose that connection. Magic rituals are used mainly because they provide easier ways of concentrating. Rhyming spells are the same, easy to remember.

Visualisation

Visualisation refers to being able to picture in your minds eye what it is you want. The clearer and longer you maintain that image, the closer the outcome will be to match it. Have a vague idea of what it is you want, and you'll get vague results.

Determination

Determination reflects the ammount of faith or doubt that you have in yourself/the universe/the divine -- how much willpower you have to get the object of your desire. Whenever you set about desiring something, the universe finds ways of testing that desire, to see if your were "really serious" about what you wanted. Disasters and obstacles get put in your way. How you react to these makes a difference.

Now it should be obvious that certain types of magic, as popularised by the media (e.g. Bewitched) don't work. You can't just wiggle your nose and have things appear, or circumstances change immediately. It takes time to effect the random changes neccesary to make things happen. Materialising objects ain't gonna happen, unless somehow due to massive quantum fluxuation! But long term changes and materialisations do work. Nonetheless, it's not enough just to work magic, you have to follow through in the physical world, and be ready to receive what you want. And of course, the big thing is in wanting the right things, but that's another story...

Magic I've Used

There's more than one way to do most things, and it's the same with magic. Sometimes the methods are quite simple, othertimes complex. Sometimes that fact that it's magic is quite open, othertimes people just don't realise what they're doing!

I happened to visit a friend who lived in #1 of a block of flats. I liked the look of the flat and later when I knew I had to move from the house I was in, I checked there first. My friend had moved but someone else had moved into #1 anyway. But still it seemed the right place. I visualised seeing myself in those flats, and in the end, I did get in, to #7! It was what I needed at the time.

Christian

The Unity Church has prayer sessions called Master Mind. It's based on the quote "For where two or more are gathered in my name, there I AM in the midst of them."(Matthew 18:20). Essentially you write down your prayers as a list of requests in 2nd person, and give them to other people to make for you. By having the other people prey for you, you avoid problems of determination. You might have doubts about why you should get what you want, but they don't know what those are.

The things I preyed for most were:

1. That Laura be guided and protected through her spiritual and physical transition.
2. That Laura have a safe, loving, nurturing and protective environment in which to live.
3. That Laura has a creative, challenging, and prosperous way in which to earn a living (not a job).
4. That all Laura's friends and loved ones be guided and protected in their own journeys.

You know what? On the whole, I've got this!

Pagan

I've practiced Sabbats and Esbats, but with groups and alone. I've helped draw down the moon and honour festivals respecting the seasons and nature. Sometimes I've asked for things for myself, sometimes not. Back at the Summer Solstice of 1996, I asked for: the right car, the right house, and to meet a future lover. All these have come to pass. At the 1997 Beltane ritual I jumped the fire and asked (with all my heart) for my pet dog Pegasus turned up a week later.

Cool Stuff, but to be honest the religious content is more the reason I'm involved, not the magic. I've been drawn to becoming a pagan and I know it's the right choice for me.

Candle

I've used candle magic twice. The first time was to find my house, and the second time to ask for certain qualities in my life. I burnt a specially incribed candle for 8 nights, until it was all gone. I lit it when going to bed, and snuffed it when I woke up. I took it to a friends and lit it there when I stayed over. On the day of the 8th night, when the candle had finished, I found my house. Just to be certain, I looked around a bit more, but it was the right place for me.

The other request was for self acceptance, self love, good friends, good lovers, and sexual satisfaction. Now these are not things that just appear out of the blue, they get developed and established over time. If nothing else it is a confirmation of my desires in these areas. At the moment I'd say I have three out of the five.

Now a sceptic might argue that all of the above is either the result of coincidence (correct) or applied focus of effort (also correct) and that magic isn't involved at all. Fine. I have no dispute with this. If that's your world view, then I hope it works for you, but it doesn't for me. My belief in magic is an extention of a belief in The Goddess, my Higher Power, and by my own definition (because as a Pantheist I know the divine exists in me), in myself.

Use and Meaning

OK, so magic works. So what?

I see magic as an extra tool at my disposal in the adventure of my life. But it's not the only one, nor a substitute for physical action or decisions. Magic has to do with transition and change, and that's where I'm at right now. If I only relied on magic to get me thru however there'd be very little progress -- but used wisely (and I hope I do) it makes some things easier, and allows the apparently impossible to happen in the best possible way.

The golden rule is:

You have to work with the divine,
not have it work for you.

We are all spiritual beings, yes. But we all all in the physical world for a reason. I believe that reason is to learn lessons of our own choosing. As the cycle of life and death moves on, our souls continue to learn what we need, and to enjoy life as best we can. Now it would seem silly therefore to rely exclusively on magic, because it's not a process whereby that learning takes place.