It's no secret that I have recently been trolling for blog fodder in facebook magical groups. While life has got me super busy right now, I have had plenty of topics to blog about. These topics seem to cycle in these groups. Right now, the requests seem to be "I need a quick magical solution to some hard mundane problem!"
People do not seem to understand that magic does not work like that. No, magic isn't going to cure (and likely not help) your child with severe ADHD. Giving him a routine, his medications, discipline, and your unending love, as well as some psychiatric help if you can't handle him will be more effective than magic. Giving him coping skills that will help him now and later in life will be more effective than magic.
Telling a young magician that s/he can destroy energy without any explanation of how is another delusional, and quite frankly, stupid response. Sorry, no, you aren't standing at your altar and tearing apart the fabric of space-time. No, you aren't going to defy gravity and levitate (although it is reported that Buddhist monks can do this. so I do believe it is possible, but not through magical means). I'm sorry, no, you aren't going to destroy energy of any kind and if you think you are, you need to brush up on your science.
Simply put, magic does not work that way. Magic is not going to make your eyes change color. Magic is not going to make your grandmother's cancer go away. Magic is not going to help you lose weight. At least it isn't going to help you in the way you want it to.
Here's how magic works:
So, you want to lose weight? You do a spell to lose weight. Three days later your friend comes over and tells you that she's doing Weight Watchers. Oh, damn, but you don't have the money to join with her. That's okay. She can teach you the points system as she's learning and you can lose weight together! BAM!! Your spell worked!
If you let go of the expectations you had for your spell and let your friend teach you, then it worked. If you turn your friend down and keep doing what you're doing and searching for the outcome you want, then your magic will never work. Period.
There is this very prevalent misconception within the magical community that intention is everything. (Thanks to The Secret, no doubt.) However, The Secret is wrong. Intention isn't everything. I can work at a shitty minimum-wage job my entire life with the intention of being a millionaire and never achieve that intention. Why? Because intention isn't everything. If I am not going to buy a lotto ticket, I can't manifest that intent. If I don't educate myself, then I can't manifest that intent. If I don't spend the time and effort working toward that goal, then it just isn't going to happen. People don't seem to understand that.
People also don't seem to understand that a shitty spell meme isn't going to manifest dick, especially for a person new to the Craft. Those of us who are a little more seasoned will understand that energy must be raised or we are working with the inherent properties of the tools used and should probably pull out the correspondence charts to make sure everything is in line with the intent of the spell.
What does that mean? Well, what it means is, a spell is more than simply lighting a candle, saying a few words, and blowing it out unless that's all it is, except that's rarely the case. Here is what I mean:
"Light a white candle, say an incantation, blow the candle out. Do this twice a day."
This was, literally, a 'fascinating' spell meme posted to a group.
First, is white the color you want or are you using it because it's the universal candle color? If it's because it's universal, then you need to charge it to represent the outcome that you want.
Second, the words you chant have power, but if you don't put anything behind them (or don't know to) they mean nothing. (There's your intent!!)
Third, why aren't you letting the candle actually burn? The inherent properties of the element of fire will aid your intent. Why not let them?
Fourth, what's so important about 2? Would another number fit this intention better or is two most appropriate? Is this just an arbitrary number given for convenience?
Fifth, how long do I do this? Do I do it until I get the desired outcome or until the candle runs out?
Sixth, won't blowing the candle out scatter the energy or air negate the fire? Would snuffing it be more appropriate? (Mostly, this is a question of 'do you know how to blow out a candle respectfully'.)
In the end, these 3 or 4 sentences become much more than just sit down, light a candle, intention, and incantation, blow it out, repeat. Also, I know that I have not addressed the idea of casting a circle and calling the elements. This was purposefully left out as I don't believe that some magics need a full-on ritual.
So, why is it that practitioners today need to believe that magic is a cure-all? I believe it's mostly because we, as humans, are always looking for an easy way out. We are always looking for the workaround. Well, magic isn't it. Sorry. I know all of the Llewlyn books you've read might say it is, but it just isn't.
If magic worked that way, we'd all be millionaires or beauty queens. Our wildest dreams would come true. No, real magic takes work, energy to achieve. Real magic exacts a cost from us, whether or not we realize it.
Brightest Blessings,
River
People do not seem to understand that magic does not work like that. No, magic isn't going to cure (and likely not help) your child with severe ADHD. Giving him a routine, his medications, discipline, and your unending love, as well as some psychiatric help if you can't handle him will be more effective than magic. Giving him coping skills that will help him now and later in life will be more effective than magic.
Telling a young magician that s/he can destroy energy without any explanation of how is another delusional, and quite frankly, stupid response. Sorry, no, you aren't standing at your altar and tearing apart the fabric of space-time. No, you aren't going to defy gravity and levitate (although it is reported that Buddhist monks can do this. so I do believe it is possible, but not through magical means). I'm sorry, no, you aren't going to destroy energy of any kind and if you think you are, you need to brush up on your science.
Simply put, magic does not work that way. Magic is not going to make your eyes change color. Magic is not going to make your grandmother's cancer go away. Magic is not going to help you lose weight. At least it isn't going to help you in the way you want it to.
Here's how magic works:
So, you want to lose weight? You do a spell to lose weight. Three days later your friend comes over and tells you that she's doing Weight Watchers. Oh, damn, but you don't have the money to join with her. That's okay. She can teach you the points system as she's learning and you can lose weight together! BAM!! Your spell worked!
If you let go of the expectations you had for your spell and let your friend teach you, then it worked. If you turn your friend down and keep doing what you're doing and searching for the outcome you want, then your magic will never work. Period.
There is this very prevalent misconception within the magical community that intention is everything. (Thanks to The Secret, no doubt.) However, The Secret is wrong. Intention isn't everything. I can work at a shitty minimum-wage job my entire life with the intention of being a millionaire and never achieve that intention. Why? Because intention isn't everything. If I am not going to buy a lotto ticket, I can't manifest that intent. If I don't educate myself, then I can't manifest that intent. If I don't spend the time and effort working toward that goal, then it just isn't going to happen. People don't seem to understand that.
People also don't seem to understand that a shitty spell meme isn't going to manifest dick, especially for a person new to the Craft. Those of us who are a little more seasoned will understand that energy must be raised or we are working with the inherent properties of the tools used and should probably pull out the correspondence charts to make sure everything is in line with the intent of the spell.
What does that mean? Well, what it means is, a spell is more than simply lighting a candle, saying a few words, and blowing it out unless that's all it is, except that's rarely the case. Here is what I mean:
"Light a white candle, say an incantation, blow the candle out. Do this twice a day."
This was, literally, a 'fascinating' spell meme posted to a group.
First, is white the color you want or are you using it because it's the universal candle color? If it's because it's universal, then you need to charge it to represent the outcome that you want.
Second, the words you chant have power, but if you don't put anything behind them (or don't know to) they mean nothing. (There's your intent!!)
Third, why aren't you letting the candle actually burn? The inherent properties of the element of fire will aid your intent. Why not let them?
Fourth, what's so important about 2? Would another number fit this intention better or is two most appropriate? Is this just an arbitrary number given for convenience?
Fifth, how long do I do this? Do I do it until I get the desired outcome or until the candle runs out?
Sixth, won't blowing the candle out scatter the energy or air negate the fire? Would snuffing it be more appropriate? (Mostly, this is a question of 'do you know how to blow out a candle respectfully'.)
In the end, these 3 or 4 sentences become much more than just sit down, light a candle, intention, and incantation, blow it out, repeat. Also, I know that I have not addressed the idea of casting a circle and calling the elements. This was purposefully left out as I don't believe that some magics need a full-on ritual.
So, why is it that practitioners today need to believe that magic is a cure-all? I believe it's mostly because we, as humans, are always looking for an easy way out. We are always looking for the workaround. Well, magic isn't it. Sorry. I know all of the Llewlyn books you've read might say it is, but it just isn't.
If magic worked that way, we'd all be millionaires or beauty queens. Our wildest dreams would come true. No, real magic takes work, energy to achieve. Real magic exacts a cost from us, whether or not we realize it.
Brightest Blessings,
River
