Magic Forums
To for-warn you all, this is long because there is a few articles that I have borrowed from sacred texts that are a bit lengthy but worth the read.
1.)What is Magick? Forget all the fallacies and
stereotypical pre-conceptions
taught to you out of fear and ignorance and approach this
question with an
open mind. You will probably find it is not what you have
been taught to
think. Magick has been defined as "The art and science of
causing change to
occur in conformity with will *1" which could be put
more simply as making
desired change happen; or as "energy tending to change"; a
definition I use
is "magick is conscious evolution through directing
energy". This does not
really explain magick though, so I will try to elaborate
on these phrases
without jargon.
An aim of magick is to train the mind by harnessing and
making more
consciously accessible such higher faculties as intuition,
inspiration and
the creative imagination, and by drawing on the power of
the unconscious -
to try and use more than the 10% of our brain's capacity
that we do.
Magick assumes belief in, or rather experience of, subtle
energies. We can
only see about one seventieth of the light spectrum, yet
what we cannot see
still affects us - such as x-rays and ultraviolet light.
Similarly, magick
is about focusing more subtle, non-physical energies, and
directing them to
create change. To go about this requires experience, and
training to improve
the power of the mind, and specifically, the will.
Acts such as meditation, breath control, voice work, body
work,
visualization, drama, ritual, and others, are all designed
to improve our
body and mind, to better sharpen us and balance us, and to
enable us to
perceive and wield more subtle energies.
In the same way, an individual is as strong as their will,
and the more
balanced and integrated a person is, the stronger their
will (note, this is
probably one of the main reasons why so many magicians
have experience of
counselling and/or psychology, recognising the help these
processes can
give, both through training and experiencing them. This
also acts as a
removal of farcical social stigma often attached to these
processes).
Practising magick tends to act as a deconditioning
mechanism and can be a
subtle process, the longer you practice, the more you
change and the
unnecessary inhibitions, stigmas, guilts and sin complexes
that society
builds in are removed. This has the effect of releasing
their energy into
the psyche, where it can strengthen the individual.
The more physical side, such as yoga, bodywork, dance and
massage, also
removes the tension held in the body as body armour, and
releases this and
removes energy blockages which impair full efficiency and
may result in
illness.
Possibly the major difference between magick and many of
the religious paths
to spiritual growth is that magick is more dynamic, and
places the emphasis
on you to work for change - there are no gurus in magick,
rather there are
fellow students with different perspectives and
experiences - we learn from
each other, as in other areas of life.
Magick tends to work a lot with symbols, as these are the
language of the
unconscious, and this is an area of tremendous power to
tap. Symbols have
many functions, and one of these, released through magick,
can be the
ability to confound the ego and the censor mechanisms, and
enabling us to
perceive more subtle truths, or experience direct
revelations. Although we
may not be able to fully explain how symbols work, we know
from experience
that certain symbols seem harmonious with certain types of
energy.
For example a magician may tell you that if you want to
attract love you
should wear green, and rose perfume, perhaps wear copper,
like a bracelet or
necklace, etc. These are all things attributed with Venus,
who is associated
with love, and so the principal is one of contagion -
sympathetic magick, or
making something happen by working with items linked to
it. This is one of
the oldest and most commonly practised forms of magick.
Working with the
symbols of a type of energy does seem to attract that
energy.
A cautionary word here, magick is often seen as a way to
hidden powers, and
entered for the wrong reason, the "I want sex, power and
lots of money"
syndrome. Now there is nothing wrong with these things in
themselves, but
when you do magick you will discover that you tend to get
what you need
rather than necessarily what you want.
When you do magick you generally use techniques to alter
your state of
consciousness and raise energy, and then direct that
energy to create a
desired result. The channel that energy takes as directed
by your altered
state of consciousness is not necessarily the path you
might expect in your
normal everyday state. Magick does bring you power, yes,
but it is power
over yourself, not other people. It is the power that is
important, to grow
and to create positive change.
This does not mean there is anything wrong with using
magick to gain more
physical things, there is nothing wrong with doing a
ritual or spell to get
a job, whereas trying to make a specific individual go to
bed with you would
be wrong. Magick is very much about intent, and if your
intent is to get
work, you are not imposing on people, whereas if you were
trying to make
somebody do something that they would not naturally do,
you are imposing on
their will.
If you did a ritual to attract love without specifying a
person, but opening
yourself to the opportunity to meet someone where love may
arise, and to
feel more attractive and better about yourself, you are
not imposing, you
are trying to create positive change.
Magick is a commitment to yourself, and it requires
determination,
perseverance, strength, openness to change and absence of
rigidity, a love
of life (including yourself), and a desire to grow and
fulfil your
potential. It may be that you already have all these
qualities and do this
already without calling it magick - magick is not about
labels, and those
who think and talk as if it is unfortunately put some
people off. Magick is
learning about the natural flows of energy in the
universe, and working in
harmony with them to effect positive change, both in
yourself and in your
environment.
Some people ask why magick is spelt with a 'k' on the end.
This is to
distinguish it from magic, associated in the popular mind
with illusionism
and prestidigitation, stage magic. Magick is not about
illusion, it is about
creating real change, and the 'k' signifies this. K is the
eleventh letter
of the alphabet, i.e. the one beyond ten. Symbolically
this is very
powerful, as we work in base ten, and eleven represents
the unseen, or
hidden energies - the subtle energies of magick, eleven is
considered to be
the number of magick.
Magickal training and experience bring forth the energies
of the
unconscious, and so it is no surprise to see that symbols
become more
important as you develop, providing not only the language
of dream and the
unconscious, but also helping create a more flexible
perception grid of the
universe. To grow spiritually, it is vital that you remain
flexible and do
not become dogmatic, rather that you are open to
experience and willing to
question your ideas and beliefs as a result of those
experiences.
Magick can be a painful process. It is not easy to
maintain the discipline
and honest self-critical approach all the time. It can
also be hard work
dealing with the energy released without being knocked off
balance
sometimes. The important thing in these cases is to remain
honest and keep
at it. Nobody said magick was easy! It takes a lot of
practice and hard work
and pain, but the rewards are spiritual and mental growth,
the joy of life
and the beauty of unconditional love. Beyond the limits
there are no limits!
-end-
----------------------------------------------------------
--
? copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 David Rankine
www.avalonia.co.uk
This article may be reproduced for non-commercial
purposes, providing that
this original copyright notice stays in place at all
times.
2.) How do i cast spells?Tips
* Spells are only effective if you believe them to be.
If you want your magic to work, you need to have faith in
yourself. It's all about perception and willpower.
* One key thing to remember is to try and stop your
mind from thinking about anything apart from the spell.
Warnings
* If you are just doing it for fun, don't bother - it
won't work for a party trick. Keep in mind that its a
spirit/will thing.
* If you follow it, remember the Threefold Law when
working a spell. What you put out, be it magical or not,
comes back to you threefold.
* There is a posibility these spells may not work.
* Simple Rule: If you send evil out, it will come back
knocking on your door.
3.) How do I write a Spell?
1. State your intention. Decide on the result you want
to accomplish with the spell.
2.
The Moon is important in witchcraft and, therefore,
has a profound influence.
The Moon is important in witchcraft and, therefore,
has a profound influence.
Time your spell. Timing when casting spells can be
important. The Moon is important in witchcraft, and
therefore has a profound influence upon us. It is very
important to choose the right moon phase for your spell;
magical workings for gain, increase or bringing things to
you, should be initiated when the moon is waxing (from new
to full); when the moon is waning (from full to dark),
then its time for magical workings of decrease or sending
away. The highest energy occurs at the full moon, and
therefore this is the most powerful time for magical
workings. The new moon is the next most powerful time for
magic.
3. Work with the seasons. There is a natural time for
starting things (a planting time), for maturing things (a
growing time), for reaping things (a harvest time) and, of
course, a time for rest and planning.
4. Gather your tools. Make sure that you have all the
tools that you need for casting the spell. Your tools must
have no inherent magic. They are to help you create a
mood. You also have to clean your tools. Don't forget to
cleanse and bless (consecrate) your tools before your
begin casting your spell.
5. Understand magic. Remember that magic is the
manipulation of energy, a thought is a form of energy and
a visualization is an even stronger form of energy. Your
visualization can be a method used to intensify further
and direct your will. Your visualization can be the method
by which you control the magical energy you have produced.
You must know what you want. You must see it. You must
feel the high energy flow. You must direct it.
6. Write your spoken words. For making your words and
thoughts stronger you can write your spell into a rhyme to
be spoken aloud; this makes it easier to remember your
spell, you can also chant your spell to raise energy.
7. Remember the Threefold Law. Everything that you want
to reach with this spell comes back 3 times, good or
wrong.
Tips
* Before you write your final version of your spell,
you can write on a note what you want to reach with your
spell, and what you are needing.
* Don't forget to cast a circle before doing any
spell, for you are totally vulnerable for elementals when
casting higher powers of other beings.
* Meditation is the key to relaxation, and being
completely relaxed allows energy to flow freely throughout
your body. You should learn how to clear your mind and
focus with whats on hand.
Warnings
* Remember the very important law: if thee harm none,
do what thou will.
* Remember to always end a spell in "In no way shal
this spell reverse, or place upon me any curse, so mote it
be"
wikihow.com
4.) How do i perform a shield?
Start by just visualizing yourself, and then simply
imagine a positive permeable bubble form around your form,
blocking all negative influences allowing positive
energies to pass through.
Although this method didn't work for me at first, you can
make it suit yourself and your ideology, like I made mine
based off a force field tech. Like I said, this is not
guaranteed to work the first time for everyone and it may
take a while to make one that's suitable for you, so as
with everything in life, practice makes perfect.
Another shielding method, is the Mirror Sheild
Focus all energy to your core (bellybutton area), and see
this energy turn white (or some other color you like) and
force it out of your body. Make this orb turn into large
mirrors that surround your body. The mirror can be
whatever type of mirror you'd like for it to be, one
complete mirror, or separate ones. The color has to be a
color you feel safe with, as it will help boost the
protective nature of the shield.
Warning - this will take some practice, and will even be a
bit of a physical drain. After a while, you will be able
to sustain the shield with no difficulty. You can modify
this to your liking, as things like this are different to
each person. Play around with it and see what you can come
up with.
5.) Whats the difference between black and white?
There really isn't a difference when it comes to black and
white magic. True magic has no color as nature is caring
and cruel so is magic. The color classifications are there
for purposes of intent. Ex: a curse can be used in white
magic to help make a person better themselves.
6.) What do i do when spells dont work?
There are several reasons why I spell doesn't work. What
happens usually is that the spell caster is dabbling or
meddling with magic for their first time and doesn't
truely believe that the spell will actually work. This is
an automatic set up for a downfall or a backfire. When
performing spells always keep total focus and know, not
think, your spell will work. Also, meditation before spell
casting is also a really good place to start
7.) Do spells bring bad luck or demons back on the spell
caster?
Not all spells do this, there are some that do, such as
curses or jinx's that backfire. In these cases it's best
to smudge yourself with white sage (light white sage and
waft the smoke over your body) or take a purification
bath.
8.) Are Love Spells ok to do?
Personally I do not condone love spells, nor do I tell
people they are ok to do as most love spells interfere
with free will and the persons' mind. By doing this you
are going back on the Wiccan Rede "An it harm none, do
what thou will"
9.) What is a curse, Hex, Jinx?
Ever wonder what's the difference between a hex, a jinx,
and a curse? There are specific definitions of the three
in magic and alchemy. As it is not a big deal if you
typically get them mixed up, knowing the difference can
help if you are a stickler for details.
A hex is generally a spell or bewitchment. It is derived
from "hexe", a German word for "witch", and comes from the
folklore of the Pennsylvania Dutch. In folklore it can be
good or bad, but now is generally known by its negative
connotations. Hexes can be made for hire,
with the witch being able to be paid for both inflicting
a hex and for removing a hex.
A jinx is the continual or repeated bad luck. It is
usually the result of a fatal accident. One of the more
famous jinxes comes with the Hope Diamond. In the 17th
century Madame de Montespan, the mistress of King Louis
XIV, owned the diamond and it is during this time that the
stone is said to have become jinxed. She was believed to
have conducted so called "black masses". Over 100 years
later, King Henry the XVI gave the Hope Diamond to Marie
Antoinette. Ms. Antoinette loaned this piece to her friend
the Princesse de Lamballe. Not only did both Princesse de
Lamballe and Marie Antoinette get executed, but every
other owner of the Hope Diamond has suffered a tragic
demise.
A curse is a malevolent spell that is purposefully done to
inflict harm upon another. It has been a part of magic and
alchemy since the beginning, and can also be done by
Catholic priests. It is derived from "cursein", an Anglo
Saxon worse meaning "to invoke harm or evil upon". Curses
can be both spoken and written. A famous written curse is
the anathema proclaimed by the Catholic pope to
excommunicate someone from the church.
Objects can also be cursed, and can affect anyone who owns
the object. Cursed objects can affect people with bad
luck, misfortune, ill health, and even death.
Probably the most famous of all hexes, jinxes, and curses
is the Curse of Tutankamen. The Egyptians were firm
believers that if you disturbed a tomb, the spirit of the
dead one became homeless and therefore tombs were
protected by curses. The Egyptian king Tutankamen's tomb
was discovered
in 1922 by Lord Carnavon and Howard Carter and lore has
it that they found a tablet with the tomb that read "Death
will slap with his wings whoever disturbs this pharaoh's
peace". Mysterious circumstances then followed the deaths
of everyone associated with the opening of the tomb, even
though inscribed tablets and the description of death
coming on wings weren't customary in Egyptian times. By
1929, 22 people had died in association with the tomb, 13
of which were present at the opening of the tomb.
In conclusion, next time you think you've jinxed your
favorite team, or been cursed for all eternity, you'll
know the proper term for what you're going through.
10.)What are important days to remember? Important days
are all based on what you are doing. The Holidays or
Sabbats and Esabbats are important to remember as they are
the celebration times of things such as fertility, death
and life.
11.) Why are colours important for different
spells/rituals? Colors are helpful when it comes to spells
and rituals because they help focus our minds, and help us
shift to a higher consciousness
12.) What colours should i use for spells/rituals?
The color you need to use for a spell or ritual varies
depending on what is called for. Usually it's in the
ingredients section before the instructions for the spell.
13.) Why is the moon important?
The moon holds great importance due to the feminine nature
and power it holds. Using the moon in spells and rituals
helps amplify the effects.
14.) What are psionics?
Psionics derives from the word psionic whis is used to
describe various mental abilities such as telepathy,
teleportation, telekenesis and other psychic phenomena.
psionics can be used to refer to multiples or the study of
psychic penomena
15.) what are angels?
Angels are messengers. They are messengers from spirit
allowing us a greater understanding and connection to
Spirit. The word angel comes from angelos which is the
Greek word for messenger. Not only are angels messengers,
they are also part of our consciousness, representing
realms beyond thought and idea. The human mind needs form,
so the Light of Spirit takes on the physical form of an
angel, to encourage direct communion with God. We create a
dimensional blending that enables them to appear in a form
that is acceptable to us.
Though the form of angels changes from culture to culture,
almost every culture throughout the world has reports of
angels. There are angels in Christian, Judaic and Islamic
lore. Angels were reported in ancient Assyrian and
Mesopotamian, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Taoism. Ancient
Greeks called them horae, Vikings called them valkyries,
in Persia they were fereshta, to the Hindus they were
apsaras and in the African religion of the Yoruba, angels
were called orisha. Traditionally in Shamanism (which is
the primordial spiritual path of all indigenous people)
there are reports of ascending birdlike spirits. These
half-bird/half-human spirits are called the bird people or
the bird tribes.