Magic is something people do, and so is classification. It is not really what magic is, but how some people relate to it. The truth is that this classification has a viariety of interpretations. People argue constantly about what is black and what is white, and even (if not especially) about what is grey.
I think the question "should it or shouldn't it" is not important. Magic is one of those things that cannot be policed, directly or indirectly through guilt, threats (like religion polices people) or commandments and moral rules. To me, magic is something that demands a person rise beyond the common herd, where you have to follow rules because you cannot trust yourself to act correctly.
Classifying magic like this is like classifying people in general like this. It says there are good people, and bad people and people who are both. Actually, most people are both. It's human nature. And only people with a guilty conscious call themselves bad, except for those who show off and consider their version of bad in a romantic way.
True magic is powerful. And power can be used in every way humans can devise. It is, to me, naive to think that classifying magic in this way is going to keep people from abusing it. As the above poster said, it is the intent that counts. But at the same time even good intentions can have bad results. This is when the user of magic is not mature or wise enough for its power. So even intention doesn't really classify the effects of magic.
In my experience magic brings out what is deep within us, and challenges us to own it and make it part of who we are. It is not just doing rituals and getting effects. Real magic changes the practioner, and depending how the practitioner relates to power, and what they have within them and how they confront it, the changes can be good or bad.
But there is another danger here as well. If we call bad by one color and good by another, then the colors are made into saints and demons themselves. Yet black is not a bad color and white is not a good one. A magician that doesn't realize this is limiting themselves.
There is the other side of the coin too: many people deny that one should be careful at all with magic, except in the sense of hurting themselves. Many claim that if you have the power, you should go out and do whatever you think you like. These people don't realize that their choices may not really be free, and that they may be acting out neuroses coming to the surface because of magical power. They think they are doing what they want, but in reality they are doing what their psychological problems, wounds, repressions, issues or however you want to call them, compel them to do.
All in all, we like to simplify because our heads hurt when we think too much. With magic, however, we cannot afford to be lazy and not think as much as we can. So, in my opinion, the serious student should throw away simple statements such as these, and observe, meditate, listen to their heart, know themselves, and not forget to use their heads tirelessly because in magic the phrase "Keep It Simple Stupid" (KISS) not only can keep the practioner stupid, but can be dangerous if one takes it seriously where such power applies.
Black magic, hoodoo voodoo, all that dark that is taught in the curses and hex spells in the books here, what are you trying to prove? That stuffs black magic. The practitioners know that and their descendents knew that, its ridiculous to try and argue otherwise. Its a simplification yes, but the shoe fits, the colors are a helpful identification of category, and how else would they be categorized? I think people only say theres no color so people who want to remain all sunshine and rainbows dont have to admit to practicing harmful magic, everythings colorless so im not a bad person. Whatever. Specific colored magic is associated also thru feeling and thought form. There are different feelings and thoughts in different colors of magic useds such as love, hate, lust greed, pain and so forth. Use your head before reciting these peer pressured infectious ignorant words that magic has no colors.
Inpractical Black magick is that of magick used intent of causing harm; i.e curses, hexes, a lot of hoodoo etc...
Though it can be within the category of black magick it can also be within the category of white magick.
I dont seem the problem with people reffering to it as a colour, it is technically incorrect, however people especially new commers find it easier to label it, probably to make it easier to help get their head around it. It can be misconcieved as before said, as black bad, white good, which is kinda a negative...
Though the idea of most magick is opening one's mind, therefore letting go of any stereotypes that automatically tells someone that black=evil and white=good.
All in the learning process.
Re: Magic has no colour! By: kts Moderator / Adept
Post # 16 Jan 17, 2010
Magic is energy manipulation. Energy has no color, however you can describe a manipulation as good or bad depending on your perception. One mans curse can be another mans blessing. Colors are important in magic because it helps us connect with the things around us. Color correspondences are used often in magic and once a person studies them they will come to learn that black is a color for banishment of negativity, removal of hexes, protection, a representation of night, the removal of discord or confusion, and to help with meditation and opening up the unconscious. White has some of the same uses but also represents a balance of all colors. Though I agree that the stereo type of black magic is bad and white magic is good is an easy way for beginners to categorize things, they need to come to the understanding that it is the perception of the individual that gives an energy manipulation a subjective title.
"all that dark that is taught in the curses and hex spells in the books here"
"Dark" is rather a cynical term I think, coming from a suspicious mind-set. It assumes that what wants to hurt you is always in the dark, and that what is in the dark always wants to hurt you. A mistrust of the dark has made us complacent regarding the light.
Basically, at some point you evolve beyond the concepts of left vs. right, good vs. evil. This is what Indian Tantra advocates as well. However, it qualifies what it advocates with the admonition that you cannot fake wisdom. In other words, if you are to align with the truth beyond good and evil, you must be honestly there and not just talking out your backside bull-horn.
We only get what we can handle, when we listen to our deeper/greater self, and what speaks through the heart and intuition, the gut and deep feelings sensations. If we trust this, all will be well, despite the ups and downs, and then we won't be concerned about theoretical metaphore concepts because we will be dealing with the proof of the pudding.
Phoenix68k said it a bit better than I did. So I agree with him on this one.
Thank you for the clarification. :) I get wordy sometimes and make it way too short...
So your argument is that everythings debatable and everyones perception is different than others, than how is it that magics received color to begin with? Dont answer that, your answers already are ridiculous and fact less. Its obvious that people agreed on one thing or another and gave them colors and associates. A curse to another person is not white magic, if you want to believe it is, and your "higher self" tells you it is, than believe it but your delusional. Your opinions can remain unchanged, magic is going to have colors whether you ignore them or not. Energy colors have nothing to do with it and never have whoever was saying that.
Everyone indeed has an opinion. Opinions, agreement and disagreement really have nothing to do with truth, just how we get along or not. I'm not here to convince or recruit anybody to my way of thinking.
The most practical thing to do, in my opinion, regarding the orgy of confusion surrounding occult concepts is to draw a line. On one side of the line one exclusively depends on mundane reasoning, conception and rationalization. On the other side of the line, one has awakened qualities to get beyond those limitations. In practice such a line is quite thick, and few transitions are like a flip of a switch. However, to resolve the contradictions one must develop organs of resolution.
