For those of you droning on senselessly about getting supernatural powers, shape shifting, controlling the elements etc. with magic.. Its never going to happen.
REAL MAGIC is about being attuned to the world around you and its energies, and being able to influence it with your own energy. Its about connection with the divine. Whether it be a god you believe in, spirits, or even the divine energy that resides within us all, each persons faith is unique.
If all you want out of this is to change what you look like, take over the world XD, or to control the elements of nature so that you may use them as you wish, turn around and go the other way. You will not find what your looking for.
However if you wish to learn control over yourself, how to tap into the energy around you, how to connect with the universe and the beings within it, or even how to simply use the wonderful gifts that mother nature offers to better your life; sit down and hang out for a while.
There are tons of things you can learn to better your life using magic. Most will not wow you overnight. It takes time but its worth it. Even some of the most basic things you learn are helpful in day to day life. For example:
Meditation, when practiced often can lower blood pressure. It helps one to calm the mind and when needed focus on a specific question or thought. It helps to connect oneself with their subconscious. Guided meditation can help one to balance and even control their emotions over time. It is a great way of becoming attuned to the energies around you. It can aide in balancing the chakras, which in turn helps to balance your own energy. The list goes on and on.
Grounding helps to get rid of excess energy. Whether you know it or not, many people walk around with pent up energy which can impact the way you feel. When you have the "jitters" and feel like you just cant relax, or even if you feel sick all of a sudden and know you are not coming down with something, or your mind is racing a mile a minute. These are signs you should ground your energy. It helps to maintain a healthy balance within you, and can be used to store energy inside of an object such as a crystal for later use.
These are just two of the "basics" and some things they help for. There are tons of aspects of magic to learn, yet do not include outrageous and unrealistic ideals. Take the time to look around, use some common sense and above all always check your sources. Just because one or even a bunch of people wrote about something, it does not mean it is real.
I am sure many of us would love to live in fantasy land rather then work a lame job or do homework, but you should be sensible about life. If you insist on chasing after werewolves, mermaids and vampires then put it to good use and write a book or make a video game. This not only saves you from the frustration of hearing "that's not possible" a thousand times, but saves us the frustration of having to write it.
nicely put. sometimes, i wish that stuff was real cuz things would be more interesting, but it's not. at least, not in the way most people think [e.g. psi vamps]
i would like to add to the 'just because it's written, it's not fact' point if you don't mind.
WHEN BUYING BOOKS, don't think 'well it got publish so therefore they know what they're talking about'. the occult is rather lard with a lot of 'maybe' answers because there is no strong 'this is fact' or 'this is right' with the occult. anything that is considered mystical or unexplained is considered occult. therefore, if somethings strange, they throw in there. it doesn't matter if you have a practitioner of 20 years, and someone who swore they saw an alien in their house. in the eyes of publishers, they see money to be made, because 'occult' is growing rapidly without an 'expert' to filter it, leaving newcomers picking out any book and thinking the author must be correct. i have an occult store i go to, they have a section on aliens. [next to Druid and 2012]
my point is, while there are people who have studied longer, and know a lot, there is no expert, so you should carefully research an author or book before buying it. simply because it's new on the market, doesn't mean it's the one true word. there are authors who have studied with Gerald Gardner, and others who have been practicing for generations. while i'm not saying they're correct, look into there books first to get grounding so you know what it is you're looking into, then you can be a little wiser in you selection. i've bought plenty of books, and still am, and there have been books i've picked up on impulse [many in fact] while i have found some jems, a lot are written in a way that i don't like. not saying they're fluffies, but what they talk about is rather fluffy. but in every book, i have found something to use.
A good post, meditation and grounding are essential to any serious Magician. In regards to those wanting supernatural powers with immediate effects, some are possible, but they only come when you have the wisdom to use them. That means overcoming the ego, and the want for power and supremacy over others. If you had the powers without the wisdom, you'd be a great danger to yourself and those around you.
i agree with vlad..even if u r told it is not real,it doesn't mean it isn't..i am discouraged each day about the craft bt nw i'm here playing with psi balls..!
and foremost..about controlling the elements...isn't that what nature is:WATER,FIRE,EARTH and WIND + my personal favourites DARKNESS and LIGHT..or am i wrong???
