Don't Take That Tone With Me!
Jul. 22nd, 2009 08:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
perzephone
June got me thinking about how I put my Pagan values into action. Truth be told, I don’t take much spiritual action on anything. I’ve been thinking about this whole ‘teaching’ thing. How I value educators and instructors, and I value the act of learning. I’ve always kind of felt like I was unqualified to teach anyone anything spiritually, that I wouldn’t be qualified until I was a grey-haired, stooped crone going blind from cataracts, my fingers clawed with arthritis. I don’t have kids, so who would I pass all my knowledge on to, anyway? Slowly, things have been changing where I’ve been feeling as though maybe I do have some experience that I could share, lessons I’ve learned that I could teach others. The internet is as good an apprentice as any snot-nosed sniveling brat, hah.
It’s been a long time since I’ve practiced magic. I’ve got various reasons as to why I no longer perform spells. For one, I no longer feel as though I desperately need anything – love, luck, money, vengeance. The Universe usually provides. Granted, I could be richer or have a choicer job or more lovers… but I’m lazy and content to keep what I have. I don’t get all that angry at people, not to the point of wanting to smite them with mighty hoodoo powers. Secondly, I’ve come to terms with feeling like I’m not meant to have certain things, like more money. My financial spells never got very far. I probably should have just saved the money instead of fattening occult store cash registers buying spell supplies. Thirdly, and probably most importantly – I have always defined magic in league with Aleister Crowley’s philosophy. Magic is the act of manipulating the Universe to act in accordance with one’s Will. Who am I to inflict my Will on the Universe? Nowadays, instead of casting spells to make magic, I try to recognize the magic in every-day things and the world around me and my place in the world.
So I'm working on an article about 'Spellcraft 101' for my future website. It's mainly about attitudes and concepts involved with successful magic work. I'm having this problem with tone, though. I sound to myself like I'm a condescending, pompous asshat.
Anyone got any suggestions?
Here's what I have so far - behind a cut because it's loooooong, and most likely boring as fuck.
This is my philosophy on who can practice magic. I believe that anyone can practice magic. You don't have to be Wiccan or Pagan to practice magic, although if a Catholic, Christian, Jew or Muslim practices witchcraft, they may want to make peace with their God before doing so, since it does seem to be a no-no in those religious frameworks. I personally do not believe that the power behind spells is granted to us by the Gods. I am pantheistic and believe that everything is connected by a greater spiritual force, like a web of energy binding everything together as one. Because we are all connected, I believe that it is possible for something someone does has the power to affect something or someone across the globe.
I also feel that magic’s greatest power is over our own psychology. When someone performs a spell, not only are they affecting the object of the spell, they are influencing themselves. If someone does a spell to be more attractive, they will respond to that spell by walking with more confidence, dressing more confident, becoming more outgoing – in truth, they will become more attractive.
I’m of a mixed mind when it comes to curses and hexes. I’ve actually never cursed anyone or hexed anyone. I’ve done more than my fair share of ‘go away’ spells, but I don’t feel that banishing spells are necessarily curses or hexes. I’ve asked for ‘divine justice’ in a couple of occasions, and seen that in action. I don’t doubt that curses and hexes can and do work – but I also know that protective spells and actions can effectively negate the energy of a curse or hex. Personally, I’m not afraid of curses or hexes – and I’ve had people tell me they put a curse on me. It seems kind of naïve or one-sided to say that magic works and in the same breath say that curses and hexes don’t work. But from my experience, curses and hexes seem to have less effectiveness and a greater chance to fail than positive spells.
A bit of etiquette to bear in mind: always ask someone’s permission before doing a spell on their behalf. Letting someone know that you want to help them out magically is respectful, and if the person has a lot of psychic self-defense mechanisms at work, they will be able to clear the way for your assistance, and possibly even help the spell along. If it’s a curse or hex or something negative, of course you’re not going to tell the object of the spell, “Hey, I’m putting a curse on you!” – at least, not until after you’ve done it and you want to scare the crap out of them. Sometimes, telling a person you’ve cursed them is more effective than actually putting a curse on them.
If a spell fails, chances are no one is going to be harmed by it – and most likely, no one will ever know the spell fizzled. Sometimes they do backfire or have unexpected results, but anything we try in life, from learning to ride a bicycle to asking someone out on a date, runs those same risks. When embarking on magical pursuits, it’s always a good idea to keep an open mind and open heart.
So here is my contribution to the world: Spellcraft 101.
First Point: Practice
Practice.
Practice.
Practice.
I used to be one of those people who felt that magic was the last resort, that a person should exhaust all other avenues before performing a spell. I don’t know how I ended up with that belief – probably because other people respond that way. Magic is one of many tools given to us. Just like other tools, the only way to become a masterful spell-caster is to practice casting spells. Although I’ve met people who claimed wild success with their first spell, there are very few true ‘wild talents’ when it comes to witchcraft.
When a person is first starting out, it is best to start small, with inconsequential things, things that only affect the spellcaster or a willing guinea pig (not an actual guinea pig, mind you, but someone who has given their permission to be used as the object of a spell). It’s also easier to begin with positive spells instead of launching right into cursing, hexing, banishing or binding spells.
Healing spells are an excellent proving ground as long as the illness is not one that is immediately fatal. Helping a friend eliminate migraines or helping yourself resist getting the flu would be better than trying to cure someone of cancer or HIV. Not that wanting to cure someone’s cancer or HIV is a bad thing, especially if it worked, but it’s always best to start small and with something that will help build confidence and self-assurance.
Many people, me included, tend to make fun of people who cast spells for every little thing. You have to recognize when a mundane solution to a problem is faster and more effective than a spell. When you’re learning spellcraft, though, cast spells for everything.
Second Point: Taking Action
Magic will not do anything for you unless you take some kind of action. There’s an old joke about this guy. Every day he prays to God, “God, please let me win the lottery!” Days, weeks, months, years go by with this guy praying to win the lottery every single day. One day, he wakes up, goes for a walk & prays to God, “Please, God, just let me win the lottery!” God taps the guy on the shoulder and says, exasperatedly, “Hey, Schlomo, buy a ticket!” Performing a spell to get a job or make more money will do nothing for you unless you do something to help the magic along. Take some classes to improve your skills, actually send some resumes to prospective employers, and speak to your manager or supervisor about taking on greater responsibilities or getting a raise – and some spell work will help you.
Spells work best as a means to potentialize action. They can sway a situation to one’s advantage, or push a decision one way or the other, but for the most part spells are not miracles.
Referring back to recognizing when mundane solutions will work better than magical ones, once you’re past the practice stage, this is a good thing to remember. If someone is the victim of a dangerous domestic situation, doing a spell asking for ‘divine justice’ will not help if the victim is killed by their abusive partner. Doing a healing spell won’t help someone who is bleeding to death unless they’re already in the ER. Doing a spell to keep your kids off drugs won’t help if you’re doing drugs yourself and setting an example for them to follow.
Third Point: Self Discipline
In order to practice successful magic, one has to be able to focus on an outcome or ideal. If you cannot center and focus yourself, very little will come to fruition. Focus is an ability that some people are indeed born with, but for the rest of us it is another skill to practice... to be continued
Fourth Point: Timing
It’s been a long time since I’ve practiced magic. I’ve got various reasons as to why I no longer perform spells. For one, I no longer feel as though I desperately need anything – love, luck, money, vengeance. The Universe usually provides. Granted, I could be richer or have a choicer job or more lovers… but I’m lazy and content to keep what I have. I don’t get all that angry at people, not to the point of wanting to smite them with mighty hoodoo powers. Secondly, I’ve come to terms with feeling like I’m not meant to have certain things, like more money. My financial spells never got very far. I probably should have just saved the money instead of fattening occult store cash registers buying spell supplies. Thirdly, and probably most importantly – I have always defined magic in league with Aleister Crowley’s philosophy. Magic is the act of manipulating the Universe to act in accordance with one’s Will. Who am I to inflict my Will on the Universe? Nowadays, instead of casting spells to make magic, I try to recognize the magic in every-day things and the world around me and my place in the world.
So I'm working on an article about 'Spellcraft 101' for my future website. It's mainly about attitudes and concepts involved with successful magic work. I'm having this problem with tone, though. I sound to myself like I'm a condescending, pompous asshat.
Anyone got any suggestions?
Here's what I have so far - behind a cut because it's loooooong, and most likely boring as fuck.
This is my philosophy on who can practice magic. I believe that anyone can practice magic. You don't have to be Wiccan or Pagan to practice magic, although if a Catholic, Christian, Jew or Muslim practices witchcraft, they may want to make peace with their God before doing so, since it does seem to be a no-no in those religious frameworks. I personally do not believe that the power behind spells is granted to us by the Gods. I am pantheistic and believe that everything is connected by a greater spiritual force, like a web of energy binding everything together as one. Because we are all connected, I believe that it is possible for something someone does has the power to affect something or someone across the globe.
I also feel that magic’s greatest power is over our own psychology. When someone performs a spell, not only are they affecting the object of the spell, they are influencing themselves. If someone does a spell to be more attractive, they will respond to that spell by walking with more confidence, dressing more confident, becoming more outgoing – in truth, they will become more attractive.
I’m of a mixed mind when it comes to curses and hexes. I’ve actually never cursed anyone or hexed anyone. I’ve done more than my fair share of ‘go away’ spells, but I don’t feel that banishing spells are necessarily curses or hexes. I’ve asked for ‘divine justice’ in a couple of occasions, and seen that in action. I don’t doubt that curses and hexes can and do work – but I also know that protective spells and actions can effectively negate the energy of a curse or hex. Personally, I’m not afraid of curses or hexes – and I’ve had people tell me they put a curse on me. It seems kind of naïve or one-sided to say that magic works and in the same breath say that curses and hexes don’t work. But from my experience, curses and hexes seem to have less effectiveness and a greater chance to fail than positive spells.
A bit of etiquette to bear in mind: always ask someone’s permission before doing a spell on their behalf. Letting someone know that you want to help them out magically is respectful, and if the person has a lot of psychic self-defense mechanisms at work, they will be able to clear the way for your assistance, and possibly even help the spell along. If it’s a curse or hex or something negative, of course you’re not going to tell the object of the spell, “Hey, I’m putting a curse on you!” – at least, not until after you’ve done it and you want to scare the crap out of them. Sometimes, telling a person you’ve cursed them is more effective than actually putting a curse on them.
If a spell fails, chances are no one is going to be harmed by it – and most likely, no one will ever know the spell fizzled. Sometimes they do backfire or have unexpected results, but anything we try in life, from learning to ride a bicycle to asking someone out on a date, runs those same risks. When embarking on magical pursuits, it’s always a good idea to keep an open mind and open heart.
So here is my contribution to the world: Spellcraft 101.
First Point: Practice
Practice.
Practice.
Practice.
I used to be one of those people who felt that magic was the last resort, that a person should exhaust all other avenues before performing a spell. I don’t know how I ended up with that belief – probably because other people respond that way. Magic is one of many tools given to us. Just like other tools, the only way to become a masterful spell-caster is to practice casting spells. Although I’ve met people who claimed wild success with their first spell, there are very few true ‘wild talents’ when it comes to witchcraft.
When a person is first starting out, it is best to start small, with inconsequential things, things that only affect the spellcaster or a willing guinea pig (not an actual guinea pig, mind you, but someone who has given their permission to be used as the object of a spell). It’s also easier to begin with positive spells instead of launching right into cursing, hexing, banishing or binding spells.
Healing spells are an excellent proving ground as long as the illness is not one that is immediately fatal. Helping a friend eliminate migraines or helping yourself resist getting the flu would be better than trying to cure someone of cancer or HIV. Not that wanting to cure someone’s cancer or HIV is a bad thing, especially if it worked, but it’s always best to start small and with something that will help build confidence and self-assurance.
Many people, me included, tend to make fun of people who cast spells for every little thing. You have to recognize when a mundane solution to a problem is faster and more effective than a spell. When you’re learning spellcraft, though, cast spells for everything.
Second Point: Taking Action
Magic will not do anything for you unless you take some kind of action. There’s an old joke about this guy. Every day he prays to God, “God, please let me win the lottery!” Days, weeks, months, years go by with this guy praying to win the lottery every single day. One day, he wakes up, goes for a walk & prays to God, “Please, God, just let me win the lottery!” God taps the guy on the shoulder and says, exasperatedly, “Hey, Schlomo, buy a ticket!” Performing a spell to get a job or make more money will do nothing for you unless you do something to help the magic along. Take some classes to improve your skills, actually send some resumes to prospective employers, and speak to your manager or supervisor about taking on greater responsibilities or getting a raise – and some spell work will help you.
Spells work best as a means to potentialize action. They can sway a situation to one’s advantage, or push a decision one way or the other, but for the most part spells are not miracles.
Referring back to recognizing when mundane solutions will work better than magical ones, once you’re past the practice stage, this is a good thing to remember. If someone is the victim of a dangerous domestic situation, doing a spell asking for ‘divine justice’ will not help if the victim is killed by their abusive partner. Doing a healing spell won’t help someone who is bleeding to death unless they’re already in the ER. Doing a spell to keep your kids off drugs won’t help if you’re doing drugs yourself and setting an example for them to follow.
Third Point: Self Discipline
In order to practice successful magic, one has to be able to focus on an outcome or ideal. If you cannot center and focus yourself, very little will come to fruition. Focus is an ability that some people are indeed born with, but for the rest of us it is another skill to practice... to be continued
Fourth Point: Timing
