Lesson 6: What is Magic(k)? In this lesson we will take a look at the basic aspects of magic. Please take note that this is the introductory lesson to the process of Magick. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Reading work on the history of magic: 1. Buy the book: Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard written by Oberon Zell- Ravenheart. 2. Read this webpage: http://www.realmagick.com/5481/history-of-magick/ 3. A brief overview: http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/a-brief-history-ofmagick-and-witchcraft/ 4. Download this book: Alan Macfarlane - Witchcraft In History Of The English Speaking - http://darkbooks.org/pp.php?v=1409099019 Reading material on other aspects of magic: 1. Creative process in Magick by Anja Heij: http://www.realmagick.com/6966/thecreative-process-in-magick/ 2. Models of magic: http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/chaos/texts/model.html 3. More on Magic: http://www.controverscial.com/what%20is%20magick.htm 4. Questions on magick: http://www.luckymojo.com/spells/real.html Interested in other magical courses: 1. Subscribe internet magic course: http://www.emystica.com/magic/course/ 2. Download a book here: http://darkbooks.org/pp.php?v=213289056 3. Lessons for the Correllian first degree: http://darkbooks.org/pp.php?v=2074558561 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction: Before we start know that there is no such thing as instant Magick, no rapid path to enlightenment. It is a difficult path, filled with trials, tribulations and successes, mostly it is a path of study and practice. So what do you need for this journey? You need Patience, knowledge and practice, where time and money are not the criteria, but the quality of your studies and work. To take that next step you must know that with the proper training, discipline and intent you can perform most of the magic and miracles you need.
Basis of Magic In order to understand the history and nature of magic, you have to picture 3 spheres each representing creativity, knowledge and piety. Let s translate these terms into Art, Science and Religion. Art Science Religion Why do we use these three models? Let s go back into history: A picture maker (artist) communicated through making pictures (art), a wise woman communicated through observation (science) and the seer communicated through insight (religion). From the beginning of the human race we worked according to these principles, but through history we learnt that these sphere boundaries is not cast in stone and that they can overlap. Art Science MAGIC Religion Trace these inner lines Notice an area where all three spheres are overlapping? That area is known as the area of Magick. Magick consists of art, science and religion your imagination with technical skills to enhance or change the energy of either the inner or outer exterior. I see Magic as that part which consists of all other parts of life put together. During the time of the rise of Christianity and Islam the religious have tried to separate the spheres and to destroy the magic part by controlling the science and art parts, choosing which knowledge and skills of the magic part were useful to them and then demonized the rest of it. They even resorted to destroying everything and anybody who engaged in the parts they deemed not needed. They even went so far as to claim that magic is superstition, folklore, illusions, mental illness or demonic possession or trickery. And here lies the sadness, for they tried to destroy the soul of the spheres and by doing so they actually tried to destroy the human soul. In reading the volumes of our historical heritage we see the consequences of this process.
The overlapping parts which formed the magical part is that part of the human soul, is that part that keeps the 3 spheres together and give it life, and no matter how you try to destroy it, it will always survive as long as the human soul survives. Before we step onto the next step, I want you to put your finger on the overlapping inner-lines and trace all the inner-lines. What did you notice? The inner part form the Triqueta So what is this part the area where all parts of life is the overlapping? What is this part which some wanted to destroy and others want to preserve? What is this thing called Magick? Definitions of magic If you open 1000 books and ask 1000 magical folk what magic is, you will get 3000 different versions. The book Real Magic defines it as: Magic is a collection of rule-of-thumb techniques designed to get one s psychic talents to do more or less what one wants more often than not, one hopes Crowley stated: Magic is a general term for the arts, sciences, philosophies (incl religions) and technologies concerned with (a) understanding and using various altered states of consciousness within which it is possible to have access to and control over one s psychic talents and (b) the uses of those psychic talents to change interior and/or exterior realities Israel Regardie defined it: Magic is the science and art of using states of altered consciousness for causing changes to occur in conformity with will Isaacs Bonewits said: a science and an art comprising a system of concepts and methods for the build-up of human emotion, altering the electrochemical balance of
the metabolism, using associative techniques and devices to concentrate and focus this emotional energy, thus modulating the energy broadcast by the human body, usually to affect other energy patters, whether animate or inanimate, but occasionally to affect the personal energy patterns." The Lemegeton of King Solomon (1500 CE) classify magic as: the Highest, most Absolute, and most Divine knowledge of Natural Philosophy, advanced in its works and wonderful operations by a right understanding of the invward and occult virtue of things; sothat true Agents being applied to proper Patients, strange and admirable effects will thereby be produced. Okay what does all that mean? Let s recap something from our introduction and spread it open. We can say it is an art and is a science and it is a combination of the art and science the technology (science = skill) is the method and words (art = activity) is the process. Magick is not just a thing. It is made up of a combination of skills and activities, all of which together allow you to change, to think, to feel and to notice this changing of things which you normally would not have noticed. So we can now state that magick is any act designed to cause intentional change, and event which is brought to pass by will. Crowley saw magic as the essential method for a person to reach true understanding of the self and to act according to one s true will. He wrote that magick is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will. Let s stop here and look at the following terms: Act = this refer to the more intuitive area of magic that includes fine instincts and feelings in general as wells as the sensitivity for subtle energies. An act cannot work without imagination the intuitive nature of yourself. Magic = Any art that invokes supernatural powers, access to other facets of yourself like your psychic, intuitive mind and your divine self, to manifest with your will power. Magic can thus be used for transformation, healing and betterment, selfimprovement and self-determination. Conformity to will = This is the change you are creating which matches your intention. Intention = An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
Psychic - That which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason, the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life. Supernatural = Not existing in nature or subject to explanation according to natural laws; not physical or material Magical weapons = those instruments used to bring about intentional change, they are specific consecrated items used within the ritual. In Magick knowledge is power: Magic deals with ultimate truths. Magic will open your eyes, your mind and yourself to the other way of knowing. Magic will take you deep into the layers of existence; it will penetrate the veils and layers of reality. It will cut a path deep into yourself so that you can know yourself truly and it is here where our intent and purpose for every magical act lies. Our intent and purpose for the magical act comes from this area which is either then going to be in service of the true will or in service of the individual ego. So the most important aspect on your magical path will be knowledge. It is power and magical power accrues with study, experience, practical and inner work. Know every aspects of the magical acts which includes rituals, correspondences, timing and that which connects magic to everything else: The Universe, The Divine, Life. In magic there is never the phrase: I know to much or I have learnt enough. Life is not static, it moves and so does everything around us, and so does knowledge and we have to move with this flow and sponge up that changes and add it to our magical database of knowledge. Don t worry, most of the times every practitioner feels he or she is always way off or far behind the magical knowledge revealed to them for knowledge grows and move and reshape itself just like magick does. So what is the aim of magick? The aim is achieving the spiritual totality and unity of a person used the rational and intuitive sides to work together harmoniously to create change. 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 what we do currently.
Watch out magick is not a toy! We can say that magic is real, a serious business and never should be taken lightly. What you put into your magical act depends on what you will get from it. Magick is natural, and very powerful. In studying magick you will find that it is not supernatural and certainly not a tool to either force someone to love you or to destroy something. When used wrong it can back fire and cause painful damage to either you the wielder of the receiver. Never use magic to proof your power to anyone. When we do spells we invoke the power of magick and when our elements of this spell is not properly done, that magical act can go terribly wrong giving you outcomes which you never intended, and/or it even will not take shape, and/or create a depression within you. Never do magical acts for someone and not have that person s permission to do that act. These acts are against the nature of free will. The path for that act is then already clouded which can affect the outcome badly. Be very careful and make sure that your intentions and outcomes are clear and that the purpose of your magical act is understandable within the Universe and within yourself. Magick is a force utilising power, wisdom and knowledge. It is both more and less powerful than the ignorant can suppose. Magick can only be used to change the changeable, for instance - it can be used to cure a sickness but not to replace a lost limb. Magick is not a power to be used in place of our other powers, meaning those of our physical, mental or emotional abilities. Nor is it a crutch for the weak or an ego-boost for the inadequate. Magick is an art and skill unto itself. It needs to be learned then trained to develop, and that takes time and patience. Now how does it work? When the first fire was lit it omitted warmth which to the prehistoric peoples was a sign of magic given to us from the Great Gods. The Universe shared its secrets with the human race and before long the human realised that this form of magic could be used for anything to heat up water, to cook food over, to warm the body and to destroy. A Divine gift in order to help the humans. Fire to me is energy, the result of earth and air burning (wood and oxygen). I see this energy as the moving source of this element fire and also water. Everything around us consist of these elements and thus consist of energy. Energy is the source of movement and that part which can create life and destroy life. Examples: Water and air can create an energy which can result in Hurricanes, fire and air can create an energy which can result in bushfires, water and earth can create energy which can
results in floods, and to a certain extent earth and air can create an energy which can result in Tornadoes. All of creation started by the flow of energy and no matter your views on how creation started, energy was involved. It shaped everything and so it shapes you and me also. Every part in our body work together to create energy for you to walk, talk and to think, to do sports and even to sleep. When energy leaves us we die in a manner of speaking. And with Magick it is the same it makes use of the elements and the energy of creation to work. Let s now look at this energy that fuels the act of magick. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is how I see the pentagram: The points of the pentagram are dedicated to the elements of earth, air, fire and water, and the top one is to the spirit. The inner part is where all 5 parts converse where the energy is created and normally the wielder will stand in this area to create magical works using this energy Sort note on Energy: http://www.need.org/needpdf/infobook_activities/eleminfo/introe.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Universe is composed of energy. Everything around you -everything you see and many things you don t - are composed of energy. You, too, are composed of energy. Your body, which seems so solid, is composed of endless numbers of microscopic particles held together at the subatomic level by energy We are part of a universe filled with stars, but within and around this universe you will find countless more universes with their own stars and systems, but these universes are not only out there - it is within us also, a microscopic made up universe. All around us and within us consists of protons, electrons and neutrons and so on and so on. To the scientists this explains the energy on molecular level but to us we will call it energy. Scientists will tell you that energy is not static but responsive and dynamic. It constantly reforms or reshapes itself, and changes its shape. Energy move like liquid and so we can symbolically compare it to water. Moving energy can create warmth, like fire. Energy is also like light and can be symbolically seen as Air.
I would like to connect it also symbolically to earth as it is the base of everything we create. Energy is the cause which creates the pattern of the physical world we see around us, it creates and we react and interact with it every day. Energy shapes our day more than what we pay attention to it it s an unconscious process. It is in this unconscious area where energy shape our lives regarding our levels of believes, emotions, etc, and most of the time we do not even know what our true believes or emotions are, let alone how they affect us on an energetic lever. It is when we bring this unconscious mind to our conscious self that we shape our energy. Magic is thus the art of consciously focusing and controlling this all-pervasive energy. When we focus our will and effort we use this universal energy within us and around us to affect things around us thus our thoughts and emotion which are energy filled bring about that change we desire. To sum all this up we can say that we invoke our unconscious self to assimilate with our conscious self which form a higher level of consciousness called the Higher Self from which all magick happens. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Activity: A ritual to invoke the Higher self (This was taken from the First Degree of Correllian Tradition) Light the incense. Now Say; I invoke You, O Higher Self. Now try to imagine the image of your Higher Self before you. You can imagine it looking just as you look in the flesh, or as you would like to look, or might see It as a cloud of beautiful white light. Or some other image may come to you -one that you haven t thought of yourself, but which the Higher Self Itself has chosen. It doesn t really matter because the Higher Self doesn t have a physical form, and the image is only to help you communicate with It better, by giving you something to focus on. Speak to the Higher Self. These words are only to give you a basic form; you should speak from the heart. I attune to my Higher Self. I move in harmony with my Higher Self. I am at one with my Higher Self. Oh Higher Self, I ask You to help me to see and understand the lessons of my life, give me clarity and courage to learn them, and help me to learn them with ease and joy. I rededicate myself to the purposes for which I entered this life and ask You to guide me through them.* Lift up the glass. Imagine a bright white light shining from it, as though it were glowing. O Higher Self, I offer You this glass in token of the love I bear You. Now drink the liquid. Imagine the white light entering you along with the liquidspreading out through your chest and giving you pleasant warmth. Put the glass back on the altar. Now take a few minutes and meditate while the candles and
incense burn, and the offering stands. Imagine your Higher Self strong and healthy and happy. Concentrate on It. In this way you are sending the Higher Self energy and strengthening your bond to your It. When you have finished, say; O Higher Self, I pray that You have enjoyed this offering. I give you my thanks and my love. Now put out the incense and extinguish the candle. It is an ancient belief that you should never extinguish a candle by blowing on it -Rather you should use a candle snuffer, pinch it out with your fingers, or extinguish it with the side of a blade. This is because blowing on the flame is considered disrespectful. You should also wash the glass under cold running water and imagine white light flowing through it along with the water. Say I cleanse you, and concentrate on the water and white light removing all excess energy from the glass. You can also use this invocation by itself, anytime you feel a need to attune to the Higher Self. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let s look at the aspect of Power in Magick: Power Magick in essence is the use and control of natural energies or power to produce and effect needed change. There are three basic sources of natural energy or power used: Personal Power, Earth Power and Divine Power. Personal Power: Is the life force that sustains us and protects our earthly existence. It's the power that resides within our own bodies; some may call it "willpower". As we go about our daily business we are constantly absorbing energy, be it from the sun during the day or the moon during the night or the food and drink we consume. This energy we store and release during movement, exercise, sex, and even through our emotional states. This we all do quite naturally. In magick we learn to harness and arouse this personal power, infuse it with a particular purpose, release it and direct it towards its goal. Earth Power: Is the power that resides within our planet and its natural products. Such things as: Stones, Trees, Wind, Fire, Water, Crystals, Oils and Scents. All these things and more possess unique powers and give out specific energies that can be harnessed and used during ritual and magick. Hold a stone in the palm of your hand (receptive hand), concentrate on your hand and visualise the stone. Feel its force tingling? A crystal can be charged and then held against the forehead to clear up migraine or headaches with its healing properties. Like-wise herbs and oils can be charged then rubbed onto the body to effect internal changes. These are just a few examples of earth power and its uses.
Divine Power: Is spiritual power, that which is charged and channelled by the Goddess and the God. Personal power and earth power are both manifestations of divine power. Divine power is the force of life, the source of everything, the power of the universe that created existence. To use divine power the Goddess and God need to be invoked to bless the magick being prepared, this is normally done inside a properly constructed circle. For instance during ritual, personal power may be used to effect some personal change, then directed to the deities asking for a specific need to be met. On magical tools: We all see participants of magical acts using a variety of sacred tools in which they raise energy or to perform certain actions. I am not going to go deep into this as there will be a lesson dedicated to these items, but I want to share this wonderful article with you: Natalie Broome wrote https://www.facebook.com/groups/114422906465/#!/groups/sorcerywitchcraft/ If you need tools, you probably shouldn't be using them...if you don't NEED them, do what you will. True magick/energy comes from the connection to self and to Nature/the natural energies. When you progress/develop/change along the path, you begin to see that you can make things happen via other means...without tools. If you have no sense of what you're doing on a spiritual level, and yet you're using tools to try to get what you want, the effects of the spell are likely to be small, or if they are large, then they probably won't be what you intended it to be as you've no idea of what you're doing and so the resulting energies are scattered. Which is why, when people start out on the path, and they cast a spell that doesn't work, they are confused as to WHY it didn't work when they've used a million different ingredients and all the tools under the sun, and yet still had little to no results...because they don't really understand what they're doing. But as you progress and learn more about what you're really dealing with, you effectively 'charge' yourself up with the knowledge you learn, and your personal power grows, therefore, any workings you do, begin to work also....some people think it is because of the tools, but if you compare your workings with tools during your first magical steps, to the workings with tools when you've grown and understand things better, the differences are quite dramatic...but the tools didn't change during that time, so why should it be down to them that your workings actually work?...it's not...it's down to You! If you've got a deeper understanding of what your own energy is, and what universal energy you want to tap into, you can cast with mere spoken words, and have no need for tools. At that stage, if you DO choose to use tools, they will work much
better for you, as they are simply strengthening what you're already putting out there. You can use all the tools in the world, but if you have no personal connection to the energies, they aren't likely to produce the desired effects, if any at all. Personal power/energy is the strongest, most valuable tool you will ever need. Laws of magic The Laws of Magic are not legislative laws but, like those of physics or of musical harmony, are practical observations that have been accumulating over the course of thousands of years, with remarkable similarity in almost every known human culture. Those of you who prefer to remain sceptical as to the reality of psychic phenomena and the systems of magic developed to control them will at least find these Laws an interesting and detailed guide to what psychologists and anthropologists so patronizingly refer to as magical thinking. I am not going to go into these laws as this is a lesson for students who indicates they are interested in the advance course, but I will provide links here where you can go do research work: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reading work: http://deoxy.org/lawsofmagic.htm http://www.neopagan.net/at_laws.html http://www.bartleby.com/196/5.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Basic techniques of magick The following aspects can be used in the process of magick: 1. Banishing 2. Purification 3. Invocation 4. Spell ritual work 5. Divination 6. Eucharist Thanksgiving Some rules to remember: These rules were extracted from Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard written by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart: 1. Magic is real 2. Know yourself 3. The best way to predict the future is to create it 4. Question authority 5. Magic is both an art and experimental science
6. Be watchful of what you do and say 7. Intention controls the results 8. Don t invoke what you can t banish 9. The job isn t done until you ve put away the tools and cleaned up the mess 10. Keep silent Requirements for this path: 1. Strength of will 2. Have a clean intention of what you need or want 3. Have a method to direct your energy, will power and/or intention. 4. If you incorporate spell work in your magical act, know your correspondences as this enhance your magical work. 5. Remember a spell is a petition you want to forward to the Powers of the Universe or the Deity, and thus before you cast a spell your wish should be clear and precise. It will be good to write down your thoughts, and some magical even prefer a spell to be in rhyme format. 6. There are many tools used in Modern Witchcraft. According to some Wiccan systems, the first four are not physical, but rather are qualities which must be developed within the witch, and here we will look at the Witches pyramid as it explains the magical process followed by Witches across the spec of time: The witches pyramid. The journey - Spirit To will Fire (SH) To be silent Earth (NH) To Know - Air To dare - Water To will Fire (NH) To be silent Earth (SH) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources for this article came from: The Way of the Goddess by Ly Warren-Clarke The Spiral Dance by Starhawk The outer Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penzcak ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This chapter will also be discussed with those students that indicate that they want to take the advance course. In this lesson I will only provide a basic insight into this topic:
All of these qualities must be developed to gain proficiency in magick. Remember "Achieve Balance" To Know (nescere) Basically this has to do with the gaining of knowledge, whether it be from books, teachers, or from experience. This also includes anything having to do with organising said knowledge: remembering, analyzing, dissecting, logical reasoning, imagining, linking, and many more. This is shown in many kinds of knowledge needed to do ritual: from remembering the words to invocations, to knowing when to cast the circle, to knowing what incense to use, to remembering how it feels when one grounds correctly. To Will (velle) This can be split into two categories: the mundane and the Magickal. The mundane is where a with tries to keep their life in good order, and to follow through on promises and commitments. The magickal version refers to the Will to see a spell or ritual to its completion, keeping the intent clear without letting onself get distracted. Concentration, Discipline and Drive are definitely a part of this, as well as Enthusiasm for doing ritual in the first place. To Dare (audere) "To Dar" encompasses the acts of facing fears, especially with regards to doing magick. Dare to experiment with what one has learned to gain more experience, like trying out that new astral travel technique or trance working. Dare to meet the Gods and interacte with them. Dare to deal with inner darkness. This is not to say that one must never feel fear. Fear must be felt and examined before it can be dealt with. The more one tries to hide one's fear from one's self, the more power that fear will have over one's self. Facing the Shadow within can be more traumatic than facing the most awe-inspiring Deity. However, Starhawk mentions in her book The Spiral Dance, "Where there's fear, there's power." One's greatest fear can mask one's greatest strength. To Keep [the] Silence (tacere) "To Keep the Silence" is often interpreted as "To Keep Silent": that is, to keep secret knowledge of witchcraft, of membership and places of meetings etc., except in cases of voucher-for persons. "To Keep Silent" is probably a good general practice since it keeps the foolhardy from trying things that might be dangerous or from getting flack from less sympathetic neighbours. This is, however, not the whole story. Listening to the Gods and Nature (and other people for that matter) is also intimated since one cannot hear unless there is silence first. To Go (ire) Some traditions use the fifth Element of Spirit as embodying the power "To Go": to go forth, to journey, to make manifest, to evolve. Most traditions assign Spirit to the Gods, making spirit a combination of the other four elements in perfect balance.
Types of Magick Magic can be divided into two major groups: Esoteric and Practical magick. Esoteric magick is that which is concerned with inner thoughts and mostly covers the orders or traditions of Ceremonial or High magic like the Hermetic, Golden Dawn, Roscicrucian, Thelema, etc. High magick also called theurgy which means working things pertaining the gods, is seen as the mystical with a religious base. It is a path which often relies upon the aid of spirits and gods. Users of High Magic normally theurgy is not concerned with service to others, but rather personal enlightenment, self actualization and to bring about changes in his or her own internal reality. Practical magic, also known as Low Magick or Thaumaturgy, is day to day issues concerned with getting results like Wicca or Witchcraft, etc. But and this is a BIG but, those that fall into this category also can follow the esoteric path and incorporate principles of High magic into their rituals, magical acts and daily lives. Low magick is seen as the everyday practical magic. Low Magic, or sorcery, is the use of magick to effect changes in the reality of the outer world. This path is normally in the service of others and all forms of folk magick falls in this category. Colours of magic This chapter will be discussed in detail with those students that indicate they want to take the advance course of magic -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read: Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard written by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart: Basic sigil magic by Phillip Cooper - chapter 7-14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To conclude a few rantings I want to share with you: Magick has basic rules and structures like science and art Crowley defined magic as the science of causing change in conformity with will As an art magic has an creative individual component as long as it conforms to scientific laws of magic Magick is learning to flow with the soul of nature Science corresponds to will, art corresponds to imagination and will + imagination = magic There is no moral codes, rules or structures, but conditions that allow magic to occur
Magick is not speculation, it is a process of making something happening Magick is learning to walk with change, with the forces that create change, to shape the outcome to match your intention Diligent practice on a regular basis is the key to acquiring magical skills Magic is a continuous process. Enthusiasm is the foundation of intention When intention is clear, a deep sense of freedom will envelops you When you are aligned and moving with purpose in your work magic will happen Intention must be grounded in healthy self reliance, perseverance and on optimistic worldview. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Please remember to do the worksheet in our forum section marked lesson 6, and sent your answers to per.saret@gmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------