Magi's Homeland - Magick in Theory

When starting out to write this article, my intention was address the ethic of magick. However, as I worked on it, it became clear that it was going to be more that that. Hence the title, Why Magick? I'll leave you to judge for yourself whether it goes some way to answering that question.

OK then, so why magick? Before discussing magick itself, I think it's important to consider what principles, or ethics, we follow when working it. First, consider the Wiccan creed of 'An it harm none, do what you will'.

Great, this gives me free reign to do what I like so long as I don't harm anyone else. Money please! * sound of cash register * Oh dear. I got the cash, but it was left to me by a favourite aunt who died. I know, I'll cast a spell to get a new job. Got the job, but only because someone else got the sack. Third time lucky, I'll cast a spell to make that girl I fancy love me. Whoops, she already has a partner who is now devastated at losing her. And I don't really like her that much but she is madly in love with me So, each of these attempts led to someone else being harmed, even though that was not the intention. Even when using a healing spell, can you be sure that you are not doing harm? If it was someone's Karma to suffer a certain illness, and the spell cured them, they might very well have to go through the suffering again if their Karma hadn't been worked through. And consider 'An it harm none' in more detail. Taken to its extreme, this could mean that you would not be able to take medicine if you were ill as this would kill the bacteria or virus causing the illness. And so everything grinds to halt, stagnates and nothing is done for fear of 'harming'.

So what about Crowley's 'Do what thou will shall be the whole of the law, love is the law love under will'. Isn't this better as it gives me free reign to do whatever I like, without needing to consider anyone else?

Not quite. The important thing here is "thou will". This doesn't mean the will of the ego or lower self. Every person is a unique, autonomous centre of individual consciousness, energy and will. Or as Crowley puts it, everyone is a star. Shinning and existing by its own inward light, going its own way in the heavens, except in so far as it is affected by the gravity of other stars. But humanity, on the whole, has divorced itself from the celestial essences and forgone its true spiritual will. So when applying the edict 'Do what thou will', many of us do not even know what our True Will is! So for me, one of the guiding principles of magick is, 'how is what I am about to do helping me to evolve as a person and, in turn, helping humanity to evolve (even if by an infinitesimally small amount). This need not be anything convoluted.

"Example?"

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law What is they Will? It is my Will to eat and drink To what end? That my body may be fortified thereby To what end? That I may accomplish the Great Work Love is the law, love under will

You could quite easily rewrite this to say it is my Will to spend the day watching Star Trek so that my mind and body may be rested thereby. The key is where the reply to the question 'What is your Will?' ends up.

Dion Fortune explains that there are two schools of thought on magick. The first, the rationalistic, attributing magick to the power of the subconscious mind. The second, the occult, attributes the outcome of magick to wholly supernatural agencies, such as the intervention of the gods/goddess, elements, and so on. She also suggests a third way, which attributes the phenomena produced by magick to both of these factors, together with a healthy application of esoteric knowledge concerning the nature of the universe.

"Ok, cut the crap. What the hell are you talking about"

In High Magick, the magician reckons to live in a three tier world: the spiritual, the psychic, and the physical (these can be sub-divided and looked at in other ways, but I'll keep it simple for now). The physical world is that which we are conscious of by means of our sensory organs and sometimes with the aid of scientific instruments - the atheistic materialist considers that all that exists is the physical world. The spiritual world is the domain of the Creator, the Only Begetter of all that is, the 'no-thing'. The religions of the world seek to bring the individual soul into relationship with the One. Then there is the psychic world which lies between the physical and the spiritual.

"What's that got to do with magick?"

Well the magician believes that the psychic world exists, not as forbidden territory, but as a large and unknown place out there waiting to be explored using ritual and magick. the point I want to make is that we need to take care how we explore this world (and use magick). If we approached this realm looking for what we could profitably exploit in material terms, then we are likely to meet up with similar opportunistic exploiters upon the inner planes. So intention must be at the heart of ritual and magick and it is important to spend time carefully considering why we are seeking to perform the ritual/magickal activity. Especially if there is a far more effective opportunity to achieve the results we desire. If I have a headache, I'll take a couple of pain killers every time rather than cast a spell!

"Yeah got that, but can you stick to the point please"

Right. So we need to get to know our True Will so that nothing happens in our magickal working without its use. So that whatever we do in magick is performed consciously, deliberately, and with full intent.

"But answer the question. Why magick?"

Simply put, magick ritual is a process so arranged as to result in the deliberate exhalation of the Will and the exhalation of the imagination, the end being the purification of the personality and the attainment of a spiritual state of consciousness in which we enter into union with either our own Higher Self or a God/ess. By each act, word and thought, this one aim of any ritual/magickal working is brought about.

"But what about instant spells/magick. Can I get this from spell kits or books"

You can, if the result you are aiming to achieve is to waste your money. But there is a danger that under certain circumstances they may work with dire consequences. It's a bit like reading a book or watching a video about how to drive a car. If you've really concentrated hard, you might just drive a couple of hundred yards in a straight line. But is that really driving? Or, more likely, you will crash and injure yourself or someone else. And so it is with instant spells. I won't deign to call this instant magick. Magick requires a great deal of dedication, study, practice and hard work.

"But what about that car I need."

Do you really need it? Even is you used magick to get it, you're still going to have to put in physical effort as well. No-one is going to knock on your front door, completely out of the blue, and give you a brand new car - sorry this is not a Disney movie. But supposing they did. Where would the incentive then be to do something constructive with your life. You could just sit back, cast a few spells, and get everything your materialistic self desired. Your physical needs might be met, but only to the detriment of your spiritual or True Needs. And therein lies the road to the left-hand path.

"This is all a bit high magick, isn't it?"

Well what did you expect from a High Magician! As Crowley puts it "Magick is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with Will.". Or to put it another way, magick is the science of understanding oneself and one's conditions. It is the art of applying that understanding in action. If you want powers to do things like healing the sick, making yourself invisible, kindling a flame without using matches, levitation, love spells, and so on, then the best excuse for trying to acquire them is that you will learn a lot in the process. Whether or not you need to work magick to improve your lot in the mundane, material world and thereby be in a position to better know your True Will is a matter for you and… Well, your True Will.