As a newbie pagan, can I expect to wave around a magic wand, wiggle my nose, say ‘hocus pocus’, and my wish will come true? The skeptic in me says no. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in magic.
Interestingly enough, when I was researching magic/magick online and in books, even Wiccan books, most sources mentioned Aleister Crowley’s definitions about magick. (Spelling ‘magick’ with a ‘k’ to differentiate it from the ‘stage tricks’ type of magic). Aleister Crowley was of course the infamous occultist who introduced Thelema to the world, and was member of several occult organizations including the Golden Dawn, the A.’.A.’., and Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O).
Aleister Crowley discusses magick in his book Magick in Theory and Practice, defining it as “the science and art of causing a change to occur in conformance with will“. He adds “every intentional act is a magickal act” and “magick is the science of understanding oneself and one’s conditions. It is the art of applying that understanding in action”.
Almost every culture and religion has a variation of magick, be it called prayer, meditation, visualization, trance work, positive affirmation, the law of attraction, inspiration, visions, prophecy, miracles, or others. Shamanism, voudon and witchcraft also use forms of magick.
In “Paganism“, the authors define the mechanics of magick as “putting yourself into a receptive state, forming your intention clearly, projecting this intention into the universe, and then letting it go to do its work“. This is how a spell works. Or a prayer, for that matter.
And since the energy of the universe is immanent in all things, magick is everywhere!
Magick has many uses including energy work (personal empowerment, growth and healing), divination (receiving energy and information) or spiritual growth (communing with deity and feeling one with the universe).
So although magick is not currently defined in today’s scientific world (even though the field of quantum physics is approaching it?), it doesn’t need to be fully understood in order for it to be effective. Historically, things like magnetism and the rise and fall of the sun were considered ‘magic’.
As long as you believe in your intent, the universe will work towards your desired outcome.
#/media/File:John_William_Waterhouse_-_Magic_Circle.JPG "John William Waterhouse - Magic Circle")
© A Year And A Day (2012)
West Coast Pagan 