Witches Haven

MAGICK

One of the top 10 questions, comments or silly statements regarding Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft has to do with the practice of Magick.

Misconceptions still abound; bat wings and eye of newt, dragon's tongue and snake skin, dropped in a cauldron at midnight, in a graveyard. Okey dokey then. A few issues with the ingredients and the locale; eye of a newt? Ever seen a newt? Bat wings? Exactly how is that going to happen? Not exactly fond of human contact, are bats. Snake skin? I own snakes, I wouldn't harm a scale on their bodies.

Dragon's tongue??? When was the last time you saw a dragon? Drag a cauldron to a graveyard at midnight? I'm in bed, sound asleep by midnight and the local cemetery has security. I don't think they would take kindly to midnight visitors cooking in the middle of family plots.

Magick, depending on your approach, Low or High, is not that difficult. Low is a no-brainer and High Magick simply requires dedication and practice, which is why it seems far less popular among the new Witchy set.
It can be a lot of work.

Low Magick, on the other hand and in truth, can be accomplished by anyone. It isn't so different from the prayers of the Judeo-Christian set. A little more pro-active but not that different.

Low Magick isn't about newts' eyes or bat wings. It isn't about a particular place or time. Low Magick bases itself in intent. The intent of the practitioner. It doesn't hurt to have tools or something on which to focus but these things are simple psychological focal points. Points of concentration. They are things. They aren't magickal in and of themselves. It is the BELIEF that these things hold magick that is the key.

The BELIEF that intent is manifested through the use of these items; candles, trinkets, incense and special stones. The BELIEF that a spell done at night is more powerful than a spell done during the day.

(This is a false assumption, spells done during the day are just as powerful as any undertaken by the light or dark of the moon but, if an individual BELIEVES the spell will only be accomplished at night? Then that's exactly what occurs.)

Consider the Roman Catholic and the whole lighting candle thing; they believe that the candle possesses more power because it is in a church and perhaps, because they pay for it. Give a Roman Catholic a candle and ask them to light it, in their home, for the same purpose and they can't believe it will work. Belief and intent. You can't have one without the other, not in Magick and not in prayer.

Prayer leaves results up to "someone" else. Magick is attaining results on your own. Pro-active. You are the one creating the Magick, you are the one focusing and manipulation energies to attain your goal. In this way, you cut out the middleman, so to speak.

There are no special words, gestures or items, as a rule. Spells created by someone else are, generally, far less effective than one you have designed on your own. It is your focus, not High Priestess Moonbeam Silverfart's. In order for Magick to work, effectively; it has to be as personalized as possible. A reflection of YOUR belief and intent, not that of some stranger, author or web master/mistress. You won't find a spell on the internet that will work better than something you have created on your own.

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